Private jet charter in Heraklion
Four hours is the honest figure for London to Heraklion, and it shapes everything else about chartering here: the class of aircraft, the price and the hour you leave. Private Jets UK plans the charter around that distance. 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. Heraklion is the gateway to Crete and an easy place to land, with a 2.7 km runway five kilometres from the city centre, but the island is long, and the airport you pick decides whether the last stretch takes ten minutes or two hours.
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 Heraklion depends on many factors, such as the model of the business jet, the number of passengers, departure and destination airports, type of flight, duration of parking, additional services, etc. Therefore, we calculate the price of each order individually taking into account your wishes. You can use an online calculator to get an instant charter quote. Please indicate your real contact details to get the final calculation.
You can calculate the cost of your flight in several ways:
- using an online calculator on the website (however, it shows only the approximate price);
- via Messenger (WhatsApp or Telegram);
- by landline or cell phone;
- via e-mail (jets@private-jets.co.uk).
Please note that the above-mentioned price is indicative only. It is calculated on this basis: a departure from Biggin Hill, an Embraer Phenom 300E 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 Heraklion?
Four hours from Biggin Hill, a little under five from Glasgow, and two hours to add to the clock on arrival, because Crete keeps Eastern European time. At 1,503 to 1,795 nautical miles this is long for a business jet that is built for short sectors: a midsize cabin is comfortable, and a light jet manages it only with a short passenger list. The table gives the sector from each British field we use.
| Route | Aircraft | Flying time | Routing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biggin Hill - Heraklion 1,503 nm / 2,784 km |
Embraer Phenom 300E | about 4 h 00 min | Nonstop |
| London City - Heraklion 1,508 nm / 2,793 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 4 h 25 min | Nonstop |
| Farnborough - Heraklion 1,529 nm / 2,832 km |
Embraer Phenom 300E | about 4 h 05 min | Nonstop |
| London Luton - Heraklion 1,535 nm / 2,843 km |
Embraer Praetor 600 | about 4 h 05 min | Nonstop |
| Southampton - Heraklion 1,538 nm / 2,848 km |
Embraer Praetor 600 | about 4 h 05 min | Nonstop |
| Bristol - Heraklion 1,598 nm / 2,959 km |
Cessna Citation Latitude | about 4 h 20 min | Nonstop |
| Birmingham - Heraklion 1,599 nm / 2,961 km |
Cessna Citation Latitude | about 4 h 20 min | Nonstop |
| Cardiff - Heraklion 1,620 nm / 3,000 km |
Embraer Praetor 600 | about 4 h 20 min | Nonstop |
| Leeds - Heraklion 1,643 nm / 3,043 km |
Cessna Citation Latitude | about 4 h 25 min | Nonstop |
| Manchester - Heraklion 1,645 nm / 3,047 km |
Cessna Citation Latitude | about 4 h 25 min | Nonstop |
| Newcastle - Heraklion 1,686 nm / 3,122 km |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | about 4 h 30 min | Nonstop |
| Edinburgh - Heraklion 1,767 nm / 3,272 km |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | about 4 h 40 min | Nonstop |
| Glasgow - Heraklion 1,795 nm / 3,324 km |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | about 4 h 45 min | Nonstop |
Door to door, and the clock on the wall
Leave a London airfield at seven in the morning and you are on the ground in Crete at about one in the afternoon local time. The airport sits 5 km east of the centre of Heraklion, a drive of roughly ten minutes to the old harbour, so a client who walked out of a London office at half past six can be at a late lunch by the harbour the same afternoon. Add the drive to the British airfield and the quick processing at both ends and the journey from central London comes to roughly six hours, against a long day of two flights and a connection by scheduled service.
Light jet or midsize: the question that actually comes up on this route
– Up to four or five people with modest bags, a light jet can do London to Crete nonstop, and the saving is real. With more people, more luggage or a strong headwind it may need a fuel stop on the way, which adds an hour and a landing fee. We ask for the passenger and bag count before quoting a light jet;
– For most families and small groups we quote a midsize cabin alongside it. A Citation Latitude or Praetor 600 carries a week of holiday luggage in a proper hold, and four hours in a cabin you can stand up in is a different experience from four hours in a light jet;
– Large aircraft make sense for ten or more, for a party that wants the same jet for the whole stay, or when Crete is the first leg of something longer. Dubai is about 1,737 nautical miles from Heraklion, which a Global 6000 flies without a stop.
Prices for the private jet flights to Heraklion
Typical trips from Britain, cheapest first, all of them into Nikos Kazantzakis Airport. The light-jet rows are priced for a short passenger list; July, August and Orthodox Easter tend to sit above these figures, and the calendar block further down explains when.
| Route | Aircraft | Passengers | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biggin Hill - Heraklion 1,503 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E | 5 | from £19,200 |
| London City - Heraklion 1,508 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 4 | from £19,350 |
| Farnborough - Heraklion 1,529 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E | 5 | from £19,500 |
| London Luton - Heraklion 1,535 nm |
Embraer Praetor 600 | 8 | from £25,600 |
| Southampton - Heraklion 1,538 nm |
Embraer Praetor 600 | 8 | from £25,600 |
| Cardiff - Heraklion 1,620 nm |
Embraer Praetor 600 | 8 | from £26,850 |
| Bristol - Heraklion 1,598 nm |
Cessna Citation Latitude | 8 | from £31,050 |
| Birmingham - Heraklion 1,599 nm |
Cessna Citation Latitude | 8 | from £31,100 |
| Leeds - Heraklion 1,643 nm |
Cessna Citation Latitude | 8 | from £31,850 |
| Manchester - Heraklion 1,645 nm |
Cessna Citation Latitude | 8 | from £31,900 |
| Newcastle - Heraklion 1,686 nm |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | 8 | from £32,750 |
| Edinburgh - Heraklion 1,767 nm |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | 8 | from £34,200 |
| Glasgow - Heraklion 1,795 nm |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | 8 | from £34,700 |
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:
Private jet flights from Heraklion
Heraklion is a good base for the eastern Mediterranean as well as for Crete itself. Chania and Sitia are short turboprop hops, Santorini and Mykonos sit well inside an hour, and Istanbul and Larnaca are about an hour and a half away. Typical one-way prices:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| ACROSS CRETE | ||
| Heraklion - Chania 54 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,100 |
| Heraklion - Sitia 48 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,100 |
| THE ISLANDS | ||
| Heraklion - Santorini 68 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,100 |
| Heraklion - Mykonos 131 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ up to 7 passengers |
from £5,300 |
| Heraklion - Rhodes 161 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E up to 8 passengers |
from £5,700 |
| Heraklion - Athens 174 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E up to 8 passengers |
from £5,700 |
| FURTHER AFIELD | ||
| Heraklion - Istanbul 409 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E up to 8 passengers |
from £6,550 |
| Heraklion - Larnaca, Cyprus 432 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ up to 7 passengers |
from £6,750 |
| Heraklion - Rome Ciampino 734 nm |
Cessna Citation XLS+ up to 9 passengers |
from £12,750 |
| Heraklion - Dubai 1,737 nm |
Bombardier Global 6000 up to 13 passengers |
from £49,850 |
Crete from the air: when a short hop beats the road
Chania is 54 nautical miles from Heraklion and about two hours away by road; a PC-12 covers it in well under an hour. Sitia in the far east is 48 nautical miles and some two and a half hours by road. The islands are the more interesting case: Santorini (68 nm) and Mykonos (131 nm) are quick flights, but a broker guide documents a 40-minute limit on prior permission at both airports, so the aircraft that takes you there usually cannot wait and has to be planned back to a base. That is a reason to book the island leg and the return together and not to treat Crete as a place the jet will sit for the weekend.
Before you accept a Greek island quote
– Which airport, and who handles it. Handling is mandatory at Heraklion and Chania, and a quote that does not name the handler is one that will change;
– How the permission is sequenced. The rule is prior permission first, then a slot, and the slot must match the permission exactly. Many airports insist on 48 hours as a minimum and the formal lead time can be 14 days;
– What happens if the plan moves. An unused slot has to be cancelled at least 12 hours ahead, and operating outside the slot window can draw a fine, so a change of date is a call to us and not to the pilot.
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 Heraklion:
Light jets, for a short passenger list
At about four hours the light class is at the edge of what makes sense. It works for four or five people with modest bags and a favourable wind, and the broker needs to see the load before promising a nonstop.
Midsize, the working answer for Crete
Range to spare, a proper hold for a week of holiday luggage and a cabin where four hours does not feel long. This is where most families and small groups land.
Super-midsize and large
For a party travelling as one group, for children and nannies with the luggage that goes with them, and for trips that run on from Crete to the Gulf rather than turning round.
Turboprops
The right aircraft for the island legs: Chania, Sitia, Santorini and the short hops to the Cyclades are well under an hour, and the saving over a jet on that distance is large.
Helicopters
Not for the flight from Britain but for the last stretch: the road to Elounda, the hop to Santorini or a villa with a landing area of its own. The site is agreed before the quote is issued.
This is a small part of what is available. Crete sits at the far end of the European fleet, so for a booking in the middle of summer there is not always a jet waiting on the island, and the aircraft often comes from Athens, Italy or Turkey. That positioning is where the better price, or the worse one, comes from, and it is the first thing we look at.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Heraklion 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:
-
Sending an application
-
Clarification of details and search for options
-
Preparation and coordination of optimal options
-
Registration of documents. Payment of the invoice.
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Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Heraklion
One airport does nearly all of the work. The others matter for specific parts of the island, and it helps to know them before a quote arrives with one of them in it.
| Airport | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Heraklion, Nikos Kazantzakis HER / LGIR |
The answer for almost every trip. About 5 km east of the city centre, shared with the Hellenic air force, with a main runway of 2,714 m by 45 m and a second of 1,566 m. Listed as open round the clock, with Level 3 slot control in summer, compulsory handling and customs on site. Signature Aviation is listed with an FBO here, with customs and immigration on site, and Universal Aviation offers permit coordination and catering. Heraklion is also an authorised entry point for pets coming from outside the EU |
| Chania, Ioannis Daskalogiannis CHQ / LGSA |
The better field if the stay is in the west, around Chania or Rethymno. About 138 km from Heraklion by road (149 km to the airport itself), with a runway of about 3,350 m. It is a joint civil and military airfield, so the rules are tighter: PPR at least 48 hours ahead and, for private aircraft, a landing-permit application at least four working days before. Handling is mandatory, customs is available and slots are controlled in summer |
| Sitia JSH / LGST |
A small community airport about 1 km from the town of Sitia in the far east, with a 2,074 m runway. About 147 km from Heraklion by road, which is two and a half hours. Useful for the eastern end of the island, but its opening hours and suitability for a particular jet are not published widely, so we confirm both before quoting |
| Kastelli, the planned new Heraklion airport | A new airport at Kastelli, to the south-east of the city and closer to Agios Nikolaos and Ierapetra, is planned to replace Nikos Kazantzakis, which is expected to close when it opens. Until then, nothing changes for a booking, but if your dates are far ahead we check which field is in use before the quote is issued |
| Santorini and Mykonos JTR / LGSR, JMK / LGMK |
Not alternatives to Heraklion but the island airports many clients fly on to. Parking at both is tight, with a documented 40-minute limit on prior permission, and neither has the facilities that Heraklion has. Most travellers fly the leg from Crete in a turboprop or a light jet and plan the return in advance |
Four points settle most Heraklion arrivals:
Choose the handler
Handling is compulsory at Heraklion, so a handler is part of every booking. Signature Aviation is listed with an FBO on the airport, and JetMate Aviation and JetSet Services are listed as supervising agents. Prices and service differ between them, so we ask the operator which it prefers.
Hours, slots and noise
The airport is listed as open round the clock, but one broker reports that non-scheduled flights between 23:00 and 06:00 need special approval, so a late departure is confirmed in writing first. Summer is slot-controlled: the permission comes first, the slot second, and the aircraft must keep within 15 minutes of it.
Border and passport
Greece is in Schengen and Britain is not, so you clear the border on arrival at the airport. British passport holders need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180, with a passport issued less than ten years ago and valid for three months beyond the planned departure. A first-time visitor may be asked to register fingerprints and a photograph.
Car and the island roads
Crete is long and the roads are not fast. Elounda is 68 km from the airport and takes about an hour and ten minutes, Rethymno about an hour and a half and Chania two hours. Give us the villa or hotel as well as the flight, because the right airport may not be the nearest one.
Border, passport and the road on from Heraklion
The border is dealt with once, at the first landing. Heraklion is an airport of entry with customs on site, you arrive from outside Schengen, and from that moment a flight on to Santorini, Athens or another island is a domestic leg with no second passport control. If you are heading for the west of the island and land at Chania instead, the same formalities simply move there.
From the apron to Knossos and the harbour
Heraklion is a working city and not a resort. The Venetian walls, up to 40 metres thick in places, and the fortress of Koules on the harbour are ten minutes from the terminal, the Archaeological Museum holds the Phaistos Disc, and the palace of Knossos is on the southern edge of town. The luxury hotels are mostly elsewhere, at Elounda and around it, and the distances that matter run east and west along the north coast.
about 5 km, and the reason one airport carries almost all the trafficabout 10 minutes
about 5 km, on the southern edge of the citya short drive
65 km along the north coast roadabout 1 hour
68 km, the road to Blue Palace and Elounda Bay Palaceabout 1 h 10 min
79 km on the same coast road westwardsabout 1.5 hours
138 km, and the reason the west is flown to Chaniaabout 2 hours
147 km to the far east, where the small airfield isabout 2.5 hours
Flying to Crete with a dog or a cat
Greece follows the standard EU pet rules, and an animal in the cabin of a private jet has a far kinder journey than one in the hold of an airliner. What matters is the order of the paperwork, because the certificate has a ten-day life from the day it is issued and the return rules to Britain have their own clock.
What the rules ask for:
- An ISO microchip, fitted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination and not after it;
- A rabies vaccination given when the animal was at least 12 weeks old, with 21 days elapsed before travel;
- An Animal Health Certificate from an Official Veterinarian, issued for each trip, valid for ten days for entry into the EU and for six months for onward travel within it and for the return to Britain;
- A declaration that the animal will not be sold or rehomed abroad, signed when the certificate is issued;
- No more than five animals per traveller, presented at an authorised point of entry, and Heraklion is on the Greek list;
- For dogs, a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before the return flight to Britain, recorded with product, date and time. Cats are exempt.
What catches owners out on the Crete run
– A trip of five days or less changes the order. In that case the tapeworm treatment can be given before you leave Britain, provided the dog lands home at least 24 hours and no more than 120 hours after it. On a week in Elounda it is a vet appointment in Crete, booked towards the end of the stay;
– A pet passport issued in England, Scotland or Wales cannot be used to enter the EU. The certificate has to be a fresh one for each trip, and an animal whose rabies vaccination lapses during the stay loses the right to return on it;
– A villa with a dog is an ordinary booking, but a helicopter operator has to agree to the animal separately, so settle the transfer before the quote and not on the apron.
Cats, ferrets, birds and anything less usual are collected on our flying with pets guide, and our managers confirm the position in writing for your dates before a booking is taken.
The Heraklion calendar: a long summer and a handful of feast days
Crete runs on the weather and the Orthodox calendar. Heraklion averages daily highs of about 28 degrees Celsius at the port in July and August, the sea peaks at around 26 degrees in August, and the island fills accordingly. Winter is quiet and the calendar of festivals is mostly local, so the real question is which week, not which aircraft.
Why August costs more
Partly the flying, and mostly the system around it. Summer is slot-controlled at Heraklion, parking on the island cannot be assumed in peak season without confirmed prior permission, and the aircraft that serve Crete come from Athens, Italy and Turkey rather than waiting on the apron. A booking made two or three weeks ahead of the 15 August holiday can usually still be done, but it costs more and may mean a different aircraft. The same trip booked two months earlier is simpler, and outside the peak a Heraklion charter can often be arranged within a few days.
Ways to bring the Heraklion price down
- Move the dates by a week where you can. Late May, June and the first half of September carry less pressure on slots and aircraft than the weeks around 15 August;
- Ask where the aircraft is based. A jet already in Athens or southern Italy takes less positioning than one flown out from Britain, and at four hours the positioning is a large share of the bill;
- Take the midsize unless the party is large. A Latitude or Praetor 600 usually prices well below a heavy jet and has the range and hold this trip needs, and the money saved buys the transfer and the table.
Types of flights
Crete produces a narrower mix than a business capital, and most of it is leisure with a long reach. The length of the island decides which airport and which second aircraft a trip needs.
- Villa and resort stays in the Elounda and Agios Nikolaos area, flown to Heraklion and finished by road or helicopter;
- West Crete trips to Chania and Rethymno, where the right landing point is Chania and not the capital;
- Island-hopping to Santorini, Mykonos and Rhodes, often using Crete as a start or a finish;
- Easter and August family weeks, with children, grandparents and sometimes a dog;
- Short stays of three or four nights, which suit a midsize jet, either waiting on the island or positioning away between the flights;
- Onward trips to Athens, Istanbul, Larnaca or the Gulf, where Heraklion is the first leg of a longer route.
The short stay deserves a closer look. A jet that waits for you costs more in standing time than one that goes home, but parking on an island in peak season is not guaranteed, so the cheaper plan is usually the opposite one: fly out, let the aircraft position away, and book the return as a second flight. We quote both ways and the arithmetic changes with the month.
Empty Legs
An empty leg is a repositioning flight with nobody aboard, offered at a fraction of the usual price. On the Crete route they come from the one-way rhythm of the holiday season, and it helps to know what produces them.
Where Heraklion empty legs come from
– Summer one-way trips. When a party flies out to Crete for a week, the aircraft often comes home empty on the Saturday or Sunday, and brokers report empty legs are often available in summer and the shoulder months;
– Easter. Aircraft arrive on the Orthodox Easter weekend and return a few days later, leaving outbound legs for whoever is flying home;
– Island rotation. Operators moving aircraft between Athens, the Cyclades and Crete during the season leave short, cheap legs in both directions.
Because Crete is at the far end of the fleet, a client who can name a few days has a far better chance than one who needs a particular evening. What you give up is the usual: the operator owns the date and the hour, and a leg can vanish when the original booking moves. Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page, and we flag a Heraklion match the day an operator releases it.
Helicopter charter
In Crete a helicopter is a tool for the last stretch and for the islands, not for the city. Heraklion is small enough to cross by car, and the places where rotary flight changes the journey are the road to Elounda and the sea crossings to the Cyclades.
against about an hour and ten minutes by the north coast roadunder half an hour
the island hop, flown over open water and priced as a charter, not a tourabout 40 minutes
for a client who wants to arrive by helicopter and not by jetabout 1 h 40 min
Before you plan around a helicopter
– A helicopter cannot land wherever it likes. A hotel pad or a private villa lawn has to be confirmed with the owner and the operator before we quote, not on the day;
– Wind sets the schedule. The airport data flags turbulence on approach and take-off, and strong summer winds can delay a rotary transfer on a day when the jet lands without trouble, so a sea crossing needs a fallback;
– For August and Easter, book the helicopter together with the jet or expect to be told there is no rotary capacity.
The machines on this ground are the Airbus H130 and H135 for scenic and hotel transfers, the Bell 429 where a twin is wanted and the AgustaWestland AW139 for larger parties. We book them alongside the jet so that both crews work to one timetable.
Flight payment options
The main goal of our company is to provide the highest level of comfort to our customers. Therefore, we're always ready to meet you halfway. Our consultants will offer you a wide variety of flights to meet your needs and budget. Most customers prefer a non-cash method (a transfer to an EU bank account), which guarantees a high level of confidentiality and security of payment. All payment details are provided in advance, so you'll have enough time to make the necessary checks. For years of working in business aviation, our company has gained an impeccable reputation. We practice transparency and are always ready to present all necessary documents.
Private Jets UK works with both physical and legal entities. We guarantee the confidentiality and security of payments. You can pay for the flights from Heraklion in any convenient way:
- cashless (by transfer to our account);
- by cash;
- by card;
- by cryptocurrency.
Our company works with European and British banks, which allows you to choose the most convenient payment method. In addition, we conclude formal agreements and provide our clients with all necessary documents and invoices, which guarantees the safe payment and delivery of services. If you have any financial questions, feel free to contact our private aviation consultants.
If you need to book an urgent flight, please keep in mind that the bank transfer can take a few days. In such situations, we may need to involve our partner companies so that you can pay for your flight in cash. If you have any questions, you can contact your personal consultant 24/7.
Flights from the UK to Heraklion
Biggin Hill, London City, Farnborough and Luton send most of the traffic on this corridor, with Southampton, Bristol and Birmingham behind them and Scotland 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 |
Heraklion charters from the booking notes: six typical trips
What the corridor looks like once a quote turns into a flight. Six typical jobs of the kind that come through our booking notes, described in outline, with the particulars changed.
VILLA WEEK · ELOUNDA
Seven people and a week in the north-east
Biggin Hill - Heraklion and return, Citation Latitude, about 4 h 05 min each way · 7 pax
The party wanted a villa near Elounda and the luggage of a family that stays seven nights. A light jet would have struggled with the bags, so the quote started at midsize. The aircraft positioned away after landing and came back for the return, which was cheaper than waiting a week, and a helicopter covered the last leg to the villa so that nobody spent an hour in a car.
SHORT STAY · A DOG ON BOARD
A long weekend with a spaniel
Farnborough - Heraklion and return, Phenom 300E, about 4 h 05 min each way · 3 pax + dog
The Animal Health Certificate had to be dated inside ten days of arrival. Because the stay was five days or less the tapeworm treatment was given by the vet at home before leaving, and the dog flew back more than 24 hours after it. One checklist, settled in a single exchange of messages, instead of a vet appointment in Crete on the last morning.
WEST CRETE · THE OTHER AIRPORT WON
A hotel near Chania
London City - Chania, Citation CJ3+, about 4 h 15 min · 4 pax
They asked for Heraklion because it is the name everyone knows. The hotel was in the west, two hours from Heraklion by road, and Chania is a joint military airfield that wants a landing permit at least four working days ahead. We filed the permit the day the booking was confirmed and the transfer from the aircraft to the hotel came down from two hours to a short drive.
ISLAND HOP · MID-AUGUST
A day on Santorini and back for dinner
Heraklion - Santorini and return, Citation CJ3+, about 30 minutes each way · 5 pax
The date was in the busiest week of the summer. Prior permission at Santorini is limited to about 40 minutes, so the aircraft did not wait: it dropped the party, repositioned to Heraklion and came back to collect them. The client paid for the empty sectors, and nothing was left to the day.
LATE ARRIVAL · THE NIGHT QUESTION
A delayed connection and a midnight landing
Luton - Heraklion, Praetor 600, about 4 h 05 min · 6 pax
The group left Britain late after a meeting overran, and the landing would have fallen after midnight. The airport is listed as open round the clock, but one broker reports that night flights by non-scheduled aircraft need approval, so the handler confirmed in writing before the aircraft left Luton. The permission arrived with a margin and the customs officer was waiting.
EMPTY LEG · SUNDAY EVENING WEST
A jet already going your way
Heraklion - London Luton, Citation Latitude empty leg, about 4 h 10 min · 3 pax
The aircraft had brought a family out for the week and was going home empty. The client gave us a three-day window instead of a date, which is what makes these work, and paid well below a fresh one-way charter for a Sunday evening departure to the London fields.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Heraklion
1How long is a private jet flight from London to Heraklion?
About 4 hours from Biggin Hill in a Phenom 300E, covering roughly 1,503 nautical miles, and 4 hours 5 minutes from Farnborough, Luton or Southampton. From Bristol or Birmingham allow around 4 hours 20 minutes, and from Edinburgh or Glasgow 4 hours 40 minutes to 4 hours 45 minutes. Crete is two hours ahead of Britain, so a departure at seven in the morning lands at about one in the afternoon local time.
2How much does a private jet to Heraklion cost?
From about £19,200 one way on a light jet out of Biggin Hill with up to five on board, and £19,500 from Farnborough. A midsize Praetor 600 or Citation Latitude with eight passengers runs £25,600 to £31,900 from English airfields, and from Scotland allow £34,200 to £34,700. July, August and Orthodox Easter tend to price above these figures.
3Which airport should a private jet use for Crete?
Heraklion Nikos Kazantzakis (HER / LGIR) for most trips: it has a 2,714 m runway, customs, an on-site FBO and sits 5 km from the city. Chania (CHQ / LGSA) is the better choice for the west of the island, but as a shared military field it needs a landing permit applied for at least four working days ahead. Sitia (JSH / LGST) serves the far east, and its suitability for a given jet has to be confirmed.
4When should I book a private jet to Heraklion?
In the shoulder months a few days is normally enough. For July and August, the 15 August holiday week and Orthodox Easter allow at least two to three weeks, because summer slots are controlled and Greek permission is requested 48 hours to 14 days ahead depending on the airport. A late request is still possible, but the aircraft and the slot are less likely to fit.
5Can I fly on from Heraklion to Santorini, Mykonos or Elounda?
Yes. Santorini is about 68 nautical miles and Mykonos about 131, both short enough for a turboprop or a light jet. Parking is tight at both islands, with a 40-minute cap on prior permission documented, so the aircraft rarely waits and the return is planned in advance. Elounda is 68 km from Heraklion by road, about an hour and ten minutes, or a short helicopter hop.
6Can I take my dog to Crete on a private jet?
Yes. The dog travels in the cabin with you. You need a microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination, a vaccination given at least 21 days before travel and an Animal Health Certificate issued within ten days of entering the EU. For the return, a dog needs a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before landing in Britain, and on a trip of five days or less it can be given before you leave.