Private jet to New Caledonia

New Caledonia is a French territory in the South Pacific, about 1,450 km east of Brisbane, with a special status of its own: it is neither an overseas department like Réunion nor an overseas collectivity like French Polynesia. It belongs to France, but it lies outside the European Union, the Schengen area and the EU customs territory, and it uses the CFP franc, which is pegged to the euro. About 265,000 people live there, most of them on the main island, Grande Terre, around the capital Nouméa. The lagoon, one of the largest in the world and listed by UNESCO, brings most visitors; nickel mining is the main industry.

From London the distance is about 16,600 km in a straight line, so every private flight lands at least once to refuel, in Asia or on the North American route. All flights from abroad arrive at La Tontouta, 52 km by road from Nouméa. Business aviation here is thin: there is no FBO or business terminal, and the flight is arranged with the airport operator and the authorities, so we plan it with more lead time than a European trip.

Send the dates, the number of passengers and the places you plan to visit, and we reply with aircraft, routing and prices.

Routing and flight times

By scheduled flight the trip needs one or two connections, through Asia or Australia. A private jet makes it one journey: a Global 6000 or a Global 7500 lands once, usually in South-East Asia, and a Challenger 650 twice. The table from Europe uses a distance 10 % longer than the straight line, because European operators route around closed and restricted airspace. A Global 7500 takes 22:15 h from London and 22:24 h from Paris including the stop, and a Challenger 650 about two hours and forty minutes more. A routing through North America is also possible; with a stop in the United States every passenger needs an ESTA or a visa.

Prices for a private jet to New Caledonia

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with the stops included; handling, crew costs, fuel-stop charges and passenger taxes are added. The time column shows the first aircraft of each row.

From the European hubs

From Paris a Challenger 650 with two stops costs EUR 225,000; with one stop a Global 6000 costs EUR 290,000 and a Global 7500 EUR 315,000. Larnaca, the closest hub, starts at EUR 210,000.

From Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific

Brisbane - Nouméa takes 2:26 h in a Phenom 300 for EUR 15,000, and Port Vila in Vanuatu is only 1:12 h away. Many visitors therefore fly to Australia or New Zealand first and take a light jet for the last sector, or combine the trip with Fiji.

From Asia

A Falcon 7X flies Singapore - Nouméa without a stop in 8:48 h for EUR 110,000.

Each European departure country adds its own passenger tax: EUR 200 per person from Italy on a flight of this length, and the same on the way back into Italy; EUR 12 from Austria; from France generally the European rate of about EUR 420 per jet passenger on a flight between the mainland and New Caledonia, confirmed by the operator in the quote, and about EUR 1,015 or EUR 2,100 on longer international legs; from the UK Air Passenger Duty, at the higher rate for jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate below that; and separate departure taxes in Germany and, for aircraft from 5.7 t, the Netherlands. Local charges at La Tontouta appear in the quote.

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

Price per passenger

Calculator

For a return trip or another departure airport, the calculator sends a first figure by e-mail:

It works on the straight line; the offer adds the real routing, the stops and the distance the jet travels to reach you.

La Tontouta and the island airfields

The operator obtains the permissions for the flight, and the lead time is confirmed for each date. An arrival outside the scheduled-flight hours is agreed with the authorities in advance so that customs and biosecurity officers are present. Government travel advice mentions protests that can occur at short notice and have affected the roads to the airport and the airport itself; we read the current advice before confirming a flight and again before departure, and move the time if needed.

To talk the plan through, leave a number and we call you back:

Helicopter tours over the lagoon are offered from Magenta, and transfers to the hotels in Nouméa are booked together with the flight.

Seasons and events

The seasons are the reverse of Europe's, and the trade winds soften the heat: the monthly average in Nouméa ranges from about 20 degrees in July to 26.5 degrees in February. October and November, dry and sunny, are among the best months; from December to March it is hot and humid, and the cyclone risk is highest from about February to April. Humpback whales calve in the southern lagoon from about mid-July to mid-September. Empty Legs are rare and mostly regional, from Australia and New Zealand.

Empty Legs

Empty legs between Europe and New Caledonia are rare, and we say so rather than promise them. A jet that brings guests from Europe usually flies home empty; regional legs from Brisbane, Sydney or Auckland appear more often. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and your dates, and we pass on any match.

Entry rules, customs and pets

The pet rules are among the strictest in the region. New Caledonia is free of rabies, and the local veterinary service SIVAP sets the rules, so the EU pet passport is not enough. Dogs and cats can come directly only from a short list of countries, among them France, Germany, Sweden, Switzerland, Belgium, Australia and New Zealand; an animal from elsewhere, including the UK and most other European countries, first spends six months in France or goes through quarantine in Australia or New Zealand. Every animal needs an import permit, an antibody test at an approved laboratory, several blood tests and parasite treatments, and 10 days in the quarantine station after arrival. Several breeds, among them pit bull types, mastiffs, Tosas, American Staffordshire terriers and Rottweilers, are not admitted. An animal without complete documents must leave at once. Travel in the cabin of a private jet is agreed with the service in writing. For the return, New Caledonia is on the EU list, so no new antibody test is needed.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the number of passengers and the places you plan to visit.
2. We compare one stop with two and an arrival through Australia, and check the passports for the stop countries.
3. Offers arrive with the operator, the aircraft, the routing and the price for the whole jet.
4. After signing and payment the operator requests the permissions, the stand and the fire cover, and arranges the fuel payment.
5. We book the car to Nouméa and, if needed, a turboprop to the islands.

Questions about private flights to New Caledonia

• • How much does a private jet to New Caledonia cost?

  • From Paris a Challenger 650 with two stops costs EUR 225,000 and a Global 7500 with one stop EUR 315,000, one way for the whole aircraft.

• • Can we fly without a stop?

  • No. The distance from Europe is beyond the range of any business jet; the largest jets land once.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • La Tontouta, the only airport for flights from abroad, 52 km from Nouméa. Magenta in the city serves domestic flights only.

• • Is New Caledonia part of the EU?

  • No. It is French, but outside the EU and the Schengen area, with passport control on arrival and the CFP franc as currency.

• • Do EU citizens need a visa?

  • No, but a passport valid for at least three months after leaving is needed.

• • What is the time difference?

  • New Caledonia is 10 hours ahead of Central Europe in the European winter and 9 hours in the European summer.

• • Can we combine the trip with Australia?

  • Yes. Brisbane - Nouméa takes 2:26 h in a Phenom 300 for EUR 15,000, and Sydney is about three hours away.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Only from a short list of countries, with an import permit and 10 days of quarantine; from most of Europe the animal first spends six months in France.