Private jet to St Helena

St Helena is a small volcanic island in the South Atlantic, about 1,950 km from the coast of south-western Africa, with some 4,400 residents and one airport. It belongs to the British Overseas Territory of Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha and has its own government, immigration service and customs. A private jet is the only way to reach it on your own dates: the scheduled service from Johannesburg runs about once a week, and a passenger ship no longer calls.

Few aircraft are suited to the trip, and we say so at the start. The runway sits on a plateau above the sea, the airport works in daylight on set days, every visit needs prior permission, and the nearest usable alternate is on the African mainland. Clients are mostly private travellers drawn by the island's history and wildlife, crews joining ocean yachts, and visitors on government or development business.

Tell us the dates you have in mind, the number of travellers and how long you plan to stay, and a consultant replies with the aircraft that can do the trip and its price.

What decides whether the trip can fly

Prices to St Helena

Each figure is the one-way price of the whole aircraft, positioned near the departure airport; handling, landing, parking and passenger taxes are added in the quote. Flight times refer to the first aircraft of the row. Only long-range jets fly from Europe without a stop, and the operator confirms the payload for the date, because the short landing distance can limit fuel or passengers.

From Europe, non-stop

Lisbon is the closest hub at 6,098 km and costs EUR 93,000 in a Falcon 7X; Madrid follows at EUR 95,000. From London, Paris and Frankfurt the same aircraft costs EUR 110,000 for 8:51 to 9:07 h in the air, and the longest sector, from Hamburg, costs EUR 120,000.

From Africa and the Atlantic

Walvis Bay in Namibia is the nearest mainland airport in the table: 3:20 h and EUR 26,000 in a Praetor 600. Cape Town in South Africa costs EUR 32,000 and Johannesburg EUR 36,000 in the same aircraft. Sal in Cape Verde is a practical place to split a trip from Europe in two, and the leg from there costs EUR 39,000; the leg from Europe to Sal is priced on that page.

Taxes per passenger depend on where the flight starts. The French solidarity tax is charged per passenger at about EUR 420 if St Helena is taxed as part of the UK group, or about EUR 2,100 if the long South Atlantic distance applies; the operator states the amount in the quote. Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger on sectors over 1,500 km, both leaving and returning to Italy; Austria takes EUR 12; the Netherlands taxes aircraft of 5.7 t or more, and Germany has its own departure tax. In the UK aircraft under 5.7 t pay no APD and the higher rate applies only from 20 t with fewer than 19 seats, which covers every jet in the European table. The island's own charges and the entry permit fee 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

Two trips worked through

Price per person

The aircraft is booked as a whole, so each extra traveller lowers the share per seat:

Calculator

The calculator gives an indicative price to St Helena; add the planned length of stay in the comment.

The airport

St Helena Airport (HLE / FHSH) lies on a plateau in the east of the island at about 310 m above the sea, some 7 km from Jamestown in a straight line and further on the winding road. It is owned by the island government and is the only airfield. Jet A-1 is available, handling is provided by the airport, and there is no hangar for visiting aircraft. The apron has room for only a few aircraft, and an aircraft left overnight may have to be moved, so the length of stay is agreed in the permission.

Customs and immigration, handling and fuel are confirmed in writing together with the permission before the flight.

Which aircraft

• From Europe in one flight: a long-range jet such as the Falcon 7X, the Falcon 8X or the Global 6000, with crews qualified for the airport.
• With a stop at Sal: a super midsize or heavy jet such as the Challenger 650 can fly the trip in two legs, which costs more time but opens more operators.
• From southern Africa: a super midsize jet covers Cape Town or Johannesburg without a stop; a midsize jet is checked against the fuel needed to divert back to the mainland.
• Not suited: light jets and turboprops, which do not have the range for the legs over open sea.

Leave your number, and a consultant will call to talk through dates, rooms and aircraft.

When to fly

The island is mild all year: Jamestown has 21 to 28 degrees from January to April and 17 to 24 degrees for the rest of the year, and the hills inland are several degrees cooler. December to April is the busiest time, with whale sharks offshore and the warmest weather, so rooms go first. Midday arrivals usually meet the calmest conditions, and an extra day in the plan covers a weather delay. Empty Legs are rare in every month.

Entry, customs and status

St Helena is outside the EU and Schengen, so the return flight clears passport control and customs at the first Schengen or UK airport. A flight into the UK files a General Aviation Report in advance, and EU citizens landing there need a UK electronic travel authorisation (ETA).

Flying with a dog or cat

The island accepts dogs and cats only by direct import from the United Kingdom or Ascension and has no quarantine kennel, so a pet from the EU cannot fly in directly. From the UK the animal needs an export health certificate from a government-appointed vet, a microchip, worm treatments in the weeks before export and an insecticide treatment a few days before the flight, and it must be older than 24 weeks; some dog types are banned. The pet travels in the cabin with the operator's approval, and we confirm the papers with the island's veterinary service in writing.

Empty Legs

Empty Legs to St Helena are rare, and we do not promise one. A jet that has brought a party to the island usually flies the long way back empty, and the leg out of the island can be offered for that date; aircraft that position through southern Africa sometimes have a leg to Cape Town or Johannesburg. If a fixed date is not essential, tell empty-legs@jets.flights which way you want to go and which week suits you.

How to book

1. Send the dates, the passenger names and nationalities, and where you will stay.
2. We find an operator with a qualified crew, confirm the payload for the date and reserve the rooms.
3. You receive the aircraft, the operator and the price, with a plan for a weather delay.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; we request the airport's permission for the date.
5. Before departure we confirm the forecast, the fuel plan, the handling and the transfer to your hotel.

Questions about flying to St Helena

• • Can a private jet fly to St Helena?

  • Yes, with the airport's prior permission, a crew qualified for a Category C aerodrome and an aircraft whose landing weight fits the 1,550 m landing distance. Long-range jets fly non-stop from Europe.

• • How much does a private jet to St Helena cost?

  • From EUR 93,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Lisbon - St Helena in a Falcon 7X. London costs EUR 110,000 in the same aircraft, plus charges and taxes.

• • How long is the flight?

  • 7:31 h from Lisbon, 8:34 h from Geneva and 9:07 h from London in a Falcon 7X. The island keeps GMT all year.

• • Can we land at night?

  • No. The airport works in daylight only and on set days, so the departure from Europe is timed for a midday arrival.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not as EU or UK citizens. You receive an entry permit on arrival and need booked accommodation and medical insurance with evacuation cover.

• • Can the aircraft wait on the island?

  • For a short stay, if the apron has room; the permission sets the time. For a week or more the aircraft usually flies back and returns.

• • Can our dog come?

  • Only on a direct trip from the United Kingdom, with an export health certificate and treatments before departure. Pets from the EU cannot be flown in directly.

• • Are Empty Legs available?

  • Rarely. The most likely is the empty return of an aircraft that has dropped off another party; send your dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.