Private jet to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is an independent Commonwealth state in the Windward Islands: the volcanic main island of St Vincent with the capital, Kingstown, and a chain of small islands running south towards Grenada, among them Bequia, Mustique, Canouan and Union Island. Only two airports in the country take business jets: Argyle International on St Vincent and the jet runway on Canouan. Mustique, Bequia and Union Island have short strips for propeller aircraft.

That shapes every trip. A jet from Europe to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines lands at Argyle or Canouan, and guests bound for a villa on Mustique or a yacht in the Tobago Cays continue by turboprop or boat, in daylight. Clients are villa owners and their guests, sailing parties and families who return to the same island every winter.

Tell us which island you are going to, and we will plan the landing so that the last hop arrives before sunset.

Flight times and the last hop

• Falcon 7X without a stop: Lisbon 7:15 h, Madrid 7:50 h, London Farnborough 8:21 h, Paris Le Bourget 8:32 h, Amsterdam 8:48 h, Geneva 8:51 h
• Nice 8:55 h, Zurich 9:01 h, Milan Linate and Frankfurt 9:07 h, Munich 9:18 h, Vienna 9:43 h
• Turboprop to Mustique: 0:42 h from Saint Lucia, 0:53 h from Barbados
• PC-12 to Canouan: 0:41 h from Grenada, 0:55 h from Barbados; Miami - Canouan 3:35 h in a Praetor 500

The route crosses the open Atlantic without closed airspace. A Praetor 600 or Challenger 650 lands once for fuel, normally at Santa Maria in the Azores, which lies almost on the great circle and adds about an hour and a half. Westbound headwinds can lengthen the flight; the return is usually shorter. Argyle is listed as open from 06:00 to 22:00 local time and Canouan from 08:00 to 20:00 on weekdays, with other hours on prior request, so a late departure from Europe can end with a night on St Vincent and the island hop the next morning.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines: private jet prices

Each price covers the whole aircraft for one leg, with a jet available near the departure airport. Landing permit, handling, the fuel stop and passenger taxes come on top, and the flight time shown is that of the first aircraft in the row.

From Europe to Argyle and Canouan

Argyle and Canouan cost almost the same from Europe: a Praetor 600 with one stop is EUR 72,000 from London to either airport, and a direct Falcon 7X EUR 105,000. From Lisbon the Praetor 600 flies to Canouan without a stop for EUR 53,000. Canouan's runway of about 1,800 m suits these aircraft; for the heaviest long-range jets such as the Global 6000 or Gulfstream G650 the operator checks the runway for the date, while Argyle, with 2,743 m, takes any of them.

Island hops and the region

Mustique takes no jets, so only the Pilatus PC-12 is priced in those rows: EUR 6,500 from Barbados and EUR 6,000 from Saint Lucia. Flights between Argyle, Canouan, Mustique, Bequia and Union Island are domestic and flown by local operators, booked with the transfer. From Miami a Praetor 500 reaches Canouan in 3:35 h for EUR 24,000.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines charges departure fees per passenger, which the handler collects and we list in the quote. On the European side, the French tax on business jet passengers rises with distance, to about EUR 2,100 on a Caribbean leg from the roughly EUR 420 paid within Europe; Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger on a flight of this length, whether it leaves from or lands in Italy, and Austria EUR 12. From the UK, Air Passenger Duty is due at the higher rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate on lighter jets, and Germany, Norway and the Netherlands (aircraft of 5.7 t or more) levy their own taxes.

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

For a first estimate with your dates, the calculator gives a price in seconds; name the island in the comment:

Airports from St Vincent to Union Island

Argyle International lies on the east coast of St Vincent, about 8 km from Kingstown. It has customs and immigration, Jet A-1 fuel and Vincy Aviation Services as FBO, with a passenger lounge and catering; slots are not required. Canouan's jet runway, with approaches over the water, is the closest jet airport to Mustique and the southern Grenadines; customs and immigration are available there, and handling through Canouan Aviation Services is compulsory.

Mustique Airport belongs to the Mustique Company. The runway has no lights and no radio aids, landings are visual, and the airfield closes before sunset. It has a small terminal with customs and immigration, so a turboprop from Barbados or Saint Lucia can clear on arrival. Every visitor to the island is registered with its security service. A charter landing in the country needs permission from the Eastern Caribbean Civil Aviation Authority, with aircraft documents, insurance, passenger and crew details and a local handler; we confirm the requirement in writing before departure.

Aircraft for the jet runways and the strips

To plan the jet and the last hop as one trip, leave your number:

Seasons, regattas and the Empty Legs calendar

The islands are warm all year, with highs of about 27-30 °C. January to April is the dry season, February and March the driest and busiest months; June to November is wet, with the most rain in October, and coincides with the Atlantic hurricane season. Empty Legs are most frequent in early January and after Easter, when long-range jets fly back to Europe, and in December, when they fly out empty to collect villa guests.

Empty Legs to the Grenadines

A trip from Europe to Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is one way for the aircraft, so jets cross the Atlantic empty before the holidays and after them. Legs are less regular than on European routes, and a window of several days is the best way to catch one. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and your possible dates; regional legs from Barbados and Saint Lucia appear throughout the winter.

Pets

• An import permit, completed by your vet and approved by the Agriculture Department, before departure.
• ISO microchip, rabies vaccination (not a multi-year vaccine) and a rabies antibody test from an approved laboratory.
• Treatment against internal and external parasites within seven days of arrival and a health certificate endorsed by the state veterinary service.
• Entry for animals only through Argyle, with at least 48 hours' notice; a dog or cat with complete papers avoids quarantine.
• Once the operator agrees, the dog or cat flies in the cabin with you. The country is on the EU list from which pets return without a further antibody test. Dogs returning to the UK need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival there.

Entry and customs

Booking

1. Send the island, dates and passengers, and whether the trip includes a yacht or a villa.
2. We choose Argyle or Canouan and match the landing time to the last turboprop or boat.
3. The offers list operator, aircraft, flight time and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. Once the contract is signed and paid, the operator requests the landing permit and the handler reserves the island hop.
5. On arrival the handler meets the aircraft and takes you through customs to the car, boat or turboprop.

Private flights to the Grenadines: frequent questions

• • How much is a private jet from Europe?

  • From Lisbon a Praetor 600 costs EUR 53,000 to Canouan without a stop; from London EUR 72,000 with one fuel stop, and a direct Falcon 7X EUR 105,000, for the whole aircraft one way.

• • Can a jet land on Mustique?

  • No. The runway is 992 m, unlit and reserved for propeller aircraft with up to 18 seats, so jets land at Canouan or Argyle, or the turboprop comes from Barbados or Saint Lucia.

• • Which airport is better, Argyle or Canouan?

  • Canouan is closer to Mustique and the southern islands; Argyle has the longer runway and is near Kingstown and Bequia.

• • Can we arrive at night?

  • Argyle is open 06:00-22:00 and Canouan 08:00-20:00 on weekdays, with other hours on request, but Mustique closes before sunset, so a late landing usually means a night on St Vincent.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not for EU or UK citizens on a short visit; passports should be valid for six months after arrival.

• • When is the best season?

  • January to April, with February and March the driest. June to November is the wet and hurricane season.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, with an import permit, microchip, rabies vaccination and antibody test, recent parasite treatment and a health certificate, arriving through Argyle.

• • Are there Empty Legs?

  • Sometimes, mainly around Christmas and after Easter on transatlantic routes, and on short regional legs. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the route and dates.