Private jet charter in Latvia
Two and a half hours in a light jet put a London passenger on the Gulf of Riga, with a clock two hours ahead of Britain and little else to adjust. Latvia is a country of one big airport and a few small ones: Riga takes almost every jet, Liepāja on the Kurzeme coast can clear a flight from Britain on notice, and the VFR-only fields at Ventspils and Jūrmala are there for light aircraft in daylight and good weather. 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. In Latvia that service shows on the ground: it decides whether a winter party finds its de-icing slot at Riga, and whether the plan for the west coast starts with a 200 km drive or with a short hop by turboprop.
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 Latvia 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 City Airport, a Cessna Citation CJ3+ nonstop to Riga 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 Latvia?
Latvia keeps Eastern European time, two hours ahead of Britain, and the two countries move their clocks on the same weekends, so the gap never changes. These are the sectors from British airfields to Riga unless stated, gate to gate:
nonstop, 930 nautical miles with the routing allowanceabout 2 h 35 min
nonstop, 933 nautical miles, a faster cabin on almost the same distanceabout 2 h 25 min
nonstop, 899 nautical miles, the shortest run from any British field on our listabout 2 h 25 min
nonstop, 956 nautical milesabout 2 h 35 min
nonstop, 977 nautical milesabout 2 h 30 min
nonstop, 829 nautical miles, the west-coast landingabout 2 h 20 min
Out at eight, on the ground by half past twelve
A CJ3+ that leaves London City at eight in the morning touches down at Riga at about twenty-five to one local time. Business in the capital can start with a late lunch, and a return the same evening is realistic for a party that does not need a night.
Three questions are settled before the aircraft is released: who handles the flight at Riga, whether the operator needs a charter permission for it, and where the first border check takes place. We work on all three from the hour the request reaches us.
Airline or private jet: when the aircraft pays for itself
– For one traveller with a single meeting in Riga the scheduled seat is the economical choice, and the capital is well served from London;
– The jet is the better tool when the party is three or more, when a meeting in Riga is followed by a dinner in Jūrmala or a night in Sigulda, and when the destination is Liepāja or Kuldīga, where the scheduled route ends at Riga and the rest is a long drive.
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 Latvia
Typical private jet prices from Britain to Riga, cheapest first. Each row is a nonstop flight to the capital, and the aircraft is the type a broker would normally put on that sector:
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| London City - Riga 930 nm / 1,722 km, nonstop |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
from £12,550 |
| London Luton - Riga 933 nm / 1,728 km, nonstop |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
from £12,600 |
| Biggin Hill - Riga 937 nm / 1,735 km, nonstop |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
from £12,650 |
| Farnborough - Riga 966 nm / 1,789 km, nonstop |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
from £13,000 |
| Newcastle - Riga 899 nm / 1,665 km, nonstop |
Learjet 75 Liberty up to 7 passengers |
from £14,650 |
| Leeds Bradford - Riga 923 nm / 1,709 km, nonstop |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
from £15,500 |
| Manchester - Riga 956 nm / 1,771 km, nonstop |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
from £15,950 |
| Birmingham - Riga 963 nm / 1,783 km, nonstop |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
from £16,050 |
| Southampton - Riga 996 nm / 1,845 km, nonstop |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
from £16,550 |
| Bristol - Riga 1,028 nm / 1,904 km, nonstop |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
from £17,000 |
| Edinburgh - Riga 940 nm / 1,741 km, nonstop |
Challenger 350 up to 8 passengers |
from £19,500 |
| Glasgow - Riga 977 nm / 1,809 km, nonstop |
Challenger 350 up to 8 passengers |
from £20,150 |
| Cardiff - Riga 1,048 nm / 1,941 km, nonstop |
Citation Latitude up to 8 passengers |
from £21,300 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– London City on a Citation CJ3+ is the cheapest row at £12,550, with a Phenom 300E from Luton at £12,600, Biggin Hill on the CJ3+ at £12,650 and Farnborough at £13,000. Newcastle on a Learjet 75 Liberty is £14,650, less than Leeds Bradford or Manchester on a Citation XLS+ (£15,500 and £15,950), because the sector is shorter and the Learjet's hourly rate is a little lower. Scotland is dearer, since a Challenger 350 costs more per hour: Edinburgh is £19,500 and Glasgow £20,150;
– Riga is the reference, not the cheapest landing. From London City the same CJ3+ costs £11,400 to Liepāja, £11,700 to Ventspils and £12,300 to the Jūrmala airfield, against £12,550 to Riga, so the saving is real only when the destination is in the west and the airfield suits the aircraft. Handling fees and airport charges are inside the quote, so the figure does not change on the apron.
Private jet flights within Latvia and to its neighbours
Inside Latvia the distances are modest and the roads are long. Liepāja lies some 189 km from Riga in a straight line and about 200 km by road, Ventspils 161 km, and the Jūrmala airfield at Tukums 46 km. A turboprop covers any of them in under an hour, and the two VFR-only fields are for daylight and good visibility.
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riga - Jūrmala airfield 25 nm / 46 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 25 min | from £3,100 |
| Riga - Ventspils 87 nm / 161 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 40 min | from £3,100 |
| Riga - Liepāja 102 nm / 189 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 8 passengers |
about 45 min | from £3,100 |
| Riga - Tallinn 158 nm / 293 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
about 45 min | from £5,300 |
| Riga - Vilnius 150 nm / 278 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
about 45 min | from £5,300 |
| Riga - Helsinki-Vantaa 215 nm / 398 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 6 passengers |
about 50 min | from £5,300 |
| Riga - Stockholm Bromma 250 nm / 463 km |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
about 55 min | from £5,700 |
| Riga - Copenhagen 400 nm / 741 km |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
about 1 h 15 min | from £6,450 |
| Riga - Warsaw Chopin 316 nm / 585 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
about 1 h 05 min | from £6,800 |
| Riga - Oslo Gardermoen 465 nm / 861 km |
Phenom 300E up to 7 passengers |
about 1 h 25 min | from £7,200 |
| Riga - Berlin Brandenburg 473 nm / 876 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 8 passengers |
about 1 h 25 min | from £9,000 |
| Riga - Nice Cote d'Azur 1,058 nm / 1,959 km |
Praetor 600 up to 8 passengers |
about 2 h 40 min | from £18,350 |
Two things worth knowing about these sectors
– The short hops sit inside the minimum charge. Tallinn (45 min), Vilnius (45 min) and Helsinki (50 min) all cost £5,300 on a Citation CJ3+, because the minimum, not the distance, sets the price. A Pilatus PC-12 is the sensible aircraft for the in-country legs, at £3,100 to Liepāja;
– Stockholm, Warsaw, Copenhagen, Berlin and Oslo make the second ring, and Nice stands in for the long run to the Mediterranean. Latvia, Estonia and Lithuania are all inside Schengen, so a hop between the three capitals carries no passport check.
We can arrange the flights from any cities in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and European countries. Due to a large database of available business jets, we can help you find an optimal jet and crew. If you have any questions about the departure or the flight itself, you can ask them using the form below:
Prices depending on the type of business jet
We can clearly show the high dependence of the cost of the flight, on the type of aircraft - we have collected approximate data, at the price of 1 flight hour, for various types of business jets:
The cost per hour indicated in the table is preliminary and does not constitute an offer or a commercial offer. Exact prices are available from the managers of the company.
Online Calculator
If you want to make an urgent calculation of the cost of a private plane flight, use our online calculator. Just fill in all the fields of the form with a note that you are interested in a specific model of the aircraft and get the final price. NB! - the figures are sent to you by email or messenger, please carefully fill in the contact details to get the calculation.
All our calculations are as transparent as possible for you. After receiving the request, we will prepare a beautiful offer - where the costs and the final price will be clearly described. The exact price is agreed in advance and is written in the contract, so you can be sure of the final cost.
Private jets are ready to take off
Our database contains over 6,500 business jets (about 3,500 in Europe and 3,000 in the rest of the world) of different configurations and production years. The list of models is constantly updated. Unfortunately, we can't post a full list of available jets on our website due to confidentiality issues. Please contact the managers of the company for more accurate information. We will help you choose a suitable model taking into account your wishes. These are the typical choices for Latvia:
Light jets
The class behind the price in the title. Four to six people reach Riga nonstop from the south-east of England in under three hours. The 2,002-metre runway at Liepāja is long enough for the same class, with the airfield's own limits on notice and on hours.
Midsize
The usual pick from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and the south coast, and for a party with luggage for a week. A Citation XLS+ or a Latitude gives a cabin you can stand in and a hold for skis or golf bags.
Super-midsize and large
For delegations, families with staff and the long departures from Scotland. At Riga the limit is the stand and the winter de-icing queue, not the concrete.
Heavy and ultra-long range
For ten or more passengers, or when Riga is one stop on a longer programme to the Gulf or Asia. The business aviation centre at Riga has a hangar built for large cabins, and the stand is confirmed in writing before a figure is sent.
Turboprops
The aircraft for Riga to Liepāja, Ventspils or the Jūrmala airfield, and for the short hops to Tallinn or Vilnius when a jet's speed is wasted. The jet is the better choice for the crossing from Britain, being faster at a comparable cost.
Where the aircraft starts its day matters as much as its type. The best-priced jet for a Riga date may be waiting in Warsaw, Stockholm or Luton, and the positioning leg appears in the quote as its own line. We compare operators on the whole map before a number is sent.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight to Latvia 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
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Registration of documents. Payment of the invoice.
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Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Latvia
A flight from Britain comes from outside the Schengen area, so the first landing in Latvia has to be at an aerodrome with a border crossing point. The Latvian AIP lists four civil aerodromes for international traffic: Riga, Liepāja, Ventspils and the Jūrmala airfield at Tukums. Their hours, services and limits are set out below, and each one is confirmed in writing before a flight:
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Riga International, Mārupe RIX / EVRA |
about 9 km west-south-west of the centre | The landing for almost every jet and the only Latvian airport that clears flights at any hour without notice. One runway, 18/36, of 3,200 m by 45 m, with Category II approach lighting at both ends. The Latvian AIP lists customs, immigration, handling, fuelling and security round the clock, and de-icing round the clock from October to March and on request from April to September. Ground handling is compulsory for every flight. The AIP names RIX Ground Handling and Havas Latvia as providers, and industry directories list two business aviation handlers on the field, FBO Riga and Capital Handling. The FBO Riga centre has an apron for business jets, a helipad and a hangar reported to take up to five Boeing Business Jets |
| Liepāja LPX / EVLA |
about 5 km east of the town, 200 km or so from Riga | The one regional field that works as a jet airport. A single asphalt runway, 06/24, of 2,002 m by 40 m, with an ILS and approach lighting on 24 and a visual and VOR approach on 06. A flight from outside Schengen needs the operator's permission at least 24 hours ahead, customs and immigration work on request, and the office keeps weekday daytime hours. Jet A-1 is delivered on prior request, one de-icing truck is available on request, and there is no hangar and no repair facility. The airfield serves private, business and charter flights rather than scheduled ones |
| Ventspils VNT / EVVA |
about 2.7 nautical miles south-west of the town | A small harbour-town airfield for light aircraft. One runway, 03/21, of 1,298 m by 32 m, with no instrument approach, and the AIP admits visual flights only. It is open daily in the summer half of the year and on weekdays in winter, with permission needed outside those hours. Customs, immigration and handling are on request, Jet A-1 is the only product on offer, and there is no de-icing and no hangar. We do not plan jet charters from Britain around it |
| Jūrmala Airport, near Tukums QUJ / EVJA |
about 2.3 nautical miles south-east of Tukums and some 33 km west of the centre of Jūrmala | A general aviation field with a long concrete runway, 13/31, of 2,502 m by 45 m, lit and fitted with approach lighting but with no instrument approach, so the AIP limits it to visual flights, day and night. It opens round the clock on three hours' notice, customs and immigration need 24 hours' notice, and handling is compulsory. Jet A-1 comes on notice, and the airfield lists several hangars, some of them heated. It is farther from the resort's beaches than Riga is, so its use is parking and hangar space, not a shorter transfer |
Spilve, the old airfield on the north bank of the Daugava in Riga, is listed in the AIP for national VFR flights only, so a quote that names it for a flight from Britain is worth querying. Four points settle most Latvian arrivals before a quote goes out:
The permit: charter or private
The AIP asks the Ministry of Transport for permission for non-scheduled commercial flights, asks for three working days' notice for a single charter, and lists an exemption for small taxi flights of up to ten passengers on aircraft of 5,700 kg or less. A private flight is announced by its flight plan. We tell you which case your trip is and file whatever is needed.
The handler: compulsory, so agreed first
At Riga and at the Jūrmala airfield ground handling is compulsory. Before the flight the handler is appointed and the terms are settled; it then files the general declaration, orders fuel and a stand, tells your driver which door to wait at and arranges de-icing in winter.
The first landing: one airport all day, the others on notice
Riga clears flights at any hour. Liepāja needs 24 hours' permission for a flight from outside Schengen, the Jūrmala airfield wants 24 hours for customs, and Ventspils works on request in daytime. An evening arrival on the coast has to be planned around the airfield's day, not the clock of the dinner.
Noise: the resort sits under the approach
The AIP protects two areas over Jūrmala, one with a floor of 1,500 feet and one where jets and turboprops may not fly below 5,000 feet, which shapes the routes in and out of Riga. At night departures keep strictly to the published routes. Neither rule is a curfew; for a slot we ask the handler and confirm the answer in writing.
Winter at the stand: de-icing is a booking, not a given
Latvian winters average about minus 6 degrees Celsius, and a snowy morning puts the de-icing queue at Riga under pressure. The AIP lists the service round the clock from October to March, with providers Latautoavia, airBaltic and Havas Latvia, remote pads near both runway ends and requests to Riga Apron at least 20 minutes before off-block. Liepāja has one truck, asked for at least 15 minutes ahead, and Ventspils has none. We book early, keep Tallinn and Vilnius in mind as a plan B, and give the car company the handler's name as well as the flight number.
Arriving from Britain: passports, customs and what to carry
Latvia is a full member of the Schengen area and Britain is outside it, so the border check happens at the first landing. At Riga the handler arranges the arrival formalities with the airport's border and customs officers, and we confirm in writing where your party is received.
British citizens may visit without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period; the passport must have been issued less than ten years before the day of arrival and be valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave the Schengen areaevery passenger, children included
a photo and fingerprints are registered from short-stay visitors, and children aged 11 or younger are photographed but not fingerprinteda few extra minutes on the first visit
the British government's Latvia entry advice does not mention the EU's online ETIAS authorisation; if it applies to a British passport on your travel date, we tell you in the offer, not on the apronwe check for your date
anything prohibited, taxable or dutiable has to be declared, and meat, milk and their products cannot be brought into the EU, with exceptions for baby food, special medical food and pet fooddeclare when in doubt
customs asks for a general declaration with a passenger manifest and a cargo manifest, border guards for the general declaration alone, and the AIP accepts documents in Englishthe handler and our team prepare them
a certified declaration is needed for cash or travellers' cheques worth ten thousand or more in the EU's single currency, and without one the money can be seized on the way outdeclare it at the first landing
The way home, and the passenger with another passport
The return is a flight into Britain. A General Aviation Report goes to the border authorities not earlier than 48 hours and not later than two hours before departure, and British and Irish citizens need no Electronic Travel Authorisation, while most other visitors who do not need a visa still do.
If anyone in the party holds a different passport, say so at the start. The rules for entering Latvia and the rules for entering Britain are separate questions for that person, and each can take longer to settle than the flight takes to arrange.
Which airport for which part of Latvia
Latvia is low, forested and about 64,600 square kilometres in area, and one airport serves most of it. These are the distances that decide where a party lands, and a winter road adds to every one of them:
the capital, its medieval centre and the Art Nouveau streets; the airport lies about 9 km from the centreRiga
Majori, the resort's main district, is about 18 km from Riga airport, and the Ķemeri bog boardwalks lie farther westRiga, then car or helicopter
Sigulda is 53 km from the capital and Cēsis about 80 km north-east of it in a straight line; the national park runs between them and beyondRiga
the Baroque palace stands 12 km west of Bauska, roughly 60 km south of Riga in a straight lineRiga
the old town and the wide waterfall are about 130 km west of Riga in a straight line, about 78 km from Liepāja and 53 km from VentspilsLiepāja for light jets, otherwise Riga
the two port towns of Kurzeme; Liepāja is about 200 km from Riga and its airfield takes jets on notice, Ventspils has a field for light aircraft onlyLiepāja, or Riga by road
the lake district and Daugavpils, the second city, have no customs airfield on our list, so the arrival is at Riga and the rest is by roadRiga
The capital, the coast and the castles: what our clients go for
About 1.8 million people live in Latvia, more than half of the land is forest, and the highest point, Gaiziņkalns, stands 311.6 metres above the sea. The Baltic coast runs for 494 km. Most business starts in Riga, and the airport is nine kilometres from the meeting rooms.
The first leisure trip from Riga is usually east. Gauja National Park, set up in the 1970s, covers about 918 square kilometres of sandstone cliffs, caves, hill forts and castles. Its centre is Sigulda, a town of about 15,000 people that is 53 km from the capital. The ruins of its castle host an open-air opera festival every summer, a cable car crosses the river valley, and a bobsleigh, luge and skeleton track, built in the 1980s and 1,200 metres long, is a regular stop for skeleton World Cup races. Cēsis, the nearest city to the park, has a medieval castle and the Pēters Vasks Music Festival each spring.
South of Riga the road leads to Rundāle. The Baroque palace was designed by Bartolomeo Rastrelli for Ernst Johann von Biron, Duke of Courland, in two building periods in the 18th century, and it has been a museum since the early 1970s. Further west, Kuldīga is a small town on the Venta, where a rapid about 240 metres wide is called the widest waterfall in Europe and a long brick bridge of the 19th century crosses the river. The old town is on the UNESCO World Heritage List.
The coast is where the summer goes. Jūrmala, 25 km west of Riga, is a resort of white quartz sand, with Blue Flag water off Majori, the Dzintari concert hall and more than 4,000 wooden buildings in classical, national romantic and Art Nouveau styles. Its sanatoriums were built around mud, mineral springs and pine air, and the Ķemeri hotel-sanatorium opened in the 1930s. Farther west, Liepāja calls itself the city where the wind is born, and it has a long sand beach, the former closed military town of Karosta and the oldest symphony orchestra in the Baltic states. Ventspils, to the north, is an ice-free port with a castle built by the Livonian Order and a Sea Festival on the second weekend of July.
The Latvian year: ice, Midsummer and a concert summer
Riga is busy in every month, but the private-jet calendar follows the festival weeks, Midsummer and the winter holiday weekends:
the Old Riga Christmas market from the end of November into the new year, the Nutcracker at the National Opera, winter sports in the Gauja valley and the Ice Sculpture Festival in Jelgava in FebruaryRiga, with Sigulda by car
the Pēters Vasks Music Festival at Cēsis at the end of April, the Jelgava Sand Sculpture Festival in May and the Riga Marathon, which closes streets in the centre for a weekendRiga
the Riga Opera Festival, Midsummer on 23 and 24 June, Rīgas Ritmi in early July, the Sea Festival in Ventspils, the Sigulda opera and the concert season at Dzintari in Jūrmala, with the city festival in Ventspils in early AugustRiga, Liepāja for the west
the White Night in Riga in September, the film festival at the end of October, the Staro Rīga light festival in late autumn, Lāčplēša Day on 11 November and the Proclamation Day of the Republic on 18 NovemberRiga
The Latvian calendar: song festivals, opera ruins and Midsummer
A dated event fills an apron faster than anything else, and in Latvia nearly all of the busy dates fall in the summer:
What a Latvian peak does to a flight plan
The tight dates are the Song and Dance Festival year, Midsummer and the first weeks of July. Riga has the runway and the hangar for the rush, but stands for large cabins and hotel cars go first. Liepāja has set hours and no hangar, so a party bound for the west coast books the field's permission before anything else.
Flying to Latvia with a dog or a cat
A dog or cat sits in the cabin beside you, and the paperwork comes in two parts: the European set for the flight out and one vet appointment for the flight home. Latvia applies EU rules, and its Food and Veterinary Service publishes what an animal arriving from outside the Union must carry.
What the Latvian vets ask for
The animal needs an ISO microchip, and it has to be fitted before the rabies vaccination: if the vaccine came first, it must be repeated. Rabies vaccination is given from 12 weeks of age and 21 days must pass before travel. Britain is on Latvia's list of countries where no rabies antibody blood test is needed. The health certificate is issued for each trip under EU rules, is valid for ten days for entry and carries the owner's signed declaration that the journey is not commercial. One person may bring no more than five animals.
Latvia does not ask for tapeworm treatment on arrival. The return is another matter: a dog must have a tapeworm treatment from a vet no less than 24 and no more than 120 hours before it arrives in Great Britain, and a cat does not. Customs officers check the papers and the identity of the animal at the entry point, and an animal that fails the check can be sent back, isolated or, as a last resort, put down at the owner's expense.
- A microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination;
- A rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or later, with 21 days elapsed before travel;
- An official health certificate for each trip, since a British pet passport cannot be used to enter the EU;
- For a dog on the way home, a tapeworm treatment 24 to 120 hours before landing in Great Britain.
A trip that lands at Riga with a dog in the cabin is the simple case, because the customs service is on the airfield all day. A west-coast programme that lands at Liepāja with an animal aboard is raised at the quote stage: customs there work on request, and we agree the entry point in writing before the flight or fall back on Riga. A Baltic loop through Tallinn or Vilnius adds no pet rules. A stop in Finland, Ireland, Malta or Norway does, because those countries ask for a tapeworm treatment on the way in.
Rules for birds, rabbits and the less usual species, and for the countries where the timeline runs to months, are set out in our flying with pets guide.
Empty Legs
An empty leg is a repositioning flight with nobody aboard, sold at a fraction of the usual price. The Latvian corridor produces them because a party flies out in one direction only: the aircraft that brings it to Riga goes home empty, or arrives empty to collect it at the end of the stay.
Where Latvian empty legs come from
– The summer concert season: aircraft land at Riga with guests for Dzintari or the Sigulda opera, and the return leg goes unsold until the party flies home;
– The dated peaks, Midsummer, the Song and Dance Festival years and the Christmas market weekends, which fill the outbound flights and leave the reverse sectors empty;
– Business traffic: a jet takes a delegation to Riga and goes back the same evening, and operators in Warsaw, Helsinki and Stockholm move aircraft to Britain for the next client.
A client with a few spare days has a far better chance of a match, though the operator owns the date and a leg can disappear when the original booking changes. Whatever is free is listed on our empty legs page. A selection of Latvian empty legs follows:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Latvia (Liepāja) - UK (Biggin Hill) nonstop |
Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £4,800 |
| Latvia (Riga) - UK (London City) nonstop |
Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £5,250 |
| UK (Luton) - Latvia (Riga) nonstop |
Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £5,300 |
| UK (Farnborough) - Latvia (Riga) nonstop |
Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £5,450 |
| Latvia (Riga) - UK (Newcastle) nonstop |
Learjet 75 Liberty | 8 seats | £6,150 |
| Latvia (Riga) - UK (Manchester) nonstop |
Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £6,700 |
| UK (Birmingham) - Latvia (Riga) nonstop |
Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £6,750 |
| UK (Edinburgh) - Latvia (Riga) nonstop |
Challenger 350 | 9 seats | £8,200 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft, not per seat. A Citation XLS+ from Riga to Manchester with eight aboard comes to about £850 a head.
Helicopter charter
In Latvia a helicopter saves the road between the airport and the destination, not the crossing from Britain. These are our estimates for the main transfers from the centre of Riga, calculated at about 115 knots with a few minutes for the start and the landing:
the resort on the Gulf of Riga, against a drive that lengthens in the summer weekendsabout 15 min
the castles and the cable car over the Gauja valley, 53 km from the capitalabout 25 min
the Baroque palace of the Dukes of Courland, south of the capitalabout 25 min
the medieval castle town in the north-east of the Gauja parkabout 30 min
the old town and the Venta rapid in Kurzemeabout 45 min
the windy port on the west coast, instead of a drive of some 200 kmabout 65 min
These are estimates and move with the weather and the load. We confirm the aircraft, the route, the number of passengers and the baggage allowance for your date before the offer goes out.
Two points on Latvian rotary legs
A helicopter that sets down away from an airfield needs a site agreed with the operator and the landowner, and the choice is narrow around castles, palaces and the old towns. Coastal fog and low cloud in the Gulf of Riga can stop a flight, so the helicopter and the jet are booked together, with a car arranged in case the weather says no.
Flights from the UK to Latvia
The London fields send most of the traffic on this corridor, with the north of England, Scotland and Wales at the long end, and the table of prices higher up covers thirteen 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 |
Latvian charters from the booking notes: six typical trips
Six typical jobs put together from booking notes with the particulars changed, so none describes one named client or date.
SIGULDA · THE WINTER TRACK
Six friends and a skeleton weekend in the Gauja valley
Manchester - Riga, Citation XLS+, about 2 h 35 min · 6 pax
The party landed at Riga on a Friday morning and was in Sigulda, 53 km away, by lunch. De-icing was booked with the handler for the Sunday return, and the car left the valley early enough to leave a margin for the road.
LIEPĀJA · THE WEST COAST
Three people and a weekday morning at the port
Biggin Hill - Liepāja, Citation CJ3+, about 2 h 25 min · 3 pax
The airfield wants permission 24 hours ahead for a flight from outside Schengen and keeps weekday office hours, so the arrival was set for a Tuesday and the request went in on the Monday. The saving over Riga was real, and so was the loss of the hangar.
RUNDĀLE · THE PALACE DAY
Five guests and a drive south from Riga
Farnborough - Riga, Phenom 300E, about 2 h 30 min · 5 pax
They landed at Riga, took cars to the palace, which stands some 60 km from the capital in a straight line, and had a guided tour before dinner in the city. The aircraft waited at the business aviation centre and left in the evening.
JŪRMALA · A JULY EVENING
A couple at a concert hall on the coast
London Luton - Riga, Phenom 300E, about 2 h 25 min · 2 pax
Riga was the landing and the resort was a short drive away. The car was booked for the end of the concert, not the interval, and the return flight was set for late morning so the night was not cut short.
WITH THE DOG · CHIP FIRST
A couple and a labrador on a week in Riga
Birmingham - Riga, Citation XLS+, about 2 h 35 min · 2 pax + dog
The vet confirmed that the chip had been fitted before the rabies vaccination, the certificate was dated seven days before departure, and a vet in Riga gave the tapeworm treatment on the Thursday, inside the window for the Saturday flight home.
EMPTY LEG · A FLEXIBLE FRIDAY
A jet already heading for the north of England
Riga - Newcastle, Learjet 75 Liberty empty leg, about 2 h 25 min · 4 pax
The client gave us a window of three days rather than a date, which is what makes these work, and paid about £6,150, a little under half of a fresh one-way charter on the same sector.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Latvia
1How long does it take to fly to Latvia by private jet?
About 2 hours 35 minutes from London City to Riga in a Citation CJ3+, about 2 hours 25 minutes from Luton in a Phenom 300E, about 2 hours 35 minutes from Manchester in a Citation XLS+ and about 2 hours 30 minutes from Glasgow in a Challenger 350. Latvia is two hours ahead of Britain all year, so a morning departure lands around lunchtime local time.
2How much does a private jet to Latvia cost?
From about £12,550 one way from London City to Riga on a Citation CJ3+, £12,600 from Luton on a Phenom 300E and £12,650 from Biggin Hill. A Citation XLS+ from Manchester is about £15,950 and a Challenger 350 from Glasgow about £20,150. The west-coast field at Liepāja costs about £11,400 from London City on the same CJ3+.
3Which airports do private jets use in Latvia?
Riga International (RIX / EVRA) takes almost every jet: one runway of 3,200 metres, customs and immigration listed round the clock, and a business aviation centre with its own handlers. Liepāja (LPX / EVLA) has a 2,002-metre runway with an ILS and takes jets on 24 hours' permission for flights from outside Schengen. Ventspils and the Jūrmala airfield at Tukums are visual-flight fields for light aircraft in good weather.
4What are the passport and customs rules for a private flight from Britain to Latvia?
British citizens may stay up to 90 days in any 180 without a visa, and the passport must be less than ten years old on arrival and valid for three months after departure. Photos and fingerprints are registered under the Entry/Exit System. The first Latvian landing must be at an aerodrome with a border crossing point, and customs asks for a general declaration with passenger and cargo manifests. The AIP asks for Ministry of Transport permission for paid charters, lists an exemption for small taxi flights and asks for none for private flights, and we confirm which case applies.
5Can I take my dog or cat on a private jet to Latvia?
Yes. The animal needs a microchip fitted before the rabies vaccination, a rabies vaccination given from 12 weeks of age with 21 days elapsed, an official health certificate valid for ten days and a signed declaration that the journey is not commercial. Latvia does not ask for a blood test from British animals or for tapeworm treatment on arrival. A dog coming home needs a treatment 24 to 120 hours before it lands in Great Britain, so we book a vet for the day before the flight.
6How early should I book a private jet to Latvia?
As soon as the dates are known, and at least three working days ahead for a paid charter, since the Latvian AIP asks for that notice. Liepāja needs 24 hours' permission for a flight from outside Schengen. Midsummer, the Song and Dance Festival years and early July fill the aprons first, and winter mornings need de-icing booked early.