Private jet charter in Barbados
Barbados is the easternmost island of the Lesser Antilles, and from a London airfield that means about 3,807 nautical miles of open Atlantic with nothing to land on in the middle. The charter is built around that gap. Private Jets UK first asks whether the party wants to cross in one hop in a long-range cabin, or to save a large sum in a Challenger-class jet that stops for an hour in the Azores. 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 Barbados that means handling at Grantley Adams International, the only airport on the island that takes jets and the only port of entry by air, a choice between two FBOs on its apron, and a car, a boat or a helicopter for the last stretch to a west-coast villa, a marina or a polo ground.
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 Barbados 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, a Challenger 605 to Barbados Grantley Adams International with one technical stop in the Azores, 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 Barbados?
Only the long-range jets cross in a single sector. A Challenger 605 or a Legacy 650, the sensible choice for six to eight people, needs one stop. That stop is almost always Santa Maria in the Azores, which sits close to the line from London. From Biggin Hill the two legs are 1,429 and 2,426 nautical miles, only 48 more than the direct 3,807, so the detour costs very little and the real price of the stop is about an hour on the ground. Barbados keeps one clock all year, four hours behind Britain in winter and five in summer. The times below are westbound, flown against the usual headwind, and gate to gate without the stop:
3,855 nautical miles from Biggin Hill in two legs, with about an hour on the ground at Santa Mariaabout 9 h 25 min plus the stop
3,807 nautical miles from Biggin Hill, a heavy jet with the range to do it in one hopabout 9 h 15 min
3,776 nautical miles from Farnborough, a long-range jet at its normal cruiseabout 8 h 25 min
3,807 nautical miles from Biggin Hill in the fastest cabin on the listabout 8 h 15 min
3,668 nautical miles, the shortest crossing in the price table belowabout 8 h 55 min
3,776 nautical miles with the jet stream behind the aircraftabout 7 h 05 min
Why a day trip to Barbados makes no sense
A Global 6000 that leaves Farnborough at eight on a winter morning touches down in Barbados at about half past twelve by the local clock, although the passengers' bodies are still on London time and think it is nearly half past four in the afternoon. The first evening is lost to tiredness, which is why we quote Barbados as a stay of a week or more, or as a one-way sector with the aircraft sent home.
The return is the shorter half. The jet stream runs from west to east over the Atlantic, so the aircraft flying home rides it: the same Global 6000 that needs about 8 h 25 min westbound is back in about 7 h 05 min. The gap is widest in winter, and it is why a crew that goes out and returns inside one week plans two quite different days.
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 Barbados
Typical private jet charter prices from Britain to Bridgetown, listed cheapest first. The first rows are large-cabin jets with the stop in the Azores, the later ones long-range jets that cross non-stop. The aircraft class moves the figure far more than the airfield you depart from:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| London Biggin Hill - Barbados 3,855 nm / 7,139 km via the Azores |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £77,600 |
| London Luton - Barbados 3,859 nm / 7,147 km via the Azores |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £77,650 |
| London City - Barbados 3,861 nm / 7,151 km via the Azores |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £77,700 |
| London Stansted - Barbados 3,879 nm / 7,184 km via the Azores |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £78,050 |
| Edinburgh - Barbados 3,924 nm / 7,267 km via the Azores |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £78,900 |
| Newcastle - Barbados 3,931 nm / 7,280 km via the Azores |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £79,050 |
| Belfast - Barbados 3,668 nm / 6,793 km, non-stop |
Falcon 900LX up to 12 |
from £91,800 |
| Bristol - Barbados 3,706 nm / 6,864 km, non-stop |
Falcon 900LX up to 12 |
from £92,700 |
| Glasgow - Barbados 3,745 nm / 6,936 km, non-stop |
Falcon 900LX up to 12 |
from £93,650 |
| Birmingham - Barbados 3,762 nm / 6,967 km, non-stop |
Falcon 900LX up to 12 |
from £94,050 |
| Manchester - Barbados 3,762 nm / 6,967 km, non-stop |
Global 6000 up to 13 |
from £102,750 |
| London Farnborough - Barbados 3,776 nm / 6,993 km, non-stop |
Global 6000 up to 13 |
from £103,100 |
| London Gatwick - Barbados 3,796 nm / 7,030 km, non-stop |
Gulfstream G550 up to 16 |
from £108,500 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– The stop saves real money on this route. From Biggin Hill a Challenger 605 via the Azores starts at £77,600, a Legacy 650 on the same plan at £82,050, a Falcon 900LX non-stop at £95,150 and a Gulfstream G650ER at £122,650, all landing on the same runway. The difference buys hours, a taller cabin and an unbroken night's sleep, and for four passengers with ordinary luggage the Azores hour is a fair trade, while for a short stay with a large party the long-range jet usually earns its premium;
– A one-way price includes the aircraft's journey home. The jet must recross the Atlantic whether it carries you or not, so a single outbound flight is priced close to half of a return trip, not as a bargain. Booked as a return, or timed to catch an empty leg, a fortnight on the island changes the arithmetic more than any negotiation. Departing from Farnborough, a Global 6000 comes to £103,100, so the choice of the London field matters less than the choice of cabin. Air Passenger Duty is charged per passenger on a departure from a British airport, by distance band, and we show it as a separate line in the quotation.
Private jet flights from Barbados to the neighbouring islands
Barbados is a single island about 34 kilometres long, so there are no domestic sectors to sell, only hops to the neighbours. It sits upwind of the Windward chain, and the usual asks are a day to St Lucia or Mustique, a morning at Argyle for the Grenadines, a flight down to Grenada or across to Trinidad, and the long run north to Antigua once the Atlantic crossing is done. These are the sectors people ask for:
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados - Mustique 103 nm / 191 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 55 min | from £3,100 |
| Barbados - St Lucia 98 nm / 181 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
about 45 min | from £5,300 |
| Barbados - St Vincent 101 nm / 187 km |
Citation CJ4 Gen2 up to 8 |
about 45 min | from £5,950 |
| Barbados - Grenada 155 nm / 287 km |
Citation CJ4 Gen2 up to 8 |
about 50 min | from £5,950 |
| Barbados - Trinidad 192 nm / 356 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 55 min | from £6,800 |
| Barbados - Antigua 289 nm / 535 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h 10 min | from £6,800 |
Two things worth knowing about the island hops
– Mustique is the one name on the list where the aircraft decides the plan. Its runway is under a thousand metres, jets cannot land there, and a party that arrives in Barbados by jet changes to a turboprop for the last hundred miles. Canouan is the usual jet alternative for the Grenadines, followed by a short hop on a small aircraft or a boat. The long-range cabin that brought you from London stays on the ground in Barbados;
– Every hop to another country is a fresh international arrival, with customs and immigration at the far end and its own forms. Which operator may carry passengers between two airports outside its home state differs from place to place and is settled before the quote, so for regional hops we usually propose a locally based aircraft and confirm the permission in writing.
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 Barbados:
Turboprops
Aircraft for the neighbours, not for the ocean, which no turboprop can cross in a day. The Pilatus PC-12 is the standard choice for Mustique and the Grenadines, and a King Air 350 suits a larger group going to Argyle or St Lucia.
Light jets
They suit St Lucia, Grenada and Trinidad with four to six people, and a light jet is a common second aircraft once the party has arrived by a larger one. No light jet attempts the crossing from Britain, so we do not offer it.
Super-midsize
A Challenger 350 is published at 3,200 nautical miles, enough for the two legs through the Azores, since the longer one is 2,426. The cabin is snug for nine hours, so we propose it to a couple or a small family and confirm the range for the date.
Heavy jets
The class behind most sensible crossings: the Challenger 605 and Legacy 650 make one stop and carry a family with staff or a polo team in comfort. Grantley Adams has the runway for them without restriction.
Ultra-long range
The only class that crosses in one hop, and the one we suggest for a short stay, a large party or an animal travelling in the cabin. A Falcon 900LX is the cheapest of these from Britain, with the Global and Gulfstream types faster and larger.
Because the neighbouring islands are close and the crossing is long, a stay in the Caribbean often involves two aircraft. The first brings you from Britain and goes home or waits, and the second, a turboprop or a small jet based in the region, makes the hops. We name both when we quote.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Barbados 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 Barbados
The airport question in Barbados is short, because there is one. Grantley Adams is the only runway on the island that takes a jet, and every private arrival by air is processed there. The rest of the table lists the neighbours that matter to a party continuing by air:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Grantley Adams International BGI / TBPB |
Christ Church, on the south coast, about 13 km from Bridgetown | The island's one airport for jets and its only designated port of entry by air. A single asphalt runway, 09/27, listed at about 11,000 feet (3,350 metres), with ILS and VOR approaches, takes every aircraft type including the largest long-range jets. It is run by GAIA Inc. for the government, handlers list it as open round the clock with no noise curfew, and customs and immigration are on site |
| Bridgetown Heliport TBPO |
Carlisle Bay, Bridgetown, about 13 km from the airport | A private helipad on the shore at the capital, formerly managed by Bajan Helicopters, which has since ceased trading. a landing there is agreed with the owner and the helicopter operator in advance |
| St Lucia Hewanorra UVF / TLPL |
Vieux Fort, at the southern tip of St Lucia, 98 nautical miles from Barbados | A runway of 2,744 metres, which takes large aircraft, and the usual jet gateway for a St Lucia side trip. The field sits at the far southern end of the island, about 53 km by road from Castries |
| Argyle International SVD / TVSA |
Argyle, St Vincent, 101 nautical miles from Barbados | A runway of about 2,743 metres, with AIA Handling Services providing ground handling for private charters. The jump-off point for the Grenadines and the usual connection for Mustique |
| Mustique MQS / TVSM |
Mustique, 103 nautical miles from Barbados | A runway of 992 metres, listed for propeller aircraft of up to 18 seats. Jets cannot land, and the small terminal also acts as the customs and immigration area. Private jets use Canouan instead |
| Grenada Maurice Bishop GND / TGPY |
Point Salines, 155 nautical miles from Barbados | The southern gateway of the Windward chain, used for a trip that continues down the island arc after Barbados |
The apron has two FBOs, and they differ in what they offer:
Universal Aviation Barbados
Announced as a joint venture with M Jet, the FBO that opened as the airport's second. It lists a private apron, a gated site, two private hangars, round-the-clock opening and passenger and crew processing in around ten minutes. It also has an area on site for assessing animals that arrive with the party, kept apart from commercial passengers.
Signature Barbados
Signature Flight Support lists a 24-hour operation with Jet A fuel, ground power, lavatory service, passenger and crew lounges, catering, rental cars and a hotel shuttle. Customs and immigration are described as handled at the FBO or in the terminal, and the desk confirms which on the day.
Slots and parking
Private flights need neither a slot nor prior permission, but the commercial peaks at 11:00 to 14:00 and 18:00 to 21:00 local time can delay fuel and squeeze parking. Parking is first come, first served, aircraft on remote stands are taxied in and not towed, and from late December to early January we confirm the FBO in writing.
Landing permission
A private, non-commercial flight typically needs no landing permit, while a charter is treated as commercial and does. Handler guidance gives three to five working days and advises allowing up to ten, so we apply early for the winter. Passenger details are filed through the Caribbean advance passenger system at least thirty minutes before departure.
The airport never closes, but the island has a rhythm
Barbados has no noise curfew and handlers list Grantley Adams as open all day and night, so a late arrival after the crossing is not a problem for the runway. The pressure comes from the ramp: between November and April the winter traffic brings long fuel queues at the peaks, and catering is ordered at least a day ahead. Times on this page are Barbados local time, which does not change between summer and winter.
Arriving from Britain: passports, customs and what to carry
Barbados is not part of the Schengen area, the European Union or the British customs territory, and a private flight from London arrives as an international flight at Grantley Adams. Passengers and crew clear the arrival formalities there, and again on departure, since both arrivals and departures pass through the island's customs, immigration and quarantine control.
British citizens need no visa for a visit; the length of stay is given on arrival, and the passport must be valid for the whole of the planned stayevery passenger, children included
visitors must be able to show an onward or return ticket; on a private flight we agree with the handler how the aircraft's own departure is presentedagreed before departure
every traveller completes the official immigration and customs form online before arrival; handlers ask for it at least 24 hours ahead, and clearance with the form in hand takes about ten minutesbefore the flight
the rules on goods brought in or taken out are strict, anything prohibited, taxed or subject to duty must be declared, and agricultural restrictions are enforceddeclare when in doubt
Health, tax and the flight home
A yellow fever certificate is needed only when the traveller arrives from a country listed as a transmission risk, which a flight from Britain is not. A departure tax is charged to passengers aged two and over; airlines normally fold it into the ticket, and on a private flight the handler tells us how it is collected and we show it as a line in the quotation.
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.
From the apron to the coast: Barbados by district
The island is small, and almost every address is within an hour of the apron. What changes between the coasts is the road and the mood. These are the usual pairings:
the capital stands on Carlisle Bay about 13 km and around 20 minutes from the airportGrantley Adams
Worthing and St Lawrence Gap are 10 to 15 minutes from the airport, the closest of the beach districts and the first stop for a short stayGrantley Adams
30 to 45 minutes by road along the ABC Highway and Highway 1, the district of Sandy Lane and Royal Westmoreland, with a helicopter transfer as an alternativeGrantley Adams, then car or helicopter
the northern end of the west coast, where Port St Charles has its marina, in the same 30 to 45 minute bracket by roadGrantley Adams, then car or helicopter
limestone cliffs and Atlantic surf, with the rugged Scotland District inland, reached by a drive from the airport and best planned as a day outGrantley Adams
98 to 103 nautical miles from Barbados, flown on a jet to St Lucia or Argyle and on a turboprop to MustiqueGrantley Adams, then onward
Barbados: what our clients go for
The west coast comes first. It is the part of the island that private clients mean when they say Barbados, with the Sandy Lane hotel, the Royal Westmoreland resort and the marina at Port St Charles all on the shore or just behind it. A helicopter from the airport to these addresses used to be a standard way of arriving, and it is still on offer.
Polo is the second reason. It reached the island with British cavalry officers in the late nineteenth century and is still played there, with the season running from January to May around Holders Hill and Apes Hill, and visiting teams arriving from Argentina, Canada, Britain and the United States. A patron, a few players and their grooms make a natural charter party: flown as a group, for a stretch of weeks, with plenty of luggage.
Barbados is a coral-limestone island of about 439 square kilometres. Its eleven parishes hold roughly 280,000 people, about a third of them in the parish of St Michael, where the capital Bridgetown stands. English is the official language, the currency is the Barbadian dollar, and the island became independent from Britain on 30 November, its national day. It is a cricketing island, which hosted the final of a men's Cricket World Cup and of a T20 World Cup.
Older travellers also remember it for Concorde. British Airways flew scheduled Concorde services to Grantley Adams, the first visit having been made for the Queen's Silver Jubilee, and one of the aircraft, G-BOAE, is on loan to the government of Barbados for display. The museum that housed it has closed.
The year in Barbados: dry season, wet half and the polo months
Barbados has a long dry winter that doubles as the high season, and a wet summer that is quieter on the ground:
the dry season, with daytime temperatures that run from about 21 to 31 degrees; the high season for hotels and for the apron runs from November to Aprilpeak
the wetter half of the year, which is also the Atlantic hurricane season; handlers note that Barbados lies outside the main storm belt and that direct hits are infrequentwet, quieter
the polo season, with club matches typically on Thursdays and Saturdays and VIP hospitality tents at the larger tournamentspolo
late December to early January is the most crowded stretch, so FBO space and parking are confirmed in writing before the aircraft leavesbook early
Christmas costs more than the ordinary week
Christmas, the New Year and the first weeks of the polo season fill the hotels, the FBOs and the diary of every long-range jet in Europe at the same time. The prices on this page describe an ordinary week, with a Falcon 900LX from Biggin Hill at £95,150 one way, and a holiday date is booked as early as the plans are known.
The Barbados calendar: sailing, Holetown, Crop Over and the food festival
The island's dated events are cultural and sporting, and several of them fill the hotels and the apron together:
What the festivals do to a booking
Crop Over, with its Grand Kadooment finale on a public holiday, and the Christmas weeks are the dates when every hotel, car and berth is committed at once. We book the FBO and the parking with the flight, name the aircraft that will take you home, and warn clients whose plans are loose that a festival week is the worst moment to ask for an aircraft at short notice.
Flying to Barbados with a dog or a cat
Barbados admits dogs and cats from Britain without quarantine when every condition is met, but the paperwork is a sequence in which the order matters, and a private flight adds one wrinkle: the British export guidance for Barbados was written with scheduled flights in mind.
The one fact to read before you book
Barbados requires an import permit from its Veterinary Services Department, valid for six months from issue, and no dog or cat may enter except under its terms. Britain is a Category 1 country in the Barbados rules, so an animal that has lived in Britain for the past three months, or since birth, needs no rabies blood test for entry. An Official Veterinarian completes the export certificate after a clinical examination no more than seven days before the flight.
The British guidance for exporters says that animals go by air on a non-stop flight from London to Barbados arriving between Monday and Friday, and that arrivals outside 08:15 to 16:30 or at weekends and on bank holidays bring overtime inspection fees. A Challenger that stops in the Azores is not non-stop in that sense, so we ask the Veterinary Services Department in writing before the booking is made, and a long-range jet that crosses in one hop fits the wording most plainly.
- A 15-digit ISO-standard microchip, fitted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination;
- A rabies vaccination given after the chip and at least 35 days before entry, typically with a vaccine that is not a multi-year product;
- The tests in the British guidance: a leishmaniosis test within six months of export and a heartworm test within 30 days, with puppies under six months exempt from the second. The Barbados conditions add tick and tapeworm treatment for a dog within seven days of travel;
- A notice to the Veterinary Services Department at least three working days ahead, with the owner or agent in Barbados, the customs broker and the date, time and aircraft;
- Entry through Grantley Adams, where the animal goes from the aircraft to the Animal Reception Centre for the veterinary check, and a customs broker clears it, since live animals are treated as cargo for duty. A landing certificate is charged per animal;
- Wolf hybrids, and Savannah and Bengal cats close to their wild ancestry, are not admitted, while Barbados publishes no list of banned dog breeds.
On the way home the rule is British. Barbados is a listed country, so the animal returns with a Great Britain pet health certificate, and a dog must be treated against tapeworm by a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 120 hours before landing in Britain. An animal without the right paperwork can be held in quarantine for up to four months. Birds, reptiles, rabbits and rodents need a health certificate but not a rabies vaccination, and the rules on protected species may add further permits.
The Universal Aviation FBO has an area for assessing animals on its own site, which keeps the arrival away from the commercial terminal. We confirm the entry point and the paperwork for the animal in writing before the flight, and the longer rules for other species, along with the countries where the timeline runs to months, 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. Barbados produces its share, because a charter there is one-way by nature and the aircraft must cross an ocean to get home or to find the next client.
Where Barbados empty legs come from
– The start of the winter season in December, when aircraft cross from Britain full and head home empty, or are sent out empty to collect guests travelling the other way;
– The end of the polo season and the high season in April and May, when aircraft based in the region are sent back to Europe or up to Florida, and the legs are offered at the last minute;
– The festival weeks around Crop Over and the Christmas days, when a heavy jet arrives with a party, waits elsewhere on the island chain and flies home empty a day or two later.
A client who can offer a few days has a far better chance of a match, though the operator owns the date and a leg can vanish when the original booking changes. Legs from Barbados often point to Florida as well as to Britain, so a flexible destination helps. Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page. A selection of Barbados empty legs follows:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Barbados - UK (London Biggin Hill) | Challenger 605 | 12 seats | £32,600 |
| UK (London Luton) - Barbados | Challenger 605 | 12 seats | £32,600 |
| Barbados - UK (Edinburgh) | Challenger 605 | 12 seats | £33,150 |
| UK (Belfast) - Barbados | Falcon 900LX | 12 seats | £38,550 |
| Barbados - UK (Bristol) | Falcon 900LX | 12 seats | £38,950 |
| UK (Manchester) - Barbados | Global 6000 | 13 seats | £43,150 |
| Barbados - UK (London Farnborough) | Global 6000 | 13 seats | £43,300 |
| UK (London Gatwick) - Barbados | Gulfstream G550 | 16 seats | £45,550 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. A Falcon 900LX leg of £38,550 with eight aboard works out at about £4,820 a head, and the whole leg costs about two-fifths of a fresh one-way charter on the same sector;
– Barbados legs are less regular than those on a busy European corridor and cluster around the season dates, so an open date helps more than anything.
Helicopter charter
Barbados has a helicopter operator on the airport. Horizon Helicopters lists its base at Grantley Adams, a licence as a commercial air transport operator, Barbadian pilots and a service day from 9:00 to 18:00, seven days a week. It sells corporate and VIP transfers between the airport and the west coast, a sightseeing flight of about 50 miles that shows the contrast between the Atlantic east coast and the calm west, and a sunset tour with champagne. The Bridgetown helipad on Carlisle Bay is private, and the island's older helicopter company has ceased trading:
across the south-west corner of the island to the helipad on Carlisle Bayabout 10 min
a day in Castries or Soufriere without a jet changeabout 1 h
to the island that serves the Grenadinesabout 1 h
the longest of the usual regional transfers from Barbadosabout 1 h 30 min
The times are straight-line estimates at a cruise of about 115 knots, and the operator confirms the route and the sea-crossing rules for your date. Regional flights of this length are sold by the operator as charters across the Eastern Caribbean rather than as a shuttle service, and the aircraft type is named in the quote.
Two points on rotary legs
A landing on a polo ground, at a villa or on a boat needs a landing site agreed in advance, and the hours of the operator set the day. In the winter high season the helicopter seats go first, and the jet and the transfer are best booked as one trip.
Flights from the UK to Barbados
We fly this corridor from every British airfield in the list below, and 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 |
Barbados 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.
CHRISTMAS · A FAMILY OF SIX
Ten days in a villa on the west coast
Biggin Hill - Barbados via the Azores, Challenger 605, about 9 h 25 min plus the stop · 6 pax
The family left on the Saturday before Christmas, and the aircraft stopped at Santa Maria for fuel and an hour on the ground. The jet went home empty, and the return a week and a half later was booked as a separate one-way, since nobody wanted an aircraft waiting through the holiday.
POLO SEASON · A PATRON AND HIS PLAYERS
A non-stop crossing for five
Farnborough - Barbados, Global 6000, about 8 h 25 min · 5 pax
The patron wanted to land on the afternoon before the first match and to leave the island with no stop on the way back. Parking was confirmed with the FBO weeks ahead, because the winter weeks are the busiest on the apron.
MUSTIQUE · THE LAST HUNDRED MILES
Four guests, one transfer
Barbados - Mustique, Pilatus PC-12 NGX, about 55 min · 4 pax
They arrived at Grantley Adams on a long-range jet, cleared customs there, and boarded a turboprop the next morning. A jet cannot land on Mustique, so the second aircraft was part of the quote from the start.
CROP OVER · A WEEKEND AWAY
Two couples and the carnival crowd
Barbados - St Lucia, Citation CJ3+, about 45 min · 4 pax
The party left the island on the Sunday before the Grand Kadooment holiday, to avoid the festival crowds, and came back on the Tuesday. A fresh arrival in St Lucia meant a new set of forms and officers at Hewanorra.
WITH THE DOG · A PERMIT FIRST
A couple, a spaniel and three weeks in the sun
Biggin Hill - Barbados, Falcon 900LX non-stop, about 9 h 15 min · 2 pax + dog
The import permit was requested a month ahead, the Official Veterinarian completed the certificate to match, and a non-stop aircraft was chosen because the British guidance speaks of a non-stop flight. A local vet gave the tapeworm treatment the day before the return, inside the window of 24 to 120 hours.
EMPTY LEG · THE END OF THE SEASON
A flexible return to Edinburgh
Barbados - Edinburgh, Challenger 605 empty leg, about 9 h 35 min plus the stop · 3 pax
The client gave us a window of four days instead of a date, which is what makes these work, and paid about £33,150, well under half of a fresh one-way charter on the same sector, for a Thursday departure.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Barbados
1How long does it take to fly to Barbados by private jet?
About 9 hours 15 minutes non-stop from a London airfield in a Falcon 900LX, and about 9 hours 25 minutes in a Challenger 605 plus about an hour on the ground in the Azores. The way home is shorter with the jet stream behind the aircraft. Barbados is four hours behind Britain in winter and five in summer.
2How much does a private jet to Barbados cost?
From about £77,600 one way from Biggin Hill in a Challenger 605 with a stop in the Azores. A Falcon 900LX non-stop from Biggin Hill is about £95,150, and a Gulfstream G650ER about £122,650. Air Passenger Duty is charged per passenger on a departure from a British airport and is shown as a separate line in the quotation.
3Which airport do private jets use in Barbados, and are there FBOs?
Grantley Adams International (BGI, TBPB) is the only airport on the island that takes jets and the only port of entry by air. Its runway is about 11,000 feet long, and it is listed as open round the clock with no noise curfew. Two FBOs operate on the apron, Universal Aviation Barbados and Signature Barbados, with customs and immigration on site.
4What are the passport and customs rules for a private flight from Britain to Barbados?
British citizens need no visa for a visit, but the passport must be valid for the whole stay and visitors must be able to show an onward or return ticket. Every traveller completes the official immigration and customs form online before arrival. Customs rules on goods are strict, and anything taxable or restricted must be declared.
5Can I take my dog or cat on a private jet to Barbados?
Yes, with an import permit from the Veterinary Services Department, a certificate completed by an Official Veterinarian and notice to the department at least three working days ahead. The British guidance speaks of a non-stop flight from London, so we confirm in writing that a stop in the Azores is accepted. On the way home a dog needs a tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before landing in Britain.
6When is the best time to fly to Barbados, and how early should I book?
December to May is the dry season, and the high season for hotels and the apron runs from November to April. June to November is wetter and is also the Atlantic hurricane season, though Barbados lies outside the main storm belt. Book as early as the dates are known for Christmas, the polo season from January to May, and Crop Over in July and early August.