Private jet charter in Turkey
Istanbul is closer to London than most travellers expect: a light jet from a London airfield lands there in about 3 h 40 min, and the Aegean and Mediterranean coasts, where most leisure trips end, lie within another forty minutes. Private Jets UK plans Turkish charters around that spread, because Turkey is not one destination but five or six: a megacity astride two continents, a capital on a high plateau, a yacht coast with two airports, a golf and resort belt around Antalya, and Cappadocia in the middle of the country. 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 Turkey that means a landing permission that is the one step nobody can hurry, a handler chosen with the airport, and a plan for the last stretch to a marina, a hotel or a balloon field, which is often a car, a boat or a helicopter rather than the aircraft you arrived on.
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 Turkey 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 Cessna Citation CJ3+ to Istanbul 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 Turkey?
Turkey keeps one time all year, three hours ahead of Greenwich, so the gap with Britain is two hours in summer and three in winter and the clock on arrival reads later than the flight time suggests. These are the sectors from London Biggin Hill on a light jet, gate to gate:
1,376 nautical miles, two airports in daily use, with five runways at the new one and the longest 4,100 metresabout 3 h 40 min
1,438 nautical miles, the Aegean gateway for Çeşme and Alaçatı, with a runway of 3,240 metresabout 3 h 50 min
1,501 nautical miles, Milas-Bodrum, open round the clock, with runways of 3,000 and 2,500 metresabout 4 h
1,565 nautical miles, the sole civil airport for Göcek, Marmaris and Fethiye, with a 3,000 metre runwayabout 4 h 10 min
1,580 nautical miles, Esenboğa, 953 metres above sea level, with runways of 3,750 and 3,400 metresabout 4 h 10 min
1,629 nautical miles, three parallel runways, two of them 3,400 metres, and the main resort field of the Mediterranean coastabout 4 h 20 min
1,691 nautical miles, Nevşehir Kapadokya, a 3,000 metre runway and only five aircraft standsabout 4 h 30 min
Istanbul in a day is possible, the coast is not
A light jet leaves Biggin Hill at seven and is in Istanbul around one o'clock on the Turkish clock, after about 3 h 40 min. A same-day return suits one meeting and nothing else. Antalya and the Cappadocia fields are close to 4 h 20 min and 4 h 30 min each way, so a coastal trip is a night away at the least.
From the north the sectors grow. Manchester is 1,497 nautical miles from Istanbul against 1,376 from Biggin Hill, while Edinburgh is 1,589 and Belfast City 1,646. A super-midsize type such as the Challenger 350 covers the Scottish and Northern Irish departures in about 3 h 55 min to 4 h, and against a winter headwind a light jet may need a fuel stop, which the quote shows as a line of its own.
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 Turkey
Typical private jet charter prices from Britain into Turkey, listed cheapest first. Istanbul sets the entry price, since it is the nearest of the large Turkish gateways and the one that takes every type of aircraft, and the table then climbs with the distance to the Aegean and the Mediterranean and with the size of the cabin:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| London Biggin Hill - Istanbul 1,376 nm / 2,548 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
from £17,800 |
| London Gatwick - Izmir 1,441 nm / 2,669 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
from £18,550 |
| London Stansted - Bodrum 1,509 nm / 2,795 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £19,250 |
| London Luton - Dalaman 1,593 nm / 2,950 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £20,250 |
| London Farnborough - Antalya 1,657 nm / 3,069 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £20,950 |
| London City - Istanbul 1,378 nm / 2,552 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
from £22,050 |
| Manchester - Istanbul 1,497 nm / 2,772 km |
Praetor 600 up to 9 |
from £25,000 |
| Southampton - Ankara 1,628 nm / 3,015 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
from £25,650 |
| Leeds Bradford - Izmir 1,564 nm / 2,897 km |
Praetor 600 up to 9 |
from £26,000 |
| Birmingham - Cappadocia 1,774 nm / 3,285 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
from £27,750 |
| Newcastle - Antalya 1,781 nm / 3,298 km |
Praetor 600 up to 9 |
from £29,300 |
| Edinburgh - Istanbul 1,589 nm / 2,943 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 |
from £31,050 |
| Belfast - Istanbul 1,646 nm / 3,048 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 |
from £32,050 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– The Turkish end moves the price as much as the British one. Izmir is only 62 nautical miles beyond Istanbul from Biggin Hill, Bodrum 125 and Antalya 253, which on the same light jet means about £1,450 more into Bodrum and about £2,950 more into Antalya. Each hundred miles adds roughly £1,150, so the choice of coast matters more than the choice of London airfield;
– A quote for Turkey lists the landing permission, the handler and the terminal fee as lines of their own. Handling is compulsory at Sabiha Gökçen, Antalya and Izmir, and at Dalaman and Ankara the general aviation terminal is mandatory and carries a charge for each passenger. When two quotes for the same airport differ, the gap is usually in those lines and not in the flying.
Private jet flights within Turkey and to its neighbours
The Turkish cities that matter lie between 110 and 320 nautical miles from one another, a short flight by jet and a long day by road. These are the hops we are asked for, and the neighbouring capitals clients add:
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ankara - Cappadocia 113 nm / 209 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 55 min | from £3,100 |
| Bodrum - Antalya 158 nm / 293 km |
Citation CJ4 Gen2 up to 8 |
about 50 min | from £5,950 |
| Antalya - Larnaca 191 nm / 354 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 55 min | from £6,800 |
| Ankara - Antalya 228 nm / 422 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Ankara 214 nm / 396 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Izmir 201 nm / 372 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Bodrum 257 nm / 476 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h 05 min | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Sofia 262 nm / 485 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h 05 min | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Antalya 291 nm / 539 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h 10 min | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Athens 311 nm / 576 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h 15 min | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Cappadocia 318 nm / 589 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 1 h 15 min | from £6,800 |
| Istanbul - Dubai 1,702 nm / 3,152 km |
Global 6000 up to 13 |
about 4 h | from £48,950 |
Two things worth knowing about the Turkish sectors
– A British aircraft is not automatically free to fly them. Turkey restricts domestic legs flown by foreign-registered aircraft. An operators' bulletin reported that such a leg needs a permit of its own, applied for fifteen days ahead, and that the applicant may be asked to show an investment in the country. For a trip that needs both an international and an internal sector we therefore price a Turkish-registered aircraft for the second one, name the operator in the quote and confirm the regime for your dates in writing;
– The neighbours split into two kinds. Athens is in Schengen, so a flight there from Istanbul ends with a passport check at the Greek border, while Sofia and Larnaca are EU airports with their own entry rules. Dubai is a long sector in its own right.
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 Turkey:
Turboprops
The aircraft for the internal hops, not for the journey from London, which runs past five hours at turboprop speed. The runways at Cappadocia, Gazipaşa and Dalaman are long enough, so the limit is parking and the permit.
Light jets
The class behind most London to Istanbul, Izmir and Bodrum bookings, with four to six people. Gazipaşa, with its 2,350 metre runway and a one-sided approach, is planned with light and midsize types only.
Super-midsize
Where the departures from the north settle, and where a board of eight or nine lands. Ankara, Antalya and Cappadocia lie 1,600 to 1,700 nautical miles from Biggin Hill, and from Edinburgh or Belfast the margin against a winter headwind favours this class.
Heavy jets
For a delegation, a family with staff or a team. Every large Turkish airport has a runway of 3,000 metres or more, so the limit is the apron: Ankara has no hangar and Cappadocia only five stands.
Ultra-long range
Istanbul lies on the way to the Gulf and Central Asia, so these types appear on the onward leg and rarely on the run from London.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Turkey 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
-
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 Turkey
Turkey has no single gateway the way a small country has. Istanbul takes the heaviest aircraft and the long-range traffic, while the resort coast, the capital and the interior each have an airport whose rules matter more than its runway. Almost every field below is listed as open round the clock, and what limits a trip is the slot, the handler and the parking:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Istanbul Airport IST / LTFM |
European side, about 40 km from the centre | Five runways, the longest 4,100 metres. Listed as open round the clock with customs. Slots are required but handling is not compulsory. Private passengers use the Jetex terminal that the operator, iGA, opened inside the airport, with private suites and their own passport and security checks. Taxiing to the stand can take 15 to 20 minutes |
| Sabiha Gökçen SAW / LTFJ |
Asian side, about 32 km south-east of the centre | Two parallel runways of 3,000 and 3,500 metres, open round the clock with customs on site. Slots and handling are compulsory and listings show every flight as prior permission. ExecuJet with Bilen Air Services runs a 24-hour FBO in the general aviation terminal, and Gozen, Euro Jet and Çelebi are also listed. Hangar space is limited and there is no long-term parking |
| Atatürk ISL / LTBA |
about 24 km west of the centre | The old Istanbul airport, closed to scheduled passenger flights. Listings still carry it with customs, a 2,580 metre runway, compulsory handling and prior permission for corporate flights, but large parts of the grounds have become a public park, so a date is confirmed in writing and never assumed |
| Antalya AYT / LTAI |
about 13 km north-east of the centre | Three parallel runways, two of 3,400 and one of 2,990 metres, with a staffed tower round the clock. Customs and immigration on the airport. Handling is compulsory and done by independent agents on the general aviation apron, four of them named in operator listings. Summer slots are coordinated |
| Gazipaşa-Alanya GZP / LTFG |
about 40 km east of Alanya | A single 2,350 metre runway with a localizer approach to one end only, so it suits light and midsize jets in good weather. Customs and handling are listed for the working hours of the aerodrome, and it cannot be filed as an alternate. Saves about two hours of road against Antalya |
| Dalaman DLM / LTBS |
about 5 km from Dalaman town | A 3,000 metre runway, open round the clock with no curfew, and the only civil airport of its region. Slots are required for every aircraft with a window of 20 minutes either side. The general aviation terminal is mandatory and charged per person, and a flight with more than 21 passengers needs a special permit |
| Milas-Bodrum BJV / LTFE |
about 36 km from Bodrum town | Runways of 3,000 and 2,500 metres, open round the clock with no curfew. Business flights use the general aviation terminal run by TAV, with lounges and fast customs. Three handlers work here, slots are mandatory, and parking, easy for two or three days, becomes scarce from April to October |
| Izmir Adnan Menderes ADB / LTBJ |
about 14 to 18 km south-west of the city | Two runways of 3,240 metres, open round the clock with customs. Slots are required and handling is mandatory, with ACM, Jetmate and Gozen among the listed handlers. The gateway for Çeşme, Alaçatı and the northern Aegean |
| Ankara Esenboğa ESB / LTAC |
Çubuk, 28 to 30 km from the centre | Runways of 3,750 and 3,400 metres at 953 metres above sea level, open round the clock. Slots are mandatory, requested at least 24 hours ahead, and the TAV general aviation terminal is compulsory. There is no hangar, and Jet A-1 is released in advance |
| Nevşehir Kapadokya NAV / LTAZ |
about 30 km from Nevşehir, roughly 40 minutes by road | A 3,000 metre runway, open round the clock, not slot-coordinated but prior permission is needed for every flight. Only five stands, one main handler, no pushback equipment, no dedicated general aviation terminal and no catering on the airport. Long-term parking is rarely granted, so most aircraft drop and reposition |
| Kayseri Erkilet ASR / LTAU |
serves the city of Kayseri | The larger of the two Cappadocia fields, used for Kayseri and for the Erciyes ski area, about 30 minutes from the airport. Whether a business aircraft is accepted on your date is confirmed per flight |
Four rules settle most Turkish arrivals before a quote goes out:
Istanbul: two airports, two continents
Istanbul Airport is on the European side and Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side, so the choice decides the road, the handler and the slot. The Formula 1 circuit at Istanbul Park is close to Sabiha Gökçen, while Istanbul Airport is the usual answer for large and long-range aircraft.
Dalaman and Ankara: the slot window
A confirmed slot holds for 20 minutes either side at Dalaman and Ankara, and an arrival slot at Ankara cannot be changed once the aircraft has left its origin. Ankara wants the request at least 24 hours before arrival.
Cappadocia: five stands
Prior permission applies to every flight and the main handler asks for about five days' notice. The jet that brings you usually leaves again.
Catering: order early
No airport in Turkey has cold storage. At Istanbul chilled food is ordered about 72 hours ahead and timed to the day, at Ankara and Bodrum at least 24 hours ahead, and at Cappadocia it has to arrive on board.
Where the aircraft sleeps is part of the quote
Parking decides more Turkish trips than flying time does. When the aircraft cannot stay, it drops the passengers and repositions to another airport, and we settle that with the operator before the price is agreed, not on the apron.
Arriving from Britain: passports, customs and what to carry
Turkey is outside the European Union and outside Schengen, and so is Britain, so neither side offers a shortcut. A private flight from London arrives as an international flight, and the border is dealt with at the first Turkish airport you land at, whichever it is.
British citizens may visit for business or tourism for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa; the passport must be valid for at least 150 days after the day of arrival and have at least one blank pageevery passenger, children included
at the aircraft and in the Jetex terminal at Istanbul Airport, in the general aviation terminals at Ankara, Dalaman and Bodrum, and in the main terminal at Cappadocia, where the handler escorts the party through; allow 15 to 20 minutes from the steps to the carhandler meets the aircraft
foreign currency and lira may be brought in without limit, but lira worth more than 5,000 US dollars (about £3,800) may not be taken out, and other currency above that sum must be declared to customs on departuredeclare on the way out
Landing permits and the way home
Two Turkish bodies are easy to confuse. SHGM, the civil aviation directorate, gives the landing permission for a flight that is not scheduled, and DHMİ, the state airports authority, owns most of the airports, many of which TAV operates. Turkey's own pages say that general aviation flights from countries of the European Civil Aviation Conference need no flight permit, only a flight plan reaching air traffic control at least three hours before departure. A charter is a commercial flight and needs a charter landing permit, which permit agents describe as taking three to five working days, with 48 hours possible when the trip is urgent. An operators' bulletin reported that a flight counts as private only when the owner of the aircraft is also its operator. We confirm in writing which regime applies to your aircraft and that the permission is in hand before you pay.
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 Turkey
The arrival airport is nearly always settled by one address: a hotel on the Bosphorus, a marina at Yalıkavak, a cave hotel in Göreme. These are the usual pairings:
Istanbul Airport is about 40 km from the centre and Sabiha Gökçen about 32 km, and a helicopter to the Bosphorus shore takes 12 to 20 minutes against 45 to 90 by carIstanbul or Sabiha Gökçen
Çeşme is about 85 km west of Izmir on a six-lane motorway, and the Greek island of Chios lies a few miles across the strait with regular ferriesIzmir
Yalıkavak is 52 km and 55 to 70 minutes from the airport, Turgutreis 55 km and 60 to 70 minutes, and Bodrum town 36 km and 35 to 45 minutes; a helicopter to Yalıkavak takes 15 to 20 minutesMilas-Bodrum
Göcek is 17 km and about 23 minutes from the airport, Marmaris about 95 km and 90 to 110 minutesDalaman
The Belek resorts are 30 to 42 km and 25 to 35 minutes from the airport, Kemer 43 km from the city and Side 78 kmAntalya
Alanya is about 120 km and two hours by road from Antalya; Gazipaşa saves most of that for a light or midsize jet in good weatherGazipaşa or Antalya
Kaş is 168 km from Antalya and has no airport of its own, Dalaman is the alternative, and the Greek island of Kastellorizo is 6 km offshore with a daily ferry; Greece applies the EU entry system to arrivals from TurkeyAntalya or Dalaman
The capital's civil airport is Esenboğa, 28 to 30 km north-east of the centre; Etimesgut to the west is an air force base and not part of the charter marketAnkara Esenboğa
Nevşehir Kapadokya is about 30 km and 40 minutes from Nevşehir, and Kayseri Erkilet is the larger field to the east; we compare the road time to your hotel before choosing oneNevşehir or Kayseri
Istanbul, the coast and the interior: what our clients go for
Istanbul is where the business is: the offices, the banks and the shortest trips we fly, a night in the city and the same aircraft home in the morning. Ankara is a different kind of client altogether. Summits, state visits and delegations fill its calendar, and the hotels most often named for passengers and crews are the JW Marriott, the Sheraton and the Hilton.
The Aegean coast accounts for most of the leisure traffic. The Bodrum coast has the marinas that matter: Yalıkavak takes yachts up to 140 metres on 620 berths, D-Marin Turgutreis has 550 deep-water berths, and D-Marin Göcek 380, so the arrival by jet and the departure by yacht are often one booking. In July the afternoon heat passes 34 degrees, and an air-conditioned car at the steps is a request we hear every summer.
Antalya runs on resorts and golf. Belek has championship courses by the dozen and is at its best in March, April and October, while the Old Town of Kaleiçi, Hadrian's Gate and the Roman-era harbour make a city break of their own. Kemer has a marina of 320 berths and Side a temple of Apollo.
Cappadocia is the one place where clients ask for the airport last. They want a balloon at dawn and a cave hotel, among them the Museum Hotel, Argos in Cappadocia and the Crowne Plaza. The flight is easy, the parking is not, and a weekend there is usually flown as two one-way sectors.
The Turkish year: when the coast opens and the plateau freezes
Turkey has several seasons on one map. Istanbul works all year with a high season from the middle of May to the end of September, the coast runs from spring to autumn, and the interior has real winters:
the Bodrum coast sits at 10 to 15 degrees and many marina businesses wind down, Antalya stays mild with a January high near 15 and the sea near 18, and Cappadocia can see sub-zero temperatures, snow and morning foglow season on the coast
Belek is at its best for golf, Istanbul has its tulips, the Cappadocia season is under way from the end of March, and parking at Bodrum begins to tightenshoulder
the coast is full and hot, with Bodrum at its peak and afternoon highs over 34 degrees, Antalya's July high near 35 and the sea near 28; Dalaman is in its high season from May to Novemberpeak
the sea is still warm, regattas and festivals fill the calendar, and parking at Bodrum stays tight until the end of Octobershoulder, then low
Winter has its own Turkish destinations
The mountains are a separate season. Erciyes above Kayseri, about 30 minutes from Kayseri airport, depends on the snow, Palandöken at Erzurum runs from late October to early May, and Uludağ near Bursa from December to mid-April. Whether a business aircraft is accepted at those airports on your date is confirmed per flight.
The Turkish calendar: tulips, balloons, regattas and a Formula 1 weekend
The dated events are fewer than the picture suggests, but each pulls on a different airport:
What a Turkish event does to a flight plan
A Formula 1 weekend, a summit in Ankara and the balloon festival each squeeze a different apron, and Eid does the same for the whole coast at once. Ask for the permission and the parking as early as the dates are known, because the stand runs out before the aircraft does.
Flying to Turkey with a dog or a cat
Turkey is outside the EU and writes its own veterinary rules, so the European paperwork does not carry over. For a British dog or cat that means an export health certificate signed by an official vet and, in practice, a rabies antibody blood test, with the first steps taken months before a jet is booked. The animal travels beside you in the cabin.
The one fact to read before you book
A blood test sets the calendar. The vaccination comes first, the sample is taken at least 30 days later, and for a first trip the Turkish ministry asks for a wait of 90 days from the result before travel. Together that is about four months for an animal that has never had the test, so such an animal is a project and not a booking. Later trips are simpler if the vaccination is kept in date.
The way home is a separate set of rules. As we read the gov.uk guidance, Turkey is not on the lists of countries with simplified entry to Great Britain, so the stricter route for other countries applies: a valid rabies vaccination, a blood test taken at least 30 days after it, a wait of three months from the sample date and a Great Britain pet health certificate. Whether a test done before the outward trip covers the return is checked for your dates, in writing, before you book. An animal without the right paperwork can be held in quarantine for up to four months.
- An ISO-standard microchip (11784 or 11785), implanted before the rabies vaccination, with a scanner available at the inspection;
- A rabies vaccination with an inactivated vaccine, given when the animal was at least 90 days old;
- A rabies antibody test on a sample taken at least 30 days after the vaccination, with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml from an EU-approved laboratory. The Defra notes call the test highly recommended and the Turkish ministry asks for it, so we plan as if it is compulsory;
- The Defra export health certificate, completed and signed by an Official Veterinarian, with the clinical examination carried out not more than 24 hours before the flight;
- No import permit for an animal that travels with its owner, though a permit is needed first for an animal sent unaccompanied, and no more than two animals per passenger;
- For a dog, a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before the flight back to Britain, recorded with product, date and time. Cats are exempt.
The treatment for the journey home falls in Turkey, so we book the vet together with the aircraft and fix treatment and departure in one message and not in three. We tell the handler in advance and confirm in writing which airport will receive the animal.
Requirements for birds, rabbits and the less usual 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. Turkey produces plenty, because so many trips there are one-way by nature.
Where Turkish empty legs come from
– Every drop-and-go at Cappadocia, Bodrum and Ankara: the aircraft cannot stay on a crowded or hangar-less apron, leaves empty, and the leg onward is the one most often offered;
– The coastal summer, when broker listings show many empty flights out of Bodrum towards London, Geneva, Dubai and Istanbul;
– The edges of the season, when operators move aircraft between Britain and the Aegean in spring and again in October.
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 disappear when the original booking changes. Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page. A selection of Turkish empty legs follows:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Turkey (Istanbul) - UK (London Biggin Hill) | Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £7,500 |
| UK (London Stansted) - Turkey (Bodrum) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £8,100 |
| UK (London Luton) - Turkey (Dalaman) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £8,500 |
| Turkey (Antalya) - UK (Farnborough) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £8,800 |
| Turkey (Izmir) - UK (Manchester) | Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £10,400 |
| UK (Southampton) - Turkey (Ankara) | Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £10,750 |
| Turkey (Cappadocia) - UK (Birmingham) | Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £11,650 |
| UK (Edinburgh) - Turkey (Istanbul) | Challenger 350 | 9 seats | £13,050 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. A Challenger 350 from Edinburgh to Istanbul with nine aboard comes to about £1,450 a head;
– Turkish legs cluster at the two ends of the coastal season and around the big holidays, so an open return date helps.
Helicopter charter
In Turkey a helicopter solves two different problems. In Istanbul it gets over traffic and water, and on the Aegean coast it gets round the road, since the bays of the Bodrum peninsula are a long way apart by car. These are the transfers we are asked for most:
travel guides quote 12 to 20 minutes, against 45 to 90 minutes by car12 to 20 minutes
against about 45 minutes by road, the usual transfer for a guest joining a yacht15 to 20 minutes
against 35 to 45 minutes by carabout 15 minutes
the rooftop pad on the Raffles building is 32 metres across and rated for 7 tonnessunrise to sunset
The Zorlu Center pad works only from sunrise to sunset under visual rules, and its operator asks for a copy of the insurance, the flight schedule, a fee receipt and an approval letter, with a request at least two hours ahead on weekdays and six on holidays. Broker guides advise booking a coastal helicopter six to eight weeks ahead in summer and two to three weeks outside it.
Two points on Turkish rotary legs
A landing away from an aerodrome needs an authorised site, so a hotel lawn or a villa has its status confirmed before we quote and not after. Summer afternoons above 34 degrees cut the performance of any aircraft, so a heavily loaded transfer is better flown in the morning or the evening, and a twin-engine machine is the sensible minimum for any route over the sea. We book the helicopter together with the jet so that one timetable governs both crews.
Flights from the UK to Turkey
Biggin Hill, London City, Farnborough and Luton send most of the traffic on this corridor, with Gatwick and Stansted close behind, Southampton, Birmingham and Manchester further back and Scotland and Northern Ireland at the long end; 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 |
Turkish 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.
ISTANBUL · ONE NIGHT IN THE CITY
Two directors and a meeting on the Bosphorus
Biggin Hill - Istanbul and return, Citation CJ3+, about 3 h 40 min each way · 2 pax
The party chose Istanbul Airport and the Jetex terminal for the private checkpoints, and the car was told the terminal as well as the flight. The aircraft stayed overnight on a stand arranged with the slot, and the return left the next morning.
BODRUM · A YACHT HANDOVER
A family joining a gulet in Yalıkavak
London Stansted - Bodrum, Phenom 300E, about 3 h 40 min · 5 pax
Customs and immigration were done at the general aviation terminal in about 20 minutes, and a helicopter covered the run to the marina in a quarter of an hour instead of about 45 minutes on the road. The aircraft repositioned empty, because parking in July is tight.
CAPPADOCIA · A BALLOON WEEKEND
Four friends and a dawn flight over Göreme
Birmingham - Cappadocia, Citation XLS+, about 4 h 30 min · 4 pax
Nevşehir has five stands and parking is rarely granted, so the jet dropped the party and flew on. Catering was loaded on board, since the airport stores none, and the return was booked for the Monday as a separate sector.
ANTALYA · A GOLF WEEK
Six players based at Belek
Farnborough - Antalya, Phenom 300E, about 4 h · 6 pax
The handler was named in the quote together with the permit, so the driver waited at the right door of the general aviation apron. The resorts are 30 to 42 km away, and clubs travelled as soft bags on the cabin floor.
WITH THE DOG · THE BLOOD TEST FIRST
A couple and a retriever on the Göcek coast
London Luton - Dalaman, Phenom 300E, about 3 h 55 min · 2 pax + dog
The booking waited four months for the antibody test and the ninety-day interval. A vet in Göcek gave the tapeworm treatment on the day before the flight home, and the return certificate was confirmed in writing before the aircraft was released.
EMPTY LEG · AFTER THE SEASON PEAK
A flexible return from Bodrum
Bodrum - London Stansted, Phenom 300E empty leg, about 3 h 40 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 £8,100, a little under half of a fresh one-way charter on the same sector.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Turkey
1How long does it take to fly to Turkey by private jet?
About 3 hours 40 minutes from London to Istanbul, 3 hours 50 minutes to Izmir, 4 hours to Bodrum and 4 hours 20 minutes to Antalya on a light jet. Turkey is two hours ahead of Britain in summer and three hours ahead in winter.
2How much does a private jet to Turkey cost?
From about £17,800 one way from Biggin Hill to Istanbul on a light jet. Bodrum is about £1,450 more and Antalya about £2,950 more on the same class of aircraft. Domestic hops are far lower, with Istanbul to Izmir from £6,800 on a midsize jet, and the landing permission, handling and terminal fees appear in the quote as separate lines.
3Which airports do private jets use in Turkey?
Istanbul Airport takes every aircraft type and is the usual gateway, with Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side as the second Istanbul field. The resort coast is served by Milas-Bodrum, Dalaman, Antalya and, for Alanya, Gazipaşa, and Izmir covers the northern Aegean. Ankara Esenboğa serves the capital, and Nevşehir Kapadokya or Kayseri serve Cappadocia. Slots, handling and parking differ by airport.
4What are the passport, customs and permit rules for a private flight from Britain to Turkey?
Turkey is outside the EU and Schengen, so a flight from Britain clears passport control and customs on arrival. British passport holders need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180, and the passport must be valid for at least 150 days after arrival and have a blank page. A charter flight needs a landing permit from the Turkish civil aviation authority, which permit agents advise applying for about five days ahead. A foreign-registered aircraft may not be free to fly between two Turkish airports, so internal hops are confirmed separately.
5Can I take my dog or cat on a private jet to Turkey?
Yes, but the preparation takes months. The animal needs an ISO microchip, a rabies vaccination, a rabies antibody blood test taken at least 30 days after it with a result of at least 0.5 IU/ml, and an export health certificate signed by an official vet within 24 hours of departure. For a first trip the Turkish ministry asks for a 90-day wait from the test result. Dogs need a tapeworm treatment between 24 and 120 hours before landing back in Britain, and the return needs its own paperwork.
6How early should I book for summer, Eid or Cappadocia?
As early as the dates are known. Parking at Bodrum is limited from April to October, Cappadocia has five aircraft stands and rarely grants long-term parking, and Bodrum reports high volumes and little parking around Eid al-Adha. Landing permits for a charter take several working days, and the balloon festival and the Istanbul Grand Prix each fill a different airport.