Private jet to Martinique

Martinique is part of France: a single territorial collectivity with the powers of an overseas department and region, and an outermost region of the European Union. French law and the euro apply, but the island is outside the Schengen area, so documents are checked when you land. It covers 1,128 km² and has about 350,000 inhabitants; Fort-de-France is the capital, and most people speak Martinican Creole as well as French.

The south of the island has the white-sand beaches, the marina at Le Marin and most hotels; the north is mountains and rainforest under Mont Pelée, an active volcano of 1,397 m whose eruption early in the twentieth century destroyed the old capital Saint-Pierre. Private flights bring families from mainland France at Christmas, in February and at Easter, sailors joining yachts in Le Marin, visitors to the rhum agricole distilleries and business travellers to Fort-de-France. Every jet lands at Aimé Césaire, 8 km from the capital.

Tell us the dates, the passengers and where on the island you are staying; we reply with aircraft, routing and prices.

Flight times from Europe

Paris Le Bourget lies 6,861 km from Le Lamentin. A Falcon 8X or a Global 7500 covers it without a stop, in 8:23 h and 8:07 h. A Praetor 600 lands once for fuel, usually in the Azores, and needs 10:35 h. From Lisbon the Praetor 600 crosses non-stop in 7:39 h, while from Madrid it is just beyond its range and lands once. A flight between mainland France and Martinique is a French domestic flight in law, so only an operator from the EU can carry passengers on it; aircraft registered in the United States or in the Caribbean are not offered from France. The return leg is usually quicker with the westerly winds.

Prices to Martinique

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, from an aircraft based near the departure city. Handling, parking, a fuel stop and passenger taxes come on top. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

The Praetor 600 costs EUR 72,000 from Paris and EUR 66,000 from Madrid, each with a fuel stop. Non-stop from Paris the Falcon 8X is quoted at EUR 105,000; the Global 7500 adds cabin height and range for a large party.

From Marseille, Nantes and Lisbon

Lisbon is the closest European departure point at 5,718 km: EUR 52,000 in the Praetor 600 and EUR 66,000 in the Challenger 650, both without landing.

From the Windward Islands and Miami

Saint Lucia is the nearest neighbour: Castries is 63 km away and Hewanorra 96 km, both 0:38 h or less in a Citation CJ3. Flights to Guadeloupe stay within France and are flown by EU operators; Dominica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent, Barbados and Grenada are international hops with a border check at each end. From Miami the Challenger 350 costs EUR 29,000.

France charges its passenger tax on departures from the mainland and from Martinique alike. A flight between mainland France and Martinique counts as domestic and is generally taxed at the European rate, about EUR 420 per jet passenger (about EUR 210 in a turboprop), with the exact amount confirmed in the quote; on international routes the tax rises with distance, to about EUR 1,015 or EUR 2,100 on a jet. Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger at this distance and Austria EUR 12. UK Air Passenger Duty is charged at the higher rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate on lighter jets, and Germany, Norway and the Netherlands add their own taxes. The quote lists all of them.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Two trips with the costs

Per passenger

Calculator

The calculator gives an estimate for any route by e-mail:

Martinique Aimé Césaire for business aviation

Martinique has no second airport for business aircraft, so the choice of handler and the request for the stand are made together with the flight plan.

Aircraft for the crossing and the islands

A Praetor 600 or a Challenger 650 keeps the cost down with one fuel stop; a Falcon 7X, Falcon 8X or Global 7500 flies straight through with beds for the night crossing home. For Saint Lucia, St Vincent or Dominica a Pilatus PC-12 or a Citation CJ3 is enough. Larger cabins are in the ultra long range catalogue.

Leave your number if you would like a consultant to call:

From Le Lamentin to the south, the north and the capital

A helicopter not based at the airport needs permission 72 hours ahead, so for the neighbouring islands a turboprop is usually the simpler answer.

When to fly to Martinique

The dry season, called Carême, runs from December to May, and January to March are the best months for the beaches, with daytime temperatures of 28 to 29 degrees. From June showers become frequent, and September and October are the wettest months and the most exposed to storms within the hurricane season from June to November. Christmas, February and Easter are the peak booking periods. Empty Legs are most frequent in early January and after the carnival and Easter, when jets that brought families out fly back to Europe.

Empty Legs

Most legs follow the French school calendar: jets fly out empty to collect families at the end of the holidays and fly home empty after dropping them. Short legs between Martinique, Guadeloupe and Saint Lucia also appear. Send your direction and a few possible dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Documents and customs

Pets on board

• EU rules: microchip, rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel and the EU pet passport; animals from the UK travel with an animal health certificate valid for 10 days for entry.
• Pets enter through Aimé Césaire airport.
• French law excludes attack dogs of the first category, such as mastiff and pit bull types; guard dogs of the second category, such as rottweilers, enter only under conditions.
• Up to five animals per traveller travel in the cabin beside you once the operator has agreed.
• Dogs flying back to the UK need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before landing, and the UK accepts pets only through approved routes.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the passengers and the address: Fort-de-France, the south coast, a yacht in Le Marin or a villa in the north.
2. We propose EU operators for flights from France and compare a one-stop super midsize jet with a non-stop long-range jet.
3. You receive offers with operator, model, routing and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. After signing and payment the handler requests the 72-hour permission and the stand.
5. On arrival you pass the border check, and the car takes you to your hotel or marina.

Questions about private flights to Martinique

• • How much does a private jet from Paris to Martinique cost?

  • A Praetor 600 with one fuel stop costs EUR 72,000 and a Falcon 8X costs EUR 105,000 non-stop, one way for the whole aircraft.

• • How long is the flight?

  • 8:23 h from Paris Le Bourget in a Falcon 8X and 8:07 h in a Global 7500, without a stop.

• • Do we need a passport if we fly from Paris?

  • EU citizens can use a national identity card, because Martinique is part of France and the EU. Documents are still checked on arrival, as the island is outside Schengen.

• • Why do you only offer EU operators from France?

  • A flight between mainland France and Martinique is a domestic flight in law, and only an operator from the EU may carry passengers on it.

• • How far ahead must the flight be announced?

  • Unscheduled business flights ask the airport for permission 72 hours before arrival, so we need the details at least three days ahead.

• • Can we arrive in the evening?

  • The airport is open round the clock, but general aviation hours end at 19:00 and inbound customs works in daylight, so a later arrival is agreed with the handler first.

• • Can our dog fly with us?

  • Yes, under EU rules with microchip, rabies vaccination and pet passport, in the cabin beside you.

• • When is the best season?

  • December to May, with January to March the best months for the beach. September and October are the wettest.

• • Can we combine Martinique with Saint Lucia?

  • Yes, Hewanorra is 0:38 h away in a Citation CJ3 and Castries even closer. Saint Lucia is a separate country, so take your passport.