Private jet to Suriname

Suriname is the smallest independent country in South America, between Guyana and French Guiana. About nine tenths of it is rainforest, and most of the population lives on the coast around Paramaribo, whose old Dutch colonial centre is a World Heritage Site. Dutch is the language of government and schools, Sranan Tongo is spoken by almost everyone, English is widely understood, and the ties with the Netherlands remain close.

Private flights come for gold mining, offshore oil projects, banking and family visits. Every jet from Europe lands at Johan Adolf Pengel International at Zanderij, about 45 km south of the capital, the only airport in the country with customs and a long runway.

Give us the departure city, travel dates and party size; the reply lists suitable aircraft, the routing and a price for each.

How long the crossing takes

Paramaribo is about 5,900 km from Lisbon, 7,100 km from London and 7,500 km from Amsterdam. A Falcon 7X flies all twelve routes in the main table non-stop: 7:18 h from Lisbon, 8:42 h from London, 9:09 h from Amsterdam and 9:33 h from Munich. A Praetor 600 or a Challenger 650 lands once for fuel, usually in the Azores, which adds about an hour and a half, except from Lisbon, where both cross without a stop. For a same-week return the crew needs its rest in Paramaribo, which the operator builds into the schedule.

Prices to Paramaribo

The table shows one-way prices for the whole jet from a base close to the departure city. Handling at Zanderij, any fuel stop, parking and passenger taxes are billed on top, and the time column gives the flight time of the first jet listed.

From the European hubs

From Amsterdam a Praetor 600 with one stop costs EUR 78,000 and a non-stop Falcon 7X EUR 115,000. London is the cheapest of the northern hubs: EUR 74,000 with a stop or EUR 105,000 non-stop. From Lisbon the Praetor 600 crosses without landing for EUR 54,000, which helps a party that is already in Portugal.

From the region

Georgetown and Cayenne are about an hour away and cost from EUR 8,500 in a Citation CJ3; Curaçao takes 2:51 h. From Miami the Challenger 350 flies non-stop for EUR 37,000, while the light and midsize jets stop once. Each leg is an international flight with immigration at both ends; see also Guyana, French Guiana and Trinidad and Tobago.

Taxes on the European side vary: the French tax on a business jet grows with the distance flown, Italy takes EUR 200 per passenger on flights from or to Italy at this range, and Austria EUR 12. The Netherlands charges its departure tax on aircraft of 5.7 t or more, Germany and Norway levy their own, and UK Air Passenger Duty applies at the higher rate to jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats and at the standard rate to lighter jets. Surinamese charges 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

Sample trips and what they cost

Cost per head

Calculator

Type the route into the calculator and a first estimate arrives by e-mail:

Zanderij and the city airfields

The published guidance treats the flight plan as the advance notice, filed at least two hours before arrival, and the General Declaration and passenger manifest travel with the aircraft. The civil aviation office works mornings local time, so a request sent late in the day waits until the next; we plan on a longer lead.

Choosing the aircraft

A Falcon 7X, Global 6000 or Gulfstream G550 crosses from Europe without a stop; a Challenger 650 or Praetor 600 lands once and costs less. Between the Guianas a Citation CJ3 is enough, a Challenger 350 suits Miami or the Caribbean, and interior strips are flown by local turboprops.

A consultant can also ring you to go through the options:

Rain, dry spells and holidays

Paramaribo is hot all year, with highs of about 30 degrees, and lies outside the hurricane belt. Two wet and two dry seasons alternate: late August to November is the driest and best time for the interior, and February to April brings a shorter dry spell. Empty Legs to Paramaribo appear only now and then, after single trips, so being flexible by a week or two counts for more than the choice of month.

Beyond Paramaribo

Empty Legs to Paramaribo

Most legs are long-range jets returning to Europe after dropping a party in Paramaribo, or flying out to collect one; regional legs appear between Paramaribo, Cayenne, Georgetown and the Caribbean. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a broad date range; we reply when a matching leg is listed.

Entry fee, customs and pets

• A veterinary import permit from the Veterinary Inspection is applied for in writing before departure, and the time and place of arrival are announced at least 48 hours ahead.
• Cats need a health certificate in Dutch or English issued within seven days before travel, worming and a rabies vaccination; a cat from a country that is not rabies-free also needs an antibody test, and may be kept apart from other animals for two weeks after arrival. Rules for dogs are confirmed with the Veterinary Service per booking.
• Pets fly in the cabin with their owners once the operator has said yes. Suriname is not on the EU or UK lists, so the return to Europe needs a rabies antibody test, best taken before departure to avoid a three-month wait; a dog going to the UK also needs a tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before landing and can enter only through an approved route and handler.

Booking the flight

1. Tell us the dates, how many are travelling and whether the jet should stay in Suriname during the visit.
2. We set a non-stop Falcon 7X against a Praetor 600 or Challenger 650 that refuels on the way.
3. Each offer names the operator, the model, the fuel stop if any and the full aircraft price.
4. Once the contract is signed and paid, the operator files the flight plan and books the mandatory handler; passengers pay the entry fee and complete the form.
5. At Zanderij the handler walks you through immigration to the car for the 45 km drive into Paramaribo.

Questions about private flights to Suriname

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

  • From EUR 74,000 one way from London in a Praetor 600 with one stop, and EUR 115,000 non-stop from Amsterdam in a Falcon 7X. From Lisbon the Praetor 600 flies non-stop for EUR 54,000.

• • Can we fly non-stop from Amsterdam?

  • Yes, a Falcon 7X takes 9:09 h. A Praetor 600 or Challenger 650 stops once for fuel.

• • Which airport do private jets use?

  • Johan Adolf Pengel International at Zanderij, about 45 km south of Paramaribo, with a runway of about 3,480 m and customs. The city airfields are for helicopters and turboprops.

• • Do we need a visa?

  • Not for tourism or family visits from the EU or the UK, but the entry fee is paid online before travel. Business and work trips usually need a visa.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Paramaribo keeps the same time all year: 3 hours behind London in the British winter and 4 in summer, or 4 to 5 hours behind Central European Time.

• • Can we bring our dog?

  • Yes, with a veterinary import permit and 48 hours' notice of arrival. For the return to Europe a rabies antibody test is needed, best taken before departure.

• • When is the best time to travel?

  • Late August to November is the driest season; April to July is the wettest.

• • Can we continue to Guyana or French Guiana?

  • Yes, both are about an hour away in a Citation CJ3 at EUR 8,500, with immigration at each end.