Private jet charter in Portugal
From London, Porto is under two hours away, Lisbon and the Algarve a little over two, and Madeira and the Azores three and a half. That spread is the real difficulty of booking Portugal, because the name on a quote can mean four quite different places with four sets of airport rules. 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. On a Portuguese enquiry we begin with one question: the capital, the north, the Algarve or an island. The airfield, its hours at night and the price all follow from the answer.
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 Portugal 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 London Farnborough Airport, a flight to Lisbon Humberto Delgado, an Embraer Phenom 300E and two passengers aboard. If you want to get a personal quote, just fill out the online booking form below. Our aviation consultant will make the calculation within 20 minutes, and then contact you to specify the details of the flight.
How long does it take to fly to Portugal?
Portugal is long and narrow, and the times from London fall into three groups: the north in under two hours, the capital and the Algarve a little over two, and the Atlantic islands at three and a half. These are the sectors from London Farnborough on a Phenom 300E, gate to gate:
712 nautical miles, the shortest crossing from London and the way into the Douro and the Minhoabout 1 h 55 min
862 nautical miles to the capital, with the main airport about 7 km from the old townabout 2 h 15 min
869 nautical miles to the small coastal field west of the capital, for light jetsabout 2 h 15 min
946 nautical miles to the Algarve, 4 km from the town of Faroabout 2 h 25 min
1,371 nautical miles of open Atlantic to Madeira, with Porto Santo as the alternateabout 3 h 35 min
1,383 nautical miles to the Azores, the longest sector on this pageabout 3 h 35 min
The clock stays where it is, except in the Azores
Mainland Portugal and Madeira keep British time all year, so a 07:00 departure from Farnborough lands in Lisbon at about 09:15 by the clock on the wall. The Azores sit one hour behind Britain, and the same departure reaches Ponta Delgada at about 09:35 local time. A second clock matters more than the first: the law bars landings and take-offs between midnight and six, so a late return is planned backwards from that line. From Manchester add roughly 15 minutes to the mainland times, and from Edinburgh about half an hour.
The exact flight time depends on the model of the business jet, as well as the speed of the tail or head wind. Our consultant will make a detailed calculation of the flight time for the chosen business jet.
Prices for the private jet flights to Portugal
Typical one-way prices from British airports, cheapest first. Porto is the nearest Portuguese airport and the west of England the nearest departure, so the table opens there; Lisbon begins a step higher, and the islands and the Scottish departures come last:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| Exeter - Porto 634 nm / 1,174 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
from £9,100 |
| Southampton - Porto 683 nm / 1,265 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £9,700 |
| London Farnborough - Porto 712 nm / 1,319 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £10,050 |
| London Farnborough - Lisbon 862 nm / 1,596 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £11,800 |
| London Biggin Hill - Lisbon 880 nm / 1,630 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
from £12,000 |
| London Luton - Cascais 909 nm / 1,683 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £12,300 |
| London Farnborough - Faro 946 nm / 1,752 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £12,750 |
| Manchester - Porto 802 nm / 1,485 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
from £13,750 |
| Cardiff - Lisbon 827 nm / 1,532 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
from £14,100 |
| London Farnborough - Funchal 1,371 nm / 2,539 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £17,650 |
| London Farnborough - Ponta Delgada 1,383 nm / 2,561 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £17,800 |
| Edinburgh - Porto 943 nm / 1,746 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 |
from £19,550 |
| Glasgow - Lisbon 1,085 nm / 2,009 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 |
from £22,100 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– A one-way quote pays for the aircraft to fly home empty as well. That is why a return booked as a single trip costs noticeably less per direction than two separate one-ways, and the difference is widest on the Atlantic sectors to Madeira and the Azores;
– Porto is the cheapest way into Portugal and the capital is not. On the same Phenom 300E from Farnborough the flight to Porto is £10,050 and to Lisbon £11,800, a difference of £1,750 that is paid for in distance and nothing else. A client who simply wants Portugal should hear that before choosing the airport by habit.
Private jet flights within Portugal and to its neighbours
On the mainland the sectors are short, the islands are ocean legs, and Spain is a few minutes over the border. People fly them for a connection either side of a British arrival, an island hop the airline cannot fit, or a day across to Seville or Madrid:
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Porto - Vigo (Spain) 61 nm / 113 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 35 min | from £3,100 |
| Lisbon - Beja 73 nm / 135 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 35 min | from £3,100 |
| Ponta Delgada - Terceira (Lajes) 93 nm / 172 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 40 min | from £3,100 |
| Lisbon - Faro 124 nm / 230 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 50 min | from £3,100 |
| Lisbon - Porto 156 nm / 289 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 55 min | from £3,100 |
| Lisbon - Seville (Spain) 181 nm / 335 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
about 45 min | from £5,300 |
| Porto - Faro 266 nm / 493 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
about 1 h | from £5,300 |
| Lisbon - Madrid (Spain) 288 nm / 533 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
about 1 h 05 min | from £5,300 |
| Lisbon - Funchal 542 nm / 1,004 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
about 1 h 35 min | from £8,100 |
| Funchal - Ponta Delgada 553 nm / 1,024 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
about 1 h 35 min | from £8,200 |
| Lisbon - Ponta Delgada 813 nm / 1,506 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
about 2 h 10 min | from £11,200 |
Two things worth knowing about the sectors inside the region
– The mainland pairs sit at the floor of the turboprop scale, £3,100 for Lisbon to Porto, because a Pilatus PC-12 NGX is billed at a minimum charge far above the time it flies, and a car is often the sensible rival. The aircraft earns its fee on the day it saves: a meeting in Porto and dinner in the Algarve, or Lisbon in the morning and Seville at lunch;
– The ocean sectors are another class of flight. Lisbon to Funchal is £8,100 on a Phenom 300E and Lisbon to Ponta Delgada £11,200. One itinerary through London, Madeira and the Azores costs less than separate quotes, because the aircraft and the crew stay with you.
We can arrange the flights from any cities in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and European countries. Due to a large database of available business jets, we can help you find an optimal jet and crew. If you have any questions about the departure or the flight itself, you can ask them using the form below:
Prices depending on the type of business jet
We can clearly show the high dependence of the cost of the flight, on the type of aircraft - we have collected approximate data, at the price of 1 flight hour, for various types of business jets:
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
Turboprops
For the mainland hops, Lisbon to Porto or Faro, and the inter-island sectors in the Azores. Too slow to be worth quoting from Britain.
Light jets
The default for Porto, Lisbon and Faro from the south of England, and the class that fits the short runway at Cascais. Ask about the hold before the seats: a golf party fills a light cabin faster than the seat count suggests.
Super-midsize
Where the capital and the Algarve settle from the north of England. Enough cabin to work in on a two and a half hour flight.
Heavy jets
For Scottish departures to Lisbon and Faro, for a party of ten or more, and for a group that wants a conference table. Lisbon is the field for them: Cascais cannot take them and Funchal limits the heaviest.
Ultra-long range
Rare on a Portuguese sector, since Portugal lies well inside the range of a midsize jet. A Global or Gulfstream in Lisbon or Ponta Delgada normally belongs to a longer Atlantic itinerary.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight in Portugal 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
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Preparation and coordination of optimal options
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Registration of documents. Payment of the invoice.
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Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Portugal
Portugal has three airports that carry nearly every jet from Britain, a small coastal field with conditions attached, and a handful of island fields whose character is set by the Atlantic. Every clock below is Portuguese local time: British time on the mainland and Madeira, one hour earlier in the Azores. These are the fields our Portuguese bookings use:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Lisbon Humberto Delgado LIS / LPPT |
about 7 km to the old town | The one for large cabins: a single runway of 3,707 metres and customs and immigration staffed round the clock. ExecuJet runs the FBO on Apron 700, open 07:00 to 23:00 and longer on request, with a lounge that never closes. Slots are required all year, and visitors get no hangar space or de-icing |
| Cascais (Tires) CAT / LPCS |
in Tires, north-east of Cascais, 20 to 30 min by road from Lisbon | A municipal field with a 1,400 metre runway, which suits Citation, Phenom and Learjet types and rules out heavy jets. Open from 08:00 to sunset, by prior permission from 07:00 to 08:00 and from sunset to midnight, shut from midnight to 07:00. Handling is compulsory, customs on request |
| Porto Francisco Sá Carneiro OPO / LPPR |
11 km from the city centre | Runway of 3,480 metres and customs round the clock. Handling runs from 05:00 to 01:00 and fuel from 05:00 to 23:00; ExecuJet has an FBO from 07:00 to 23:00, and Groundforce, OMNI Handling and Portway are listed as handlers. Slots are compulsory |
| Faro FAO / LPFR |
4 km to the town | The Algarve gateway: a 2,490 metre runway, customs round the clock, handling from 06:00 to midnight and fuel from 08:00. Every general aviation flight must use a handler, and a visiting aircraft may stay no more than 72 hours without agreement |
| Beja BYJ / LPBJ |
9 km north-west of Beja | An air force base with a civil terminal and a 3,450 metre runway. Customs and immigration keep aerodrome hours, 08:30 to 17:15 from Monday to Thursday and 08:30 to 12:30 on Friday; handling needs five hours of notice |
| Portimão LPPM |
roughly 10 km south of the Algarve circuit | A light-aircraft strip of 860 metres, open to visual flying by day, with no customs post. A charter jet for the circuit lands at Faro |
| Funchal FNC / LPMA |
13 km from the cathedral, about 20 km by road | Madeira's airport, with a 2,481 metre runway that stands partly over the sea on columns. Tower and customs never close and handling runs from 04:30 to 00:30, but a crosswind can turn a flight away to Porto Santo |
| Porto Santo PXO / LPPS |
33 nm north-east of Funchal | A 3,000 metre runway on the holiday island, used as Madeira's alternate and by the party that wants the beach and the golf. Landings are barred at night |
| Ponta Delgada PDL / LPPD |
2 km to the old town | The Azores gateway: a 2,323 metre runway with an instrument approach on runway 30. Customs, immigration, fuel and handling are listed from 06:00 to midnight local time, and the veterinary service for live animals needs eight hours of notice |
| Terceira (Lajes) TER / LPLA |
15 km north-east of Angra do Heroísmo | An air base with a civil terminal and a 3,310 metre runway. Every civil flight needs prior permission, 8 hours ahead for a non-scheduled flight and 24 hours for the larger Code D and E aircraft; the civil terminal is listed from 07:00 to 21:00 Azores time |
Horta and Pico have runways of 1,595 and 1,745 metres and Santa Maria one of more than 3,000, so the aircraft is matched to the strip before a quote goes out. Four points settle most Portuguese arrivals:
Lisbon and Porto: slots all year
Both airports, and Madeira, are slot-coordinated all year. Requests go to the national slot office in the IATA format for general aviation, and the office works on weekdays from 08:00 to 18:00, so a weekend movement is arranged before the weekend.
Faro: slots in summer only
Faro is coordinated in the IATA summer season and only facilitated in winter. It is not on the list of airports with a night exception, so the Algarve closes at midnight in practice and a late party is not rescued by a slot.
Cascais: the paperwork comes first
A flight from outside the EU, the EEA and Switzerland, Britain included, needs authorisation from the civil aviation authority, the border police, customs and the aerodrome director, applied for 24 hours ahead. Departures from runway 35 are visual only, because of the Sintra hills.
The islands: permits and wind
Foreign operators of non-scheduled flights register with the civil aviation authority, which asks for applications five days ahead for the international airports; ExecuJet quotes three working days for a commercial flight from outside the EU. Lajes adds its own permission, Funchal its wind limits.
Portugal has a written night line, and it covers nearly every airport
The rule sits in the national aeronautical publication, not at the airport: landing and take-off are forbidden by law between midnight and six on the mainland and Madeira, except for emergencies and a small regime at Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Porto Santo and Ponta Delgada. That regime asks for a slot coordinated at least a day ahead and a Chapter 3 noise certificate, and Porto publishes a quota for commercial and aerial work flights. We never count on a private flight being admitted. A Portuguese evening is planned back from a departure before midnight, a delay gets an hour of slack, and the next morning is plan B.
Arriving from Britain: passports, customs and what to carry
Portugal is in the European Union and the Schengen area, and Britain is in neither. A private flight from London therefore arrives from outside both, and the border is crossed at the first Portuguese airport where the aircraft lands.
British citizens may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa; the passport must have been issued less than ten years before arrival and be valid for at least three months after the planned departure from the Schengen areaevery passenger, children included
a first-time visitor may be asked to register a photograph and fingerprints at the border, which is free and valid for three years; children aged 11 or younger are photographed but not fingerprintedallow extra time on a first visit
passport and customs control are done at the airport of arrival: round the clock at Lisbon, Porto, Faro and Funchal, in the listed hours at Ponta Delgada and Beja, and at Cascais only on request after the approvals described abovein the terminal, not on the apron
the operator or the handler files the customs summary declaration and the passenger and crew data before the aircraft leaves; cash of about £8,500 or more must be declared on entrywe send the names early
Which airport for which part of Portugal
On a Portuguese booking the arrival field is nearly always fixed by one address: the office in Lisbon, the quinta on the Douro, the villa at Quinta do Lago. These are the pairings behind most of our bookings:
the ministries, head offices and congress centres, a short drive from the runwayLisbon, 7 km
about 20 to 30 minutes by road from the small field to Sintra or to central LisbonCascais, or Lisbon for a larger cabin
about 118 to 120 km south of Lisbon, 1 h 10 to 1 h 20 by road, with no jet airfield that we would plan aroundLisbon, then car or helicopter
about 120 km from Lisbon, an hour and a half by roadLisbon
Régua is 110 to 119 km from Porto, about 1 h 15 by roadPorto, 11 km
Vilamoura is 26 km from the runway, about half an hour, and Lagos about an hourFaro, 4 km
three and a half hours from London, with Porto Santo as the alternateFunchal
São Miguel, with turboprop hops to the other islandsPonta Delgada, 2 km
Three things that shape a Portuguese booking
– The country is long rather than wide, so the airport is a choice between regions. Tell us the village and not just the region, and we pick the field and the last leg together;
– Lisbon wins on cabin size and loses on congestion. For a light jet and a coastal address Cascais is closer and calmer; for anything bigger, or a flight that needs the customs desk at any hour, Lisbon is the only mainland answer;
– A short flight can hide a long transfer. The Algarve, Comporta and Nazaré are each an hour or more from a jet airport, so the road leg, and sometimes a helicopter, is quoted with the flight.
Summer, golf months and the winter swell: how the Portuguese season runs
Portugal has no dead season, only different customers. Summer brings the families, the golf courses fill twice, and the Atlantic gives the north and the Silver Coast a winter of their own:
July is the sunniest month at Faro and the peak of tourism, with the airport, the coast roads and the villas at their fullestbook the slot first
the Algarve holds its golf traffic in two long peaks; Quinta do Lago alone covers 550 hectares and three coursesspring and autumn
the big waves at Nazaré peak from November to February, while Madeira and the Algarve stay mild and the north is cool and wetLisbon or Porto, with a car
Why February in the Algarve is a different product from August
In summer Faro is slot-coordinated and the apron is shared with scheduled and charter traffic, so a private movement fits around the airline timetable and the earliest and latest hours go first. In winter the airport is only facilitated and the slot discipline loosens, though the handlers and the night line are the same. The aircraft costs the same, but in July a client who wants a particular hour on a particular Saturday may have to take the one that is offered. Golf parties should also count the hold: four sets of clubs fill a light jet.
The Portuguese calendar: Web Summit, the June nights and the Portimão weekends
The dates that fill the ramps repeat from year to year, and each lands on a particular airport. Knowing which airport an event uses matters as much as knowing when it falls:
What a Web Summit week and a race weekend do to a flight plan
Web Summit fills the arena and the fairground in Lisbon, and Lisbon is slot-coordinated all year. Founders and investors arrive on the same few mornings and leave on the same few evenings, so a slot at the exact hour is not guaranteed and the FBO apron fills. The answer is to fix the slot first and the aircraft second, or to use Cascais for a light jet with the paperwork filed early.
Portimão is the opposite case. The circuit holds 100,000 and has hosted Formula One races and a motorcycle Grand Prix, which has run in the spring and in November. A weekend there means Faro, a drive of roughly an hour and a car with a driver booked with the flight. Surf has its own season at Nazaré, where the biggest waves arrive between October and March.
Flying to Portugal with a dog or a cat
Portugal admits animals from Britain on the European Union's terms, and on a private jet the flight is the easy part: the dog or cat stays in the cabin beside its owner. What needs planning is the notice to the entry point and the vet appointment for the way home.
The one fact to read before you book
An animal has to arrive through a travellers' point of entry, and the Portuguese veterinary authority, the DGAV, asks the owner to notify that point in writing as early as possible and at least 48 hours before arrival, a minimum that some regional notices count in working hours. The guidance we hold lists Lisbon, Porto, Faro, Beja, Funchal, Ponta Delgada, Terceira and Santa Maria. It does not list Cascais, Portimão or Porto Santo, so an animal lands at one of the listed airports and the road, or a second flight, does the rest. A vet at the entry point checks the papers and the animal, and a puppy younger than 12 weeks is not admitted.
- An ISO-standard microchip, fitted before the rabies vaccination or at the same time as it, never after;
- A rabies vaccination given when the animal was at least 12 weeks old, with 21 days elapsed before it travels;
- An Animal Health Certificate for each trip, signed by an Official Veterinarian in Britain and valid for ten days for entry to the EU. A British pet passport is not accepted for entry;
- No more than five animals per traveller;
- For a dog, a tapeworm treatment from a vet between 24 and 120 hours before it arrives back in Britain, entered in the paperwork. Cats are exempt.
Portugal itself asks for no tapeworm treatment on entry, and an animal that reaches Britain without the right paperwork can be held in quarantine for up to four months. We confirm the entry point and the paperwork for the animal in writing before the flight, and the certificate is valid for the return as stated on it.
Lisbon lists live-animal import as a prior-permission item and Ponta Delgada a veterinary service that needs eight hours of notice; for the others we send the notice with the handlernotice, not a walk-in service
between 24 and 120 hours before the flight home, so we book a practice near the hotel or the villa to fall inside the window whichever hour the departure moves tobooked with the flight
depending on whether the animal is heading for the north, the capital and the Algarve, or the islands1 h 55 min to 3 h 35 min
the eastern Algarve reaches 29 to 30 degrees in summer and the north is mild and damp in winter, so the car meets the aircraft at the standplan the season
Requirements for birds, rabbits and the less usual species, along with the countries where the timeline runs to months, are set out on our flying with pets guide.
Empty Legs
Another way to fly cheaper is to use Empty Legs. This service allows you to save on regular charter rates. As you know, part of the flights is one-way (for example, when the passenger flies from England to Portugal). After the flight, the jet returns to its home base (for example, to London Farnborough airport) empty. Such flight is called "Empty Legs". Empty leg flights can be as cheap as 50-75% off the standard charter price. This option is profitable for both the passengers and the charter companies. The clients can enjoy the services of business aviation at a very good price, while the airlines recoup part of the cost of fuel and jet maintenance.
It is almost impossible to find Empty Leg flights, as the information about them is stored in special databases available only to the aviation brokers and specialized companies. You should know that Empty Leg flights offer the same service as private jet charters. The passengers enjoy a 100% private jet flying experience. Services and flight conditions are discussed individually. We should note that our company cooperates with the world's largest home bases, so we can offer our clients a wide choice of return flights. Just send a request to our manager who will help you find the best flight options. Please note that Empty Leg flights are sold out very quickly. To avoid such a problem, you can leave us a deposit, and we will contact you as soon as the flight of your choice becomes available. For additional information, check with the operators.
What an empty leg on the Portuguese routes typically looks like, shown at about two fifths of the fresh one-way price. Real legs vary with the day, the operator and how late the flight is released, so read the figures as a level and not as an offer:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| UK (Exeter) - Portugal (Porto) | Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £3,800 |
| Portugal (Porto) - UK (London Biggin Hill) | Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £4,300 |
| Portugal (Lisbon) - UK (London Farnborough) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £4,950 |
| Portugal (Faro) - UK (Bristol) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £5,250 |
| UK (London Luton) - Portugal (Faro) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £5,550 |
| UK (Manchester) - Portugal (Lisbon) | Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £6,700 |
| Portugal (Funchal) - UK (Cardiff) | Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £7,150 |
| UK (Glasgow) - Portugal (Lisbon) | Challenger 350 | 9 seats | £9,300 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft rather than per seat. A Challenger 350 from Glasgow to Lisbon at £9,300 carrying eight works out at about £1,160 a head;
– Set each line beside the same route in the tables above. A Citation XLS+ from Manchester to Lisbon at £6,700 against £15,950 for a fresh charter is the saving in plain terms;
– Portuguese empty legs follow the peaks in reverse. After a golf week or a Web Summit the aircraft go home to Britain empty, and before the next peak they arrive empty to collect people. A client who gives us a window of a few days finds far more of them than one tied to a single date.
Helicopter charter
In Portugal the helicopter is a tool for the edges of a trip and not for the middle. The old quarters of Lisbon and Porto are best crossed on foot or by tram, and the places where a rotary aircraft changes the day are the coast west of Lisbon, the road south to Comporta and the Algarve shore in July:
the coast and the hills west of the capital, which a helicopter crosses in 15 to 30 minutes, where the road to Cascais takes about 45about 15 to 30 minutes
a drive of about 118 to 120 km, priced beside the helicopter for a villa weekend, with the site at the far end agreed with the ownerquoted both ways
Vilamoura is only 26 km by road, so the helicopter earns its fee on the western coast and between golf clubs and marinas, where the roads are slowest in July and Augustquoted per site
The machines that work these routes
– Airbus H125 and Bell 407, the light singles behind most coastal and golf-course transfers;
– Airbus H130 and H135, which give a group of five or six more cabin on a half-hour leg;
– Leonardo AW139 and Bell 429 for a larger party or a corporate group arriving together.
Two points on Portuguese rotary legs
– The Lisbon control zone is busy and regulated. A helicopter calls Lisboa Tower before take-off inside the zone, and a low visual flight over the city needs authorisation and a minimum height of 1,500 feet, so a scenic loop is planned as a permission and not just a booking;
– A helicopter lands only on an agreed site, with the landowner's consent, and Madeira has lost its Funchal heliport to a storm. Fog on the coast and cloud on the island ridges can stop a flight on a day when the jet lands without difficulty, so every transfer has a road alternative built into the same day.
Flights from the UK to Portugal
The most requested routes run from the London airfields to Lisbon, Porto and Faro, from the west of England to Porto, and from Manchester and Edinburgh to the same three. 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 |
Portuguese charters from the booking notes: six typical trips
What the Portuguese routes look like once a quote turns into a flight. Six typical jobs described without names, and with a few particulars altered.
WEB SUMMIT WEEK · THE SLOT CAME FIRST
Two founders and an investor, one week in November
London Farnborough - Lisbon and return, Phenom 300E, about 2 h 15 min each way · 3 pax
They wanted a morning arrival and an evening departure on the busiest days of the week. Lisbon is slot-coordinated all year, so we asked for the slots before we confirmed the aircraft, and booked the car for the same hour. A client who fixes the jet first and the slot later is the one who arrives at midnight.
ALGARVE GOLF · THE BAGS CHOSE THE AIRCRAFT
A party of six with six sets of clubs
Bristol - Faro, Citation XLS+, about 2 h 30 min · 6 pax
On paper a light jet seated six, but the hold took four sets of clubs. We moved the party into a midsize cabin with a larger baggage compartment, and the extra cost was smaller than sending two sets ahead by courier.
PORTO · THE LATE DINNER
Two directors and a table in the Ribeira
London Luton - Porto and return, Phenom 300E, about 2 h each way · 2 pax
They wanted to leave after dinner. The Portuguese publication bars landings and take-offs between midnight and six, and we do not count on a private flight being admitted to the exceptions, so the dinner moved to an earlier table. A delay of an hour would have meant the following morning.
CASCAIS · THE SMALL FIELD AND ITS PAPERWORK
Three guests for a conference at Estoril
London Biggin Hill - Cascais, Citation CJ3+, about 2 h 30 min · 3 pax
The coastal field was closer to the venue than Lisbon. The price was the approvals that the aviation authority, the border police, customs and the aerodrome director ask for from a flight arriving from Britain, requested a working day ahead. We filed them early and nothing about the day changed.
MADEIRA · THE WIND AT FUNCHAL
A couple on a week in Madeira
London Farnborough - Funchal, Phenom 300E, about 3 h 35 min · 2 pax
The crosswind at Funchal was above the limit on the day, and the aircraft turned to Porto Santo, a few minutes away. The handler had both fields covered, and the party reached Funchal when the wind eased. It had been explained at the quote stage that this could happen.
A DOG TO THE ALGARVE · THE NOTICE
Two owners and a labrador
Southampton - Faro, Phenom 300E, about 2 h 25 min · 2 pax plus one dog
The written notice to the entry point at Faro went out days before arrival, well inside the 48-hour minimum, and the certificate was dated inside its ten days. The tapeworm appointment was booked near the villa for the day before the flight home, so a delay of a few hours left the window intact.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Portugal
1How long does it take to fly to Portugal by private jet?
About 1 h 55 min from London to Porto, 2 h 15 min to Lisbon and 2 h 25 min to Faro, gate to gate on a Phenom 300E from Farnborough. Madeira and the Azores take around 3 h 35 min. Mainland Portugal and Madeira keep British time, and the Azores are one hour behind.
2How much does a private jet to Portugal cost?
From about £11,800 one way from Farnborough to Lisbon on a Phenom 300E. Porto is cheaper, from about £9,100 out of Exeter on a Citation CJ3+, and Faro from about £12,750. Madeira starts at £17,650 and the Azores at £17,800, all from Farnborough.
3Which airports do private jets use in Portugal?
Lisbon, Porto and Faro carry nearly every jet, with customs open round the clock. Cascais is a small field for light jets, with approvals needed in advance. In the islands, Funchal, Porto Santo, Ponta Delgada and Terceira take business aircraft, and Beja serves the Alentejo in weekday hours.
4Is there a night curfew at Portuguese airports?
Yes. Landing and take-off are forbidden by law between midnight and six on the mainland and Madeira, with a small exception regime for Lisbon, Porto, Madeira, Porto Santo and Ponta Delgada. Cascais is closed from midnight to 07:00. We plan a Portuguese evening to be on the ground before midnight.
5Do I need a slot at Lisbon and Faro?
At Lisbon, yes, all year round. Faro is slot-coordinated in the summer season and only facilitated in winter. Porto and Madeira are coordinated too. Requests go through the national slot office, which works on weekdays, so a weekend flight is arranged in advance.
6What documents do British passengers need for Portugal?
A passport issued less than ten years before arrival and valid for at least three months after departure from the Schengen area, with no visa for up to 90 days in any 180. A first-time visitor may be asked to register a photograph and fingerprints. Passport and customs control are done at the first Portuguese airport where the aircraft lands.
7Can I take my dog on a private jet to Portugal?
Yes, with no weight limit and no hold. Portugal asks for a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old, an Animal Health Certificate dated within ten days of entry and written notice to the entry point at least 48 hours before arrival. A dog needs a tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before it returns to Britain.