Private jet to Mozambique

Mozambique runs for about 2,500 km along the Indian Ocean coast of south-east Africa, between South Africa and Tanzania. Roads along that coast are slow, so most private trips combine a long-range jet from Europe with a turboprop or light jet for the last few hundred kilometres. Maputo, the capital in the far south, is the usual arrival point; Beira serves the central coast and Tete the coal and power projects of the Zambezi valley.

Two kinds of client make up most requests. Lenders, engineers and government delegations fly in for short stays linked to the aluminium smelter near Maputo and to coal, gas and mineral projects. Holiday groups head for the Bazaruto archipelago off Vilankulo and the diving coast near Inhambane, often after a safari in the Kruger area across the border. Portuguese is the state language and the metical the currency, so we ask the handler for a meeter who speaks Portuguese and English.

Send us the dates, the passengers and the places you want to reach, and we check airports, permits and onward connections for that plan.

How long the flight takes

A Gulfstream G550 or Global 7500 flies every route to Mozambique in the main table without landing: Munich - Tete takes 9:27 h in the G550, Zurich - Beira 9:59 h, Nice - Maputo 10:15 h, Lisbon - Maputo 10:32 h, Paris Le Bourget - Maputo 11:05 h and London Farnborough - Maputo 11:29 h; from Larnaca the G550 needs 8:35 h. A Praetor 600 lands once for fuel, usually in Egypt or East Africa, which brings London - Maputo to 13:56 h. The times allow for a track about 4 per cent longer than the straight line.

Prices for a private flight to Mozambique

Every figure is for the whole aircraft, one way, from an aircraft based near the departure airport. The quote adds the landing permit, handling and the passenger taxes. The flight time in each row is that of the first aircraft that can fly it.

From the European hubs

The Praetor 600 with one stop is the economical choice: from EUR 73,000 out of Larnaca; Munich - Tete costs EUR 80,000 and London - Maputo EUR 95,000. Non-stop, the G550 costs EUR 130,000 from Lisbon, Milan or Madrid to Maputo and EUR 140,000 from London. Beira and Tete lie 500 to 1,000 km closer to Europe than the capital, which is why the rows to them come out lower.

From southern and East Africa and the Indian Ocean

South Africa is the closest market: Johannesburg - Maputo takes 1:23 h in a Pilatus PC-12 for EUR 7,500, and a safari at the Kruger end can finish with Kruger Mpumalanga - Vilankulo, 1:40 h for EUR 8,000. Vilankulo and Inhambane have runways of about 1,500 m, too short for the Challenger 350 in our tables, so those cells read on request. Harare in Zimbabwe and Lilongwe in Malawi are about an hour from Beira and Tete by light jet, and Mauritius is four hours by light jet.

Flights between two Mozambican airports are not flown by the jet that came from Europe: a locally certified operator or the scheduled airline carries the party on, and we confirm that leg separately. On taxes, France charges its solidarity tax on business jets per passenger at a rate set by distance: about EUR 420 within Europe and about EUR 2,100 on a flight to Mozambique. Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger at this distance, on departures from Italy and on arrivals there, and Austria EUR 12. A departure from the UK is exempt from Air Passenger Duty under 5.7 t, pays the higher rate in a jet of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and the standard rate otherwise; Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) have their own taxes. Mozambican airport and passenger charges are listed in the quote.

From the Gulf

From Dubai a Falcon 900EX reaches Maputo in 7:44 h for EUR 80,000, and from Doha in 7:37 h for EUR 79,000.

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 sample trips

Per passenger

Calculator

The calculator below sends a first estimate by e-mail:

Airports for business jets

A private flight needs a landing permit from the Mozambican civil aviation authority. Handlers quote 24 to 48 working hours for a standard request, more for a first clearance, and a new aircraft, date, time or route means reconfirming it, so we file once the aircraft is fixed. Crews enter on a general declaration.

Aircraft for the trip

From Europe the Gulfstream G550, Falcon 8X or Global 7500 fly to Maputo in one leg. A Praetor 600 lands once and costs about a third less, and a Falcon 900EX suits delegations from the Gulf. For Vilankulo and Inhambane the Pilatus PC-12 and Phenom 300 are the right size, while the Challenger 350 takes more luggage between Johannesburg, Harare and the larger airports. The ultra long range class lists the non-stop options.

Would you rather talk it through? Leave your number:

Where to land for each region

UK government travel advice warns against travel to most of Cabo Delgado province in the far north of Mozambique, including the area around Pemba, so we do not plan flights there.

Dry season, cyclones and Empty Legs

April to November is the best time to visit Mozambique: the dry season from April to September is mild in Maputo, and on Bazaruto the usual recommendation runs from May to November, with humpback whales from June to September and whale sharks from October to early December. The wet season lasts from about October to March, and cyclones are most likely from January to March, when a coastal airfield can close for days. Empty Legs are rare on the Europe route; they appear when a jet drops a group in Maputo and flies home, and around Christmas and New Year, when aircraft move between Johannesburg and the coast.

Legs from Europe are never promised on this route. E-mail empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a window of several days rather than one date: that raises the chance of a match.

Travel authorisation and documents

Pets on board

• Mozambique asks for an import permit, applied for well in advance, and a health certificate from a licensed vet issued within 10 days of travel and endorsed by the authority of the departure country.
• The rabies vaccination must be given between 30 days and 12 months before arrival, after the microchip. Maputo is the entry point listed for pets arriving by air, and we confirm each requirement in writing before booking.
• For the return to the EU or the UK the animal needs a rabies antibody test, because Mozambique is not a listed country: blood drawn at least 30 days after vaccination, then three months before re-entry, unless the sample was taken in Europe before the trip.
• A dog bound for the UK is treated against tapeworm by a vet 1 to 5 days before it lands there. In flight the animal stays in the cabin with you, once the operator has approved it in advance.

Steps to a confirmed flight

1. Send the route, dates, number of passengers and the places you want to reach.
2. We choose between Maputo, Beira and Tete and plan any onward leg with a local operator.
3. Options arrive with operator, aircraft, flight time and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. After the contract and payment the operator files the landing permit, and every passenger applies for the travel authorisation or visa.
5. On arrival the handler meets the aircraft and takes the party through immigration and customs.

Mozambique flights: common questions

• • How much does a private jet to Mozambique cost?

  • From EUR 73,000 one way from Larnaca in a Praetor 600 with one stop, for the whole aircraft. Non-stop in a Gulfstream G550 it is EUR 125,000 to EUR 140,000 from the European hubs.

• • Can we fly non-stop from Europe?

  • Yes, in a long-range jet: London Farnborough - Maputo takes 11:29 h in a G550. A Praetor 600 needs one fuel stop on the way.

• • Which airport should we use?

  • Maputo for the capital and the south, Beira for the central coast and Gorongosa, Tete for the Zambezi valley. Vilankulo and Inhambane take turboprops and light jets for the islands and the diving coast.

• • Can the jet from Europe land at Vilankulo?

  • Not a long-range jet: the runway is about 1,470 m. The usual plan is to land in Maputo or Johannesburg and continue in a PC-12 or Phenom 300.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • UK and many EU passport holders apply online for an electronic travel authorisation before the flight; others need an e-visa. The passport has to be valid six months after arrival.

• • When is the best time to fly to Mozambique?

  • April to November, in the dry season. January to March brings the heaviest rain and the cyclone risk.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, a recent health certificate and a rabies vaccination given 30 days to 12 months before arrival. We confirm the papers in writing before booking.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Mozambique is two hours ahead of London in winter and one in summer, one hour ahead of Paris in winter and the same in summer.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Mozambique?

  • Rarely from Europe; more often between Johannesburg and the coast around the holidays. Tell empty-legs@jets.flights which way you are going and roughly when.