When you can afford it, flying private should clearly be on your list.

When it comes to yachting, flying private is even more enjoyable as some of these best destinations can sometimes be hard to reach with commercial airlines.

We listed here, some of the famous yachting destinations where flying private can surely improve your holidays.

1. Polynesia: an archipelago where a private jet helps

Polynesia is notorious for being a “hard to reach” archipelago with commercial airlines.

If chartering a luxury yacht in Polynesia is clearly the best way to explore this immense region, the private flight is the best way to reach the archipelago in the first place.

French Polynesia is made up of about a hundred islands, divided into three groups: the Society, the Marquesas Islands, and the Tuamotu Archipelago, without so many commercial airports.

The best-served airport in the region is Papeete-Faaa (PPT). To reach the other islands, air connections are infrequent, and/or unavailable. Reaching the remote islands of the Tuamotu Archipelago will require a lot of patience.

The Papeete-Faa airport has a runway length of 3415 meters and can accommodate all types of private jets and turboprops.

2. In the Mediterranean: Turkey and the Cyclades are great for the ones who fly private

When it comes to the Mediterranean, two destinations come to mind for private flyers: the Cyclades in Greece and Turkey in general.

The Turkish coasts are among the most visited in the Mediterranean. Bodrum is the favorite destination for beach parties, while Patara and Kekova will seduce stones and history lovers. The beautiful peninsula of Datça and its deserted coves will enchant you with its lush landscape. Kas offers a wonderful example of local life.

Istanbul is the most serviced destination in Turkey. With its three airports, Ataturk Airport (IST), Samandira Airport (LTBX), and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), this destination is also convenient for those who wish to travel by private jet.

Companies offer departures to all of the 53 Turkish airports and especially the coastal destinations as Marmaris or Gocek. They propose different types of aircraft: light (Learjet 31A, Hawker 400A, …), medium (Learjet 60XR, Hawker 850 P…), and large jets (Legacy 600, Challenger 605…).

Fly privately straight from your origin or from Istanbul allow you to reach your charter quickly and as close as possible. You will also avoid the crowds and waits in public airports.

Greece and the Cyclades also offer beautiful itineraries for yacht charter. The Aegean region in Greece is very famous for its Cyclades islands, such as Santorini, Syros, Mykonos, or Paros. Let yourself be enchanted by their rich culture and history, but also their nightlife, shopping, gastronomy, beautiful beaches, and coves. From there you can also explore other Greek regions such as the Peloponnese (Patras) and the Dodecanese Islands, the Sporades, the Ionian Islands, …

Same as Istanbul, reaching Athens (ATH), by commercial line, is easy from anywhere in Europe. To reach the different islands, the commercial flight are more irregular. There are a few direct flights from Europe to Santorini (JTR) and Mykonos (JMK) in summer but not out of season. Private flights will allow you to fly to the nearest place of your embankment, in Mykonos, Paros, or Lefkas for example. Think also about helicopters which allow you to choose your itineraries, take great shots, and have a memorable experience.

Read also: 7 Reasons to Reach your Yacht By Private Jet.

3. Most Caribbean islands can accomodate private jets

For the numerous islands scattered over the huge 200,000 km2 Caribbean territory, the connections each of them are pretty difficult. Unless you fly private and then things take a much easier turn.

While some of the area’s international airports offer direct flights from Europe and the United States like in Martinique (Fort-de-France, FDF), Guadeloupe (Pointe-à-Pitre, PTP), and Saint-Martin (Princess Juliana International Airport, SXM), access to some remote islands requires one to several stopovers.

Destinations such as the Grenadines (Union, Canouan, Mustique), the Virgin Islands, Saint-Barth, or Antigua are long to reach.

The Grenadines are famous for their Tobago Cays national park, the Mustique and Canouan islands. From Paris to these islands, you can expect a minimum 14-hour flight with two stopovers, often in Guadeloupe, Antigua (V.C. Bird International Airport, ANU) or Saint Lucia. Regular airlines sometimes charge exorbitant fares and impose schedules. So prefer a private flight and disembark in Canouan where you can stay in the luxury Mandarin Oriental hotel. In addition, the quarantine, normally imposed, can be circumvented by 4-day isolation on board. You can check the protocol here.

Offering calm sailing, numerous snorkeling spots, and beautiful deserted beaches, the Virgin Islands are a paradise for yachties. To go from Paris to Beef Island requires two stopovers: in New York (JFK) or Atlanta (ATL), then in Puerto Rico, San Juan (SJU). Another option, as for Saint-Barth, is to fly to St. Martin or Guadeloupe, then opt for a private flight.

The luxurious and iconic St. Barths, a popular destination for yachties, is an ideal destination to fly private for time-saving. The runway at Saint-Barthélemy airport (Saint-Barthélemy-Rémy-de-Haenen (SBH) airport, formerly Saint-Jean-Gustave-III airport), with its 2170 feet long, is judged by pilots to be a little extreme. Specific aircraft, such as small regional turboprops and charters, are recommended to access this airport. 

Finally, private aviation is an important part of the Antigua airport’s business. Commercial flights from Europe to Antigua vary between 10 and 12 hours excluding stopovers and changeovers. It is also a destination where it is very convenient to reach by private aviation. 

Need information on the best way to reach your departure port ?

Whether you charter a private jet for all or part of your trip, it will be considerably shorter and more comfortable, but also safer, especially in today’s environment. 

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