Private jet to Qatar

Qatar is a peninsula of less than 200 km from north to south, and almost every private flight into the country ends in its capital: both international airports lie on the edge of Doha, 5 km apart. The trip is usually short and dense: meetings with the energy companies and the investment authority, a race at Lusail, a tennis week in February, or a stop of a few days on the way to the Maldives.

What differs from a European trip is the paperwork and the rules on the ground. The operator needs a landing permit from the civil aviation authority, every passenger passes border control, alcohol may not be brought in, and pets need months of preparation. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators in Europe and the Gulf and confirm in writing which of the two airports and which handler your flight uses.

Send the route, the dates, the number of passengers and any other Gulf stops in the programme. A consultant replies with aircraft, airport and price.

Why fly privately to the peninsula

What a private flight to Qatar costs

One way, whole aircraft, with an aircraft assumed to be available near the departure airport; the landing permit, handling, airport charges and taxes are added. The two airports cost the same, so rows alternate between them, and the time shown is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

The Praetor 600 flies every row non-stop and costs EUR 38,000 from Vienna and EUR 41,000 from Munich or Milan; from London it needs 7:04 h for EUR 48,000. For more cabin, the Challenger 650 costs EUR 52,000 from Vienna and EUR 63,000 from London. From Larnaca the super midsize jet takes 3:02 h for EUR 24,000.

From Istanbul, Athens and eastern Europe

Istanbul - Doha International in a Praetor 500 costs EUR 26,000 for 3:52 h, Athens EUR 27,000. From Warsaw the same aircraft needs 5:26 h, close to its range limit with a full cabin.

Across the Gulf and to the Indian Ocean

Typical hops to and from Bahrain, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Riyadh and the Maldives:

Bahrain - Doha International is the shortest row at EUR 7,500 in a Citation CJ3. To Malé only the Challenger 350 flies non-stop, in 4:38 h for EUR 36,000; the two smaller jets would need a stop and are on request. Every border in the Gulf means a separate landing permit and passport check.

Flight hours make up most of a Doha quote, and so does positioning: an aircraft that comes from far away or returns empty is part of the bill. Overflight fees, crew hotels and, with some operators, war-risk insurance come on top, and race weekends and the winter season cost more. Per passenger, a flight from France adds about EUR 1,015 on a jet (the French tax is banded by distance, about EUR 420 within Europe) and a flight to or from Italy EUR 200, since every Italian sector to Doha is over 1,500 km; Austria charges EUR 12. German and Norwegian departure taxes, the Dutch tax on aircraft of 5.7 t or more and UK Air Passenger Duty appear in the quote with the Qatari airport charges; from the UK, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher private-jet rate and other jets the standard rate of their distance band.

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 worked through

Price per person and calculator

The calculator e-mails a first estimate for any route to Doha:

It works on the direct distance, so the offer can differ once the day's routing and the nearest free aircraft are known.

Two airports, one city

Hamad International (DOH, OTHH) is the country's airline hub on reclaimed land about 10 km south-east of central Doha, with runways of 4,850 and 4,250 m, open 24 hours. Slots are required, fewer are free at the airline peaks, and pets may enter Qatar only through Hamad. Doha International (DIA, OTBD), the former main airport about 7 km from the centre, has a runway of about 4,570 m, no scheduled airline traffic and serves executive, government and special flights; Qatar Executive runs its FBO there. Both airports require slots and a handling agent, and the operator names the airport, the terminal and the handler in the offer. More details are on the page about private jets to Doha.

Qatar has no other airport for international flights, so alternates lie across the water: Bahrain International 147 km from Hamad, Dammam in Saudi Arabia, and the airports of the Emirates.

Which aircraft

In the summer months a full cabin and the heat can cap the take-off weight, which is why departures from Doha are often set for the night or the first hours of the morning. See midsize jets and heavy jets in the catalogue.

The year month by month

November to March are the best months: mild days, the main business season and most of the sporting calendar, which is also when slots and parking are hardest to get. From June to September temperatures pass 40 °C, demand drops and aircraft are easiest to find. Empty Legs are most frequent on short Gulf routes all year, between the Gulf and Europe in summer and after the big race weekends. Ramadan moves about 11 days earlier every year and shortens office hours. The weekend is Friday and Saturday.

Empty Legs to and from Doha

Short repositioning legs between Doha, Bahrain, Riyadh and the Emirates are the most frequent. Between the Gulf and Europe, aircraft based in the region fly north with their owners or for maintenance from May to September and come back in autumn, and jets that bring guests for Formula 1 or tennis often leave empty after the weekend. The operator fixes the date and time, and the landing permit is needed for an empty leg too, so passports must be ready. Send the route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

Flying with a dog or cat

Cats and dogs fly in the cabin with their owners once the operator has said yes. Qatar's rules are among the strictest in the region, and preparation takes months:

• Import permit from the Qatari ministry, which the owner cannot request from abroad; a local agent or pet relocation company applies.
• Rabies antibody test taken no earlier than 12 months and no later than 3 months before arrival; taken in Europe before departure, it also covers the return to the EU.
• Microchip and a rabies vaccination given after microchipping; young animals usually enter only from about seven months of age.
• A long list of restricted dog breeds, including boxer, bulldog, Great Dane, Dobermann, Rottweiler and Akita, needs special approval.
• Pets enter only through Hamad International; with complete papers there is no quarantine.

Entry, customs and local rules

As Qatar is not part of Schengen, the passport is stamped out of Europe on departure and checked again on the way back.

How to book

1. Send the departure airport, dates, number of passengers, the address in Doha and any other Gulf stops.
2. We compare a midsize, super midsize or heavy jet against the distance and the luggage, and check whether the aircraft waits in Doha or flies home in between.
3. You receive several offers with operator, aircraft, cabin photos, flight time and price, with the airport and the handler named.
4. After you sign the contract with the operator and pay by bank transfer or card, the operator files the landing and overflight permits and we book the car.
5. On the day, the handler meets you at the terminal and takes you through passport control. Cancellation terms depend on the operator and the time left before departure and are written into the contract.

Questions about private flights to Qatar

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

  • A Praetor 600 costs EUR 24,000 from Larnaca and from EUR 38,000 (Vienna) to EUR 48,000 (London) from the main hubs, one way for the whole aircraft; a Challenger 650 costs from EUR 52,000. From Istanbul a Praetor 500 costs EUR 26,000, and Bahrain - Doha International in a light jet EUR 7,500.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • Hamad International or Doha International, where Qatar Executive has its FBO. The operator chooses by slot and handler, and we confirm the airport in the offer.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • London Farnborough - Doha International takes 6:41 h in a Challenger 650 and 7:04 h in a Praetor 600. The routing around closed airspace can add time.

• • Do we need a visa for Qatar?

  • EU and UK citizens get a free visa waiver on arrival, for 30 or 90 days depending on nationality. Passports must be valid six months.

• • Can we bring alcohol on board?

  • No alcohol may be brought into the country, including duty-free purchases. Licensed hotels serve it.

• • Can we combine Doha with Bahrain or Dubai?

  • Yes. Bahrain is 0:42 h away in a Citation CJ3 and Dubai about an hour; each stop needs its own landing permit.

• • Can we take our dog?

  • Possibly, but it takes months: an import permit through a local agent, an antibody test 3-12 months before arrival and a check against the restricted breed list. Pets enter only through Hamad.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Qatar?

  • Mostly on short Gulf routes, between the Gulf and Europe in summer and autumn, and after race weekends. Send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • Can we fly there and back on the same day?

  • Only with a second crew on board, because two flights of five to seven hours go beyond one crew's duty limit. Most clients stay at least one night in Doha.