What You Need to Know About Flying Internationally

The reality is that flying internationally, by default, comes with challenges. Flyers need to have valid travel documentation and will need to clear customs, even if flying privately.

However, basically every step of flying internationally is made easier by choosing a quality private charter service over standard commercial flight. This includes the most intimidating elements of flying, such as planning, baggage handling, going through customs, and more.

Documentation & Entry Requirements

More or less every country has unique rules when it comes to legally entering their borders, but there are many commonalities when it comes to these rules. Broadly, those flying internationally will need to make sure they have the right paperwork and that they understand how to clear customs and immigration. 

Here are some of the regulations you can expect:

Passports & Visas

Essentially all international travel requires that all people entering a country have a valid passport, with some countries also requiring a visa in order to enter. 

If you’re unsure if a visa is required, contact the foreign embassy of the country you’re travelling to. They can give you the latest official requirements for entering the country. 

Customs & Immigration Procedures

Even when flying via private jet, customs and immigrations must be cleared. Thankfully, doing so is often less logistically complicated and tends to go faster than clearing customs when flying via traditional commercial flight.

Remember that some goods must be declared when bringing them across national borders and that some countries may have unexpected duty requirements.

When entering another country, customs regulations typically require that a person declare what they are bringing into that country. This also includes when you return to the U.S. after traveling elsewhere.

Items to Declare

The specific items that a country requires to be declared can vary, but the list often includes the following:

• Clothing
• Electronics
• Gifts and items intended to be sold as merchandise
• Jewelry and other high-value items
• Many types of food, including fresh plant-based food, dried plant-based food, meats, animal products, seeds, and nuts
• Large sums of cash, high-value checks, and money orders

Duty Fees

Depending on the applicable rules and regulations, some declared items may require that you pay a duty fee, which is a tax for importing the declared item based on its import value. Many people pay little or nothing unless bringing many items of significant value. 

There is often a duty-free exemption window of several hundred dollars in value intended to let people avoid fees when bringing over items for personal use.

Banned Items

Some items generally cannot be legally brought over national borders (at least without significantly more paperwork), including the following:

• Firearms
• Endangered species and products that are derived from those animals
• Some cultural artifacts and antiques

Finally, it’s worth noting that it’s sometimes possible to get pre-clearance at certain airports, further speeding up travel times. Some airports also have fixed-base operators (FBOs), organizations with specially granted authority regarding aeronautical services at those airports. They may be able to help streamline your travel. 

Additional Considerations

Some additional important considerations regarding documentation to make when traveling include the following:

• Make sure any medication you’re travelling with can legally be brought into another country, is properly labelled, and that you have proof it has been prescribed to you.
• Ensure you can prove you have custody over any children you’re travelling with when one or both of a child’s legal guardians won’t be present. A notarized letter of permission from their guardians permitting you to have them in your care will also work.

Flight Planning & Regulatory Compliance

Understandably, flight planning is especially important when flying internationally. Regulations may vary by country, but flights must remain in compliance with all applicable regulations at all times.

Overflight & Landing Permits

Flying requires overflight permits, which authorize an aircraft to fly through controlled airspace, and landing permits, which authorize an aircraft to land at a particular location. Depending on the flight, multiple of the same type of permit may be required. 

The requirements and time to get these permits can vary significantly. In times of peace and between countries with good relations, requirements are usually at their easiest and processing times at their quickest. 

Most flights can get all their necessary permits within a few days, often less. Those seeking permits should start the process early, rather than wait until the theoretical last moment a permit can be obtained, as there can be delays in this process.

These types of permits should almost always be handled by experienced flight planners or operators. Small errors can cause major delays and potentially serious legal issues, so it’s best to make sure someone who handles this logistical obstacle regularly is the one helping you through it. 

Airspace Regulations & Restrictions

Primarily an issue for pilots and flight planners, airspace tends to be highly regulated, with some airspace highly restricted so that only certain types of authorized aircraft will be permitted to pass through it. 

For this reason, accurate flight planning is extremely important. Airspace regulations can be strict and with good reason, as planes flying where they aren’t supposed to represent a serious hazard.

Professional operators are well-versed in navigating these complexities. 

At Element Aviation, we do this work well, producing accurate, well-documented flight plans where the required paperwork is clear and easy to obtain. 

Aircraft & Crew Considerations

“Private flight” isn’t a monolith. All else being equal, the aircraft and crew manning and supporting the aircraft are an important consideration when choosing how to fly. 

Aircraft Range & Capabilities

The farther one wants to fly, the more consideration that needs to go into selecting the right aircraft. Not all private jets have a suitable range for long-haul international flights. 

Broadly, a longer flight takes more fuel. Different aircraft have different levels of fuel capacity and efficiency, meaning some can go much farther before they require refueling. 

Another consideration is amenities. For longer flights, you may want to look for aircraft with specific amenities available, such as these:

• Lounges
• Beds
• Luxury bathrooms
• Kitchens
• Entertainment suites, including televisions, computers, and game consoles

Crew Qualifications & Experience

International flight is best conducted with an experienced crew, all with the proper certifications. Many teams will also benefit from a multilingual crew, capable of both speaking your native tongue and the languages you will encounter when traveling. 

At Element Aviation, we seek out only experienced, quality personnel to crew our flights. Our clients can rest easy knowing they’re in good hands.

Health & Safety Protocols

The appropriate health and safety protocols can vary when flying, depending on the applicable requirements. Different countries may require specific vaccinations, for example, which you should research ahead of time and make sure you have administered before traveling. 

If you have any health needs, make sure they can be met when you travel, especially if going somewhere with a less robust healthcare system. Again, you may need to research whether any medication you take is permitted where you’re going and pinpoint alternatives if it isn’t (which should be discussed with a doctor).

You should also consider getting travel insurance, especially if traveling for a while or if you have known health issues, in the event of a serious international medical emergency. Most American health insurance policies won’t cover international medical expenses by default. 

Cost Considerations

When flying private, some key costs that need to be considered include the following:

• Fuel
• Crew
• Consumable amenities, like food
• Handling fees
• Permits
• Landing charges

At Element Aviation, these costs can potentially be reduced through our private jet card memberships. Our Gold and Platinum tiers let frequent flyers earn Loyalty Credits that can result in substantial savings over time. 

Private jet chartering is best compared to the closest “standard” commercial alternative: a typical first-class flight. At the time of writing, round-trip first-class flights to Europe start at about $10,000 per person. 

While such flights are likely to be cheaper (at least upfront), they’re also going to typically be slower, less customized to your needs, and less luxurious. First-class flights can certainly be tolerable and even enjoyable, but the reality is they won’t match the luxuries of even a modest private jet flight.  

Advantages of Flying Private vs. Commercial Internationally

Flying private carries many advantages over flying commercially. As the chart below outlines, flying private means more privacy, comfort, speed, and more.

Comparison	Private jet	Commercial airline
Booking Process	Highly flexible, with an itinerary tailored to the schedule of the flyers and with an ability to make last-minute changes	More rigid, with a standardized process designed for a high volume of flyers and with fixed flight schedules
Security Procedures	Expedited screenings at private terminals; wait times tend to be low, with a high degree of privacy for flyers	Lengthy and often unpredictable, with unexpected delays fairly common
Customs & Immigration	Streamlined and efficient, with pre-screening often possible	Standardized and often slow, with a possibility of long queues
Flight Scheduling	A major advantage, with highly customizable schedules in terms of timing and airport choice	A limited selection of flight routes on a rigid schedule
In-Flight Experience	Extremely customizable, with possibilities including gourmet food options, spacious seating, movies, games, and other personalized services	A standardized experience based on class, often including little more than a small selection of movies to watch and some basic food options
Privacy & Comfort	Inherently private, making flight ideal for those who seek a tranquil experience or who need (or just prefer) to hold private conversations	Shared cabins, making the presence of strangers basically inevitable; limited privacy, even when flying first class
Baggage Handling	Personalized handling, with luggage often loaded directly onto an aircraft; little room for damage or error	An often complex process, with weight limits and necessitating items move through many hands; greater potential for delay or even the loss of luggage
Cost Structure	Higher upfront costs, although offers advantages in convenience, customization, and speed	Generally more affordable, although hidden and semi-hidden fees, such as those for baggage handling and seat selection, can raise costs
Accessibility	Allows for access to airports that may be remote or less-serviced; ground travel time to your destinations minimized	Flights typically limited to major airports, potentially making some locations inaccessible or significantly increasing ground travel time
Health & Safety	A greatly reduced risk of exposure to crowds, with a controlled environment for most of the travel process and enhanced cleanliness protocols	Standard health and safety regulations with much higher exposure to crowds; health risks will inherently be highly variable based on the health of those around you

Travel the World With Element Aviation

Flying international is an easier, more comfortable process when you use a service like Element Aviation. Our professionals can simplify the planning process, and the entire experience can be customized around your needs and concerns. 

If you’d like to travel with Element Aviation or are curious about a particular element of private jet travel, contact our team. 

No matter how complex your itinerary, we would love to get you where you need to be quickly and in luxurious comfort.