Private jet charter in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan lies more than 2,200 nautical miles east-south-east of London, past Turkey and Georgia on the western shore of the Caspian, and that distance settles the aircraft before any other choice is made. Private Jets UK plans an Azerbaijani charter around four things: the cabin that can cover the sector, the fuel stop for the lighter jets, the landing permit that has to exist before the wheels leave Britain, and the e-visa every passenger needs. Our customers have access to 6,500 jets of all types and configurations available for rent. We will help you choose the best option based on your needs and objectives. Our catalog contains the models from the largest manufacturers: Gulfstream, Dassault, Embraer, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Learjet, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pilatus, HondaJet, etc. We have established partnerships with the world's largest airlines and VIP terminals, which means we can offer you favourable flight conditions and a high level of service. Our experts will manage the organization of your flight - starting with paperwork, agreements, etc., and ending with a transfer and meeting at the airport. Our company provides a full range of business aviation and concierge services. In Azerbaijan that includes the second half of the journey, because the country is bigger than it looks on the airline map: a ski resort, a Silk Road town or a Caspian beach can be three or four hours from Baku by road, and the aircraft or helicopter that shortens the drive is part of the same booking.
At your request, the aviation consultants of Private Jets UK will help you choose the jet with the suitable technical parameters (production year, flight hours, and home base). The cost of the private jet charter in Azerbaijan depends on many factors, such as the model of the business jet, the number of passengers, departure and destination airports, type of flight, duration of parking, additional services, etc. Therefore, we calculate the price of each order individually taking into account your wishes. You can use an online calculator to get an instant charter quote. Please indicate your real contact details to get the final calculation.
You can calculate the cost of your flight in several ways:
- using an online calculator on the website (however, it shows only the approximate price);
- via Messenger (WhatsApp or Telegram);
- by landline or cell phone;
- via e-mail (jets@private-jets.co.uk).
Please note that the above-mentioned price is indicative only. It is calculated on this basis: a departure from Biggin Hill, an Embraer Phenom 300E with a fuel stop in Istanbul to Baku and two passengers aboard. If you want to get a personal quote, just fill out the online booking form below. Our aviation consultant will make the calculation within 20 minutes, and then contact you to specify the details of the flight.
How long does it take to fly to Azerbaijan?
Azerbaijan keeps one time all year, UTC+4, so Baku is four hours ahead of Britain in winter and three in British summer. The sectors below are gate to gate from British airfields to Baku, with the stop included where a light jet needs one:
two legs through Istanbul, with about an hour on the ground between themabout 7 h 10 min
nonstop, 2,229 nautical miles with the routing allowanceabout 5 h 30 min
nonstop, 2,312 nautical milesabout 5 h 40 min
nonstop, 2,389 nautical miles, the longest of the regular British departuresabout 5 h 50 min
about 20 km from the centre along the airport highway, in normal trafficabout 30 min
What the clock says on arrival
Leave Biggin Hill at seven in the morning in a Praetor 600 and you land in Baku in the mid to late afternoon, a little earlier in British summer than in winter. The same departure in a Phenom 300E with the stop in Istanbul lands in the early evening, which turns the first night into a rest and not a meeting.
A same-day return is a plan on paper only. The flying alone is eleven hours or more, before a permit window, crew duty limits or a single meeting. Two nights on the ground is the shortest trip that works, and three is more comfortable.
Range check: what flies nonstop and what stops
– Light jets stop. The Phenom 300E lists a range of about 2,000 nautical miles and the Learjet 75 about the same, while the planned track over Turkey and Georgia runs longer than the straight line. The usual split is Istanbul, with a first leg of about 1,376 nautical miles from Biggin Hill and a second of about 1,005;
– The Citation Latitude lists 2,700 nautical miles, which looks adequate and leaves very little once passengers, reserves and a headwind are counted, so we quote it with a stop. The Praetor 600 (about 4,000 nautical miles) and the Challenger 350 (about 3,200) fly the whole sector in one leg with a margin we are comfortable putting in an offer;
– The stop is a money question and not a safety one. A Praetor 600 nonstop from Biggin Hill is about £6,700 dearer than the Phenom with a stop, and it saves about 1 hour 40 minutes. Past the light class the stop saves nothing at all, so for four passengers or more the larger cabin is usually the better value.
The exact flight time depends on the model of the business jet, as well as the speed of the tail or head wind. Our consultant will make a detailed calculation of the flight time for the chosen business jet.
Prices for the private jet flights to Azerbaijan
Typical private jet prices from Britain to Baku, cheapest first. Every row lands at Heydar Aliyev International, the light-jet rows include the fuel stop in Istanbul, and the figures climb with the cabin and a little with the distance from the departure field:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| Biggin Hill - Baku 2,229 nm / 4,128 km, one stop in Istanbul |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
from £29,350 |
| London City - Baku 2,227 nm / 4,124 km, one stop in Istanbul |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
from £29,350 |
| London Luton - Baku 2,243 nm / 4,154 km, one stop in Istanbul |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
from £29,600 |
| Farnborough - Baku 2,260 nm / 4,186 km, one stop in Istanbul |
Learjet 75 Liberty up to 7 passengers |
from £35,750 |
| Southampton - Baku 2,284 nm / 4,230 km, one stop in Istanbul |
Learjet 75 Liberty up to 7 passengers |
from £36,000 |
| Leeds Bradford - Baku 2,289 nm / 4,239 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £36,950 |
| Newcastle - Baku 2,291 nm / 4,243 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £37,000 |
| Birmingham - Baku 2,294 nm / 4,248 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £37,050 |
| Manchester - Baku 2,312 nm / 4,282 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £37,300 |
| Bristol - Baku 2,335 nm / 4,324 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £37,650 |
| Edinburgh - Baku 2,352 nm / 4,356 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £37,900 |
| Cardiff - Baku 2,360 nm / 4,371 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £38,050 |
| Glasgow - Baku 2,389 nm / 4,424 km, nonstop |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £38,500 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– The class of aircraft moves the price more than the choice of airfield. Leaving from Luton instead of Biggin Hill adds £250 on the same Phenom, while stepping up from the Phenom to a Praetor 600 adds about £6,700 and removes the stop. A quote that looks very cheap is nearly always a light jet with the stop, so ask which one it is;
– The Azerbaijani end adds its own lines. A landing permit and an airport parking slot are both mandatory, handling at Baku is compulsory, and the quote should show them with the handler's fee. The permit typically becomes more expensive the later it is requested, and a stay of several days on the business aviation apron is charged on a sliding scale by time, so we price the aircraft either parked at Baku or sent away and called back.
Private jet flights within Azerbaijan and to its neighbours
Azerbaijan is a country of long drives, and a jet or a turboprop between its cities earns its keep when the road would take half a day. The sectors clients ask for are the hops from Baku to the foothills, to the second city and to the exclave in the west, the short crossing to Georgia and the longer legs to Turkey and Central Asia:
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baku - Gabala 112 nm / 207 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 55 min | from £3,100 |
| Baku - Lankaran 122 nm / 226 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 1 h | from £3,100 |
| Baku - Ganja 178 nm / 330 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 1 h 10 min | from £3,100 |
| Baku - Nakhchivan 234 nm / 433 km |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
about 1 h | from £5,700 |
| Baku - Tbilisi 251 nm / 465 km |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
about 1 h 05 min | from £5,700 |
| Baku - Tashkent 908 nm / 1,682 km |
Citation Latitude up to 8 passengers |
about 2 h 35 min | from £18,850 |
| Baku - Istanbul 1,005 nm / 1,861 km |
Citation Latitude up to 8 passengers |
about 2 h 50 min | from £20,550 |
| Baku - Almaty 1,262 nm / 2,337 km |
Challenger 350 up to 8 passengers |
about 3 h 20 min | from £25,250 |
Two things worth knowing about these sectors
– Every flight inside Azerbaijan is a separate movement with its own permission. A leg from Baku to Gabala or Ganja is not covered by the permit that brought you in from Britain, so we name the operator who flies it and the permit holder when we quote. On these short sectors a PC-12 costs a fraction of a jet. Nakhchivan is an exclave separated from the rest of the country by Armenian territory, so the flight from Baku is the practical way for most visitors, and the operator plans its routing;
– The Foreign Office advises against all travel within 5 km of the border with Armenia and against all but essential travel to a list of districts in the south-west, and it says that travel insurance can be invalidated if you go against its advice. The airports in those districts are not part of our planning, and we draw every itinerary on the Foreign Office map for the date of travel.
We can arrange the flights from any cities in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and European countries. Due to a large database of available business jets, we can help you find an optimal jet and crew. If you have any questions about the departure or the flight itself, you can ask them using the form below:
Prices depending on the type of business jet
We can clearly show the high dependence of the cost of the flight, on the type of aircraft - we have collected approximate data, at the price of 1 flight hour, for various types of business jets:
The cost per hour indicated in the table is preliminary and does not constitute an offer or a commercial offer. Exact prices are available from the managers of the company.
Online Calculator
If you want to make an urgent calculation of the cost of a private plane flight, use our online calculator. Just fill in all the fields of the form with a note that you are interested in a specific model of the aircraft and get the final price. NB! - the figures are sent to you by email or messenger, please carefully fill in the contact details to get the calculation.
All our calculations are as transparent as possible for you. After receiving the request, we will prepare a beautiful offer - where the costs and the final price will be clearly described. The exact price is agreed in advance and is written in the contract, so you can be sure of the final cost.
Private jets are ready to take off
Our database contains over 6,500 business jets (about 3,500 in Europe and 3,000 in the rest of the world) of different configurations and production years. The list of models is constantly updated. Unfortunately, we can't post a full list of available jets on our website due to confidentiality issues. Please contact the managers of the company for more accurate information. We will help you choose a suitable model taking into account your wishes. These are the typical choices for Azerbaijan:
Light jets, and the stop that comes with them
The cheapest way to Baku and the slowest: about seven hours with an hour on the ground in Istanbul. It suits one to four people who would rather save the difference than save the time.
Midsize
The class where the range question is tightest. The Latitude is quoted with a stop, and the XLS+ is used mostly for the neighbours, where Tbilisi and Istanbul sit well inside its reach.
Super-midsize and large
The aircraft that fly Britain to Baku in one leg, and the ones we quote first for a delegation, a race-weekend party or anyone who wants to sleep on the way.
Heavy and ultra-long range
For ten or more passengers, or when Baku is one stage of a longer route towards Central Asia or the Far East. The two runways at Baku are 4,000 and 3,200 metres, so length never limits the choice.
Turboprops
The aircraft for Gabala, Ganja and Lankaran, where the runways are far longer than a PC-12 needs and the saving over a jet is large. Not for the flight from Britain, which would take two days at turboprop speed.
For an Azerbaijani booking the nearest suitable aircraft is often not in Britain. Istanbul, Tbilisi and the Gulf all have large charter fleets, and Baku has a local operator with Gulfstreams and helicopters of its own, so a positioning leg from any of them can change the price more than the choice of model. We look at the whole map before a number is sent.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Azerbaijan in 6 easy steps:
- Flight request - indicating the route and your preferences for the model of business jet and other points.
- Coordination of flight details - our consultant will contact you to offer the possible flight options and answer all your questions.
- Commercial offer - we will send you a final offer on a specific model taking into account all your wishes.
- Signing of the contract.
- Payment for the flight and booking a business jet.
- Departure at the agreed time and date. Assistance during the whole flight.
In addition to renting the private jets and arranging the flights, we provide concierge services, premium transfer, security, exclusive catering, etc. We have learned to solve problems of any complexity, offering the service of the European level. Our experts will be happy to answer your questions and help you arrange your flight.
How to rent a business jet with a crew
5 main stages:
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Sending an application
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Clarification of details and search for options
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Preparation and coordination of optimal options
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Registration of documents. Payment of the invoice.
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Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Azerbaijan
Azerbaijan has one airport that matters to a jet from Britain, a handful of regional runways that were built long and are used lightly, and a south-west that is not part of a private-flight plan. Almost every itinerary starts at Baku and fans out from there:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Baku Heydar Aliyev GYD / UBBB |
about 20 km from the centre, 3 m above sea level | The gateway for the country and the only airport most flights from Britain ever see. Two runways, 4,000 and 3,200 metres. The airport is listed as open round the clock with customs and a tower staffed day and night, and both a slot and handling are required. Private flights use the Business Aviation Terminal run by ASG Business Aviation, which has its own apron away from the passenger airport, 30 stands from small jets to a Boeing Business Jet, customs and immigration on site, a crew room and VVIP rooms |
| Gabala GBB / UBBQ |
about 20 km south of Gabala town, in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus | One runway of 3,600 metres, long enough for any jet we charter. It is the airport for the Tufandag ski resort and for the foothills, 112 nautical miles from Baku. Customs and handling for a private flight are agreed trip by trip, and the sensible aircraft from Baku is a turboprop |
| Ganja GNJ / UBBG |
about 7 km north-west of the city, 330 m above sea level | The airport of the third-largest city of the country and the main city of the west, 375 km from Baku by road. One runway of 3,300 metres is in use, and a second of 2,490 metres is listed as out of service. The tower is listed as staffed round the clock, customs as available and slots as not required. Scheduled flights are few, so a private jet is a rare guest and the handler is arranged in advance |
| Nakhchivan NAJ / UBBN |
about 5 km south-east of the city, 873 m above sea level | The airport of the exclave, with two parallel runways of 3,300 metres, shared between civil and military use. The aerodrome is listed as open round the clock with customs. The air bridge from Baku is how most visitors arrive, and a private flight is planned together with the operator who holds the permit for the leg |
| Lankaran LLK / UBBL |
on the Caspian coast in the far south, about 10 m above sea level | One runway of 3,300 by 45 metres, with the status of an international airport since its reconstruction. Used for a warm, wet corner of the country, with tea plantations, the Hirkan forests and thermal springs. A turboprop day trip from Baku, not an entry airport for a flight from Britain |
| Zaqatala ZTU / UBBY |
in the north-west, 390 m above sea level | A runway of 3,000 metres and international status since its reconstruction, with no scheduled passenger service listed. It would suit a Caucasus itinerary in the north-west, and any use is agreed with the authorities case by case |
| Fuzuli, Zangilan and Lachin FZL, ZZE, LHL |
in the south-west of the country | Airports named international that lie in districts on the Foreign Office list of areas where it advises against all but essential travel. We do not plan private jet flights to them from Britain |
Four rules settle most Azerbaijani arrivals before a quote goes out:
The permit comes first
Foreign civil aircraft need a landing permit from the State Civil Aviation Agency. Brokers describe it as valid for 24 hours at the international airports, so a change of arrival time by more than a few hours can mean an amendment.
Slot and handler together
An airport parking slot is mandatory at Baku, and so is handling. We book ASG Business Aviation, which describes itself as the exclusive FBO for business aviation at Baku, in the same message as the permit request.
The visa needs lead time
Every passenger needs an e-visa, and the Foreign Office tells British travellers to apply at least three days before they travel. Crew visas are handled against the general declaration and are listed by brokers as valid for up to 72 hours.
Late and long stays cost more
The published charges list a surcharge for movements at night and on public holidays and a flat fee for the business aviation stand that a pure fuel stop does not pay. A stay of several days is charged on a sliding scale by time on the apron.
Give the driver the terminal as well as the flight
Baku has a passenger terminal and a business aviation terminal at the same airport, and a driver sent to the wrong one waits at the wrong end of the site. The private terminal checks guests in within a few minutes and has vehicles that take them across the apron. Standard flights are filed 24 to 48 hours ahead, while for a race weekend or an energy week we ask for several working days and a named alternate.
Arriving from Britain: passports, visas and what to carry
Azerbaijan is outside the European Union and the Schengen area, and a British passport does not open the door on its own. The border is cleared inside the business aviation terminal, not on the apron and not in the main hall, so the formalities are the same for a family of three as for a delegation of twelve.
British citizens need an e-visa from the ASAN service at evisa.gov.az, applied for and paid at least three days ahead; an urgent service answers in three hours for an extra feeevery passenger, children included
normally one entry, a stay of 30 days within a validity of 90 days; print it and carry it with the passportprint it
valid for at least six months after arrival, with two blank pagescheck before the quote
anyone staying more than 15 days registers with the State Migration Service; a hotel usually does it for guests, a private apartment does nothotels do it for you
a business visa or a work permit is a matter for the Azerbaijani Embassy in the UK, at least a month before travelallow a month
carpets, samovars, copperware, paintings and antiques need an export certificate, available from the seller or from the National Carpet Museumask the dealer
Entry by air, the way home and the Foreign Office map
The Foreign Office describes air entry to Azerbaijan as unrestricted and land and sea entry as restricted. A jet from Britain is the simple case. The aircraft brings a general declaration, a passenger manifest and crew documents, the handler presents them to customs and immigration, and we confirm the routing, the handler and the permit in writing before the flight.
Azerbaijan may refuse entry to anyone who has visited certain areas in the south-west without Azerbaijani permission, and the Foreign Office names them, so if your wider itinerary touches the region, tell us before booking. It advises against all travel within 5 km of the border with Armenia and against all but essential travel to the south-western districts it lists, and warns that areas not cleared of mines or unexploded ordnance exist. Coming home is a flight into Britain: a General Aviation Report goes to the border authorities not earlier than 48 hours and not later than two hours before departure, British and Irish citizens need no electronic travel authorisation, and most other nationalities do.
Which airport for which part of Azerbaijan
Baku takes the arrival, and the rest of the country is a question of how the last stretch is made. The road is slow, the turboprop is quick, and the helicopter is for the places without a runway:
the capital, the Old City, the Boulevard and the Flame Towers, with the fire temple at Ateshgah about 30 km out and the natural gas flames of Yanar Dag on the same peninsulaBaku Heydar Aliyev
about 65 km south-west of the city: the rock art reserve and the mud volcanoes, under an hour by roadBaku, then road or helicopter
the largest ski resort in the Caucasus, around 3 hours by road from Baku, with slopes between roughly 1,435 and 2,552 m; the Caspian beach resort of Nabran is also about 3 hours awayBaku, then road
the foothills town and the second ski area, with slopes from 975 to 1,920 m; the airport is 20 km south of the town and a turboprop from Baku takes under an hourGabala
the Silk Road town with the Khan's Palace, about 280 km and four hours from Baku by road; Gabala has the nearest of the airports we use for private flightsGabala, then road
the third-largest city of the country, with a runway of 3,300 metres seven kilometres from the centreGanja or Baku
the exclave in the west, about 450 km from Baku and reached by the air bridgeNakhchivan
the subtropical Caspian corner, with tea, citrus and the Hirkan National Park, a short flight from the capitalLankaran
Baku, the Caucasus foothills and the Caspian: what our clients go for
The country covers about 86,600 square kilometres between the Caspian and the Greater Caucasus, with a coastline of some 800 km and Mount Bazardüzü at 4,466 m, and it holds nine of the world's eleven climate zones. About ten million people live in it. Money, meetings and arrivals concentrate in Baku, and the rest of the country is what clients come for once the business is done.
Baku is a seafront city with a walled core. The Old City, with the Palace of the Shirvanshahs and the Maiden Tower, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the pedestrian Boulevard follows the shore, and the glass of the Flame Towers and the curves of the Heydar Aliyev Centre dominate the skyline. Government and company delegations keep the VIP terminal busy with short stays: arrive in the afternoon, meet on the second day, leave on the third.
Motorsport is the second kind of trip. The Baku City Circuit is a 6.003 km street track in the heart of the city, and the Grand Prix weekend brings team guests, sponsors and paddock parties whose only requirement is a terminal door that opens on time. Conferences are the third kind: the city has hosted a climate conference at Baku Stadium and the first European Games, and every early June the energy exhibition fills the apron.
The mountains and the old trade towns are the fourth. Sheki is on the Silk Road and has two surviving caravanserais and a Khan's Palace built in 1762 without a single nail, and its piti stew, cooked in a clay pot, and its halva are worth the drive on their own. The foothills town of Gabala hosts an international music festival. Shahdag and Tufandag are the two ski areas, and in summer the same slopes are used for trekking, cycling and paragliding. Lankaran, on the southern Caspian, grows tea and citrus in a humid subtropical climate that is nothing like Baku. Carpets, copperware and antiques need an export certificate to leave the country, and a dealer who knows the paperwork will arrange it before a large rug goes into a small jet's hold.
The Azerbaijani year: wind, ski season and the heat
Baku works all year, while the places around it follow the weather. The capital is windy in every season, hot in summer and cool in winter, and the mountain resorts are a different world on the same day:
the ski season runs from the second half of December to early April at Shahdag and from late December at Tufandag; Baku is cool at about 4 degrees on average in January and February, and the northerly khazri wind can reach 144 km/hski and city breaks
the mean temperature in Baku is about 26 degrees in July and August, with the Caspian coast milder than the inland roads; Nakhchivan, at 873 m, has very hot, dry summersbeach and foothills
the Grand Prix, two music festivals and the pomegranate festival at Goychay fill the calendar; the weather is mildbusiest leisure season
The wind is a scheduling fact
The khazri is strong enough to ground a helicopter on a day when the jet lands without any trouble, and low cloud over the foothills does the same, so a mountain transfer needs a road alternative planned into the same day. The jet is rarely the problem, since Baku has two long runways and a tower that works round the clock. From Biggin Hill the Phenom 300E quote is £29,350 one way and the Praetor 600 £36,050, and in the windy months the larger cabin also rides more comfortably.
The Azerbaijani calendar: race, energy and music
The fixed pegs are few, and each one pulls on a different part of the country:
Why a race weekend costs more
Not for the flying, since the European fleet of large cabins is deep. The pressure is on the apron: the business aviation terminal has 30 stands, and every jet that stays for the weekend occupies one. A request made a fortnight before the Grand Prix can still be met, but it pays more and may mean an aircraft positioned from Istanbul or the Gulf. The same booking made six to eight weeks ahead is simpler and cheaper, and a week after the race the city is calm again.
Flying to Azerbaijan with a dog or a cat
The animal sits in the cabin with you and no hold is involved. What takes the time is the paperwork, which comes in two parts of very different weight: a modest one for Azerbaijan and a long one for the way home. Azerbaijan is not on Britain's list of countries with the simple pet-travel rules, and that fact decides the calendar.
Two sets of rules, and the sources disagree
For entry into Azerbaijan the published sources do not agree. The Food Safety Agency describes a veterinary certificate signed by the state vet of the exporting country, in that country's language and in English, with the dates of vaccinations and tests, and its text for dogs and cats mentions a quarantine before export and another after arrival. Pet-travel services that move animals with their owners describe a simpler routine: a rabies vaccination at least three to four weeks old, a health certificate issued within days of departure, an ISO microchip, no quarantine and entry through Baku. We plan to the stricter reading and ask the Agency for an answer in writing for your animal before a booking with a pet is taken.
Coming home is where the planning is. Because Azerbaijan is not a listed country, a dog or cat returning to Great Britain needs a Great Britain pet health certificate and a rabies antibody blood test: a sample taken at least 30 days after the vaccination, a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an approved laboratory, and three months between the sample and the day of travel. A dog also needs a tapeworm treatment from a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before arrival. An animal that does not meet the rules can be held in quarantine for up to four months. In practice the blood test is done in Britain, months before the trip.
- An ISO-standard microchip, fitted before the rabies vaccination;
- A rabies vaccination given at 12 weeks of age or later and kept in date, with the wait of at least 21 days before travel;
- A veterinary certificate from an official vet, with the vaccination dates, in English and in the language of the country of departure;
- For the way home, the blood test and the three-month wait described above, the Great Britain pet health certificate and, for a dog, the tapeworm treatment given in Baku inside its window.
Cats need the same list without the worming. The treatment for a dog has to be given in Baku, so we book the vet appointment together with the aircraft, and the time of the treatment and the time of the departure are agreed in a single message. We confirm the entry point and the paperwork for the animal in writing before the flight, and the rules for birds, ferrets and less usual species are set out on our flying with pets guide.
Empty Legs
An empty leg is a repositioning flight with nobody aboard, offered at a fraction of the usual price. The Baku corridor is thinner than the busiest London routes, but a trip this long is nearly always one-way by nature, so the supply is real.
Where Azerbaijani empty legs come from
– The Grand Prix weekend. Aircraft arrive with guests and leave empty on the Monday, which produces westbound legs towards Istanbul, Europe and the Gulf in the days afterwards;
– Energy Week and conference weeks. Delegations arrive on charters from several countries and the aircraft leave a day or two later without them;
– Traffic between Europe and the east. Jets repositioning towards Central Asia or China pass through Baku for fuel, and a leg that starts or ends there is sometimes offered on its own.
A client who can offer a few days has a far better chance of a match than one who needs a particular evening, though the operator owns the date and a leg can disappear when the original booking changes. Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page. A selection of Azerbaijani empty legs follows:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Azerbaijan (Baku) - UK (London Biggin Hill) one stop in Istanbul |
Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £12,350 |
| UK (London City) - Azerbaijan (Baku) one stop in Istanbul |
Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £12,350 |
| Azerbaijan (Baku) - UK (London Luton) one stop in Istanbul |
Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £12,450 |
| UK (Farnborough) - Azerbaijan (Baku) one stop in Istanbul |
Learjet 75 Liberty | 8 seats | £15,000 |
| UK (Birmingham) - Azerbaijan (Baku) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £15,550 |
| Azerbaijan (Baku) - UK (Manchester) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £15,650 |
| Azerbaijan (Baku) - UK (Bristol) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £15,800 |
| UK (Edinburgh) - Azerbaijan (Baku) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £15,900 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. A Praetor 600 from Manchester with eight aboard comes to about £1,950 a head;
– The legs cluster after the race weekend and the energy week, and they are less regular than the ones to Germany or Italy, so an open return date helps.
Helicopter charter
In Baku a helicopter is a tool for the edges of a trip and not the middle. The centre is half an hour from the airport by car, and rotary flight changes the journey only on the Absheron peninsula, at the Gobustan reserve and in the foothills of the Greater Caucasus. The times are our estimates for a typical turbine helicopter in good visibility:
a short hop into the Absheron peninsula, about 30 kmabout 12 min
the rock art and mud volcano reserve, against 55 minutes by roadabout 25 min
the Old City, the Boulevard, the Flame Towers and the shore of the peninsulaabout 30 min
against three hours by road, over ground where the weather mattersabout 1 h
against four hours by road to the Khan's Palace townabout 1 h 15 min
Before you plan around a helicopter
A helicopter cannot land wherever it likes. A landing away from an aerodrome needs an authorised site, so a hotel lawn or a villa is cleared before we quote and not after, and a place used last time is not assumed to be cleared this time. Wind sets the schedule as well: the khazri can reach 144 km/h, and low cloud over the foothills can keep a machine on the ground while a jet lands normally.
A Baku-based operator, ASG Business Aviation, lists Sikorsky S-92A, Leonardo AW139 and AW109SP helicopters among its aircraft, so we usually source rotary machines locally and put the two crews on one timetable. The Airbus H125 is the choice for foothill work, the wider H130 for scenic flights and villa transfers, and the H135 and Bell 429 where a twin is wanted. Book the helicopter together with the jet, and keep a road alternative in the same day.
Flights from the UK to Azerbaijan
Biggin Hill, London City and Luton send the light jets that stop in Istanbul, Farnborough and Southampton send the Learjets, and the Midlands, the north, Wales and Scotland send the larger cabins that fly nonstop; the price table higher up covers thirteen of those pairings. Our clients have access to all airports of the UK and Europe. Due to the unique partnership conditions, we can offer our clients the best prices for business aviation services. Our experts will consult you on the availability of private jets in a particular city and help you choose the best option.
List of TOP 25 business aviation airports:
| Airport | Country | ICAO | IATA |
|---|---|---|---|
 London Heathrow Airport |
England | EGLL | LHR |
| Birmingham Airport |
England | EGBB | BHX |
| London Gatwick |
England | EGKK | LGW |
| London City Airport |
England | EGLC | LCY |
| London Luton |
England | EGGW | LTN |
| Edinburgh Airport |
Scotland | EGPH | EDI |
| Leeds Airport |
England | EGNM | LBA |
| Manchester Airport |
England | EGCC | MAN |
| London Stansted |
England | EGSS | STN |
| Liverpool John Lennon Airport |
England | EGGP | LPL |
| Newcastle Airport |
England | EGNT | NCL |
| Bristol Airport |
England | EGGD | BRS |
| Glasgow Airport |
Scotland | EGPF | GLA |
| East Midlands Airport |
England | EGNX | EMA |
| Southampton Airport |
England | EGHI | SOU |
| Jersey Airport |
Channel Islands | EGJJ | JER |
| Cardiff International Airport |
Wales | EGFF | CWL |
| Inverness Airport |
Scotland | EGPE | INV |
| Bournemouth Airport |
England | EGHH | BOH |
| London Farnborough Airport |
England | EGLF | FAB |
| Oxford Airport |
England | EGTK | OXF |
| London Biggin Hill |
England | EGKB | BQH |
| Belfast Airport |
Northern Ireland | EGAA | BFS |
| Gibraltar Airport |
Gibraltar | LXGB | GIB |
| Aberdeen Airport |
Scotland | EGPD | ABZ |
Azerbaijani charters from the booking notes: six typical trips
Six typical jobs put together from booking notes with the particulars changed, so none describes one named client or date.
BAKU · TWO NIGHTS
Two directors and a signing on the second morning
Birmingham - Baku, Praetor 600, about 5 h 35 min · 2 pax
The permit and the parking slot were requested a week ahead, and both e-visas were printed before departure. Wheels up at seven, on the ground in Baku in the afternoon, a dinner that evening and a signing the next morning, with the aircraft staying on a stand at the business aviation terminal.
SHAHDAG · A SKI WEEKEND
Five friends and a Friday departure
London Luton - Baku, Phenom 300E via Istanbul, about 7 h 10 min · 5 pax
The stop in Istanbul added an hour and saved several thousand pounds against a larger cabin. The ski resort is about three hours from Baku by road, the skis went as soft bags, and the group flew home on the Monday.
GRAND PRIX · THE RACE WEEKEND
A hospitality party in September
Manchester - Baku, Praetor 600, about 5 h 40 min · 7 pax
Booked eight weeks ahead, because the apron fills in race week. The guests were met at the terminal door, the aircraft stayed through the weekend on a stand, the permit was amended once when the return time moved.
WITH THE DOG · BLOOD TEST FIRST
A couple and a labrador on a ten-day stay
Biggin Hill - Baku, Praetor 600, about 5 h 30 min · 2 pax + dog
The rabies blood test was taken in Britain more than three months before the flight home, the Agency confirmed the entry rules in writing, and a vet in Baku gave the tapeworm treatment the day before departure.
DELEGATION · TEN PASSENGERS
A company group with a week of meetings
Edinburgh - Baku, Challenger 605, about 5 h 45 min · 10 pax
Ten e-visas were applied for a fortnight ahead, the manifest went to the handler two days before departure, and two cars and a minibus took the group from the terminal to the hotel.
EMPTY LEG · AFTER THE ENERGY WEEK
A flexible return to London
Baku - London Luton, Phenom 300E empty leg via Istanbul, about 7 h 10 min · 3 pax
The client gave us a window of three days instead of a date, which is what makes these work, and paid about £12,450, a little under half of a fresh one-way charter on the same sector, for a Tuesday departure.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Azerbaijan
1How long does it take to fly to Azerbaijan by private jet?
About 7 hours 10 minutes from London to Baku on a Phenom 300E with a fuel stop in Istanbul, and about 5 hours 30 minutes nonstop in a Praetor 600 from Biggin Hill. From Manchester the Praetor takes about 5 hours 40 minutes. Azerbaijan is four hours ahead of Britain in winter and three hours ahead in British summer.
2How much does a private jet to Azerbaijan cost?
From about £29,350 one way from Biggin Hill or London City to Baku on a Phenom 300E with a stop in Istanbul. A nonstop Praetor 600 from Biggin Hill is about £36,050, and from Glasgow about £38,500. A short hop from Baku to Tbilisi starts from £5,700, and the turboprop to Gabala from £3,100.
3Which airports do private jets use in Azerbaijan?
Baku Heydar Aliyev is the gateway for nearly every flight, with customs and immigration on site in the business aviation terminal and the airport listed as open round the clock. Gabala, Ganja, Nakhchivan and Lankaran have long runways and are used for domestic legs and regional itineraries, with the handling and customs for a private flight confirmed trip by trip. We do not plan flights to the airports in the south-western districts on the Foreign Office list.
4What are the visa, permit and customs rules for a private flight from Britain to Azerbaijan?
British citizens need an e-visa from the ASAN service, applied for at least three days ahead, normally for 30 days within a 90-day validity, and the passport should be valid for six months after arrival. The aircraft needs a landing permit from the State Civil Aviation Agency and a parking slot, and handling is compulsory. Passengers clear customs and immigration inside the business aviation terminal. The Foreign Office advises against all travel within 5 km of the border with Armenia and against all but essential travel to the south-western districts it lists.
5Can I take my dog or cat on a private jet to Azerbaijan?
Yes, but plan it months ahead. Azerbaijan is not a listed country for return to Britain, so the animal needs a rabies blood test taken at least 30 days after the vaccination, a three-month wait from the sample date and a Great Britain pet health certificate, and a dog needs a tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 5 days before landing. The entry rules into Azerbaijan are described differently by different sources, so we ask the Food Safety Agency for a written answer before we take the booking.
6How early should I book a private jet to Azerbaijan?
As soon as the dates are known. A standard flight is filed 24 to 48 hours ahead, but the Grand Prix weekend in September and Baku Energy Week in early June fill the 30 stands at the business aviation terminal, and a booking made six to eight weeks ahead is simpler and cheaper than one made a fortnight before. The e-visas need at least three days.