Private jet to Pula

Pula stands at the southern tip of Istria, the triangular peninsula in the north of Croatia, and its airport serves almost the whole of it. Few private passengers stop in the city itself: from the apron they drive to the old harbour town of Rovinj or to Poreč on the west coast, to the jetty at Fažana for the Brijuni islands, or to stone villas in the hills around Motovun. Summer brings families and villa parties; in September and October gourmets arrive for the white truffle season, and the Roman amphitheatre in the city hosts a film festival and concerts in July and August.

The airport lies about 6 km north-east of the centre with a 2,950 m runway that takes every business jet. There is no separate business aviation building: private passengers are looked after by the airport's VIP service in the single terminal. In summer the airport is open from 06:00 to 22:00 local time, and a flight outside those hours needs the operator's permission at least 24 hours ahead. As a broker, we find the aircraft among operators across Europe and plan the landing time, the car and, for Opatija and Kvarner, the alternative of Rijeka Airport on the island of Krk.

Fill in the route, the date and the number of passengers, and mention your final address in Istria; we reply with suitable aircraft, the landing time and the price.

What a private flight to Istria gives you

Flight times to Istria

Block times in a Citation CJ3 from the tables below, taxi, climb and descent included:

• Rome: 1:00 h, Milan Linate: 1:01 h
• Vienna: 1:04 h, Munich: 1:05 h
• Zurich: 1:12 h, Nice: 1:16 h, Prague: 1:18 h
• Geneva: 1:22 h, Frankfurt: 1:28 h, Berlin: 1:39 h
• Paris Le Bourget: 1:52 h, Hamburg: 1:54 h, Amsterdam: 1:59 h
• London Farnborough: 2:18 h, Madrid: 2:36 h, Larnaca: 3:17 h

Istria is one of the closest Mediterranean coasts to southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland: from Munich, Vienna or Zurich a light jet takes little more than an hour. From London the CJ3 needs 2:18 h, and the Gulfstream G280 13 minutes less. Short hops from Venice, Bologna or Ljubljana take under an hour even in a turboprop.

How much a private jet to Pula costs

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus handling, airport fees and passenger taxes, assuming an aircraft available near the departure airport. The flight time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

Prices from the European hubs

Milan, Rome and Vienna start at EUR 8,500 in a light jet and Munich and Zurich at EUR 9,000, because the flight is barely an hour. From Larnaca, the longest sector in the table, the CJ3 costs EUR 16,000 and needs more than three hours, so a midsize or super midsize cabin is the more comfortable choice.

Short hops and other European cities

From northern Italy, Slovenia and Austria a Pilatus PC-12 is the cheapest way across, from EUR 6,500. For Poland and Scandinavia the Phenom 300 or the Legacy 500 is the usual choice:

Long-haul flights

The runway takes long-range jets, but some taxiways limit the wingspan of the largest aircraft, so the operator checks the type before confirming. Tel Aviv, Riyadh and Dubai are non-stop sectors for each type; from New York only the Falcon 7X and the Global 7500 fly direct, while the Challenger 650 stops once for fuel.

To Rijeka for Opatija and Kvarner

For a hotel in Opatija or on the Kvarner islands, Rijeka Airport on Krk is the shorter drive. The fares are almost the same as to Pula:

The price depends mainly on flight time, plus a fixed share for bringing the aircraft and crew to the departure airport. Departure taxes vary by country: France charges about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, Italy EUR 100 per passenger on sectors up to 1,500 km, and Austria EUR 12 per passenger, or EUR 30 on sectors up to 350 km such as Salzburg. German and British departure taxes are added as well. Handling at Pula and any permission outside the opening hours are listed 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

Costs in practice

Fare per passenger

One price covers the whole aircraft, so the cost per seat falls with every passenger. Taxes are charged per head on top:

Estimate online

Choose your departure airport, Pula or Rijeka as destination, the date and the group size; the calculator e-mails a guide price.

Pula Airport and the alternatives

Pula Airport (PUY, LDPL), Zračna luka Pula, lies in the municipality of Ližnjan about 6 km north-east of the city. It is a holiday airport: busy with scheduled and charter flights from June to September and much quieter in winter, when many routes stop. The single runway, 09/27, is about 2,950 m long and 45 m wide, with a Category I instrument landing system on runway 27 only. Jet A-1 is available, but there are no hangars for visiting aircraft; jets park on the open apron, and in July and August stands for longer stays depend on free space.

The airport operator provides a VIP service for private passengers in the single terminal building, and Pula is an airport of entry, so flights from outside Schengen clear passport control and customs here. The operator's summer hours are 06:00 to 22:00 local time; winter hours are published by notice. A movement outside those hours needs the operator's permission, requested at least 24 hours in advance.

Wind matters more than the runway. The bora, a cold north-easterly that blows mostly outside summer, can bring gusts and wind shear on the approach to runway 09, and ground handling stops in winds above 40 knots or with a thunderstorm close by. On such days the operator may move the departure by a few hours.

Rijeka, Trieste and Venice

Rijeka Airport (RJK, LDRI) stands on the island of Krk near Omišalj, 44 km by road from Opatija. Its runway of about 2,500 m has an instrument approach to runway 14 but no parallel taxiway, so aircraft turn at the end and backtrack. Choose it for the Opatija Riviera and Kvarner; for Rovinj or the south of Istria, Pula is closer. Distances in the table are straight-line from Pula Airport:

The right aircraft for Istria

On a one-hour sector a light jet carries four people in comfort. The hold often decides first: sailing bags, golf clubs, bicycles for the inland trails and a case of Istrian wine for the way home all need space, so for six or more passengers we quote a midsize jet alongside. A turboprop is the sensible choice for the short crossing from Venice or Trieste.

Not sure which aircraft fits? Leave a phone number and we call you to go through the options.

Seasons and events in Istria

Istria has two seasons for private flyers: the beach months and the truffle months. The calendar below shows the recurring dates that move demand:

June and September give warm water with far fewer people than July and August. For a festival evening in the Arena, book the aircraft and the hotel early and plan the flight home for the next morning.

Getting from the airport to Rovinj, Brijuni and the hill towns

Empty Legs from and to Pula

When an aircraft drops a family for a week, it usually flies home empty and comes back for the return. In summer this makes Istria a regular source of empty sectors. Typical directions:

An Empty Leg runs on the operator's date and time, so it works for a flexible trip. Send the direction and your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we let you know when something suitable appears.

Pets on board

Dogs and cats fly in the cabin next to their owners, not in the hold, and the operator must approve the animal before booking. Croatia follows the EU rules:

• Microchip to ISO 11784/11785, placed before the rabies vaccine is given.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination, given at 12 weeks of age or later.
• EU pet passport; animals from Great Britain need an animal health certificate.
• No more than five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• Croatia does not require tapeworm treatment for dogs.

Brijuni national park and the boat companies set their own rules for animals, so we check them before the day on the islands. In July and August an arrival in the morning or evening spares the animal the heat of the apron.

Border, customs and taxes

Pre-flight checklist

• Valid passport or ID card for each passenger, children included; passports for trips to or from the UK.
• Names, dates of birth and document numbers of all passengers, sent the day before.
• Landing and take-off between 06:00 and 22:00 in summer, or permission requested 24 hours ahead.
• Final address in Istria, or the Brijuni sailing you want to catch.
• Luggage list with golf bags, bicycles or sailing bags.
• Pet documents: EU passport or animal health certificate, with the microchip number and rabies vaccination.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How to book a flight to Istria

1. Send the route, the date, the number of passengers and bags, and the final address: Pula, Rovinj, Poreč, Opatija or a villa inland.
2. We compare Pula with Rijeka for your address and check the landing time against the opening hours.
3. We send two to four aircraft with operator, model, cabin photos and a price for the whole aircraft; waiting at Pula or a separate return flight is priced on its own line.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we confirm handling, any permission outside the hours, the car and the Brijuni boat.
5. Be at the departure terminal 20-30 minutes before take-off. After landing the VIP service takes you through the terminal to the car.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

FAQ: private jets to Pula and Istria

• • How much is a private jet to Pula?

  • A Pilatus PC-12 from Venice, Bologna or Ljubljana starts at EUR 6,500 one way, a Citation CJ3 from Milan, Rome or Vienna at EUR 8,500 and from London Farnborough at EUR 12,500, for the whole aircraft. Handling and passenger taxes are added in the quote.

• • Does Pula have a private jet terminal?

  • There is no separate building. The airport operator runs a VIP service for private passengers in the main terminal, including passport and customs checks for non-Schengen arrivals.

• • Can we land late in the evening?

  • In summer the airport is open from 06:00 to 22:00 local time. Later or earlier flights need the operator's permission, requested at least 24 hours in advance.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • About 2:18 h in a Citation CJ3 from Farnborough and about two hours in a Gulfstream G280. The distance is about 1,300 km.

• • Pula or Rijeka?

  • Pula for Rovinj, Poreč, Brijuni and the south and west of Istria. Rijeka on Krk for Opatija and the Kvarner coast, 44 km from Opatija by road.

• • How do we get to the Brijuni islands?

  • By car to Fažana in about 20 minutes, then about 15 minutes by the national park boat. We time the landing to the sailing.

• • Do I need a passport?

  • From Schengen countries there is no border check, but each passenger needs a valid passport or ID card. Flights from the UK and other non-Schengen countries clear passport control at Pula.

• • Can my dog travel with me?

  • Yes. It travels in the cabin with its EU pet passport, a microchip and a rabies vaccination at least three weeks old; Croatia asks for no tapeworm treatment.

• • Are Empty Legs available to and from Pula?

  • Yes, mostly in summer towards Munich, Vienna and Switzerland, and in October after truffle weekends. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your direction and dates.

• • Can the jet wait while we spend the day in Istria?

  • Yes, within the opening hours. Waiting time and handling are included in the quote.

• • When is the best time to fly?

  • June and September for the sea, October for truffles. July and August are the busiest months, especially on weekends.