Bahamas Private Jet Charter FAQs

Yes. A flight from the United States to the Bahamas is an international trip, so every passenger needs a valid passport, and in some cases a visa depending on nationality. Children need their own passports too. Have them with you at the airport rather than packed, because the flight crew reviews travel documents before boarding.

Your first landing in the country has to be at a designated airport of entry, where Bahamas Customs and Immigration clear the aircraft and the passengers. At the larger fields such as Nassau and Freeport, that happens at the private terminal rather than in the main airline hall, and it’s usually the quickest part of the day. Your advisor will confirm which airport your trip clears through and what to expect on arrival.

It depends on where you’re actually going, and it’s worth a conversation before you book. Nassau serves New Providence and Paradise Island. Freeport serves Grand Bahama. Marsh Harbour and Treasure Cay serves the Abacos. North Eleuthera is the gateway for Harbour Island and Spanish Wells, while Governor’s Harbour and Rock Sound serve the middle and south of Eleuthera. Exuma International is the arrival point for Great Exuma and the Exuma Cays, and South Bimini serves Bimini. Several of the smaller Out Island fields suit turboprops and light aircraft better than jets, so the island you’re heading to often decides the aircraft as much as the passenger count does.

Many international destinations require special permissions for landing and customs. Permits are generally applied for after a trip has been secured on the aircraft schedule, and sometimes the timeline is dictated by the local airport authorities. We will always do our best to ensure departure and arrival times meet your needs, but these are sometimes subject to the approvals of the local airport authority and government.

Not on its own. Under the Bahamian Civil Aviation Act, a foreign operator needs authorization from the Bahamas Civil Aviation Authority before it can carry commercial traffic to and from Bahamian airports. In plain terms, the operator has to be cleared by the destination country as well as by the FAA. Confirming that is part of our internal due diligence process, and it’s one of the reasons a Bahamas trip is worth booking through someone who does this route regularly.

Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, and the Bahamas sits in the track, so it’s a scheduling conversation rather than a reason to cancel your summer. Your advisor watches the reported advisories ahead of departure and will reach out as soon as we’re aware of anything affecting your schedule. The aircraft operator and the Pilot in Command hold the final say on takeoff and landing. If conditions require it, we may recommend moving your departure to an earlier time, delaying, or using an alternate airport, subject to scheduling and aircraft availability.

Anytime. No matter what time zone you’re in or flying to, someone is available to help with every detail of your trip. We work day and night, in all time zones, 24/7/365.

Yes! We’ve worked with corporate flight departments to fill the gap when a replacement aircraft is needed, whether that’s a second jet for simultaneous trips or a longer-range aircraft than the fleet on hand can manage. Flights can often be arranged in as little as four to six hours, which helps when a scheduled aircraft goes unavailable for mechanical or other reasons. Fractional owners can also charter outside their fractional plan and save their program hours for trips where they’re worth more.

Your privacy matters to us. Passenger details and flight itineraries are confidential, and they’re shared strictly on a need-to-know basis with the people who have to have them to run the flight.

An airport slot is prior permission from the airport and Air Traffic Control to land at a specific airport during a busy period, usually a major event, when ramp space and parking are expected to be tight. Learn more about airport slots.

One person who knows your trip. From the first quote through to landing, you deal with the same advisor rather than whoever picks up, and questions get answered without you starting the story over.

Jet Charter Bahamas is a United States based charter broker headquartered in the Philadelphia region, close to several of the busiest airports in private aviation. We also have team members and affiliates around the world, so we can arrange flights well beyond the Bahamas. We coordinate departures from your home airport through our operator network, wherever you are flying from. Ask us for a no-commitment quote and see what we come back with.

A broad mix, all with different reasons for flying. Some of what we handle most often includes private jets for leisure and corporate travel, air cargo charter, celebrity and professional sports team transportation, relocation assistance, and medical charter flights. There’s more, so please ask.

No. We arrange completely private flights under FAR Part 135 regulations, or the foreign equivalent, and by law we can only sell a flight to one entity. You’re very welcome to put a group together and split the cost amongst yourselves, but the contract is with one person, and that person is our single point of contact and carries the financial and legal responsibility for the flight. Per-seat public charter sits under FAR Part 380, which is an entirely different regulation.

Depending on the routing and what’s available, a private flight can sometimes be arranged with as little as six hours’ notice. At the other end of the scale, we don’t give firm quotes too far in advance, because availability shifts and the aircraft quoted months out may not be the same aircraft on the day of your flight. Get in touch closer to your travel date for a firmer number.

We will work through it with you. Trip distance, passenger count, baggage, and what the runway will take at both ends all narrow the field, and we send you a shortlist to choose from rather than a catalog. You can also browse our Aircraft Gallery for pictures and specifications on the aircraft chartered most often.

Payment is accepted in the form of a bank wire transfer, ACH transfer, or major credit card. At this time, we do not accept any forms of cryptocurrency or virtual credit cards.

• Bank Wire Transfer / ACH Payment discount: By electing to pay via Bank Wire Transfer or ACH Transfer, you will pay the amount quoted by your advisor, which includes a 5% cash payment discount.
• Credit Card Payments: If you elect to pay via personal or corporate credit card, the 5% cash discount is removed. Additionally, please note that in the event of any cancellation or refund, credit card processing fees and the 5% price difference are retained by Air Charter Advisors as non-refundable administrative costs.
• Incidental Guarantee: In addition to the payment method used for your flight, Air Charter Advisors requires a valid credit card on file as a guarantee for incidentals and operational extras (such as catering, ground transportation, pet cleaning fees, Wi-Fi, or de-icing). A temporary incidental hold (such as a $5,000 authorization) may be applied at the time of booking and released post-flight if no balances remain.

For additional questions regarding payment deadlines, wiring instructions, and cancellation policies, please reach out to your Air Charter Advisor directly or review your executed Charter Broker Agreement: Standard Terms & Conditions.

Any trip to the Bahamas is international, so every passenger needs a valid passport, and depending on nationality, a visa as well. On a purely domestic flight a compliant photo ID such as a driver’s license is usually enough.

Yes, and they vary by aircraft. Every aircraft has a different baggage compartment size and weight limit, and bags travel in the aft compartment or the nose. Tell us your expected baggage weight and size when you book so we can plan for it. Soft-sided bags are the best way to maximize what fits. If you have fragile or oversized items, call us and we’ll walk you through the options.

Yes. With enough notice before your flight, we can do the legwork to help you locate and arrange ground transportation through a third-party vendor, whether that’s a luxury chauffeured sedan, a stretch limousine, a Sprinter-style van, or even an armored vehicle, at your departure airport or on arrival in Nassau, Freeport or the Out Islands.

Not directly. We keep our attention on being the best charter brokerage we can be rather than spreading into travel agency work. That said, we’ve negotiated with a number of organizations to bring our clients preferential rates and service on the extras, so ask and we’ll point you in the right direction.

Far more than you can on a commercial ticket, which is most of the point. Each airport and each aircraft comes with its own requirements, and the aircraft chosen for your trip may need a certain amount of runway at both ends. On an international trip such as the Bahamas, you also need to clear at an airport of entry. We’ll set the departure and arrival airports as close to where you’re actually going as the aircraft and the conditions allow.

Your charter itinerary arrives by email. It confirms your reservation and sets out the travel dates and estimated departure times, the flight segments arranged on your behalf, the aircraft type, and anything else you asked for when booking.

Mother Nature throws the occasional curveball, and winds, turbulence and storms can complicate a route. Ahead of departure your advisor watches for any reported weather advisories that might affect your schedule. The aircraft operator and the Pilot in Command have the final decision on takeoff and landing, and they’ll work to avoid weather, but delays do happen. If any changes are required due to weather and passenger safety, you can expect your advisor to reach out as soon as we’re aware.

Yes, on the right aircraft. Some people fly private for exactly this reason. Let us know before we quote, because it narrows the options and the arrangements need making in advance rather than on the day.

That depends on the size of the aircraft. Charter aircraft run from two-seat pistons through sixteen-passenger heavy jets to airliners carrying 220 or more, and generally the smaller the cabin, the fewer the amenities. You’ll hear the bathroom called a lav or a lavatory in this industry.

On larger aircraft the lavatory is fully enclosed, with a toilet, a sink and room to change. On some smaller aircraft it’s semi-enclosed behind a retractable curtain. On the smallest, there may be a seat that lifts for emergency use, or no facility at all. Ask before you book if it matters, and it often does on a two-hour crossing.

We are very pet friendly, but not every aircraft owner is, so tell us about your pet before anything is booked. We will need the type of animal, the weight and the breed. Bear in mind that the Bahamas is a separate country with its own animal import requirements, so allow time for the paperwork on your side as well.

Pilots who meet or exceed the FAR Part 135 requirements to fly charter, flying for an operator that holds the certification for the trip. We go a step further and confirm that the pilots have sufficient time and experience on the specific aircraft type you’ll be flying on.

Usually a private one. At most airports there’s a private terminal called a fixed-base operator, or FBO, which works like a commercial waiting area but for private passengers only. Most FBOs at the airports we use offer a lounge area, restrooms, and complimentary refreshments. Smaller airports may use a general aviation building or have minimal facilities; your advisor will confirm what to expect. In the Bahamas the FBO is also usually where Customs and Immigration clear you on arrival.

A certified third-party air carrier, never us. We search for aircraft with minimal repositioning cost that are priced competitively wherever your trip starts, and present you with a set of options. Once you’ve chosen, we secure the aircraft, and the operator and tail number appear on your itinerary before you fly.

Depending on the size and capabilities of the specific aircraft selected, many private jets offer advanced in-flight amenities. Some features are complimentary, while others incur additional fees.

While not all aircraft feature the items below, we can arrange your charter flight to include them by request (availability varies by aircraft model, service areas, domestic versus international flights, and over-water routing):

• Wi-Fi High-Speed Internet (such as Gogo for domestic routes or Starlink/Viasat for international and over-water connectivity)
• Televisions
• Smartphone Connectivity
• Music and Entertainment Systems
• Coffee / Espresso Machines & Microwaves

Important Note: Because amenities vary significantly by aircraft (smaller light jets may have limited cabin space, lack specialized galleys, or experience signal drops), please notify your dedicated advisor of any must-have tech or catering requirements prior to booking. Any added amenities, special requests, or third-party operational costs will be billed in accordance with your Charter Broker Agreement.

Some aircraft require a cabin attendant and some do not. If you would like one either way, tell us before we quote and we will factor it in.