Private jet charter in Turkmenistan
Take off from the south of England at eight on a summer morning and you land in Ashgabat a little after six in the evening, local time. The capital of Turkmenistan lies about 2,600 nautical miles from London, close to the Iranian border and in the shadow of the Kopet Dag mountains, and a visit there is arranged more by paperwork than by aircraft. A visa, a sponsor and a landing permit all come before the wheels leave the ground. 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. For Turkmenistan that means starting the permit and the visa sponsorship on the first day, and not on the day the aircraft is chosen.
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 Turkmenistan 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 Praetor 600 flying nonstop to Ashgabat 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 Turkmenistan?
Turkmenistan keeps one time zone all year, five hours ahead of UTC and without a change of clocks, so Ashgabat is four hours ahead of Britain in summer and five in winter. The figures below are gate to gate in still air, flown nonstop in a Praetor 600 from British fields:
2,644 nautical miles with the routing allowance, nonstopabout 6 h 15 min
2,721 nautical miles, nonstopabout 6 h 25 min
2,787 nautical miles, nonstopabout 6 h 35 min
2,358 nautical miles, nonstop, the Caspian coast and the Awaza resort zoneabout 5 h 35 min
2,795 nautical miles, nonstop, the airport for ancient Mervabout 6 h 35 min
What the clock says on arrival
A departure from Biggin Hill at eight in the morning in British summer reaches Ashgabat a little after six in the evening, and an hour later in winter. That leaves time for the hotel and dinner, not for a meeting, and a same-day return does not fit into one crew duty day. Two nights on the ground is the shortest trip that works.
Range check: what flies nonstop and what stops
– A super-midsize jet is the working floor. The Embraer Praetor 600 lists a range of about 3,900 nautical miles, and the Challenger 350 (about 3,200) also reaches Ashgabat, at £49,800 against £42,350 for the Praetor from Biggin Hill;
– Lighter jets stop. The Citation Latitude lists about 2,700 nautical miles, which is barely more than the track itself once the routing is counted, so it needs one fuel stop. On the same formula that adds about 450 nautical miles, lengthens the trip to about 7 h 25 min and lifts the price to about £57,600, so the lower hourly rate does not survive the stop.
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 Turkmenistan
Typical private jet prices from Britain to Ashgabat, cheapest first. Every row is a Praetor 600 flown nonstop to the capital, and the spread between British fields is narrow because the hours in the air decide the bill:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| Biggin Hill - Ashgabat 2,644 nm / 4,897 km, nonstop, 6 h 15 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £42,350 |
| London Gatwick - Ashgabat 2,653 nm / 4,913 km, nonstop, 6 h 15 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £42,450 |
| Farnborough - Ashgabat 2,676 nm / 4,956 km, nonstop, 6 h 20 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £42,800 |
| East Midlands - Ashgabat 2,688 nm / 4,978 km, nonstop, 6 h 20 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £43,000 |
| Southampton - Ashgabat 2,701 nm / 5,002 km, nonstop, 6 h 20 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £43,200 |
| Birmingham - Ashgabat 2,706 nm / 5,012 km, nonstop, 6 h 20 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £43,250 |
| Manchester - Ashgabat 2,721 nm / 5,039 km, nonstop, 6 h 25 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £43,500 |
| Liverpool - Ashgabat 2,742 nm / 5,078 km, nonstop, 6 h 25 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £43,800 |
| Bristol - Ashgabat 2,750 nm / 5,093 km, nonstop, 6 h 30 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £43,950 |
| Cardiff - Ashgabat 2,774 nm / 5,137 km, nonstop, 6 h 30 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £44,300 |
| Exeter - Ashgabat 2,783 nm / 5,154 km, nonstop, 6 h 30 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £44,450 |
| Glasgow - Ashgabat 2,787 nm / 5,162 km, nonstop, 6 h 35 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £44,500 |
| Belfast City - Ashgabat 2,845 nm / 5,269 km, nonstop, 6 h 40 min |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
from £45,350 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– The starting field moves the price far less than the aircraft does. London City (£42,300), Stansted (£42,150) and Luton (£42,500) are within a few hundred pounds of Biggin Hill, Belfast City is £45,350. The destination matters more: the same aircraft from Biggin Hill flies to Turkmenbashi on the Caspian for £38,000, because that coast is nearly three hundred nautical miles nearer to Britain than the capital, while Mary and Turkmenabat, in the east, cost £44,600 and £44,750. A very cheap quote is usually a light jet that has not been counted with its stop;
– The Turkmen end adds lines that are not in the table: the landing permit, air navigation and airport charges, handling, fuel on the day and parking. We show every line separately in the offer.
Private jet flights within Turkmenistan and to its neighbours
Turkmenistan is large and empty. The Karakum Desert covers more than four fifths of it, and the regional airports are separated by hundreds of kilometres of sand, so a turboprop saves a day when the plan is Ashgabat in the morning and the Caspian at lunch. Baku and Tashkent are short hops beyond the borders, and Dubai and Istanbul are the first real sectors out of Central Asia:
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ashgabat - Mary 176 nm / 326 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 1 h | from £3,100 |
| Ashgabat - Turkmenbashi 290 nm / 537 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 1 h 25 min | from £4,000 |
| Ashgabat - Baku 431 nm / 798 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
about 1 h 25 min | from £6,750 |
| Ashgabat - Tashkent 569 nm / 1,054 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
about 1 h 45 min | from £8,350 |
| Ashgabat - Dubai 811 nm / 1,502 km |
Citation Latitude up to 8 passengers |
about 2 h 10 min | from £17,100 |
| Ashgabat - Istanbul 1,432 nm / 2,652 km |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
about 3 h 30 min | from £24,000 |
Two things worth knowing about these sectors
– Every flight inside Turkmenistan is a separate movement with its own permit and handling. Whether a foreign-registered aircraft may fly a purely domestic sector is a question we put to the State Civil Aviation Service before we price a loop;
– A hop to Baku or Tashkent is short in the air and still means two clearances and two permits. For Dubai and Istanbul the larger question is the route, which the operator plans and we confirm in writing before the offer is final.
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 Turkmenistan:
Super-midsize, the working choice from Britain
The Praetor 600 makes the run to Ashgabat with room to spare and costs less per hour than the Challenger 350. It suits up to eight people who want to arrive and work.
Midsize and light, for the legs inside the region
From Britain they need a stop, so we use them from Ashgabat to Mary, Baku or the neighbouring capitals.
Large and heavy cabins
For ten or more passengers, or a delegation that works in the air. A full cabin on a sector this long sometimes means a lighter load or a stop, and we show both figures.
Turboprops
The aircraft for Ashgabat to Mary or the Caspian coast. Not for the flight from Britain, which would take two days at turboprop speed.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Turkmenistan 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 Turkmenistan
No dedicated business aviation airport is listed in the databases we use, so the guest from Britain lands where everybody lands: at Ashgabat International. Four more international airports, at Turkmenbashi, Mary, Turkmenabat and Dashoguz, have customs and long runways. Most itineraries start at Ashgabat:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Ashgabat International UTAA / ASB |
about 5 km north-north-west of the centre, 692 ft above sea level | The gateway to the country and our price anchor. Two parallel concrete runways of 3,800 metres, 11L/29R and 11R/29L, both with ILS; the falcon-shaped terminal has a separate VIP terminal beside it. Customs and jet fuel are listed, the airport and the tower are listed as open round the clock, and no slots are required. Handling is not mandatory, but supervising agents such as Scorpius Aviation, FCG OPS and Sky Galaxy book the apron, fuel and arrival formalities. The entry also carries a caution about a military airfield nearby, so routes are agreed with the operator in advance |
| Turkmenbashi International UTAK / KRW |
about 5 km north-east of the town of Turkmenbashi, 283 ft above sea level | The Caspian gateway, and the airport for the Awaza resort zone, which lies about 12 km west of the town. The new runway, 16R/34L, is 3,500 by 45 metres of concrete, and the rebuilt terminal has its own VIP facility. Customs is listed, the hours are listed as round the clock, and handling is mandatory, so a handler is booked for every visit; FCG OPS, Scorpius Aviation and Sky Galaxy are among the names listed. A 22 km motorway links the airport with Awaza |
| Mary International UTAM / MYP |
about 5 km north-east of the city, 728 ft above sea level | The airport for ancient Merv, which lies about 27 to 30 km east of Mary. Runway 18/36 is a reinforced concrete strip, listed at about 3,800 metres by one database and at 2,775 metres by another, so we check it against the aircraft's performance. Customs is listed, the hours are listed as round the clock, and handling is mandatory |
| Turkmenabat International UTAV / CRZ |
about 5 km south of the city, 649 ft above sea level | The airport of the eastern city on the Amu Darya. Runway 13/31 is concrete, listed at about 3,800 metres. Customs is listed and the hours are listed as round the clock |
| Dashoguz International UTAT / TAZ |
about 13 km south-west of the city, 279 ft above sea level | The airport of the north. Runway 08/26 is concrete, listed at 2,835 metres by one source and at about 3,800 metres by another. Customs is listed, but the hours are listed as 00:00 to 18:00 UTC and not round the clock, so arrival and departure are planned inside that window. A special permit has been reported for the region, so the route is cleared in advance |
Three rules settle most Turkmen arrivals:
The permit is paid before it is issued
The landing permit comes from the State Civil Aviation Service. The application lists the operator, the aircraft, the purpose, the schedule, the entry and exit points with the route, and the receiving handler, and payment or a financial guarantee comes first. One permit service gives a recommended lead time of about 72 hours, and we plan on a week.
A visa for everyone aboard
The permit clears the aircraft, but the passengers are cleared by their visas, and a visa needs a sponsor in Turkmenistan. The visa is arranged first, and the aircraft is booked around its start date.
A handler at every airport
Handling and fuel are arranged airport by airport, and the offer names the handler and the permit status for each leg. At Turkmenbashi and Mary handling is mandatory.
Arriving from Britain: visas, registration and what to carry
Turkmenistan is among the countries where a British passport does not open the door on its own. A visa is required, it is tied to a sponsor, and the passengers' visas decide the date of the trip before the aircraft does.
British citizens need a visa for every visit. Visas for tourism and conferences are issued as e-visas sponsored by a tour agency or an event organiser, and other purposes need a letter of invitation from a sponsoring organisation; the Embassy of Turkmenistan in London lists a standard processing time of 10 business days and an expedited one of 1 to 3 business daysbefore the quote
expiry date at least six months after the day you plan to leave Turkmenistan; check it before the quote, not before the airport6 months
a stay of more than three working days must be registered with the State Migration Service within three days of arrival; the hotel or the sponsor usually does ithotel or sponsor
a migration fee of 14 US dollars and a daily tourism tax of 2 US dollars are listed by the Foreign Office; the economy is largely cash-based, creased or marked notes are rejected, and manat cannot be converted backbring clean dollars
strict rules apply to goods taken in and out; anything that may be prohibited or taxable is declareddeclare it
Restricted areas, longer stays and the way home
Some border areas can be visited only with a special permit from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Dashoguz, in the north, is one of the places named in published summaries of the rule. Tell us if the plan includes the north or a border region, and we confirm in writing which parts need an extra permit. The Foreign Office warns that a visitor with the wrong visa, or who overstays, can be prosecuted and possibly imprisoned.
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, and British and Irish citizens need no electronic travel authorisation for the UK. Guests of other nationalities check their own entry rules for both countries, and tell us before we file the passenger details.
Which airport for which part of Turkmenistan
The capital takes the business and the official visits, the Caspian takes the holiday trips, and the rest is a question of how long the road is. The runways are long and the desert roads are slow, so the real choice is which two airports bracket the trip:
the capital of about a million people, between the Karakum Desert and the Kopet Dag range, which rises about 25 km to the southAshgabat
about 260 km north of the capital in the Karakum, a drive of about four hours on a rough roadAshgabat, then road
the ruined Silk Road city, about 27 to 30 km east of Mary and listed by UNESCOMary
the beach resort zone about 12 km from the town of Turkmenbashi, linked to the airport by a 22 km motorwayTurkmenbashi
the northern region near the Uzbek border, where a special permit has been reported for part of the areaDashoguz, then road
Ashgabat, the desert and the Caspian: what our clients go for
Turkmenistan covers about 488,000 square kilometres and has about seven million people., and the climate is dry and continental, with 235 to 240 sunny days a year.
Ashgabat is the working capital and the city of white marble: Guinness World Records recognises it for the world's highest concentration of white marble buildings. Among the sights are the 211-metre Turkmenistan Tower, the Independence Monument and the Akhal-Teke Monument. Clients who come on business typically arrive on the evening of day one, meet on day two and leave on day three.
The great outings are outside the capital. The Darvaza gas crater, known as the Gateway to Hell, is a pit about 60 to 70 metres across and 30 metres deep in the middle of the Karakum, where a drilling accident broke into a gas cavern and the fire has burned for decades. The authorities have announced plans to put it out and reports describe the flames as reduced, so check before building a plan on it. Ancient Merv, near Mary, was one of the great cities of the Silk Road, and the Seljuk mausoleum of Sultan Sanjar, about 27 metres on a side and crowned by a large dome, is the best preserved building on the site.
The coast is a different country. Awaza is a national tourist zone of 5,000 hectares on the Caspian shore, with 18 hotels and other accommodation for over 10,000 guests. It is a summer destination, mostly for domestic visitors, and the annual gas conference is held there.
The Turkmen year: heat, rain and the two good seasons
In the capital the year splits into a long dry summer, a short wet spring and a mild winter:
Ashgabat averages a January high of about 9 degrees and a low near freezing; the weather is mild and dryshort city stays
March and April are the wettest months in the capital, with annual rainfall of about 220 mm, while the temperatures are comfortablethe first good season
July averages a high of about 38 degrees and a low of about 24; June to September are the driest months, and the desert and the east are very hotearly mornings and the Caspian
dry and warm as the summer heat easesthe second good season
The heat is a scheduling fact
In July and August a jet standing on an apron in Mary or Turkmenabat is a hot cabin at midday, and hot air thins the performance of a loaded aircraft. We plan summer departures from the east for the early morning or the evening, and a full cabin on a long sector may have to give up some baggage.
The Turkmen calendar: Nowruz, the horse festival and Neutrality Day
The fixed dates are few, and each one pulls on a different part of the country:
Flying to Turkmenistan with a dog or a cat
The animal sits in the cabin with you. What takes the time is the paperwork, which comes in two parts of very different weight: a short one for Turkmenistan and a long one for the way home, because Turkmenistan is not on Britain's list of countries with the simple pet-travel rules.
Two sets of rules
For entry into Turkmenistan we plan to the published summaries of the rules and confirm with the Turkmen authorities in writing before a booking with a pet is taken. Typically a rabies vaccination given not less than 30 days and not more than 12 months before arrival, with multi-year vaccines not accepted; a 15-digit ISO microchip implanted before entry; an original health certificate from a licensed vet, completed within 10 days of arrival and issued or endorsed by a government vet; and records of treatment against internal parasites and against fleas and ticks. Up to two animals travelling with their owner are listed as needing no import permit, and there is no quarantine when the papers are in order.
The published point of entry for animals is Ashgabat International Airport, and the airport vets are told in advance. Coming home is where the planning is. Because Turkmenistan 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. Cats need no worming for the way home. The treatment for a dog is given in Ashgabat, so we book the vet together with the aircraft. We confirm the entry point and the paperwork for the animal in writing before the flight; birds, ferrets and other species are covered in 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 Turkmen corridor is thin, because visits are arranged by sponsors and permits and few jets fly there on speculation, but a trip this long is often one-way by nature.
Where Turkmen empty legs come from
– Delegations and conference weeks. Aircraft arrive in Ashgabat or at Awaza with guests and typically leave empty a day or two later, which produces westbound legs towards Istanbul and Europe;
– Traffic between Europe and the east. Jets repositioning towards Central Asia or China sometimes offer a leg that starts or ends in Turkmenistan.
A client who can offer a few days has a far better chance of a match. Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page. A selection of Turkmen empty legs follows:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (London Biggin Hill) - Turkmenistan (Turkmenbashi) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £15,950 |
| Turkmenistan (Turkmenbashi) - UK (London Luton) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £16,050 |
| Turkmenistan (Ashgabat) - UK (London Biggin Hill) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £17,800 |
| Turkmenistan (Ashgabat) - UK (Farnborough) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £18,000 |
| UK (Manchester) - Turkmenistan (Ashgabat) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £18,250 |
| Turkmenistan (Ashgabat) - UK (Glasgow) nonstop |
Praetor 600 | 9 seats | £18,700 |
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 £2,300 a head;
– The legs are less regular than the ones to Germany or Italy, so an open return date helps.
Helicopter charter
In Turkmenistan a helicopter is a tool for the desert and not for the cities. Rotary flight changes the journey only where the road is long and rough, which means the Karakum. The time is our estimate for a typical turbine helicopter in good visibility:
about 260 km by road, a drive of around four hours on a rough track, against a flight over the sandabout 80 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 camp, a lodge or a viewpoint is cleared before we quote and not after. A helicopter also needs its own permit, and whether a foreign-registered machine may work inside Turkmenistan at all is something we ask the State Civil Aviation Service before quoting. If it may not, the alternative is a local machine, or the road.
Flights from the UK to Turkmenistan
Biggin Hill, Luton, Stansted and Gatwick are the usual London fields for the nonstop run to Ashgabat, Farnborough and Southampton serve a western departure, and the Midlands, the north, Wales and Scotland add a little to the hours and very little to the price; the 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 |
Turkmen 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.
ASHGABAT · TWO NIGHTS
Two directors and a ministry meeting
Birmingham - Ashgabat, Praetor 600, about 6 h 20 min · 2 pax
Visas in hand before the aircraft was booked and the permit requested a week ahead. In the capital by evening, the meeting on the second morning, a flight out on the third.
CASPIAN · FIVE NIGHTS
A family of six and a summer on the coast
London Luton - Turkmenbashi, Praetor 600, about 5 h 35 min · 6 pax
Landing at Turkmenbashi, where handling is mandatory, and the 22 km drive to Awaza. The departure was set for the early morning to keep the cabin cool.
ASHGABAT · DARVAZA
Four friends and a night in the desert
Manchester - Ashgabat, Praetor 600, about 6 h 25 min · 4 pax
Into the capital, the road north to the crater and back two days later. A helicopter was priced as an option and dropped when the permit for a foreign machine could not be confirmed.
MERV · A SHORT STAY
A couple and the ruins of a Silk Road city
Glasgow - Mary, Praetor 600, about 6 h 50 min · 2 pax
A nonstop to the airport nearest the site, a transfer of about 30 km to ancient Merv, two nights, and the same aircraft home.
WITH THE DOG · BLOOD TEST FIRST
A couple and a labrador on a ten-day stay
Biggin Hill - Ashgabat, Praetor 600, about 6 h 15 min · 2 pax + dog
The blood test was taken in Britain more than three months before the flight home, the certificate fell inside its ten-day window, and a vet in Ashgabat gave the tapeworm treatment the day before departure.
EMPTY LEG · AFTER THE CONFERENCE
A flexible return to London
Ashgabat - London Luton, Praetor 600 empty leg, about 6 h 15 min · 4 pax
A window of three days instead of a date made it work, and the price was about £17,850, a little under half of a fresh one-way charter.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Turkmenistan
1How long does it take to fly to Turkmenistan by private jet?
About 6 hours 15 minutes nonstop from Biggin Hill to Ashgabat in a Praetor 600, about 5 hours 35 minutes to Turkmenbashi on the Caspian coast and about 6 hours 35 minutes to Mary, the airport for ancient Merv. Turkmenistan is four hours ahead of Britain in summer and five hours ahead in winter.
2How much does a private jet to Turkmenistan cost?
From about £42,350 one way from Biggin Hill to Ashgabat in a Praetor 600, nonstop. The same aircraft to Turkmenbashi is about £38,000, and to Mary about £44,600. A short hop from Ashgabat to Mary starts from £3,100 in a turboprop.
3Which airport do private jets use in Ashgabat?
Ashgabat International Airport is the main gateway. It has two parallel concrete runways of 3,800 metres with ILS, customs, a separate VIP terminal and round-the-clock hours in the listing. No slots are required, though a landing permit is. Handling is arranged through agents such as Scorpius Aviation, FCG OPS and Sky Galaxy.
4What are the visa, permit and customs rules for a private flight from Britain to Turkmenistan?
British citizens need a visa. Tourism and conference visas are issued as e-visas sponsored by an agency or organiser, and other purposes need a letter of invitation from a sponsoring organisation. The passport should be valid for six months after departure. The aircraft needs a landing permit from the State Civil Aviation Service, which is paid before it is issued.
5Can I take my dog or cat on a private jet to Turkmenistan?
Yes, but plan it months ahead. Turkmenistan 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 and a Great Britain pet health certificate, and a dog needs a tapeworm treatment 24 hours to 5 days before landing. For entry we plan to a rabies vaccination at least 30 days old and a vet certificate dated within 10 days, through Ashgabat, and we confirm the rules in writing before taking the booking.
6How early should I book a private jet to Turkmenistan?
As soon as the dates are known. The visas come first and take 10 business days at the Embassy in the standard route, and the landing permit follows, so six to eight weeks ahead is simpler and cheaper than a fortnight.