Private jet to Tel Aviv

Almost all international flights to Israel land at Ben Gurion Airport near Lod, about 20 km by road south-east of central Tel Aviv and 45 km from Jerusalem. The city is the country's centre of technology companies, start-ups, venture funds and banks, and most private flights here are business trips of one to three days. From Rome or Vienna a midsize jet needs about three and a half hours, from Paris or London four and a half to five.

Private passengers use the Fattal Terminal next to Terminal 1, with its own security check, passport control and customs. The route needs more preparation than a flight within Europe: Israel is outside the EU and Schengen, visitors from visa-exempt countries need an electronic travel authorisation (ETA-IL), and security rules apply to private flights too. As a broker, we ask only operators that fly to Israel on your date and compare their aircraft and terms.

Send the route, the dates and the number of passengers through the form, and a consultant will reply with aircraft options, the price and the entry requirements.

Why fly privately to Israel

Flight times to Ben Gurion

Times for the Citation Latitude, the first column of the main price table, including taxi, climb and descent:

Nice is 3:58 h away, Zurich 4:03 h, Berlin 4:06 h and Frankfurt 4:14 h. The longest sectors in the main table start in Madrid (4:59 h) and London, about 3,600 km. A light jet such as the Phenom 300 needs a fuel stop from London, Paris, Amsterdam or Madrid, but flies the shorter legs non-stop: 0:57 h from Larnaca, 1:48 h from Heraklion, 2:05 h from Athens. The times assume a direct route; the operator plans the actual route according to the airspaces open on the day, which can make the flight longer.

What a private flight to Tel Aviv costs

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, and assume an aircraft available near the departure airport. Handling, Fattal Terminal fees, passenger taxes and any insurance surcharge are added in the quote. The flight time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From the European hubs

Rome and Vienna are the cheapest hubs at EUR 23,000 and EUR 24,000 in the Citation Latitude, London the most expensive at EUR 31,000. The Gulfstream G280 adds a wider cabin and a larger hold, and the Challenger 650 seats up to 12 for delegations and families.

From Cyprus, Greece and Eastern Europe

On these shorter routes light jets fly non-stop, and from Larnaca the flight takes under an hour:

From the Gulf and North America

Ben Gurion's longest runway is about 4,060 m, so every long-range type can land. From the Gulf the route depends on the airspaces open on the day, and the operator confirms time and price in the quote. From New York and Toronto the Falcon 7X and the Global 7500 fly non-stop:

To Ramon for Eilat

For the Red Sea, the aircraft can land at Ramon Airport north of Eilat instead. The extra 180-200 km add 13-15 minutes to the flight:

The table price covers flight time and the positioning of the aircraft and crew. Two factors are specific to this route: fewer operators fly to Israel than to European capitals, so the aircraft sometimes comes from further away, and some operators add an insurance surcharge for the region. Passenger taxes depend on the country of departure: the French solidarity tax from France, about EUR 1,015 per jet passenger to Israel and about EUR 420 within Europe, while Italy charges EUR 200 on any flight between Italy and Israel and Austria EUR 12; Germany and the UK charge departure taxes. All amounts 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

Worked examples

Price per passenger

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the cost per seat falls with each passenger. Taxes and terminal fees are added per person:

Quick estimate

Enter your own route, date and group size, and the calculator sends an estimate to your e-mail.

Ben Gurion Airport and the Fattal Terminal

Ben Gurion International Airport (TLV, LLBG) lies near Lod, between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, about 40 m above the sea. The Israel Airports Authority runs it. It has three runways, the longest about 4,060 m and the others about 3,100 m and 2,800 m, so runway length never limits a business jet. The airport works 24 hours and is slot-coordinated: every arrival and departure needs a confirmed slot, which the handler requests with the flight plan.

Private flights are handled at the Fattal Terminal, a separate facility next to Terminal 1. Check-in, the security interview, baggage screening, passport control and customs all take place there, and a car drives passengers to and from the aircraft. Jet Aviation and Universal Aviation are among the handlers for business jets. Arrival is usually quick; for departure allow 45-60 minutes in the terminal, because Israeli security procedures apply to private passengers as well.

Ramon and the alternates

Two airports that appear in older lists no longer exist: Sde Dov in Tel Aviv and the old airport in the centre of Eilat are both closed. Jerusalem has no airport for business jets either. Distances are straight-line from Ben Gurion:

Which aircraft for the route

At 2,300-3,600 km from the European hubs, range decides more than on most charters. The runways at Ben Gurion take every type:

For the short legs to Cyprus, Crete or Athens a Phenom 300 is enough and costs much less. Groups of more than nine or flights from New York and Toronto belong in ultra long range jets or heavy jets.

Questions about the route, the entry rules or the aircraft? Leave your number, and a consultant will call you back.

When to fly: holidays and the Israeli calendar

The climate is mild for most of the year, but Shabbat and the holidays matter more for planning than the weather. Shabbat runs from Friday evening to Saturday evening every week, with fewer taxis and limited public transport; the holidays follow the Jewish calendar, so their dates move from year to year:

We check the date against Shabbat and the holidays before confirming the aircraft, and plan Friday departures so that the handler and the car are booked in advance.

From Ben Gurion to the city and beyond

Empty Legs to and from Tel Aviv

An Empty Leg is a flight the aircraft makes without passengers on the way home or to the next client. On a sector of four to five hours the discount is worth a lot, but landing permits and the passenger list are needed as on any other flight, so last-minute bookings are not always possible. Typical directions:

The operator sets the date and time, so an Empty Leg suits a flexible trip. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates, and we will tell you when a matching flight comes up.

Travelling with a dog or cat to Israel

Israel accepts dogs and cats, but its rules are stricter than within the EU, and the papers must be ready weeks before the trip. On a private jet the animal travels in the cabin beside you, and the operator must approve it in advance:

• Microchip to ISO standard, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination given when the animal was at least three months old, at least 30 days and not more than a year before arrival.
• Rabies antibody blood test, taken at least 30 days after the vaccination.
• Health certificate from a government-authorised vet, issued no more than ten days before arrival.
• Notice to the Israeli veterinary services at least two Israeli working days before the flight.
• No import permit when the owner travels with up to two dogs or cats; several dog breeds, among them pit bull terriers, may not be imported.

Requirements can change, so contact us a few weeks before travel and confirm the current rules with your vet.

Entry rules, customs and taxes

Checklist before the flight

• Valid passport for every passenger, children included, and an approved ETA-IL where required.
• Passenger list with full names, dates of birth, nationalities and passport numbers, sent early.
• Travel date checked against Shabbat and the Jewish holidays.
• Addresses of meetings and hotels in Tel Aviv, Jerusalem or Haifa for the car.
• Pet documents: microchip, vaccination, antibody test, health certificate and notice to the veterinary services.
• Equipment, samples or valuables declared before departure.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

Booking a private jet to Tel Aviv

1. Send the route, the dates, the number of passengers and their nationalities, and the programme in Israel.
2. We check which operators fly to Israel on your date, the slot at Ben Gurion and the entry rules for every passport.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, with terminal fees and any insurance surcharge shown separately.
4. You sign the contract and pay, and send the passenger data; we book the Fattal Terminal, the car and the crew hotel.
5. On the day, the car brings you to the Fattal Terminal; for the return, arrive 45-60 minutes before take-off.

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

Private flights to Israel: questions and answers

• • How much is a private jet to Tel Aviv?

  • A Citation Latitude costs EUR 23,000 one way from Rome, while from Munich it is EUR 26,000 and from London EUR 31,000, for the whole aircraft. From Larnaca a light jet costs EUR 10,000. Terminal fees, taxes and any insurance surcharge are added in the quote.

• • Can a light jet fly non-stop?

  • From Budapest, Warsaw or Prague a Phenom 300 flies non-stop in 3:23-4:01 h. From London, Paris, Amsterdam or Madrid it would need a fuel stop, so we offer a midsize jet such as the Citation Latitude.

• • Which terminal do private passengers use at Ben Gurion?

  • Passengers use the Fattal Terminal next to Terminal 1, with its own security check, passport control and customs. A car drives you between the terminal and the aircraft.

• • How long does security take?

  • On arrival usually only a few minutes. On departure allow 45-60 minutes for the interview and baggage screening.

• • Do I need a visa or an ETA-IL?

  • EU and UK citizens need no visa but must have an approved ETA-IL before departure, applied for on the Israeli government website. Other nationalities are checked one by one.

• • Does every operator fly to Israel?

  • No. Some operators do not fly to the region, and others add an insurance surcharge. We only ask operators that fly the route on your date.

• • Can I fly on Shabbat or on a holiday?

  • The airport is open on Shabbat, but ground services are reduced, so the handler and the car are booked ahead. On Yom Kippur Ben Gurion is closed.

• • What is the time difference?

  • Israel is one hour ahead of Central Europe and two hours ahead of London for most of the year. Israel moves to summer time a few days before Europe, so in late March the gap is briefly one hour larger.

• • Can my dog come with me?

  • Yes, in the cabin, but Israel requires a rabies antibody test, a veterinary health certificate and notice to its veterinary services. Start the paperwork several weeks before travel.

• • Can we combine Israel with Cyprus?

  • Yes. Larnaca is under an hour away, and one aircraft can fly both legs. See also our page on private jets to Larnaca.

• • How far ahead should we book?

  • Allow a few days, because the passenger data and the ETA-IL take time. Around Passover and the autumn holidays, book earlier.