Private jet to Sicily

The largest island in the Mediterranean has four airports that take business jets: Catania on the east coast, Palermo in the north-west, Trapani at the western tip and Comiso in the south-east. In the air they are close together, on the roads they are not. Palermo to Taormina is about 270 km and 2.5-3 hours by car, while Catania airport to Taormina is 67 km and 45-55 minutes, so the choice of airport decides whether the first evening starts at the hotel or on the motorway.

This page compares the four airports by the place you are staying and shows how to plan a tour that lands at one end of the island and leaves from the other. For a trip to the capital alone, the Palermo page has the details of Punta Raisi, the transfer and the July Festino. As a broker, we price aircraft from operators across Europe and combine the jet, the car and any short hop on the island in one quote.

Send the route, the dates, the number of passengers and where on the island you are staying, and we come back with the right airport, aircraft and price.

Why fly privately to the island

Flight times to the Sicilian airports

Times to Catania in a Citation CJ3 unless stated, from the price tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Nice: 1:50 h, Milan Linate: 1:54 h
• Vienna: 2:09 h, Geneva: 2:12 h, Zurich and Munich: 2:13 h
• Frankfurt: 2:34 h, Paris Le Bourget: 2:46 h, Madrid: 2:47 h, Berlin: 2:48 h
• Larnaca: 2:51 h, Brussels: 2:53 h, Amsterdam and Hamburg: 3:03 h
• London Farnborough: 3:15 h
• Palermo - Catania: 0:53 h, Malta - Comiso: 0:46 h in a Pilatus PC-12

From the hubs north of the Alps, Catania is 100-160 km further than Palermo, so the flight takes about 10-20 minutes longer. A Praetor 500 saves about a quarter of an hour on the longest sectors and gives a stand-up cabin; from London it needs 2:58 h. Every European route in the tables is flown non-stop.

Private jet prices to Sicily

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

From the European hubs to Catania

The light jet costs EUR 11,000 from Nice and EUR 11,500 from Milan, against EUR 15,500 from London. For six or more people the Praetor 500 is the better fit on three-hour sectors; from Amsterdam it costs EUR 20,000.

From northern Europe to Palermo

Clients from Scandinavia, Ireland, Poland and the Czech Republic often start in the capital. The Phenom 300 opens this table because its hold is larger than that of most light jets:

To Comiso and Trapani

The two smaller airports are good arrivals for Ragusa and the south-east, and for Trapani, Marsala and the Egadi Islands. Turboprops do well here on the short sectors from Italy and Malta:

Hops on and to the island

Palermo to Catania is under an hour in the air against about 2.5 hours by car, and Naples is the usual link with Capri and the Amalfi Coast:

Long-haul flights to Catania

Catania's runway of 2,436 m takes every long-range type in these tables. From Tel Aviv and Dubai all three fly non-stop, from New York the Challenger 650 stops for fuel:

Flight time sets most of the price, plus a share for bringing the aircraft and crew to the departure airport. Italy taxes every passenger of a private flight that departs from or lands in the country: EUR 100 up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, with the distance counted in a straight line plus 95 km. A hop between two Sicilian airports costs EUR 100 per passenger and carries VAT as a domestic flight. From London, Paris or Amsterdam the rate is EUR 200. Departures from France add about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, Austria charges EUR 12, and Germany and the UK charge departure taxes. UK Air Passenger Duty does not apply to aircraft under 5.7 t such as the PC-12, the higher private-jet rate covers aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, and other jets pay the standard rate for the distance. All of it is itemised 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

What a trip really costs

Price per person

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the share per person falls with each seat filled. The Italian tax is added per head:

Online calculator

The calculator returns a first figure for your route and date by e-mail. Name the island airport you want, or the town you are staying in, and we check the closest one.

The island's airports compared

Each airport serves a different part of the island. Palermo and Catania are slot-coordinated and require a handler for private flights, and Trapani and Comiso have shorter opening hours that we confirm for the date. Use the place you are staying to choose:

Runways, codes and limits

Catania Fontanarossa, about 5 km south-west of the city, is the busiest airport in Sicily. Etna is its particular risk: when the volcano emits ash, the airport or parts of the airspace can close for several hours. On those days the aircraft lands at Palermo, Comiso or another airport chosen by the operator, and we move the car to meet it. We agree this plan B before departure.

Trapani Birgi lies between Trapani and Marsala and is shared with an Italian Air Force wing; Airgest runs the civil side. Comiso is a former military base about 5 km from the town and 15 km from Ragusa, with far less traffic than Catania. Malta, 187 km from Catania, is a further alternate within Schengen.

Which aircraft for an island tour

Catania, Palermo, Trapani and Comiso all have runways of about 2,400 m or more, so the choice depends on the group and the luggage. For two to four people, light jets reach all four airports non-stop from western Europe. A tour with several stops on the island is often cheaper with one turboprop for the short hops and a jet for the long legs.

Questions about the airport for your hotel or about Etna? Leave a number and a consultant calls back.

Seasons and festivals across the island

Sicily has a season most of the year, but the big feasts and festivals take place in different corners of the island:

For July and August, secure the aircraft and parking several weeks ahead. May, June, September and October give warm weather with fewer visitors and easier slots.

Getting around the island

Empty Legs between Sicily and Europe

With four airports and many aircraft in summer, empty sectors between the island and northern Europe are common. Typical directions:

The operator sets the date and time of an Empty Leg, so it suits a flexible trip. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we write when a flight to or from one of the Sicilian airports comes up. The Italian passenger tax applies to these flights too.

Bringing a dog or cat

The pet travels in the cabin beside you once the operator has approved it, also on a short hop between two airports. Italy applies the EU rules:

• Microchip to ISO standard, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination, from 12 weeks of age.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain travel with an animal health certificate.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• No tapeworm treatment is needed for Italy, whichever airport you land at.

In July and August the apron gets very hot, so a morning or evening landing is better for a dog, and the car can wait by the aircraft. For a long drive across the island we plan stops, and a short flight between airports can be easier for an older animal. Beach rules for dogs are set by each municipality.

Documents, customs and taxes

Before you fly: checklist

• Passport or ID card for every passenger, children included.
• Passenger names, dates of birth and document numbers, the day before.
• Where you stay, so we can confirm the right airport and the car.
• Arrival and departure airports if you tour the island.
• Plan B airport for Catania in case of ash from Etna.
• Pet passport, microchip and rabies record.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How to book a private jet to Sicily

1. Tell us where you are staying: Taormina, a villa near Syracuse, a wine estate near Marsala, Ragusa or the capital.
2. We choose the airport, or one airport for arrival and another for departure, and check slots, handling and hours for the dates.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, plus the car and any hop on the island.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we confirm the slots, the handler, the car and the Etna plan B for Catania.
5. On the day, arrive 20-30 minutes before take-off; the handler meets you at the aircraft on arrival.

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

Sicily by private jet: questions we are often asked

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

  • A turboprop from Malta to Comiso or from Palermo to Catania costs from EUR 6,500 one way. A light jet to Catania costs EUR 11,000 from Nice and EUR 15,500 from London, for the whole aircraft, plus handling and the Italian passenger tax.

• • Which airport is closest to Taormina?

  • Catania: 67 km and 45-55 minutes by car. From Palermo it is about 270 km and 2.5-3 hours.

• • Can we land in Palermo and fly home from Catania?

  • Yes. The aircraft drops you at one airport and collects you at the other, and between the two it flies home or to another job, so no week of parking is charged.

• • What happens if Etna erupts?

  • Ash can close Catania airport or parts of the airspace for a few hours. The aircraft then lands at Palermo, Comiso or another airport chosen by the operator, and we move the car.

• • When is Comiso the better choice?

  • For Ragusa, Modica and the south-east coast. Ragusa is about 15 km away and traffic is light; the opening hours are confirmed for your date.

• • Can we fly between airports on the island?

  • Yes. Palermo to Catania takes 0:53 h in a Pilatus PC-12, and the Italian tax is EUR 100 per passenger on that domestic leg.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • From Farnborough to Catania 3:15 h in a Citation CJ3 and 2:58 h in a Praetor 500, non-stop.

• • Do we need a passport?

  • Between Schengen countries there is no check, but carry a passport or ID card. From the UK and other non-Schengen countries, passports are checked on arrival.

• • Can we reach the Egadi Islands?

  • Yes. Land at Trapani and take the ferry or hydrofoil from the harbour to Favignana, Levanzo or Marettimo; the islands have no airport.

• • Can our dog come?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. Italy does not require tapeworm treatment.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Sicily?

  • Yes, mostly in summer between the island and northern Europe, Switzerland and Rome. Send your direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.