Private jet to São Tomé and Príncipe
São Tomé and Príncipe is a small island republic in the Gulf of Guinea, about 300 km west of Gabon, with some 220,000 inhabitants, Portuguese as the language of government and the dobra as currency. The equator runs across the islet of Rolas, just south of the main island. Visitors come for the rainforest of Obo park, the old cocoa estates, the beaches and the birds, and Príncipe, the smaller island to the north, is a protected biosphere reserve with a handful of lodges.
Almost every private flight from Europe to São Tomé and Príncipe lands at São Tomé International, the only airport with jet fuel and regular handling, a few kilometres from the capital. Typical clients are advisers and investors with meetings at the ministries, guests of the lodges on Príncipe and travellers combining the islands with a trip to Gabon or Cameroon.
Tell us which island you are going to, your dates and the number of travellers, and a consultant replies with aircraft options and prices.
Why charter for these islands
Prices to São Tomé and Príncipe
Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport, plus handling, landing and parking charges and passenger taxes. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in each row.
From the European hubs to São Tomé
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Super midsize Praetor 600 |
Heavy jet Challenger 650 |
Long range Falcon 7X |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Farnborough - São Tomé | 5,703 km | 7:38 h | EUR 52,000 | EUR 66,000 | EUR 88,000 |
| Paris Le Bourget - São Tomé | 5,418 km | 7:16 h | EUR 50,000 | EUR 64,000 | EUR 84,000 |
| Geneva - São Tomé | 5,100 km | 6:52 h | EUR 47,000 | EUR 61,000 | EUR 80,000 |
| Zurich - São Tomé | 5,238 km | 7:03 h | EUR 48,000 | EUR 63,000 | EUR 82,000 |
| Milan Linate - São Tomé | 5,018 km | 6:46 h | EUR 46,000 | EUR 61,000 | EUR 79,000 |
| Munich - São Tomé | 5,357 km | 7:12 h | EUR 49,000 | EUR 63,000 | EUR 84,000 |
| Frankfurt - São Tomé | 5,523 km | 7:24 h | EUR 50,000 | EUR 65,000 | EUR 86,000 |
| Amsterdam - São Tomé | 5,777 km | 7:43 h | EUR 53,000 | EUR 67,000 | EUR 89,000 |
| Brussels - São Tomé | 5,622 km | 7:32 h | EUR 51,000 | EUR 66,000 | EUR 87,000 |
| Madrid - São Tomé | 4,580 km | 6:14 h | EUR 43,000 | EUR 57,000 | EUR 74,000 |
| Nice - São Tomé | 4,813 km | 6:31 h | EUR 45,000 | EUR 59,000 | EUR 77,000 |
| Lisbon - São Tomé | 4,566 km | 6:12 h | EUR 43,000 | EUR 57,000 | EUR 74,000 |
| Rome - São Tomé | 4,643 km | 6:18 h | EUR 43,000 | EUR 58,000 | EUR 75,000 |
Lisbon, Madrid and Rome are the closest hubs: EUR 43,000 in a Praetor 600 and a little over six hours in the air. Paris costs EUR 50,000 and London EUR 52,000 for 7:38 h, while Amsterdam, the furthest point in the table at 5,777 km, costs EUR 53,000. Every aircraft in the table flies these sectors without a stop.
From the Gulf of Guinea
| Route | Distance | Flight time | Turboprop Pilatus PC-12 |
Light jet Pilatus PC-24 |
Midsize jet Citation XLS+ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Libreville - São Tomé | 300 km | 1:07 h | EUR 7,000 | EUR 10,000 | EUR 10,500 |
| Douala - São Tomé | 524 km | 1:34 h | EUR 8,000 | EUR 11,000 | EUR 12,000 |
| Lagos - São Tomé | 785 km | 2:06 h | EUR 9,000 | EUR 12,500 | EUR 13,500 |
| Accra - São Tomé | 960 km | 2:28 h | EUR 9,500 | EUR 13,000 | EUR 14,500 |
| Libreville - Príncipe | 260 km | 1:02 h | EUR 7,000 | EUR 9,500 | EUR 10,500 |
| Douala - Príncipe | 366 km | 1:15 h | EUR 7,500 | EUR 10,000 | EUR 11,000 |
Libreville - São Tomé takes 1:07 h in a Pilatus PC-12 and costs EUR 7,000, the same as Libreville - Príncipe. Douala in Cameroon costs EUR 8,000 in the PC-12, Lagos in Nigeria EUR 13,500 in a Citation XLS+ and Accra in Ghana EUR 14,500. These legs are flown by operators based in the region.
The hop from São Tomé to Príncipe is a domestic sector, which a foreign operator cannot fly with passengers. A local airline flies it in about 45 minutes, and we book the seats or a local aircraft when the dates are fixed.
What each passenger pays in tax is set by the country the flight leaves from. France levies a solidarity tax per passenger whose rate rises with the distance flown, so a sector of this length pays more than a flight within Europe. Italy charges EUR 200 per passenger beyond 1,500 km, on departure and again when the aircraft flies back into Italy. Austria adds EUR 12 a head, and the Netherlands taxes departures in aircraft of 5.7 t or more. Germany and the UK also tax departures: British APD does not apply below 5.7 t, and the higher private-jet band covers aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats. Charges in São Tomé are listed in the quote.
Business jet price per flight hour
Two trips worked through
Price per person
The charter price does not change with the number of seats filled, so the cost per head falls as the group grows:
| Route | Aircraft | Whole aircraft | 2 passengers | 4 passengers | 8 passengers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lisbon - São Tomé | Praetor 600 | EUR 43,000 | EUR 21,500 | EUR 10,800 | EUR 5,400 |
| Paris Le Bourget - São Tomé | Praetor 600 | EUR 50,000 | EUR 25,000 | EUR 12,500 | EUR 6,300 |
| London Farnborough - São Tomé | Challenger 650 | EUR 66,000 | EUR 33,000 | EUR 16,500 | EUR 8,300 |
Calculator
The calculator gives an indicative price to São Tomé; mention Príncipe in the comment if you want to go on.
The two airports
| Airport | Codes | Runway | Hours | Fuel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| São Tomé International | TMS / FPST | 2,220 m | Mon-Fri 07:00-16:00, other times on request | Jet A-1 |
| Príncipe | PCP / FPPR | about 1,750 m | 07:00-17:30 | none |
There is no business aviation terminal; the handler meets the aircraft and escorts passengers through the terminal. The airport's fire cover is checked before a heavy or long-range jet is confirmed. The landing permit is valid for 24 hours around the planned time and its lead time is not published, so we file it several working days ahead, earlier over a weekend. Crew visas are issued on arrival.
Which aircraft
- From Europe for up to eight passengers: a super midsize jet such as the Praetor 600, non-stop from every hub in the table.
- Larger groups: a heavy jet such as the Challenger 650, or a long-range jet such as the Falcon 7X for a roomier cabin.
- From Gabon or Cameroon and to Príncipe: a turboprop such as the Pilatus PC-12 or a light jet such as the Pilatus PC-24.
- From Lagos or Accra: a midsize jet such as the Citation XLS+.
Leave your number, and a consultant will call to plan the islands and the aircraft.
When to fly
São Tomé and Príncipe is hot and humid all year, close to 27 degrees on the coast. The main dry season, the gravana, lasts from June to September and is the most popular time; a shorter dry spell comes from December to February. The rains fall mainly from March to May and in October and November, when trails in the forest are muddy. Empty Legs are rare; the most likely is the empty return of an aircraft that has brought a party from Europe.
Entry, health and local rules
São Tomé and Príncipe is outside the EU and Schengen, so the return flight clears passport control and customs at the first Schengen or UK airport. Goods that may be restricted or taxed are declared on arrival.
Flying with a dog or cat
The pet travels in the cabin with the operator's approval. The islands publish no detailed import scheme: a rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before arrival and a health certificate issued within 10 days of travel are the usual minimum, and the local veterinary service has the final word. We obtain the requirements in writing from the veterinary authority before the flight.
Empty Legs
Empty Legs to and from São Tomé and Príncipe are rare. They come from a charter that does not wait in São Tomé, so the aircraft returns to Europe empty, or from an aircraft repositioning after work in Gabon, Cameroon or Nigeria. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and the days you could travel; flexible dates are what makes a match possible here.
How to book
- Send the islands, the dates, the passenger names and nationalities.
- We check the airport hours for your arrival, the fuel plan and, for Príncipe, the local connection.
- You receive aircraft options with operator, model and price.
- You sign the contract with the operator and pay; we file the landing permit and book the handler.
- Before departure we confirm the permit, the arrival time, the driver and any visas.
Questions about flights to the islands
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- How much does a private jet to São Tomé cost?
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From EUR 43,000 one way for the whole aircraft, Lisbon - São Tomé in a Praetor 600. Paris costs EUR 50,000 and London EUR 52,000, plus charges and taxes.
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- How long is the flight from Europe?
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6:12 h from Lisbon, 7:16 h from Paris and 7:38 h from London in a Praetor 600, without a stop.
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- Can a jet from Europe land on Príncipe?
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Usually not: the runway is shorter, there is no fuel and no handler. Long flights land in São Tomé, and Príncipe is reached by a local flight or a small aircraft from Libreville or Douala.
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- Can we arrive at the weekend?
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Yes, on request with two hours' notice outside the weekday hours. We confirm the airport, handler and fuel in writing.
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- Do we need a visa?
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Not as EU or UK citizens for a tourist stay of up to 15 days. Longer stays and business trips need a visa applied for online.
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- Which vaccinations are needed?
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Yellow fever when arriving from a country with a risk of transmission, and malaria prevention is advised all year. Ask a travel clinic in good time.
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- Can our dog come?
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Yes, in the cabin with the operator's approval, a rabies vaccination and a health certificate. For the return to the EU, do the antibody test before departure.
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- When is the best time to go?
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June to September, in the main dry season, or December to February for turtles and birds. October is the wettest month.
The aviation expert will answer all your questions about business aviation and private flights. We will help you to compare and choose the best business jet for your flight.