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Private jet charter in Los Angeles

Among the American cities we price from London, Los Angeles is one of the longest runs, between 4,890 and 4,930 nautical miles from the London fields, and the length of the crossing settles the choice of aircraft before the choice of airfield does. Private Jets UK charters the aircraft that the crossing demands and the airfield that suits the passengers. 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. Eight airfields share the basin and its desert fringe, and the one with the longest runway is rarely the one that puts you nearest to the hotel.

 

private jet charter

 

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 Los Angeles 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. On a sector of nearly five thousand nautical miles the choice between a large-cabin jet that flies nonstop and a super-midsize with a stop in Newfoundland moves the price more than any other item. 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 Farnborough, arrival at Van Nuys, a super-midsize jet such as an Embraer Praetor 600 with a stop at Gander 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 Los Angeles?

A Global 6000 flies London to Los Angeles nonstop in about 10 h 55 min from Farnborough, and about 35 minutes less from Edinburgh or Aberdeen. The routed distance to Van Nuys runs from 4,618 to 4,928 nautical miles depending on the British field. Embraer publishes a range of 3,900 nautical miles for the Praetor 600, quoted with four passengers, which falls short of the crossing by 718 to 1,028 nautical miles before any headwind. The Challenger 605 class is published at about 4,000, which misses every route by 618 to 928 nautical miles. Both therefore plan a stop at Gander in Newfoundland. A Challenger 350 is published at 3,200 and a Citation Latitude at about 2,500, which leaves the first with little to spare on the second leg and the second without enough range for it at all. The Global 6000 is published at 6,000 and has 1,072 to 1,382 nautical miles in hand. Los Angeles keeps Pacific time, eight hours behind Britain for most of the year, so a morning departure from Britain lands around the middle of the day. The times below assume the headwind the North Atlantic normally supplies on the way west. The table gives the sector from each British field we use.

Route Aircraft Flying time Routing
Aberdeen - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,626 nm / 8,567 km
Bombardier Global 6000 about 10 h 15 min Nonstop
Edinburgh - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,644 nm / 8,601 km
Bombardier Global 6000 about 10 h 20 min Nonstop
Manchester - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,778 nm / 8,849 km
Gulfstream G550 about 10 h 35 min Nonstop
Bristol - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,845 nm / 8,973 km
Bombardier Global 6000 about 10 h 45 min Nonstop
Glasgow - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,941 nm / 9,151 km
Bombardier Challenger 605 about 12 h 05 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
Newcastle - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,046 nm / 9,345 km
Embraer Praetor 600 about 12 h 20 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
Birmingham - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,082 nm / 9,412 km
Bombardier Challenger 605 about 12 h 25 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
Southampton - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,123 nm / 9,488 km
Embraer Praetor 600 about 12 h 30 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
Farnborough - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,139 nm / 9,517 km
Embraer Praetor 600 about 12 h 30 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
London Luton - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,143 nm / 9,525 km
Embraer Praetor 600 about 12 h 35 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
London Stansted - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,165 nm / 9,566 km
Bombardier Challenger 605 about 12 h 35 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander
Biggin Hill - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,168 nm / 9,571 km
Embraer Praetor 600 about 12 h 35 min plus a stop 1 stop, Gander

 

Door to door, and the clock on the wall

Leave Farnborough at half past seven in the morning, British time, and a Global 6000 reaches LAX at about 10:25 Los Angeles time. That is comfortable, because the border service lists inspections for arriving aircraft at LAX on every day of the week from 07:00 to 23:00, which fits any departure from Britain between about 04:00 and 20:00 British time. Downtown is 20 km from the airport in a straight line, Beverly Hills 15 km and the Malibu coast about 35 km from Beverly Hills, and the freeway, not the aircraft, then decides how long the last stretch takes. Coming home the sums run the other way. The eastbound crossing takes about 9 h 15 min in a Global 6000 with the wind behind, but it is normally flown overnight, so the party lands in Britain the next morning after a night in a seat.

Nonstop or one stop: the question that decides the aircraft

– A large-cabin long-range jet such as the Global 6000, a Gulfstream G550 or a G650ER flies London to Los Angeles nonstop with room to spare. This is the answer for ten or more passengers, for long luggage lists and for anyone who values the time, and one landing is easier to fit around a premiere or a studio meeting than two. It costs more, and from Luton the Global 6000 starts at £132,300;

– A super-midsize such as the Praetor 600, or a Challenger 605, is the value answer, flown with one stop at Gander. The stop adds about 200 to 380 nautical miles to the route depending on the starting field, because Gander lies north of the direct line to California, and it costs an hour on the ground and a second landing. A Praetor via Gander from Farnborough starts at £82,450, against £132,650 for the Global 6000 nonstop. Gander is the stop we price. Goose Bay, in Labrador, is closer to the track and would trim the total by about 141 nautical miles from Farnborough, and the operator may choose it on the day. A stop at Shannon would leave a second leg of about 4,610 nautical miles, which does not cure the range problem. Keflavik would shorten the total to about 4,940, but its second leg of about 3,880 nautical miles sits within 23 nautical miles of the Praetor's published range, far too thin for a westbound leg with a full cabin;

– A Challenger 350 is published at 3,200 nautical miles, so the second leg of 3,028 from Gander leaves it only about 172 nautical miles in hand before any headwind. A Citation Latitude, published at about 2,500, cannot fly that leg with a single stop at all. We therefore quote the Praetor or the Challenger 605 for most requests and move the smaller types up a size, unless the operator confirms the fuel plan in writing. Light jets and turboprops do not cross as a rule, and the smaller aircraft is booked locally for the California legs.

 

private jet rental

 

Prices for the private jet flights to Los Angeles

Typical trips from Britain, cheapest first, all of them into Van Nuys. The awards weeks, the spring desert festival and the autumn fashion shows sit above these figures, and the calendar block further down explains when.

Route Aircraft Passengers Price, one way
Newcastle - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,046 nm via Gander
Embraer Praetor 600 9 from £81,000
Southampton - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,123 nm via Gander
Embraer Praetor 600 9 from £82,200
Farnborough - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,139 nm via Gander
Embraer Praetor 600 9 from £82,450
London Luton - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,143 nm via Gander
Embraer Praetor 600 9 from £82,500
Biggin Hill - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,168 nm via Gander
Embraer Praetor 600 9 from £82,850
Glasgow - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,941 nm via Gander
Bombardier Challenger 605 12 from £101,650
Birmingham - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,082 nm via Gander
Bombardier Challenger 605 12 from £104,350
London Stansted - Los Angeles Van Nuys
5,165 nm via Gander
Bombardier Challenger 605 12 from £105,950
Aberdeen - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,626 nm
Bombardier Global 6000 13 from £125,300
Edinburgh - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,644 nm
Bombardier Global 6000 13 from £125,800
Bristol - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,845 nm
Bombardier Global 6000 13 from £131,050
Manchester - Los Angeles Van Nuys
4,778 nm
Gulfstream G550 16 from £135,350

 

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 Los Angeles

Los Angeles is a gateway to the West as well as a destination. Palm Springs is under half an hour away in a light jet, Monterey and Las Vegas a little more, Aspen about two hours, and the way home is the same crossing as the way out, with the wind on the tail. Typical one-way prices:

Route Aircraft Price, one way
CALIFORNIA · SHORT HOPS
Los Angeles Van Nuys - Palm Springs
105 nm
Cessna Citation CJ3+
up to 7 passengers
from £5,300
Los Angeles Van Nuys - Monterey
226 nm
Cessna Citation CJ3+
up to 7 passengers
from £5,300
THE WEST · A WEEKEND AWAY
Los Angeles Van Nuys - Las Vegas Harry Reid
207 nm
Cessna Citation CJ3+
up to 7 passengers
from £5,300
Los Angeles Van Nuys - Aspen
660 nm
Embraer Phenom 300E
up to 8 passengers
from £9,450
THE WAY HOME · BACK ACROSS THE ATLANTIC
Los Angeles Van Nuys - London Farnborough
4,907 nm, the homeward leg
Bombardier Global 6000
up to 13 passengers
from £132,650

 

Why the short legs are the cheap part

A trip to Los Angeles is priced as one long crossing and a few short hops, and the hops cost a fraction of the crossing. A flight from Van Nuys to Palm Springs in a Citation CJ3+ starts at £5,300, against £82,450 for the Atlantic leg in a Praetor 600 from Farnborough, so a weekend in the desert barely changes the total. The sensible way to plan it is to book the larger aircraft for the ocean and ask us to quote the light jet separately, since an aircraft based on the West Coast will almost always beat a transatlantic jet left on the apron for the week.

Before you accept an onward quote

– Which tower is open. The tower at Santa Monica runs 07:00 to 21:00 and the one at Torrance 07:00 to 20:00, Van Nuys lists 06:00 to 22:45 and Palm Springs 06:00 to 23:00, while Burbank gives no tower hours in the data we use. A late sector is a different exercise at each of them;

– Where customs is. A leg from Van Nuys to Palm Springs, Monterey, Las Vegas or Aspen is a domestic flight with no border check. A party that lands first from abroad, however, must clear the border at an airport that offers it, and Santa Monica, Burbank and Torrance list no customs service in the sources we use, so the border is cleared at Van Nuys, LAX, John Wayne or Palm Springs before anything else;

– Who is allowed to fly it. The United States treats a charter between two American points as a domestic job. A non-US aircraft may carry passengers between two US points only if they arrived on it from abroad or are leaving on it for abroad, so the jet that brought you from London can take you on to Palm Springs, while a hop for another party is normally flown by a US-registered aircraft. Each US leg flown by a foreign aircraft also needs its own permit to proceed from customs.

 

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:

Turbopropsfrom £850/h
Small jet£1,700 - 2,500/h
Light jet£2,100 - 3,000/h
Medium-sized jet (Citation XLS+, Hawker 800XP)£3,000 - 3,700/h
Large medium-class jet (Challenger 300)£4,600 - 5,500/h
Large jet (Legacy 600)£4,900 - 5,800/h
Long-haul jet (Global 5000, G550, Falcon 7X)£5,800 - 8,800/h
Business linersfrom £10,300/h

 

Prices for private jet flights

 

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 the Los Angeles run:

 

Long-range jets, nonstop

The way across without a stop. These types have the range for the crossing with plenty in hand, and they suit ten or more passengers, long luggage lists and a landing time that has to fit a tight diary.

Bombardier Global 6000 · 13 seatsfrom £6,400/h
Gulfstream G550 · 16 seatsfrom £6,700/h
Gulfstream G650ER · 14 seatsfrom £7,700/h
Bombardier Global 7500 · 14 seatsfrom £8,300/h

Super-midsize and large-cabin jets, via Gander

The value route for four to nine people who accept an hour on the ground in Newfoundland. The published range of these types is shorter than the crossing, so the stop is part of the plan and not a precaution.

Embraer Praetor 600 · 9 seatsfrom £3,400/h
Bombardier Challenger 605 · 12 seatsfrom £4,350/h

Midsize jets, only with a confirmed fuel plan

A smaller cabin for four to eight people. The second leg from Gander is long for a Challenger 350 and beyond a Latitude, so we quote these types only when the operator confirms the plan, and we say so if a larger aircraft is the safer answer.

Cessna Citation Latitude · 9 seatsfrom £3,900/h
Bombardier Challenger 350 · 9 seatsfrom £4,000/h

Light jets and turboprops, for the West

Not for the Atlantic, but the right aircraft once you are there: Palm Springs is under half an hour away, Monterey and Las Vegas a little more, and Aspen about two hours.

Cessna Citation CJ3+ · 7 seatsfrom £2,400/h
Embraer Phenom 300E · 8 seatsfrom £2,600/h
Pilatus PC-12 NGX · 9 seatsfrom £1,400/h
Beechcraft King Air 350 · 9 seatsfrom £1,650/h

Helicopters

For the last stretch and for the coast, not for the crossing: a transfer across the basin, a flight to Malibu or a hop to Catalina. A landing site outside an aerodrome is agreed before the quote, so the request goes in early.

Airbus H125 · 5 seatson request
Airbus H130 · 6 seatson request
Airbus H135 · 6 seatson request
Bell 429 · 6 seatson request

 

online private jet directory

 

This is a small part of what is available. Aircraft that can cross the Atlantic with a Los Angeles load are fewer than the ones that serve Europe, and their positions change daily, so a long-range jet already waiting in London is often cheaper than one that must first be brought over from North America. The West works the other way round: Van Nuys is home to a large number of business jets, and one that is going back across the ocean anyway can sometimes be had on better terms for the eastbound leg.

 

How to book a private jet?

You can book a private jet flight to Los Angeles in 6 easy steps:

  1. Flight request - indicating the route and your preferences for the model of business jet and other points.
  2. Coordination of flight details - our consultant will contact you to offer the possible flight options and answer all your questions.
  3. Commercial offer - we will send you a final offer on a specific model taking into account all your wishes.
  4. Signing of the contract.
  5. Payment for the flight and booking a business jet.
  6. 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.

  • Departure on the route.

 

Business aviation airports in Los Angeles

Eight airfields matter to a private party in Los Angeles and its desert fringe, and they are not interchangeable. Some have the border service and long runways, others have noise rules that decide which jets may use them and when, and one has a runway so short that it is a light-jet field in practice. It helps to know which is which before a quote arrives with one of them in it.

Airport What it gives you
Los Angeles International
LAX / KLAX
The alternative for a large-cabin jet and for airline-style handling, with the longest runways of the basin and the full range of services of a major international airport. It lies about 20 km from downtown in a straight line, at an elevation of 128 ft, with four runways: 12,923 ft (3,939 m), 11,095 ft, 10,885 ft and 8,926 ft. Atlantic Aviation, which runs a private terminal on the south side, and Signature are the handlers, and both are open around the clock. The border service inspects arriving aircraft every day from 07:00 to 23:00 in a facility that is not connected to the main terminal. Departures to the west may not turn before crossing the shoreline, over-ocean approaches are used from midnight to 06:30, and practice approaches are not allowed
Van Nuys
VNY / KVNY
The main business jet field of the basin and the airport the prices on this page are built on, about 29 km north-west of downtown in the San Fernando Valley. Runways of 8,001 ft (2,439 m) and 4,013 ft, with a tower open from 06:00 to 22:45. Signature operates three sites there, and Jet Aviation and Clay Lacy are two more handlers. It is a user fee airport for the border service, with CBP on certain days only (see the border section below). The noise ordinance is strict: it bars takeoffs above 74 dBA from 22:00 to 07:00, refuses any aircraft rated at 77 dBA or more, and operators are asked to avoid jet arrivals and departures between 23:00 and 07:00. We check the noise rating of the type before quoting
Hollywood Burbank
BUR / KBUR
About 20 km north of downtown, serving Hollywood, Glendale and Pasadena and closer than LAX to Griffith Park and Universal Studios Hollywood, with runways of 6,886 ft (2,099 m) and 5,802 ft at an elevation of 778 ft. Atlantic Aviation and Hollywood Burbank Jet Center are the handlers. Restrictions and fines apply from 22:00 to 07:00 to Stage 2 jets, and runway 08 is closed to takeoffs by aircraft over 12,500 lb, which counts out the heavier types in one wind direction. No customs service is listed, and the general aviation parking at the terminal ramp is not available. A useful field for a party that wants to land near the studios or Pasadena and has cleared the border elsewhere
Santa Monica
SMO / KSMO
About 20 km from downtown and only 8 km from Beverly Hills, on the westside. The single runway is 3,500 ft (1,067 m), which leaves room for light jets and turboprops and not for the types this page prices for the Atlantic. There are no takeoffs, engine starts or APU running from 23:00 to 07:00 on weekdays, or to 08:00 on weekends, a single-event noise cap of 95 dBA applies, and aircraft over 60,000 lb need prior permission. The tower works from 07:00 to 21:00. No customs service is listed. It suits a light jet on a domestic leg to the westside, and we confirm the type with the airport before we promise it
Long Beach
LGB / KLGB
About 28 km south-east of downtown, the field for the harbour, the Queen Mary and the Catalina helicopters, with a main runway of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) and two shorter ones of 6,192 ft and 3,918 ft. Atlantic Aviation and Signature are the handlers. All runways except the long one close from 22:00 to 07:00, and on the long runway the noise limits fall in steps: 102.5 dB for takeoff by day, 90 dB in the shoulder hours and 79 dB from 23:00 to 06:00. Military jets and civil jets that are not Stage 3 need 24 hours' notice. Sources differ on whether customs clears here, so we do not plan a first landing from abroad at Long Beach without confirmation
John Wayne Orange County
SNA / KSNA
About 54 km south-east of downtown, for Newport Beach, Irvine and the Orange County coast. Runways of 5,700 ft (1,737 m) and 2,886 ft, a general aviation apron limited to 100,000 lb and wingspans under 100 ft, and ACI Jet and Clay Lacy as handlers. A noise-based curfew limits general aviation departures from 22:00 to 07:00, and to 08:00 on Sundays, and the airfield lists a customs user fee service for international arrivals. A good choice for a midsize jet or a large-cabin jet within the apron limits, and a poor one for a late departure
Torrance Zamperini Field
TOA / KTOA
About 29 km south-west of downtown, in the South Bay, with a main runway of 5,001 ft (1,524 m). The airport is closed to departures from 22:00 to 07:00 on weekdays and to 08:00 at weekends, the tower runs from 07:00 to 20:00, and certain turbojets are permanently excluded under its noise rules. The businesses listed sell piston fuel and flight training. It is a field for a small aircraft and a helicopter, not for a jet from abroad
Palm Springs International
PSP / KPSP
About 162 km east of downtown, in the desert, with a main runway of 10,000 ft (3,048 m) and a second of 4,953 ft at an elevation of 477 ft. Atlantic Aviation and Signature are the handlers, and the tower works from 06:00 to 23:00. Customs inspections run seven days a week from 06:00 to 23:00, with permission to land requested at least one business day ahead. A jet from Britain can therefore clear the border here directly, which is the simple way to a desert weekend or the April festival. Jacqueline Cochran Regional (TRM), about 40 km to the south-east, has an 8,500 ft runway and the closest handlers to the festival grounds, but it lists no customs

 

Four details decide most Los Angeles arrivals:

Choose the field and the handler

LAX has two handlers, Van Nuys has several, and the other fields have one or two each. They differ in lounge, fees and car access, so we put your preference, or the operator's, in writing. A driver told only Los Angeles may wait at the wrong door, and the westside, the valley and downtown are a long way apart on a busy evening, so the field and the handler's name go on the transfer order.

Hours, slots and noise

None of the sources we work from lists a slot scheme for business jets at LAX, where the published rules concern turns over the shoreline and approaches at night. Van Nuys, Burbank, Santa Monica, Long Beach, Orange County and Torrance each set night rules of their own, and the rules for the same hour differ from field to field. We read them for the type of aircraft before we quote.

Border and passport

British citizens travel on an ESTA and a valid passport, and the crew and passenger details are filed with the US border service before departure from Britain. LAX and Palm Springs inspect arriving aircraft every day from early morning until late evening, while Van Nuys offers the service on certain days only. Details are in the border section below.

Car and traffic

A car from the terminal is the normal plan, and we book it with the handler so the driver is waiting at the right door. The freeways fill up for long stretches of the day, and a hotel in Beverly Hills, Malibu or Pasadena can be anything from a short drive to a long one depending on the hour. If the flight lands late, tell us early, so the car and the hotel can be ready.

 

business aviation

 

Border, passport and US customs

Landing in Los Angeles from Britain means a full US border check for everyone on board, with no shortcut for a private flight. British passport holders travel under the Visa Waiver Programme: an approved ESTA allows a stay of up to 90 days for business or tourism, and the passport must stay valid for the whole trip. The ESTA is a permission to board, not a promise of entry, because the officer at the airport makes the final decision. Trouble tends to come from an arrest on record, even one without a conviction, from an earlier overstay, or from work done for an American employer, and a traveller with any of these on file is better off applying for a visa in good time. Make the ESTA application early and only through the official government site. On a private aircraft the ESTA normally works only if the operator holds Visa Waiver Program carrier status, which we check before we quote.

 

passport and customs paperwork for a private jet flight

 

The aircraft has its own list of steps, which the operator and the handler carry out. The pilot in command files the passenger and crew manifest with the US border service through its electronic system no later than 60 minutes before leaving Britain, and the approval has to be in hand before the wheels turn. That approval does not allow the aircraft to land; landing rights come separately from CBP. At LAX the fact sheet we work from asks the pilot to obtain permission to land before leaving the foreign airport, and the permission holds only within 15 minutes either side of the estimated arrival time, so a changed arrival time outside that window means asking again. The handler tells the crew where to park, an officer meets the aircraft, and everyone is cleared inside the federal inspection facility, which stands apart from the main terminal. Passports, the pilot's licence and medical certificate, the aircraft registration and the user fee decal are shown. The border service also asks to be told in advance about live animals, weapons and commercial goods. We confirm the procedure with the operator for each trip, because the text in force matters and a memory of last season does not.

The hours differ from field to field, and that is the part to plan around. The fact sheet for LAX lists inspections for arriving aircraft on seven days a week from 07:00 to 23:00 Pacific time, with a departing commercial operator asked to obtain its outbound clearance from the border service directly. Palm Springs lists arrival inspections on seven days from 06:00 to 23:00, asks for permission to land at least one business day ahead and charges a customs fee on every arrival, with the schedule available from the handler. Van Nuys is a user fee airport where the service runs on certain days only: the two sources we read agree that Tuesday and Wednesday start in the afternoon and that Friday and Saturday end in mid-afternoon, they differ on the exact hours, and landing rights are processed in the 24 hours before arrival with a tolerance of 30 minutes either way. A cancelled arrival must be reported, or the next request for landing rights can be refused. Santa Monica, Burbank and Torrance list no customs service, and the sources disagree about Long Beach. We read the live notice for your date before we quote, because these timetables change.

The flight home has its own paperwork. British and Irish citizens walk in without any permission, and most other visitors who need no visa must hold a UK electronic travel authorisation. The aircraft is declared on a General Aviation Report, which goes to the UK authorities between 48 hours and two hours before it leaves Los Angeles. Mistakes cost money: £2,500 for a first landing at an aerodrome outside the regulated list, and £2,000 for each passenger carried without permission. The operator and the handler file the report, and we check that it has been accepted.

 

From the apron to Beverly Hills

The basin is wide, and the airfield you choose decides which side of it you start on. The figures below are straight-line distances to the middle of Beverly Hills, which understate the drive but show the order of things.

Santa Monica to Beverly Hills
the closest, on the westside, but a field for light jets only
about 8 km
Los Angeles International to Beverly Hills
the border and the long runways, a short hop south-west of the westside
about 15 km
Burbank to Beverly Hills
over the hills to the north, the field for the studios and Pasadena
about 15 km
Van Nuys to Beverly Hills
the business jet field of the San Fernando Valley, on the far side of the Santa Monica Mountains
about 17 km
Torrance to Beverly Hills
to the south, for the South Bay and a small aircraft
about 31 km
Long Beach to Beverly Hills
the harbour field, with the Catalina helicopters nearby
about 37 km
John Wayne to Beverly Hills
in Orange County, for Newport Beach and Irvine
about 66 km
Palm Springs to Beverly Hills
in the desert, for a weekend away or the April festival
about 177 km

 

Flying to Los Angeles with a dog or a cat

The United States asks for little paperwork on the way in and more on the way home. The animal sits with you in the cabin, and the crossing is long enough that most dogs sleep through it, though a flight with a stop at Gander adds an hour on the ground. What matters is the timing of three documents: the CDC import receipt for a dog, whatever California asks of the animal, and the certificate for the return to Britain, which has a short life.

 

private flight with animals

 

What the two countries ask for:

  • For a dog, a CDC Dog Import Form receipt, which is free and covers one dog. The United Kingdom is not on the CDC list of countries at high risk for dog rabies, so the lighter rules apply: the dog must look healthy on arrival, be at least six months old and carry a microchip that a universal scanner can read. A dog from such a country may enter through any port of entry, so LAX works;
  • California asks for a veterinary inspection certificate for a dog from another US state only when it enters for sale or a change of ownership, and the county health pages we read mention no separate health certificate for a pet arriving from abroad. We confirm the position with the state authorities and the crew before the booking;
  • For the return to Britain, the United States is a "part 2" listed country: a Great Britain pet health certificate completed by an official vet and dated in the ten days before arrival, with a pet passport or animal health certificate not accepted. The rabies vaccination must be at least 21 days old, and the microchip must have been fitted before or at the same time as the vaccine. The official text lists no blood test for these countries;
  • For dogs, a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before arrival in Britain. Cats are exempt. No more than five animals per traveller.

What catches owners out on the Los Angeles run

– The certificate for the way home has to be dated inside ten days of arrival, so a two-week stay means a vet appointment in California, and the tapeworm treatment has its own window of 24 to 120 hours before landing. Book both before you leave Britain;

– A dog under six months old cannot enter under the CDC rule, so a puppy is a reason to move the trip and not the paperwork;

– Hotels, villas and helicopter operators each decide separately whether an animal is welcome, and a helicopter operator weighs its passengers before departure. Ask before you plan a transfer around the dog, and let us book the car at the aircraft door.

Requirements for 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. We also confirm in writing the entry point and the paperwork for the animal on the way back into Britain.

 

The Los Angeles calendar: awards, festivals and fashion

Los Angeles fills its hotels and its aprons with ceremonies, sport and festivals, and the dates are fixed far ahead. The year opens with a parade and a football game, the awards season runs from January to March, and the desert festival follows in April. Knowing which week you want matters more than choosing an aircraft.

January
The Tournament of Roses Parade and the Rose Bowl Game in Pasadena open the year, and the Golden Globe Awards are held at the Beverly Hilton in the same month. Burbank is the business jet field that serves Pasadena
February
The Grammy Awards take place at the Crypto.com Arena, and the Film Independent Spirit Awards on the beach at Santa Monica.
March
The Academy Awards ceremony at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood is usually held in March, and the Los Angeles Marathon runs in the same month. Plan the aircraft and the handler for Oscar week early
March and October
Los Angeles Fashion Week is held twice a year, in March and October, at changing venues across the city, from studios to private estates and downtown lofts
April
The Coachella festival is held in Indio on two consecutive three-day weekends in April. A jet from Britain can clear the border at Palm Springs and land a short drive away, and Jacqueline Cochran Regional, about 12 minutes from the festival grounds by the handler's account, is the closest airfield but lists no customs
September
The Primetime Emmy Awards are held in downtown Los Angeles
November
The Los Angeles Auto Show fills the Convention Center, and the football rivalry between USC and UCLA is played in the same month
All year
Film and television production, studio meetings and premieres keep Van Nuys and Burbank busy in every month, so a free hour on those aprons is never certain

Why an event week costs more

The hourly rate does not change in Oscar week or Coachella week; the supply does. Only a short list of aircraft can cross to Los Angeles with a load, and the same aircraft are wanted by clients flying from New York and the continent. Handler space at Van Nuys and the westside fields is the first thing to go, and the noise rules leave no slack for a late departure. Crew duty hours tighten next. A booking made a fortnight before an awards ceremony or a festival weekend can still be done, but it costs more and may mean an aircraft ferried over empty. Five or six weeks of notice makes it simpler and cheaper, and outside the peaks a crossing can often be arranged within days.

 

Ways to bring the Los Angeles price down

  • Pick the aircraft for the ocean, not for the cabin photographs. A super-midsize with a stop at Gander costs noticeably less than a long-range jet flying nonstop; for four to eight people who do not mind the hour on the ground it is the fair trade;
  • Ask where the aircraft is based. A long-range jet positioning from London needs less ferrying than one coming from Florida or the west coast, and on a transatlantic sector positioning is a large share of the bill;
  • Be flexible by a day or two. A flight that avoids Oscar week and the festival weekends is easier to price and easier to fit around the noise rules, and a return that fits an empty leg is cheaper than a fresh charter.

 

Types of flights

Los Angeles produces its own mix of trips, because it is a film capital, a beach city and a gateway to the desert and the Pacific at the same time.

  • Entertainment trips, from studio meetings and shoots to premieres and the awards season, where the dates belong to the production and the aircraft waits for a wrap;
  • Festival and sport weekends, from the Rose Bowl to Coachella, with a firm return and a car waiting at the aircraft door;
  • Short stays of two or three days, usually a small party that wants the aircraft to wait;
  • The coast by helicopter or light aircraft, to Malibu, to Catalina or up to Monterey, booked with the jet;
  • Onward journeys to Palm Springs, Las Vegas, Aspen and further, using Los Angeles as the port of entry to the United States and a lighter aircraft from there.

Look twice at one-way against return. At this distance a return inside a week is two full sectors plus the crew's rest and hotel in California, so we price both ways. On a stay of two or three days the aircraft usually waits in Los Angeles and flies you home, which beats ferrying it back empty and fetching it again, although in a busy week the operator may have to find it a parking place; after a week or more, two separate one-way charters are simpler than a jet standing idle.

 

Empty Legs

An empty leg is a flight the aircraft has to make anyway, with nobody paying for the seats, and it can be sold at a fraction of the normal price. On the Los Angeles corridor the supply follows the calendar more than the traffic, so it helps to know where it comes from.

Where Los Angeles empty legs come from

– Event weeks. Aircraft arrive full for the awards season or a festival weekend and leave empty a day or two later, so the eastbound and onward sectors appear in the days after;

– Transatlantic positioning. A long-range jet that has taken a party from London to Los Angeles often has to return, and that empty crossing is the one most worth looking for;

– West coast rotation. Aircraft based at Van Nuys, Burbank and Palm Springs move between California, Las Vegas and Arizona, and the short legs between them can be cheap.

Few aircraft can make the crossing, so a client who can give three days has a far better chance than one who needs a particular evening. The discount costs you control: 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 Los Angeles match the day an operator releases it.

 

empty legs

 

Helicopter charter

In Los Angeles a helicopter is a tool for the coast and for the last stretch, and not for the long haul. The sea and the mountains put a lot of the best addresses at the end of a slow road, so a transfer that would take a long time by freeway can become a short flight. Landing sites in a built-up area are limited, so most private helicopter work starts at an airport or a prepared helipad. Catalina, about 30 nautical miles from Long Beach, is the classic short hop: the scheduled service leaves from the heliport near the Queen Mary, takes about 15 minutes and lands at Pebbly Beach, about a mile from Avalon. A private charter can be arranged from Newport Beach and Burbank, and passengers are weighed before they board.

Van Nuys to Malibu
a straight-line distance of about 18 nautical miles, across the Santa Monica Mountains to the coast
on request
Santa Monica to Malibu
about 16 nautical miles along the coast
on request
Long Beach to Catalina
a scheduled service of about 15 minutes to Pebbly Beach, about a mile from Avalon
on request
Burbank or Newport Beach to Catalina
private charter flights, arranged for the party
on request

Before you plan around a helicopter

– A helicopter cannot land wherever it likes. A hotel roof, a Malibu villa or a private ranch needs its landing status and the owner's consent confirmed before the quote, not after;

– Weight and weather set the schedule. Passengers and luggage are weighed for a safe load, and low coastal cloud or wind can delay a departure, so a transfer needs a morning slot or a road alternative planned into the same day;

– On an Oscar or festival day, book the helicopter together with the jet or expect to be told there is no rotary capacity, and agree the landing site for the way back as well as the way there.

For short transfers the usual choice is the Airbus H125, for villa and ranch work the roomier H130, and where a twin is wanted the H135 or the Bell 429. We book the helicopter alongside the jet, so that both crews follow one timetable.

 

private helicopter flight

 

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 Los Angeles 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.

 

reservation and payment for a private jet flight

 

Flights from the UK to Los Angeles

The long-range and large-cabin jets for Los Angeles leave mostly from Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Luton and Stansted. Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen save a northern client the drive south and take about 129 to 289 nautical miles off the crossing. The price table higher up covers twelve 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

 

Los Angeles 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.

NONSTOP · THE LONG-RANGE JET

Ten people and the whole Atlantic in one go

Farnborough - Los Angeles Van Nuys, Bombardier Global 6000, about 10 h 55 min · 10 pax

A production team leaving early in the morning and landing around the middle of the day, with a location meeting that afternoon. The reason for the Global was less the seats than the wish to cross with one landing and to have the cars waiting at the aircraft door. The border check was arranged beforehand, and the party was on the freeway soon after the door opened.

GANDER STOP · THE VALUE ROUTE

Five people, a Praetor and an hour in Newfoundland

London Luton - Los Angeles Van Nuys, Embraer Praetor 600, about 12 h 35 min plus a stop · 5 pax

A smaller party that preferred a super-midsize cabin and a lower price. The aircraft cannot reach Los Angeles in one hop, so the quote included a stop at Gander, a turn of about an hour with fuel and a stretch of the legs. A Global was quicker but cost more, and nobody argued about the extra hours.

AWARDS WEEK · FIXED DATES

Four guests for the Oscar weekend

London Stansted - Los Angeles Van Nuys, Bombardier Challenger 605, about 12 h 35 min plus a stop · 4 pax

The dates were set by the ceremony and not by the client. Four people, a request for a car at the door and a firm return. The booking went in six weeks ahead, the handler pre-arranged the border check and secured the parking, and the return was booked at the same time, which kept the aircraft and crew on the ground in California for the week.

A DESERT WEEKEND · STRAIGHT TO PALM SPRINGS

A party that wanted the festival and not the freeway

Farnborough - Palm Springs, Bombardier Challenger 605, about 12 h 20 min plus a stop · 6 pax

They wanted to be in the desert for the April weekend and not to spend the arrival day on the road from the coast. Palm Springs inspects arriving aircraft every day, so we routed the Challenger there directly, about 5,073 nautical miles with the Gander stop, and the operator asked the border service for permission to land well ahead. The car was waiting at the door of the border facility, because passengers may not reboard to go to a handler.

A DOG ON BOARD · TWO PIECES OF PAPER

Three adults and a labrador for a ten-day stay

Edinburgh - Los Angeles Van Nuys, Bombardier Global 6000, about 10 h 20 min · 3 pax + dog

The CDC receipt for the dog was printed before departure. The harder part was the way home: the Great Britain health certificate had to be dated inside ten days of arrival, and the tapeworm treatment had to fall between 24 and 120 hours before landing. The family booked a vet in California for the middle of the stay, asked for the car at the aircraft door, and the dog slept through most of the crossing.

EMPTY LEG · THE WAY HOME

A jet already going your way

Los Angeles Van Nuys - London Stansted, Bombardier Global 6000 empty leg, about 9 h 15 min · 4 pax

A long-range jet had delivered a party for an awards weekend and was flying back with nobody on board. The client offered a three-day window and not a fixed date, which is what makes these deals possible, and paid far less than for a fresh charter on an overnight eastbound departure that landed in time for breakfast.

 

Frequently asked questions about flying to Los Angeles

1How long is a private jet flight from London to Los Angeles?

About 10 h 55 min nonstop in a Global 6000 from Farnborough, and about 35 minutes less from Edinburgh or Aberdeen. A Praetor 600 or a Challenger 605 is planned with a stop at Gander and takes about 12 h 30 min in the air plus an hour on the ground. The routed distance to Van Nuys is between 4,618 and 4,928 nautical miles depending on the British airfield, and Los Angeles is eight hours behind Britain for most of the year.

2How much does a private jet to Los Angeles cost?

From about £82,450 one way for a Praetor 600 via Gander from Farnborough. A Global 6000 flying nonstop starts from about £132,650 from Farnborough, and a Challenger 605 with a stop at Gander from about £105,950 from Stansted. Oscar week and the April festival weekends cost more, and an empty leg can cost far less. The calculator on this page gives an indicative figure for your dates.

3Which airport should a private jet use for Los Angeles?

Van Nuys (KVNY) for most business jet trips. It is the main business jet field of the basin, about 29 km from downtown, with several handlers, among them Signature, Jet Aviation and Clay Lacy, and the border service on certain days only, with strict night noise rules. LAX (KLAX) is the alternative for a large-cabin jet and for airline-style handling. It is about 20 km from downtown, has two handlers, Atlantic Aviation and Signature, and the border service lists inspections of arriving aircraft there every day from 07:00 to 23:00. Burbank suits the studios and Pasadena, Santa Monica takes light jets only, and Palm Springs clears the border for a desert weekend. We choose by your address, the type of aircraft and the noise rules.

4Can a midsize jet fly from London to Los Angeles nonstop?

No. A Citation Latitude is rated at about 2,500 nautical miles and a Challenger 350 at 3,200, against 4,618 to 4,928 for the whole trip, and the second leg from Gander is 3,028 nautical miles, which is beyond the Latitude and tight for the Challenger 350. A Praetor 600, published at 3,900 nautical miles with four passengers, and a Challenger 605, at about 4,000, fall short of the crossing as well, so they stop at Gander. The long-range jets, from the Global 6000 up, fly the route nonstop.

5Do British passengers need a visa or an ESTA to fly to Los Angeles?

No visa is needed for up to 90 days of business or tourism, but every British passenger needs an approved ESTA and a passport valid for the whole stay. The ESTA does not guarantee entry, and work for a US company, an arrest or an earlier overstay can call for a visa instead. The pilot files the passenger manifest before departure and the officer clears the party at the inspection facility. Use the official ESTA site only, and apply well before the flight. On a private aircraft the ESTA normally works only if the operator holds Visa Waiver Program carrier status, which we check before we quote.

6Can I take my dog to Los Angeles on a private jet?

Yes, and the dog flies in the cabin with you. The way out needs a CDC Dog Import Form receipt for a healthy, microchipped dog of at least six months, and we confirm with the state authorities and the crew whether California asks for anything more. The way home needs a Great Britain pet health certificate dated within ten days of arrival, a rabies vaccine at least 21 days old and, for a dog, a tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before landing. We confirm the entry point and the paperwork in writing for your dates.

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