Coming to France by Private Jet: The US Guide

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Where you land, and why it is not Charles de Gaulle

Three entry points cover most transatlantic arrivals, and none of them is a commercial hub.

• Paris-Le Bourget (LBG / LFPB), eleven kilometres north of Paris, dedicated exclusively to business aviation. Thirty minutes by car to the centre, or fifteen by helicopter to the Issy-les-Moulineaux heliport. The detail is on our Paris airports page.
• Nice Côte d'Azur (NCE / LFMN), seven kilometres from the city, the gateway to the Riviera and to Monaco, seven minutes away by helicopter. See our Nice airport page.
• Geneva, for the Alps and for western Switzerland, and the location of our own headquarters.

Charles de Gaulle and Orly are not the answer for a private arrival. They handle business aviation only in the context of side by side connections with a commercial flight, at high additional cost. Le Bourget exists precisely so that this is unnecessary.

What changed at the border in April 2026

The European Union's Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026, after a gradual rollout that began on 12 October 2025. It applies to every non-EU national, whether or not a visa is required, for stays of up to ninety days in any hundred and eighty.

In practice it means a facial image and fingerprints recorded on first entry, along with the date, place and purpose of each crossing. Children under twelve are exempt from fingerprinting. There is nothing to apply for in advance: the registration happens at the border, including at a business terminal.

ETIAS, the travel authorisation proper, is expected in the last quarter of 2026 and will not become mandatory before 2027. It is a separate step, and it will require an application. Both are set out on our EES and ETIAS page.

Why your own aircraft cannot fly you Paris to Nice

This is the point that surprises most American owners, and it is worth stating plainly. An aircraft registered outside the European Union cannot operate a commercial flight between two points inside the Union. Your N-registered jet brings you from New York to Paris. It cannot then carry you commercially from Paris to Nice.

The rule is called cabotage, it is enforced, and the penalties are substantial. The practical answer is a European-operated aircraft for the domestic legs, arranged by a broker established in Europe. We set out the whole mechanism on our cabotage page.

It is also the reason a European broker earns its place on an American itinerary. Not for the transatlantic sector, which any operator can sell. For everything that happens after landing.

What it costs

Our published hourly brackets start at EUR 4,800 on a midsize, EUR 6,500 on a heavy jet and EUR 9,000 to 12,000 on an ultra long range aircraft, which is the category a non-stop transatlantic sector requires. Aircraft, crew, fuel, ground handling and navigation charges are included; de-icing, special catering and out of hours airport opening are not.

We quote in euros and confirm the dollar equivalent at the time of quotation rather than publishing a rate that would be stale within a week. The full breakdown by category is in our pricing guide. Ask, and we convert on the day.

One figure worth knowing before comparing: an ultra long range aircraft is the only category that holds New York to Paris non-stop with a full cabin. Below it, the sector needs a technical stop, usually in Iceland or Ireland. Add around ninety minutes.

What Americans actually come for

Paris is the entry point rather than the destination. Four motives recur in our files, each with its own airport logic, and we arrange the sectors to or from any of them.

Wine. Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne, usually as a circuit rather than a single stop, which is a different aircraft question from a single return leg to one region. We set out the itinerary on our French wine tour page.

Normandy. The D-Day beaches and the American Cemetery at Colleville-sur-Mer, a family pilgrimage more than a visit, covered on our Normandy page.

The Riviera. Often a Friday extension to a Paris business trip, which is exactly the leg cabotage governs.

Events. Cannes in May, the Monaco Grand Prix, Roland-Garros, the Paris fashion weeks. Fixed dates, tight slots, and booking measured in weeks.

Who answers, and when

Six hours of time difference is a real obstacle, and we handle it in a way worth explaining. The office that takes your file is the one closest to your destination, not to you.

A request for Paris or the Riviera goes to our French teams. A request routing through Dubai goes to our Dubai office. Asia goes to Bangkok. The reasoning is simple: the person negotiating your slot, your parking and your ground handling should be in the same time zone as the airport doing the work, not the same one as the caller.

In practice, a request sent from New York in the morning is worked on in Europe during the afternoon and answered before the American day ends. We are reachable around the clock in any case, and the six-hour gap becomes an advantage rather than an obstacle: the work happens while you sleep.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 92 372 4680
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

How long is a private jet flight from New York to Paris?

About seven hours non-stop between Teterboro and Le Bourget, to be confirmed depending on the aircraft and the winds. An eastbound tailwind can shorten the sector by twenty to thirty minutes.

Which airport should a private jet use in Paris?

Le Bourget, eleven kilometres north of the city and given over to business aviation alone. Charles de Gaulle and Orly handle private flights only as side by side connections with commercial services, and at high additional cost, which is why they are rarely the answer.

Do I need biometric registration to enter France?

Yes. The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since 10 April 2026 and records a facial image and fingerprints on first entry for every non-EU national, with no advance application. Children under twelve are exempt from fingerprinting.

Can my own aircraft take me from Paris to Nice?

Not commercially. An aircraft registered outside the European Union cannot operate a commercial flight between two points inside it, and the rule is enforced. The domestic legs require a European-operated aircraft. That is what cabotage means in practice.

Do you quote in dollars?

We quote in euros and confirm the dollar equivalent at the time of quotation, rather than publishing a rate that would be out of date within a week. Hourly brackets start at EUR 4,800 on a midsize and EUR 9,000 to 12,000 on an ultra long range aircraft.