Private jet to Portugal

Portugal is long and narrow, and a private jet can land in five quite different parts of it: Lisbon and the Cascais coast, Porto and the Douro valley in the north, Faro for the Algarve, and the Atlantic islands of Madeira and the Azores. From London a Citation CJ3 reaches the mainland in 2:38-2:50 h, and a Phenom 300 reaches Madeira in 3:45 h. The airport is chosen by the final address, not by the name of the country.

Private flyers come for meetings and conferences in Lisbon, for golf and villas in the Algarve, for wine estates on the Douro and for winter sun on Madeira. Three Portuguese rules shape the plan more than the flight time: take-offs and landings are banned by law from midnight to 06:00 on the mainland and Madeira, the big airports allow business jets only short parking, and Funchal needs a crew trained for its approach. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and plan around all three.

Send the route, dates, number of passengers and the address in Portugal through the form, and we will reply with the airport, aircraft and price.

Why fly privately to the Portuguese regions

Flight times to Portugal

Times in a Citation CJ3 from the price tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

From most hubs a Citation CJ3 reaches the mainland in 2:32-3:20 h, and Porto is the closest airport from the north. Madeira is 3:45 h from London in a Phenom 300 and 1:47 h from Lisbon, and Ponta Delgada in the Azores 2:26 h from Lisbon. From New York a heavy jet needs 6:52 h to Lisbon and 5:21 h to Ponta Delgada.

Private jet prices to Portugal

Each price is for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. Handling, parking and passenger taxes are added in the quote. The flight time refers to the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs to the mainland

From London a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 13,500 to Lisbon and EUR 14,500 to Faro; from Paris EUR 12,500 to Porto. The cheapest hub route is Madrid - Porto at EUR 9,000. A Challenger 350 with a stand-up cabin costs EUR 22,000 from London, Paris or Nice to Lisbon.

To Madeira and the Azores

The islands lie far out over the open sea, and the aircraft must carry fuel for a diversion, so the operator confirms the fuel plan before a light jet is quoted on the longer sectors:

From London and Paris to Madeira a Phenom 300 costs EUR 19,500 and a Praetor 500 costs EUR 24,000. With a full cabin and luggage for a week, the Praetor 500 or the Challenger 350 carries more fuel for a diversion when the wind at Funchal is too strong.

Within Portugal and from Spain

Lisbon - Porto costs EUR 7,000 in a PC-12, about an hour in the air against three hours by road. For trips that continue across the border, see Spain. EU operators may fly domestic legs in Portugal; a UK or other non-EU operator may not carry passengers between Lisbon and Porto or Madeira. The rows to Cascais show what its short runway accepts: turboprops, light jets and some midsize jets.

From northern Europe and the British Isles

Long-haul flights

Ponta Delgada is about 1,300 km closer to New York than Lisbon, and both take long-range jets. All three types below fly these routes non-stop:

Prices depend on the flight time, the position of the nearest free aircraft, the season and how long the aircraft must stay. Lisbon allows business jets only short stays on the apron, and Faro 72 hours, so for a holiday the quote often shows two one-way flights instead of a week of parking. Portugal charges a carbon tax on departing flights, listed in the quote. The departure country may add its own, such as the French, Italian and Austrian passenger taxes or UK Air Passenger Duty, explained below.

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

What a trip really costs

Price per person

Split between passengers, the whole-aircraft price gives these amounts per seat:

Online calculator

Enter the route, date and number of passengers to any Portuguese airport, and the calculator sends an estimate by e-mail within minutes.

Airports for business aviation

The main airports are run by ANA. Lisbon, Porto and Madeira are slot-coordinated all year and Faro in summer. By law, take-offs and landings are not allowed from midnight to 06:00 on the mainland and Madeira; a limited exception regime exists at Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Porto Santo and Ponta Delgada, but a private flight cannot count on it. Choose the airport by the place you are staying:

Beja, a military air base in the Alentejo with a civil terminal, is used mainly to park larger jets that have dropped passengers at Lisbon or Faro. Seville, across the Spanish border, is another place for an aircraft to wait during a long stay in the Algarve.

Which aircraft for a Portuguese trip

Golf bags take hold space faster than seats: four sets of clubs can fill a light jet, so a golf group of six moves up to midsize jets. For Madeira, tell us the number of passengers and bags early, because the operator plans the fuel for a possible diversion.

Want to discuss the airport, the night rules or parking for your dates? Leave your number and a consultant will call you.

When to fly: the Portuguese year

Portugal has no dead season, but the busy airport moves around the year: Faro in summer and in the golf months, Lisbon in conference weeks, Madeira at New Year. The best months for the mainland are May, June, September and October: warm weather, golf and fewer crowds than in July and August. Empty Legs are most frequent at the end of the summer and of the golf seasons, when aircraft return to northern Europe, and after Web Summit and New Year, when jets leave Lisbon and Funchal without passengers.

For the Algarve in July and August, Web Summit and New Year on Madeira, book aircraft, slot and parking several weeks ahead. Outside those periods a trip can often be arranged within a few days.

From the airport to the city, the coast and the estates

Empty Legs to and from Portugal

Short parking at Lisbon and Faro sends many jets home soon after they drop their passengers, and those legs can be booked at a reduced price. Typical directions:

These flights follow another client's schedule, so they suit a flexible trip. Tell us the direction and the dates that would work at empty-legs@jets.flights, and we forward suitable legs as operators publish them.

Flying with a dog or cat

Dogs and cats fly in the cabin, next to their owners. The operator approves the animal before the booking and asks for its species, breed and weight. Portugal, including Madeira and the Azores, applies the EU rules:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel when it is the first one, given at 12 weeks of age or older.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate issued by a government-authorised vet.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• No tapeworm treatment is required to enter Portugal.

The veterinary service at the airport of arrival expects advance notice of the animal, at least 48 hours ahead, which we send with the handling request. Animals enter through designated airports such as Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Funchal and Ponta Delgada, so with a pet on board we check this before choosing Cascais. On the way back to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway a dog is treated against tapeworm by a vet 1-5 days before landing, and Britain accepts pets only on approved routes with approved handlers.

Documents, entry rules and taxes

Checklist before departure

• Valid passport or ID card for every passenger, children included; from the UK, a passport valid three months beyond the date you leave Schengen.
• Full names, dates of birth and document numbers, sent no later than the day before.
• The exact address, so we can choose between Lisbon, Cascais, Porto and Faro.
• A departure time before midnight local time, with a margin for delays.
• How long you stay, so we can plan parking or two one-way flights.
• Number of suitcases and golf bags.
• For a dog or cat: the documents and the airport of entry.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How to book

1. Send the route, dates, passengers, luggage and the address: an office in Lisbon, a villa at Quinta do Lago or an estate on the Douro.
2. We choose the airport and check slots, parking and the night rules for your hours, and for Madeira an operator with an approved crew.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, with positioning or parking as separate lines.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; we confirm the slot, the FBO or handler, customs at Cascais if needed, and the car.
5. The car waits at the FBO or handler's terminal when you land, well before the midnight limit.

Questions about private flights to Portugal

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

  • From the European hubs a Citation CJ3 costs from EUR 9,000 one way, Madrid - Porto, and EUR 13,500 from London to Lisbon. Inside the country a turboprop starts at EUR 7,000; handling and taxes come on top.

• • Can we land in Portugal after midnight?

  • As a rule, no. The law bans take-offs and landings from midnight to 06:00 on the mainland and Madeira, with few exceptions, so we plan arrivals and departures before midnight with a margin.

• • Which airport for the Algarve?

  • Faro, about 20-30 minutes from Quinta do Lago, Vale do Lobo and Vilamoura and an hour from Lagos. It is the only airport in the region that takes jets.

• • Can the aircraft wait for us in Lisbon?

  • Only for a short time. For a longer stay the aircraft moves to Cascais if it is a light jet, or to Beja, Porto or Faro, or flies home and comes back for the return.

• • Can a light jet land at Cascais?

  • Yes. Its 1,400 m runway takes turboprops, light jets and some midsize jets, from 08:00 to sunset. Larger aircraft use Lisbon.

• • Can any crew fly to Madeira?

  • No. Funchal requires a captain with special training and an airport qualification, so we quote only operators whose crews hold it. In strong wind the aircraft diverts to Porto Santo.

• • How long is the flight to the Azores?

  • From Lisbon to Ponta Delgada 2:26 h in a Phenom 300, from London 3:47 h. The Azores are one hour behind London.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • Not on a flight from a Schengen country, although the operator still asks for a valid passport or ID card. From the UK a passport is required, issued within ten years and valid three months beyond your departure from Schengen.

• • Can my dog fly with us?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport or animal health certificate. No tapeworm treatment is needed for Portugal, and the airport of arrival gets advance notice of the animal.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Portugal?

  • Yes, mostly from Faro after summer and golf weekends, from Lisbon after Web Summit and from Funchal after New Year. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and dates.

• • Is there a time difference?

  • The mainland and Madeira have the same time as London all year, one hour behind central Europe. The Azores are one hour behind London.