Cannes-Mandelieu Airport (CEQ): Private Jet, Limits and FBO

Cannes-Mandelieu (CEQ / LFMD) is the business airport closest to the Croisette, but it does not take every jet. Its AIP bars jets above 35 tonnes and turboprops above 22 tonnes, on a main runway of 1,540 m. The airfield is coordinated at level 3 by COHOR, is not open around the clock and offers customs on request only. For example, a one-way Paris-Cannes flight costs EUR 8,500 in a Citation Mustang, 4 seats, for 1h30 of flying. From five to seven passengers, a light jet such as the Phenom 300 is charged at its category's hourly rate, from EUR 4,000 per hour. IBC Aviation checks weight, performance and crew qualification before proposing an aircraft to or from Cannes.

Cannes-Mandelieu fact sheet

35 tonnes for a jet, 22 for a turboprop

The 22-tonne figure, often quoted on its own, only applies to turboprops. For jets, the ministerial order of 6 December 1995, as amended and reproduced in the AIP, sets the limit at 35 tonnes of certified maximum take-off weight. A Challenger 350 or a Falcon 2000, both under 20 tonnes, fit comfortably within it. A Global 7500 or a Gulfstream G650 exceeds it and uses Nice instead.

Certified weight is not the whole story. A Falcon 7X stays below the ceiling, but the 1,540 m runway can force a lower take-off weight, and therefore less fuel and less range on departure from Cannes. The same order also bans Chapter 2 aircraft and Chapter 3 jets whose cumulative noise margin is below 13 EPNdB, at any time of day.

A runway shorter than it looks

Runway 17/35 is 1,540 m long, but the distance actually available for landing drops to 1,420 m on runway 17 and 1,260 m on runway 35. Neither end has a runway end safety area. At night, only runway 35 can be used for landing, with a precision approach path indicator mandatory for all traffic. Together with the weather and the actual weight, these figures decide which aircraft we select for a flight to Cannes.

A category B aerodrome

The AIP notes that the terrain, climate and surroundings of Cannes-Mandelieu require specific procedures. The airfield is classified category B for aerodrome competence: the captain must have completed training on its procedures and infrastructure. Not every crew can be rostered for Cannes at short notice, which is why we check it when choosing the operator.

Noise abatement procedures come on top of that training: a speed limit on approach, a prescribed track for runway 17 and restricted use of thrust reversers. A vertical deviation on the approach can lead to a request for explanation from the crew, or even a report to the French authority for airport noise control.

Slots, hours and customs

Like Nice, Cannes-Mandelieu is coordinated at level 3 by COHOR. The slot is requested through the ground handler, Sky Valet. Air traffic control works to hours published by NOTAM, which end in the evening, so a late departure has to be planned early or moved to Nice.

Customs and police attend on request. For a flight arriving from the United Kingdom, Switzerland or the Gulf, the request goes with the flight plan and our team confirms it with the FBO. Demand peaks during the Cannes Film Festival and the Cannes Yachting Festival, when slots and parking stands go early.

Sky Valet, the airfield's only FBO

No scheduled flight serves the airfield: all of it is given over to business and general aviation. Welcome, ground handling and coordination of formalities go through Sky Valet, which also operates at La Môle. The operator describes Cannes-Mandelieu as France's second business airport.

From Mandelieu to the Croisette

• Cannes city centre: about 6 km, some fifteen minutes by road outside the season.
• Nice Côte d'Azur: 30 to 40 minutes by road depending on traffic.
• Saint-Tropez: a longer drive in summer; La Môle airfield is the closest option by air, under strict conditions.

To plan the stay itself, our page on Cannes by private jet brings together the city's addresses and calendar.

Routes and rates from Cannes-Mandelieu

Only the Paris route carries an example price, tied to the aircraft shown; the other rows give the hourly rate of the category, and flight times remain estimates that vary with aircraft and wind.

When Nice takes over

Above 35 tonnes, for a departure after air traffic control closes, or if the operator has no crew trained for category B, the flight goes through Nice Airport, open 24/7 with no weight limit, about thirty minutes away by road. For a group flying a light jet or a very light jet, Cannes-Mandelieu remains the most direct gateway.

IBC Aviation in Cannes

Our Nice office follows flights to or from Cannes all year, with particular care during festival weeks: slot booking, customs request, coordination with Sky Valet and the transfer to the Croisette. The Riviera's routes and prices are gathered on our page on private jet charter in Nice.

• Nice: +33 4 93 21 48 88
• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Available 24/7.

Frequently asked questions

What is the maximum aircraft weight at Cannes-Mandelieu?

35 tonnes of certified maximum take-off weight for jets and 22 tonnes for turboprops, according to the AIP.

How long is the runway at Cannes-Mandelieu Airport?

The main runway 17/35 is 1,540 m by 45 m, with 1,420 m available for landing on runway 17 and 1,260 m on runway 35.

Is Cannes-Mandelieu Airport open at night?

It is not open 24/7: air traffic control works to hours published by NOTAM, which end in the evening. For a late departure, we look at Nice.

Do you need a slot to land at Cannes-Mandelieu?

Yes. The airport is coordinated at level 3 by COHOR, and the slot is requested through the ground handler Sky Valet.

How much does a private jet between Paris and Cannes cost?

For example, EUR 8,500 one way in a Citation Mustang, four seats, for a 1h30 flight.