Private Jet Charter to Cat Island, Bahamas

Cat Island is one of the most remote and unspoiled of the inhabited Bahamian islands, a long, thin stretch of beaches, bush, and a handful of small eco-luxury resorts. It has almost no commercial air service and no mega-resorts. For the travelers it attracts, those deliberately seeking seclusion, that remoteness is the entire appeal, and private aviation is the only practical way to get here.

Genuine Seclusion and Eco-Luxury

Cat Island is the antidote to the big resort islands. The accommodation is small, low-key, and barefoot-luxury in character, places like Fernandez Bay Village rather than casino towers. Interest in this kind of quiet, off-grid Caribbean experience has been growing steadily, and Cat Island is increasingly searched by travelers who want somewhere that still feels undiscovered.

Two Airports for a Long Island

Cat Island stretches roughly 50 miles north to south, so the choice of arrival airport matters. Arthur's Town in the north and New Bight in the centre each serve different parts of the island. Matching the airport to the final destination, the way a private charter can, saves a long ground transfer down a single island road.

Direct Access Without Hubs

Reaching Cat Island commercially means connecting through Nassau on a limited regional schedule. Private charter flies direct from South Florida in about 90 minutes, landing at whichever airport is closest to the resort or villa, with no hub dependency and no fixed airline timetable.

Cat Island has two public airports, one in the north and one in the centre. Airport selection is destination-driven, since the island is long and ground transfer between ends takes time.

Cat Island's airports are small Out Island fields with basic ground handling rather than full FBO facilities. New Bight (MYCB) has customs on site; handling at both airports is arranged through the operator, and Hogani Jets coordinates fuel and ground services ahead of each flight.

Yes. Private jets fly nonstop into either Cat Island airport from South Florida and Nassau, with the right aircraft. The Bahamas requires a valid passport; U.S. citizens need no visa for stays under 8 months. International arrivals clear customs where applicable based on routing, and New Bight has customs on site.

Direct Routes Into Cat Island

• Miami and Fort Lauderdale: approximately 1 hour 30 minutes by turboprop or light jet to either airport.
• Nassau: approximately 45 to 60 minutes by turboprop, the common inter-island leg.
• New York and the Northeast: approximately 3 to 3.5 hours by light or midsize jet into Arthur's Town, the aircraft chosen to suit the runway.

Cat Island's two runways, 7,000 ft at Arthur's Town and 4,980 ft at New Bight, define which aircraft can operate and where. Turboprops and light jets work at both. Arthur's Town, being over 5,000 ft, also takes the larger categories on operational review. New Bight, just under 5,000 ft, is a genuine short-field strip and stays turboprop and light jet only.

Aircraft Feasibility by Airport

Flight Logistics and Arrival Planning

Cat Island is a low-density, distributed destination, so planning centres on matching aircraft to runway and airport to final settlement. Pre-departure documentation and arrival handling are coordinated ahead of each flight through the Part 135 operators Hogani Jets works with.

• Arrival airport is chosen to minimise ground transfer: New Bight for central resorts, Arthur's Town for the north or for a larger aircraft.
• Passengers disembark at the general aviation area; customs and immigration are completed where applicable based on routing.
• Ground transfer to the final settlement follows, with travel time depending on distance along the island.
• A valid passport is mandatory. No visa required for U.S. citizens on stays under 8 months.

Aircraft selection for Cat Island is governed by the two runways, the route, and the group. Cruise speed is included below as a reference. Turboprops and light jets are the standard; larger jets favour Arthur's Town.

Cat Island charter traffic is short-haul from South Florida and Nassau, almost entirely by turboprop and light jet. The arrival airport is matched to the final destination.

Private jet charter to Cat Island starts at $5,000+ one way for a turboprop from Nassau, with direct turboprop and light jet charters from South Florida starting around $9,500+. Larger aircraft from the Northeast route into Arthur's Town. All prices are starting points; the final quote reflects the specific aircraft and schedule.

Note: 
Prices are standard one-way estimates based on the hourly rate of the suggested aircraft category. Positioning, landing, handling, customs costs, and taxes are included in your all-in quote. These are typical rates we see on these routes, but market conditions can affect pricing. Please inquire for specific pricing.

Hourly Charter Rates by Aircraft Category

One-way charter prices include flight time plus repositioning, fuel, crew, taxes, and international handling fees. The hourly rates below show the underlying cost per flight hour for each aircraft category. These rates are standard across Hogani Jets routes.

Rates shown are hourly charter rates by aircraft category. Your quote shows one all-in price, including taxes, permits, and handling.

Pricing Factors Specific to Cat Island

• Lower traffic volume means a smaller pool of runway-capable aircraft, so availability and repositioning affect price more than at busy hubs.
• Midsize jets are limited to Arthur's Town and feasible on review, so larger-cabin requests can carry a premium or favour a turboprop alternative, particularly for central-island stays served by New Bight.
• International handling fees on arrival and departure where customs is involved typically run $500 to $1,000 and are included in your all-in quote.
• Peak season (December through April) tightens the small aircraft pool further; book early.

Cat Island operates year-round, with weather and the limited aircraft pool driving planning.

• Peak season (December through April): Best weather and highest demand on limited aircraft. Book 2 to 4 weeks ahead, more for holidays.
• Shoulder season (May and November): Favorable conditions and better availability. A strong value window.
• Rake 'n' Scrape Festival (June): Cat Island's signature cultural event draws visitors; book well ahead if travelling then.
• Hurricane season (June through October): Weather risk, particularly August and September. Flexibility matters given limited aircraft options.

This guide is written for travelers arriving by private jet. The focus is on the arrival sequence, the island's eco-luxury character, and what to know before flying into one of the Bahamas' most remote destinations.

Where to Stay on Cat Island

Cat Island's appeal is its lack of large resorts. The accommodation is small, eco-luxury, and barefoot in character, by design. Acknowledging that honestly is the point: people come here precisely because it is not built up. The properties below are the leading small resorts, each close to the central part of the island and best served by New Bight Airport.

Places to Visit on Cat Island

The following spots are the most requested by visitors. 

• Mount Alvernia Hermitage: Atop Como Hill, the highest point in the Bahamas at around 206 feet, a hand-built stone monastery with sweeping island views. The island's most iconic landmark.
• Fernandez Bay: A perfect crescent beach on the west coast, calm and swimmable, the heart of the island's small resort scene.
• The Boiling Hole and blue holes: Inland blue holes and tidal features unique to the island's geology, popular with adventurous visitors.
• Greenwood Beach: An eight-mile stretch of pink-tinged sand on the Atlantic side, one of the longest beaches in the Bahamas.
• Cultural heritage sites: Cat Island is the birthplace of Rake 'n' Scrape music and home to historic plantation ruins and African-Bahamian heritage.

Activities That Affect Flight Planning

• Scuba diving and blue holes: FAA recommends a 24-hour interval between diving and flying. Schedule dive days at least 24 hours before departure.
• Bonefishing: Cat Island's flats are excellent. No flight planning impact for same-day guided trips.
• Beach and hiking days: No flight planning impact.

Practical Considerations

Cat Island uses the Bahamian dollar, pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, so no currency exchange is required. The island is remote: services are limited, the single main road runs the length of the island, and a rental vehicle or resort transfer is essential. Cell coverage is patchy outside the settlements. There are no significant medical facilities; serious events require evacuation to Nassau, a genuine consideration on a remote island.

Hogani Jets coordinates all private jet charters through licensed Part 135 operators. Hogani Jets does not operate the aircraft directly. Every charter is conducted by a licensed Part 135 direct air carrier whose crew, maintenance, and operations remain under that carrier's independent operational control, with certifications and safety records reviewed as part of every booking.

Contact Hogani Jets at charter@hoganijets.com or +1-855-660-0573 to plan a Cat Island charter or remote Out Islands itinerary.