Private jet to Paraguay

Landlocked Paraguay draws most of its private flights for business: soya, beef and the energy of the Itaipú dam on the Paraná, which Paraguay shares with Brazil, bring investors from across the region. Aircraft from Europe land at Silvio Pettirossi airport in Luque, about 10 km from the centre of Asunción.

From the European hubs it is 9,200-11,000 km, a little less than to Buenos Aires. A Gulfstream G650 or Global 7500 flies it without landing; a heavy jet refuels once. As a broker, we book the long-range aircraft, the permits from the civil aviation authority DINAC and any regional hop to Iguaçu, Buenos Aires or São Paulo.

Enter the dates and the number of passengers; a consultant replies with aircraft and a price.

Why companies fly there privately

Prices and flight times

Each figure is a one-way price for the entire aircraft, based on a jet already positioned close to the departure airport; handling, DINAC permits, the fuel stop and taxes come on top. Flight times are those of the left-hand aircraft.

From the European hubs and Lisbon

A Challenger 650 with one stop costs EUR 110,000 from Lisbon and EUR 115,000 from Madrid; from London, Paris, Geneva or Nice the price is EUR 125,000. The non-stop Gulfstream G650 saves about two hours and costs EUR 155,000 from London; the Global 7500 has the larger cabin and costs EUR 165,000 on the same route. Both fly through from every hub in the table; the longest non-stop sector, Vienna - Asunción, takes 12:42 h in the G650. The fuel stop for the Challenger 650 is usually in Cape Verde or north-east Brazil.

From the United States

From Miami a Praetor 600 reaches Asunción without a stop in 8:14 h for EUR 56,000.

From neighbouring countries

Each of these is an international flight with passport and customs at both ends. Flights inside Paraguay, to Ciudad del Este or Encarnación, are flown by a local aircraft, because a foreign one normally may not carry passengers domestically:

Foz do Iguaçu - Asunción costs from EUR 7,000 in a Pilatus PC-12. Departure taxes in Europe are added per passenger: France charges business jets a rate that rises with distance, about EUR 2,100 on this crossing compared with about EUR 420 on European routes; Italy charges EUR 200 on any flight from or to the country over this distance, and Austria EUR 12. Leaving the UK, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay Air Passenger Duty at the higher rate, so all three types in the first table do. Paraguayan airport charges 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 sample trips

The aircraft is priced as a whole, so per person the cost falls quickly:

Calculator

The calculator e-mails a rough figure for your route; the exact aircraft and permit dates follow from a consultant.

Airports for business jets

From December to February temperatures in Asunción can pass 35 degrees. Hot air reduces take-off performance, so for the flight back to Europe with full tanks the operator plans departures in the morning or evening. Alternates are Ciudad del Este, Foz do Iguaçu, Puerto Iguazú and Córdoba.

Want a call to compare the options for your dates? Leave a number below.

Months and seasons

May to September brings the mildest weather and is the most comfortable time for business trips; the Expo fair near Asunción fills hotels in July. December to February is hot and humid with afternoon storms. Paraguay sees few transatlantic Empty Legs; the chance is best when a jet returns north after dropping clients in Buenos Aires or São Paulo.

Empty Legs

Few aircraft cross the Atlantic to Asunción, so transatlantic Empty Legs are rare; a jet returning to Europe from Buenos Aires or São Paulo is the more likely match, with a short positioning hop added. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Travelling with a dog or cat

Dogs and cats are checked by SENACSA, the Paraguayan animal health service. In the jet the animal stays in the cabin with you; the operator must know about it before booking, and in summer we arrange an air-conditioned car on arrival.

• A health certificate from a vet issued no more than 10 days before departure, confirming a valid rabies vaccination and treatment against internal and external parasites within 15 days before travel.
• A second certificate from the government veterinary service of the departure country, matching the dates of the first.
• The full list of SENACSA requirements applies at the border; we confirm it with the handler at Asunción before the trip.
• Back to Europe: Paraguay is not an EU-listed country, so the pet needs a rabies antibody test; with the blood drawn in Europe before the trip, the three-month waiting period does not apply. A dog flying into the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway also gets a tapeworm treatment from a vet one to five days before landing.

Entry, permits and customs

Booking

1. Tell us the number of passengers, how long you stay and whether the trip continues to neighbouring countries.
2. We compare a one-stop Challenger 650 with a non-stop G650 or Global 7500.
3. After contract and payment, the operator or handler applies to DINAC with the passenger list.
4. We book any regional legs, the car in Luque and parking if the jet waits.
5. At Luque the handler meets the aircraft and walks you through immigration and customs to the waiting car.

You sign the contract with the operator of the jet and pay by transfer or card; how much a cancellation costs depends on that operator and on how close the departure is, and every extra is named in the contract. Neighbouring pages: Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay and Bolivia.

Questions about private flights to Paraguay

• • How much does a private jet from Europe to Paraguay cost?

  • From EUR 110,000 one way from Lisbon in a Challenger 650 with one stop; from Madrid it is EUR 115,000 and from London or Paris EUR 125,000. Non-stop in a Gulfstream G650 costs from EUR 135,000.

• • Can we fly non-stop to Asunción?

  • Yes, in a Gulfstream G650 or Global 7500 from all the hubs in our table, for example 11:47 h from London.

• • Where do private jets land?

  • At Silvio Pettirossi in Luque, about 10 km from Asunción, with a 3,353 m runway. For Ciudad del Este or Encarnación you continue with a local aircraft or by car.

• • Do EU and UK citizens need a visa?

  • No, for stays of up to 90 days. The passport must be valid for the whole stay and stamped on arrival.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Asunción keeps one time all year, so the gap with London is 3 hours in the British winter and 4 hours while British Summer Time runs.

• • When is the best time to go?

  • May to September is mildest. In July the Expo fair fills the hotels; December to February is very hot, with afternoon storms.

• • Can we continue to Iguaçu or Buenos Aires?

  • Yes. Foz do Iguaçu is under an hour away, Buenos Aires about two hours in a light jet; each is an international flight with checks at both ends.

• • Can we take our dog?

  • Yes, with a vet health certificate issued within 10 days, a government certificate, rabies vaccination and parasite treatment. Book the antibody test in Europe before leaving; that keeps the return free of the three-month wait.