The short answer
Arrive about 20 minutes before departure. There is no airline-style check-in and no queue: you go to the private terminal named on your flight schedule, your identity is checked, your bags are loaded and you board. Security and border rules still apply — you need a passport for an international flight, and any visa an airline passenger would need — but the checks are usually done privately and take minutes.
Key facts
- Arrive about 20 minutes before departure; allow longer for more than ten passengers or a lot of luggage.
- Your flight schedule, sent at least 48 hours ahead, names the terminal and gives directions.
- A passport is required for an international flight; visa rules are the same as on an airline.
- The passengers’ details are sent to the border authorities before the flight.
- Customs and immigration are handled privately where the airport provides for it.
Where do I go?
To the private terminal or handling agent named on your flight schedule, not to the airline terminal. The schedule arrives at least 48 hours before departure and gives the name, the address and directions, so that you or your driver know exactly where to go. The private terminal is often called an FBO, and it usually has parking at the door.
What happens when I arrive?
A member of your crew or of the handling team meets you. Your identity is checked against the passenger list, your luggage is taken to the aircraft and you are shown out to it — usually a short walk. From the door of the terminal to your seat is a matter of minutes.
Do private jet passengers go through security?
Yes. Private aviation is regulated like the rest of aviation, and passengers and their bags are identified and, where the rules for that airport and aircraft require it, screened. The difference is in how it is done: in the private terminal, for your party alone, without the queues of an airline terminal.
Do I need a passport on a private jet?
On an international flight, yes. The border rules are exactly the same as on an airline: the same passport and the same visas. Before the flight we ask for a copy of each passenger’s passport. The details go on the passenger list sent to the border authorities and to the handling agents at both ends, which often allows passengers to be cleared in advance. You must still carry the passport itself. For flights within the UK we still supply the passengers’ details, so identification is asked for.
Where are customs and immigration done?
At most business airports, in the private terminal, by officers who are based on site or who attend for your flight. Arrangements differ from airport to airport: at some, the border check is carried out in the main terminal, and at others customs attends only by prior arrangement. Each airport page on this site says what applies, and your flight schedule confirms it.
Can I arrive later than 20 minutes before?
Sometimes, but it is unwise. Flights through busy airspace are given a take-off slot, and a missed slot can mean a long wait for the next one. Being on board and ready on time is the best protection against a delay. Larger groups, and parties with a lot of luggage, should allow a little longer.
And when I land?
The same in reverse. Handling staff meet the aircraft, any border formalities are completed and your bags are brought to you. If a chauffeur has been arranged with your flight, the car is timed to the aircraft, so it is there when you are.
More questions
How long before a private jet flight should I arrive?
About 20 minutes before departure. Allow a little longer if there are more than ten passengers or a lot of luggage to load.
Is luggage checked on a private jet?
Luggage is identified and, where the airport’s rules require it, screened. It is then loaded directly onto the aircraft. The rules on dangerous goods apply as they do on an airline.
Do children need a passport on a private jet?
Yes. On an international flight every passenger needs their own valid passport, whatever their age, exactly as on an airline.
Do I need a visa to fly by private jet?
If you would need one on an airline, you need one on a private jet. Immigration rules depend on your nationality and your destination, not on the aircraft. Charter-A can guide you, but each passenger is responsible for holding the right documents.
What is a CTOT, or take-off slot?
A calculated take-off time: a slot issued by air traffic flow management when the airspace or an airport is busy. It applies to private jets as it does to airlines, and allows take-off from five minutes before to ten minutes after the time given.
Related articles
How do you charter a private jet for the first time?
To charter a private jet you need three things: the route, the date and the number of passengers.
Read the answer →AirportsWhich airports can a private jet use?
A private jet can use almost any airport with a runway long enough for the aircraft, opening hours that suit the flight and, for an international trip, customs and immigration.
Read the answer →LuggageHow much luggage can you take on a private jet?
As a general guide, one suitcase and one soft bag for each passenger.
Read the answer →On this site
More from Charter-A.com
- Private jet check-in times
- Do private jets go through security?
- Passports and private jets
- What is a CTOT delay?
Arrival times, the flight schedule and the passenger list are as set out in Charter-A’s booking documents; airport arrangements are from the airport records on this site. Charter-A Ltd acts as agent for the passenger; details are confirmed for each flight at booking.