Private jet charter in Porto
From the London airfields it is a flight of about 2 hours 5 minutes to Porto, and the clock on the wall does not move, so a breakfast departure puts you beside the Douro in good time for lunch. Private Jets UK builds each charter around two things, the hour of arrival and the river valley beyond the city. 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. Francisco Sá Carneiro airport stands about 11 km from the Clérigos Tower, has a single runway of 3,480 m and keeps customs and immigration open round the clock, yet the Portuguese AIP lists a ban on landings and take-offs between midnight and six in the morning, and that one rule shapes more bookings than the choice of aircraft. The decisions that matter are the arrival hour, the handler and how far up the Douro you mean to go.
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 Porto 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 Farnborough, a Cessna Citation CJ3+ 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 Porto (OPO)?
A little over two hours is the figure to hold in mind: 2 hours 5 minutes from Farnborough in a light jet, a few minutes either way from the other London fields, and 2 hours 25 minutes from Glasgow in a super-midsize. Mainland Portugal keeps the same time as Britain all year, summer saving included, so a seven o'clock departure lands shortly after nine by the same clock. At 674 to 943 nautical miles from the British fields we use, Porto is a light-jet sector from the south of England and a midsize job from the Midlands and the north. The table gives the sector from each field.
| Route | Aircraft | Flying time | Routing |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff - Porto 674 nm / 1,248 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h | Nonstop |
| Southampton - Porto 683 nm / 1,265 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h | Nonstop |
| Bristol - Porto 683 nm / 1,265 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h | Nonstop |
| Farnborough - Porto 712 nm / 1,319 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h 05 min | Nonstop |
| Biggin Hill - Porto 732 nm / 1,356 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h 10 min | Nonstop |
| London City - Porto 742 nm / 1,374 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h 10 min | Nonstop |
| London Luton - Porto 752 nm / 1,393 km |
Embraer Phenom 300E | about 2 h | Nonstop |
| Birmingham - Porto 759 nm / 1,406 km |
Cessna Citation XLS+ | about 2 h 05 min | Nonstop |
| London Stansted - Porto 765 nm / 1,417 km |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | about 2 h 15 min | Nonstop |
| Manchester - Porto 802 nm / 1,485 km |
Cessna Citation XLS+ | about 2 h 15 min | Nonstop |
| Leeds Bradford - Porto 841 nm / 1,558 km |
Cessna Citation XLS+ | about 2 h 20 min | Nonstop |
| Newcastle - Porto 908 nm / 1,682 km |
Cessna Citation Latitude | about 2 h 25 min | Nonstop |
| Glasgow - Porto 929 nm / 1,721 km |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | about 2 h 25 min | Nonstop |
| Edinburgh - Porto 943 nm / 1,746 km |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | about 2 h 25 min | Nonstop |
Door to door, and the clock on the wall
Leave Farnborough at seven and you touch down at Porto a little after nine, on the clock you left. The airport lies about 11 km from the Clérigos Tower on a north-westerly bearing, in the municipalities of Maia, Matosinhos and Vila do Conde, so the old town on the Douro is a short drive, typically 20 to 25 minutes outside the rush. Customs and immigration are listed as available round the clock, but that is not the same as being free to land at any hour, because we plan no private arrival or departure between midnight and six in the morning, the hours of the published night ban. A client who left a London office at half past six can be at a lunch table on the river before noon, and a client who wants the evening in Porto should plan the flight home for the next morning, after six.
Light jet or midsize: how the choice usually goes on this route
– Up to four people with ordinary bags, take a light jet. A flight of 2 hours 5 minutes in a CJ3+ or a Phenom is a relaxed sector, and what you save against a midsize cabin pays for the car, the cellar visits and a better room in the Douro;
– Five to seven, or a party with golf clubs, the cases of a family on a week of port-lodge tours or the luggage of a wedding group, we quote a midsize alongside so that you see both figures. On this route the hold often decides before the seat count does;
– A heavy jet earns its place when the party is large, when the aircraft stays with you across several stops, or when Porto is one leg of a longer trip. The runway of 3,480 m takes anything, so the larger cabin is a question of comfort and range and not of whether it can land. From Biggin Hill a Phenom 300E costs £10,300, a Citation XLS+ £12,700, a Challenger 350 £15,800 and a Gulfstream G450 £22,500.
Prices for the private jet flights to Porto
Typical trips from Britain, cheapest first, all of them into Porto. The night of São João in June, the Primavera Sound weekends and the weeks of the Douro harvest can price above these figures, and the calendar block further down explains when.
| Route | Aircraft | Passengers | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff - Porto 674 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £9,550 |
| Bristol - Porto 683 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £9,700 |
| Southampton - Porto 683 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £9,700 |
| Farnborough - Porto 712 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £10,000 |
| Biggin Hill - Porto 732 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £10,250 |
| London City - Porto 742 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £10,350 |
| London Luton - Porto 752 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E | 7 | from £10,500 |
| London Stansted - Porto 765 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 6 | from £10,650 |
| Birmingham - Porto 759 nm |
Cessna Citation XLS+ | 8 | from £13,100 |
| Manchester - Porto 802 nm |
Cessna Citation XLS+ | 8 | from £13,750 |
| Leeds Bradford - Porto 841 nm |
Cessna Citation XLS+ | 8 | from £14,300 |
| Newcastle - Porto 908 nm |
Cessna Citation Latitude | 8 | from £18,850 |
| Glasgow - Porto 929 nm |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | 8 | from £19,300 |
| Edinburgh - Porto 943 nm |
Bombardier Challenger 350 | 8 | from £19,550 |
Porto or the Algarve is a question we hear often, and the arithmetic favours the north. From Biggin Hill the same Citation CJ3+ flies 732 nautical miles to Porto for £10,250 and 962 to Faro for £12,950, so the Douro and the Minho come about £2,700 cheaper one way and about 30 minutes shorter in the air. The Algarve wins on beaches and golf, and Porto on the river, the wine and a city with more to see. Both fall under the same Portuguese entry rules.
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 Porto
Porto is a good starting point for the Iberian west. Lisbon, Santiago and Vigo are minutes away by turboprop, Madrid, Seville and Faro are under an hour and a half, Funchal is a long southern sector over the Atlantic, and Paris and Nice are short business hops back into the continent. Typical one-way prices:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| PORTUGAL AND GALICIA · THE NEAR HOPS | ||
| Porto - Lisbon 156 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,100 |
| Porto - Santiago de Compostela 104 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,100 |
| Porto - Vigo 61 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,100 |
| THE SOUTH AND THE ISLANDS · THE LONGER LEGS | ||
| Porto - Faro 266 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,750 |
| Porto - Seville 274 nm |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 passengers |
from £3,800 |
| Porto - Madrid 246 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ up to 7 passengers |
from £5,300 |
| Porto - Funchal 669 nm |
Cessna Citation CJ3+ up to 7 passengers |
from £9,500 |
| FRANCE · SHORT BUSINESS SECTORS | ||
| Porto - Paris Le Bourget 686 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E up to 8 passengers |
from £9,750 |
| Porto - Nice 746 nm |
Embraer Phenom 300E up to 8 passengers |
from £10,450 |
Onward from Porto: when the aircraft wins and when the road does
Lisbon is 156 nautical miles away, about 55 minutes in a Pilatus PC-12, and for a party of any size that beats the road by a wide margin. Santiago de Compostela is 104 nautical miles, about 45 minutes, and Vigo only 61, about 35 minutes, a hop that replaces roughly an hour and a half on the road to Vigo itself. Faro lies 266 nautical miles to the south, about 1 h 20 min. A PC-12 to Lisbon, Santiago or Vigo is quoted at the same £3,100, because short sectors are billed against a minimum, and that is why a flight of half an hour can cost as much as one of three quarters. Spain and Portugal are both in the Schengen area, so the first landing carries the formalities and the hops after it are free of passport control. Remember that Spain keeps a clock one hour ahead of Portugal.
Before you accept an onward quote
– Which airport at the far end, and what it can do for you. Lisbon wants a slot for every movement and has its own night restriction, Vigo closes in the evening and needs clearance in advance, and handling and parking are checked before the quote is written, not after it;
– Whether the legs are one booking. London, Porto, Santiago and home from Vigo over a long weekend costs noticeably less arranged as one trip, because the aircraft and crew stay with you instead of returning to base between stops.
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 Porto:
Light jets, the usual choice for four or five people
At a little over two hours this is a straightforward sector for a small party with ordinary luggage. Nothing here lacks the range, so the money is better spent on the car, the lodges and the night in the valley than on a larger cabin you will not fill.
Midsize, for six to eight people and the bulky luggage
Golf bags, wedding luggage and the baggage of a family on a week in the Douro fill a hold faster than they fill seats, and the departures from the Midlands and the north add enough distance to favour the larger aircraft.
Super-midsize and large
For a team that wants to work in the air, a group travelling as one party, or a trip that carries on from Porto to Lisbon, Madeira or across the Atlantic. The runway of 3,480 m takes all of these, and the handler fits the stand to the aircraft.
Turboprops
The right aircraft for the hops inside the Iberian west: Lisbon, Santiago and Vigo are under an hour in the air, and the saving over a jet on those distances is large.
Helicopters
Not for the flight from Britain but for the last stretch: a quinta above the river, a transfer to Guimarães or Braga, or a loop over the Douro valley. Where a helicopter may land is agreed before the quote.
This is a small part of what is available. Porto sits on the western edge of the European fleet, so an aircraft is not always standing by in the city, and a quote may name Lisbon, Madrid or a British field as the positioning point. That is normal for a regional airport with a small based fleet, and it is often where the better price comes from.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Porto 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.
-
Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Porto
One airport carries almost every trip to this part of Portugal, and four more are worth knowing about when the programme lies across the Spanish border, when the aircraft is large or when the clock says midnight. Which one is right depends on where you are sleeping, not on the aircraft.
| Airport | What it gives you |
|---|---|
| Porto, Francisco Sá Carneiro OPO / LPPR |
The answer for Porto, the Douro and the Minho. The Portuguese AIP puts the airport about 11 km from the Clérigos Tower, in the municipalities of Maia, Matosinhos and Vila do Conde, at an elevation of 69 m. There is a single asphalt runway, 17/35, of 3,480 m by 45 m, so any business jet can use it, and runway 17 has an instrument landing system listed as Category II, with most final approaches flown onto it. The aerodrome, air traffic control, customs and immigration are listed as available round the clock, fuel (Jet A1 from a hydrant system) from about 05:00 to 23:00 and handling from about 05:00 to 01:00, with the hours outside those on request. There is no de-icing and no hangar space for visiting aircraft, general aviation aircraft park on remote stands, and slot requests are mandatory for every flight |
| Vigo-Peinador VGO / LEVX |
The Spanish option for the Rías Baixas and southern Galicia, 8 km east of Vigo on the Spanish AIP and about 109 km north of Porto airport in a straight line. One asphalt runway, 01/19, of 2,384 m by 45 m, with an ILS cleared for Category II and III on runway 19 and none on runway 01. Instrument hours run from 06:30 to 00:30 Spanish local time (the Spanish AIP gives them in UTC), and customs, immigration, handling and fuel are available within airport hours. Handling is compulsory for business flights, a ground handler must be contracted, and the airport operations centre has to clear the flight in advance with the date, aircraft type, airfields and times, or it is rejected. Spanish time is one hour ahead of Portugal |
| Santiago de Compostela, Rosalía de Castro SCQ / LEST |
The Galician airport listed as open round the clock. The AIP gives 10 km north-east of the city, a runway 17/35 of more than 3,100 m by 45 m with an ILS at both ends (Category II and III on 17, Category I on 35), and lists the aerodrome, customs, immigration, handling, fuel and de-icing as available round the clock. Handling is compulsory for every operation, private flights included, and the general aviation agents are United Aviation Services, Gestair and Sky Valet, with Aviation Handling as the general aviation handling agent. It lies about 185 km north of Porto in a straight line, so it is the fall-back for an arrival that cannot be moved before midnight, at the price of a long drive south |
| Lisbon, Humberto Delgado LIS / LPPT |
The capital, 156 nautical miles south of Porto, and the better choice when the programme is in Lisbon and not on the Douro, when the party is large or when the flight continues to Madeira, Africa or the Gulf. A single runway, 02/20, of 3,707 m by 45 m, round-the-clock services and slots required, with landings and take-offs prohibited by law between midnight and 06:00 except under an exception regime. The night limits apply to civil subsonic jets of 34,000 kg or more, or with more than 19 passenger seats, so whether a lighter jet is caught is confirmed with the airport for each movement. The autumn Web Summit fills the city, and the apron with it |
| Braga and Viseu LPBR / LPVZ |
Two small inland fields that appear on maps of the north and that we do not plan business jets into. Braga Municipal Aerodrome lies about 40 km north-east of Porto airport in a straight line, has no scheduled service and is used by flying clubs. Viseu has an asphalt runway of 1,200 m, about 88 km south-east of Porto airport, and a regional turboprop service. Neither is a field we would send a jet from Britain to, so for Braga, Guimarães or the Dão country we land at Porto and drive |
Four things to settle before a Porto landing:
The handler and the apron
The Portuguese AIP lists three full handling agents at Porto, Groundforce, OMNI Handling and Portway, with Sky Valet as the handling supervising agent and Lufthansa Ground Services Portugal and Safeport Executive among the passenger-assistance agents. ExecuJet runs a private aviation terminal in the Edifício das Companhias, with a crew and VIP lounge, a meeting room and a desk open from 07:00 to 23:00 and round the clock on request. General aviation aircraft stand on remote stands, and only the authorised agents may carry crew and passengers to the terminal, so the name of the handler goes on the quote and on the driver's sheet.
The night ban and the slot
Landings and take-offs at Porto are prohibited by law between midnight and six in the morning, except in force majeure. A limited exemption exists for commercial and aerial work flights, capped at 11 movements a day, 70 a week and 2,100 a year, and ExecuJet states that between 00:00 and 06:00 only operators holding an air operator certificate can use it. The text does not spell out how the ban applies to a private flight, so we confirm it with the handler for your date; until then the plan is simple: be on the ground before midnight and do not count on leaving before six. Every flight needs a slot, and we request it together with the handler.
Border and passport
Portugal is in Schengen and Britain is not, so you clear passport control and customs on arrival at Porto. British passport holders need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180, with a passport issued less than ten years before arrival and valid for at least three months after the planned departure. A first-time visitor may be asked to register a photograph and fingerprints at the EU entry-exit system, which is free. The operator files the customs summary declaration before arrival, and the handler can do it on the operator's behalf.
Car, hotel and the valley
Tell us the handler as well as the flight, so that the driver waits at the right door. The Douro is further than most clients expect: the road to Peso da Régua is about 110 to 120 km and takes about an hour and a quarter at best, and Pinhão is another 40 minutes beyond it. A night in the valley is usually the better plan than a day trip, and the hotel should know the arrival hour before you leave.
Border, passport and the Portuguese forms
The first landing in the Schengen area is where the formalities happen, and Porto is a straightforward place for them: customs and immigration are listed as round-the-clock services and the handler knows the aircraft in advance. After that the border disappears. Portugal and Spain are both Schengen members, so a flight on to Santiago or Vigo needs no further passport control, although temporary checks can be reintroduced at internal borders and a car can still be stopped for a document check. The operator completes the declarations for the means of transport and the goods carried before arrival, and we check both before departure. For the return, the General Aviation Report for Britain is filed not earlier than 48 hours and not later than 2 hours before departure. Carry your passport at hotel check-in, and keep the aircraft paperwork with the crew.
From the apron to the Douro
Porto has about 273,000 inhabitants in the municipality and close to 1.9 million in the metropolitan area, on the north bank of the Douro a few kilometres from the Atlantic. The historic centre, the Dom Luís I bridge and the monastery of Serra do Pilar are a World Heritage site. The double-deck iron bridge opened in 1886 with a 172 m arch, and its upper deck carries pedestrians and the Metro. Across the river lies Vila Nova de Gaia, where the port wine lodges, which locals call caves, have stored and aged the wine since Gaia became the official storage place for exporters in the 18th century. Most clients come for the lodges, the Ribeira, the Clérigos Tower and the valley beyond.
about 11 km to the Clérigos Tower, with the Ribeira and the Dom Luís I bridge below ittypically 20 to 25 minutes
across the Dom Luís I bridge or by the cable car that links the riverbank with the upper deck, with guided tours and tastings in the cavesa short crossing
about 39 km in a straight line to the historic centre, a World Heritage site and the "birthplace of Portugal", with a gondola up to Monte da Penhatypically 45 minutes
about 50 km by road to the city of the Bom Jesus do Monte sanctuary and the cathedral of the oldest archdiocese in Portugaltypically 45 minutes
about 76 km in a straight line, 110 to 120 km by road, the commercial centre of the wine regionabout 1 hour 15 minutes at best
about 27 km along the river by the scenic N222 road, to the village at the heart of port production and its railway station of blue tilestypically 40 minutes
about 160 km by road to Vigo itself, across the Minho into Galiciatypically 1 hour 30 minutes
The Douro deserves a line of its own because it shapes so many trips. The Alto Douro wine region is a World Heritage site, a landscape of terraced vineyards cut into steep slopes above a river that the old rabelo boats once used to carry the casks down to Gaia. Pinhão and São João da Pesqueira are counted as the centre of port production, and the railway that follows the river from Porto towards Pocinho runs past Peso da Régua and Tua. The station at Pinhão carries 24 panels of blue tiles showing the vineyards, the treading of the grapes and the rabelo boats. River cruises start from Porto and run up the valley. We plan the day with one driver, so that it does not depend on a taxi at each stop.
Flying to Porto with a dog or a cat
Dogs and cats are routine passengers on this route, and a private flight removes the hardest part of it: the animal travels in the cabin beside you, with no hold and no kennel queue, on a sector of a little over two hours. What deserves attention is the paperwork at both ends, above all the date on the health certificate, which counts for only ten days.
What Portugal asks for when a pet arrives from Britain:
- An ISO microchip, fitted before the rabies vaccination or at the same time;
- A rabies vaccination given when the animal was at least 12 weeks old, with 21 days elapsed after the vaccination before it travels;
- An Animal Health Certificate for each trip, issued by an Official Veterinarian and valid for ten days for entry to the EU. A British pet passport cannot be used to enter the EU;
- No more than five animals per traveller, entering through a travellers' point of entry. Portuguese practice for animals arriving from outside the EU is notice to the entry point ahead of arrival, typically 48 hours, which we file;
- For dogs, a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before arrival back in Britain, recorded on the paperwork. Cats are exempt.
What catches owners out on the Porto run
– Portugal does not ask for a tapeworm treatment on the way in, only Britain asks for it on the way home, so it is a vet appointment you book in Porto towards the end of the stay. Count back from the departure time, because the window is 24 to 120 hours and a flight that moves by a day can move the window out of reach;
– The order of the chip and the vaccine matters. A vaccination given before the microchip does not count, and the certificate is checked line by line before the flight, not at the terminal;
– A very young animal cannot enter. Puppies and kittens must be at least 12 weeks old, and the 21 days after the first vaccination apply as well, so a dog or cat under 15 weeks cannot travel.
Requirements for cats, ferrets, birds and anything less usual are collected on our flying with pets guide. For the entry point and the paperwork on the way home, we confirm both in writing before the flight, and our managers check the position for your dates before a booking is taken.
The Porto calendar: fireworks in June, student week in May and a harvest in the hills
Porto does not have one high season. It has a mild, wet winter, a spring of festivals, a June that fills every hotel and a long autumn built around the harvest in the valley. Knowing which week you want matters more than choosing an aircraft.
Why a festival night costs more
Not the flying. The European light and midsize fleet is large and Porto is well placed in it, with Lisbon, Vigo and Santiago all close. What tightens in a busy week is the airport itself: every flight needs a slot, general aviation stands on remote stands, and the night ban closes the hours between midnight and six, so on the night of São João everyone who wants to go home after the fireworks has to leave the next morning instead. Hotel rooms, cars and the best tables go with it. A booking made two weeks before the festival can still be done, but it may mean an aircraft positioned from Lisbon, and that costs more. The same booking made four or five weeks earlier is simpler and cheaper. Outside those weeks a charter to Porto can usually be arranged in a day or two.
Ways to bring the Porto price down
- Fly from the west. On the same Citation CJ3+, the sector from Cardiff is priced about £450 below the one from Farnborough, and Bristol and Southampton sit between them;
- Move the dates by a few days where you can. Weekdays in May and September are calmer than the festival weekends and the evenings of June;
- Think of the trip as one itinerary. London to Porto, a night in the Douro and home from Santiago or Vigo costs less arranged as a single booking than as two one-way flights, because the aircraft and crew stay with you.
Types of flights
Porto produces a different mix from the capitals we cover, because it is a river city, a wine centre and a gateway to a valley at the same time, served by an airport long enough to take anything and strict enough about the clock to make you plan.
- City breaks of two or three nights for the old town, the lodges in Gaia and the restaurants of the Ribeira, usually two to four people;
- The Douro: a night or two at a quinta in the valley, a river cruise and the harvest in autumn, booked as a long weekend or a week;
- The night of São João in June and the Primavera Sound weekend, flown in small parties and booked well ahead;
- Football weekends at the Estádio do Dragão, with a fixed kick-off and a return the next morning;
- Family and wedding parties in the north of Portugal and in Galicia, where the hold matters more than the seat count;
- Hops along the Iberian west, to Lisbon, Santiago, Faro and Madrid, inside a longer Portuguese programme.
The day trip is possible, but only just. Land a little after nine, leave at five in the afternoon local time and you are back on the British side shortly after seven in the evening, UK time, with about eight hours on the ground. A same-day return means the aircraft and crew wait for you rather than going home, and that waiting is paid for, but it still comes out cheaper than two separate one-way charters. The night ban rules out a late departure after a dinner, so an evening in Porto is a two-day plan. We quote the day return and the overnight side by side, so the difference is visible.
Empty Legs
An empty leg is a repositioning flight with nobody on board, sold at a discount on the usual fare. At Porto they follow the calendar rather than a fixed timetable, and it helps to know where they come from.
Where Porto empty legs come from
– Festival and harvest weekends. Couples and families arrive on a Friday and the aircraft goes home empty, which puts a leg towards Britain on the market on the same day;
– Iberian rotation. Aircraft that fly guests to Lisbon, Faro or Madrid often reposition through Porto, and the short legs between those airports can be cheap;
– The weekends of the autumn harvest. An aircraft that brings a party up the valley on a Friday often has no reason to stay, and the empty return is offered.
Because the corridor between Britain and northern Portugal is a busy one, a client who can name a few days rather than a single date has a 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 Porto match the day an operator releases it.
Helicopter charter
In the north of Portugal a helicopter is a tool for the edges of a trip. The Douro valley is steep and winding, the quintas are an hour or more from the runway by road, and the straight line between two of them crosses a ridge. A shared sightseeing flight over the river, the Dom Luís I bridge and the coast, lasting about ten minutes, is sold from a heliport in the city and carries three passengers at most, but that is a ticket and not a charter. A private helicopter is arranged separately, and it is the valley where it earns its keep.
22 nm in a straight line to the historic centre, against about 45 minutes by roadabout 19 minutes
22 nm in a straight line to the city of the Bom Jesus sanctuary, against about 45 minutes by roadabout 19 minutes
43 nm in a straight line, against 110 to 120 km and about an hour and a quarter by roadabout 30 minutes
53 nm in a straight line to the heart of port production, against about two hours by roadabout 36 minutes
Before you plan around a helicopter
– A helicopter cannot land wherever it likes. A landing away from an aerodrome needs an agreed site and the landowner's consent, so we check the status of an estate lawn or a field before the quote is written, not after it, and in a protected area the park rules come first;
– Weather sets the schedule. Cloud over the ridges and wind in the valley can stop a helicopter on a day when the jet lands without trouble, so a transfer needs a road alternative planned into the same day;
– The times above are straight-line estimates at a cruise of about 115 knots plus a few minutes to start and stop, not a flight plan, and the operator may route around high ground or controlled airspace.
The machines on this ground are the Airbus H125 for scenic work, the wider H130 for estate and hotel transfers, the H135 and the Bell 429 where a twin is wanted, and the H155 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 Porto 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 Porto
Biggin Hill, Farnborough, London City and Stansted send most of the traffic on this corridor, with Southampton, Bristol and Cardiff the shortest of the sectors and the north and Scotland the longest; the price table higher up covers fourteen 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 |
Porto 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.
LONG WEEKEND · THE OLD TOWN
Four friends, the lodges and the river
Farnborough - Porto, Citation CJ3+, about 2 h 05 min · 4 pax
Wheels up on Friday at seven, on the ground a little after nine and at the hotel for a late breakfast. The cellar tour in Gaia was booked before the flight, and the return was set for a Sunday morning after six, which suited the party and the night rules at the airport. The only decision that took time was light jet against midsize, and the answer was the light jet, with the saving spent on the table at the Ribeira.
THE DOURO · A NIGHT IN THE VALLEY
A couple and a quinta above the river
Biggin Hill - Porto, Citation CJ3+, about 2 h 10 min · 2 pax
They landed in the morning and a car took them up the valley, with lunch at Peso da Régua and a night at an estate near Pinhão. The road was the longer part of the day, so we put the driver's timings into the plan from the start. The aircraft went home and came back on the Sunday, which cost less than waiting.
SÃO JOÃO · FIXED DATES
A festival weekend booked in the spring
London Luton - Porto, Phenom 300E, about 2 h · 6 pax
The date was set by the festival and not by the client. Rooms in the old town were the first constraint, the slot and the stand the second, and the booking went in six weeks ahead. The party watched the fireworks over the river, slept, and flew home on the Sunday morning, because the night ban closes the airport between midnight and six.
A WEDDING IN THE NORTH · THE HOLD
Eight guests flying from Birmingham
Birmingham - Porto, Citation XLS+, about 2 h 05 min · 8 pax
Eight seats were enough for the people but the cases were another matter: formal clothes, gifts and a cake box fill a hold fast. We quoted a light jet alongside, checked the hold of each against the luggage list, and the midsize won. The handler arranged a van for the transfer to the hotel and a second one for the way back.
A DOG ON BOARD · LONG WEEKEND
Two adults and a Labrador
Bristol - Porto, Citation CJ3+, about 2 h · 2 pax + dog
The Animal Health Certificate had to be dated inside ten days of arrival, and the vet appointment in Porto for the tapeworm treatment had to fall between 24 and 120 hours before the flight home. We booked the flight and the paperwork together and settled the whole thing in one exchange of messages rather than three.
EMPTY LEG · SUNDAY MORNING HOME
A jet already going your way
Porto - London Luton, Phenom 300E empty leg, about 2 h · 3 pax
The aircraft had brought a couple out for the weekend 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 morning departure to the London fields.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Porto
1How long is a private jet flight from London to Porto?
About 2 hours 5 minutes from Farnborough, 2 hours 10 minutes from Biggin Hill and London City in a light jet, and 2 hours from Luton in a Phenom, covering roughly 712 to 765 nautical miles from the London fields. From Birmingham allow about 2 hours 5 minutes and from Manchester 2 hours 15 minutes, and from Newcastle, Edinburgh or Glasgow 2 hours 25 minutes. Mainland Portugal keeps the same time as Britain, so a seven o'clock departure lands a little after nine on the same clock.
2How much does a private jet to Porto cost?
From about £10,000 one way on a light jet out of Farnborough, £10,250 from Biggin Hill and £10,350 from London City, and £10,500 in a Phenom from Luton. A midsize cabin runs £13,100 to £13,750 from Birmingham and Manchester, and from Scotland allow £19,300 to £19,550. The night of São João, the Primavera Sound weekends and the Douro harvest can price above these figures.
3Can a private jet land at Porto at night?
Not between midnight and six in the morning. Landings and take-offs at Porto are prohibited by law in that period, except in force majeure, and the limited exemption is for commercial and aerial work flights, which in practice means operators with an air operator certificate. Customs and immigration are listed as round-the-clock services, but for a private flight we plan to be on the ground before midnight and not to leave before six, and we confirm the position with the handler for your date. For a late arrival that cannot be moved, Santiago de Compostela is listed as open round the clock, and Vigo is open until 23:30 local time.
4Which airport should I use, Porto, Vigo, Santiago or Lisbon?
Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro (OPO / LPPR) for Porto, the Douro and the Minho. It has a single runway of 3,480 m, customs and immigration round the clock, and the night ban between midnight and six. Vigo (VGO / LEVX) is the Spanish option about 109 km to the north, with instrument hours from 06:30 to 00:30 Spanish local time. Santiago (SCQ / LEST) is open round the clock but lies about 185 km away. Lisbon (LIS / LPPT) is 156 nautical miles south and the right choice when the programme is in the capital. Braga and Viseu are small fields that we do not plan a jet into.
5Do I need a visa or customs clearance for Porto?
Britain is outside Schengen and Portugal is inside it, so you clear passport control and customs on arrival. British passport holders need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180, with a passport issued less than ten years before arrival and valid for at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen area. A first-time visitor may be asked to register a photograph and fingerprints at the EU entry-exit system, which is free. The operator files the customs declaration before arrival, and the handler can do it for them. We track the paperwork with the aircraft.
6Can I take my dog to Porto on a private jet?
Yes. The dog travels in the cabin with you, and Portugal asks for a microchip fitted before or with the rabies vaccination, a vaccination given at 12 weeks or older and at least 21 days old, and an Animal Health Certificate valid for ten days for entry to the EU. A British pet passport cannot be used. For the return, a dog needs a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before arriving back in Britain. Cats are exempt from the treatment. We confirm the entry point and the paperwork in writing before the flight.