Private Jet Charter to Exuma (Great Exuma, Bahamas)

Great Exuma is a destination where private aviation is not a convenience upgrade, it is the practical travel mode. Commercial service into GGT is limited, connections are indirect, and the broader Exuma Cays have no commercial access at all. For clients whose itinerary extends beyond Great Exuma into the cays, private aviation is the only viable option.

Direct Access without Commercial Routing Complexity

There is no meaningful direct commercial service into GGT from most U.S. markets. Private charter eliminates connecting flights through Nassau or Miami entirely. From South Florida, passengers are on the ground in the Exuma in under 90 minutes from wheels up.

Gateway to the Exuma Cays

Exuma International Airport is the entry point for one of the most spectacular island chains in the Caribbean. Beyond Great Exuma, the cays stretch northward for more than 100 miles: Big Major Cay, Staniel Cay, Norman's Cay, and dozens of uninhabited islands accessible only by air or water. A Hogani Jets-coordinated itinerary can structure cay-level access as part of the original charter plan.

Low Density, Controlled Scheduling

GGT operates at a fraction of the volume of Nassau or Miami. Arrivals are straightforward, FBO handling is personal, and departure scheduling is predictable. For clients who travel to avoid crowds rather than find them, Exuma delivers what Nassau cannot.

Great Exuma is served by one primary airport for private jet operations, with two secondary airports and several smaller airstrips supporting cay-level access depending on aircraft capability and routing.

Exuma International is served by Odyssey Aviation as the primary FBO and ground handler. Odyssey operates across several Bahamian airports, giving consistent handling standards for clients routing through multiple Bahamas destinations on one itinerary.

Yes. Private jets fly nonstop into Exuma International Airport from South Florida, the Northeast, and Nassau. The Bahamas is an independent Commonwealth nation. U.S. citizens enter with a valid passport and no visa is required. Note that customs at GGT operates during daytime hours, which is a planning point for late arrivals.

Nonstop Routes into GGT

• Miami and Fort Lauderdale: approximately 1 hour 20 minutes by turboprop or light jet. The primary departure market for GGT charters.
•  Nassau: approximately 40 minutes by turboprop or light jet. A common add-on leg for clients routing through Nassau first.
• Atlanta: approximately 2 hours 30 minutes by light jet or midsize jet.
• Washington D.C.: approximately 3 hours. Midsize jet is the practical choice.
• New York and Teterboro: approximately 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours by midsize jet.

Exuma International operates a single 7,000 ft (2,134 m) asphalt runway (12/30) with PAPI both ends. This supports turboprops, light jets, and midsize jets under standard conditions, with heavy and ultra-long-range jets feasible on operational review. Cay-level routing introduces more restrictive runway constraints.

Aircraft Feasibility at GGT

Midsize jet is the routine choice for most GGT charters. Heavy and ultra-long-range jets are feasible on operational review, confirmed with the operator against payload and conditions. Passenger figures shown are maximum capacity; typical configurations carry fewer.

Cay Airport Feasibility

Routing onward to the cays is governed by much shorter runways. These are honest planning limits, not full-service jet airports.

Flight Logistics and Arrival Planning

Exuma is an international destination with daytime customs at GGT. Through the Part 135 operators Hogani Jets works with, customs pre-clearance documentation, immigration requirements, and GGT arrival handling are coordinated ahead of each flight.

• Passengers arrive into the Odyssey Aviation FBO terminal at GGT and clear customs and immigration without commercial terminal queues.
•  Ground transfer to Great Exuma resorts and properties is arranged through the resort or coordinated at booking with Hogani Jets.
•  For cay-level itineraries continuing to Staniel Cay, the domestic leg is planned as a separate segment after customs clearance at GGT. Norman's Cay has its own customs, so it can also be the arrival point.
•  Customs at GGT operates during daytime hours, with other hours on request, a planning point for late arrivals.
•  A valid passport is mandatory. U.S. passengers do not require a visa.

Aircraft selection for Exuma is governed first by runway capability at GGT and any secondary cay airstrips in the itinerary. Cruise speed is included below as a planning reference, useful on the longer routes from the Northeast.

The majority of private jet charters into Exuma originate from South Florida, with the Nassau-to-Exuma shuttle as a common add-on leg for multi-island Bahamas itineraries.

Private jet charter to Great Exuma starts at $4,000+ one way for a turboprop from Nassau, rising with distance and aircraft size. Pricing is driven by route distance, aircraft category, and whether the itinerary extends into the cays beyond GGT. 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 Exuma

• Peak season from December through April adds 15 to 20% above standard rates. The Exumas attract a high-net-worth leisure market during winter months, which compresses aircraft availability and elevates pricing.
• International handling fees at GGT on arrival and departure typically run $600 to $1,200 and are included in your all-in quote.
• Cay-level routing beyond GGT adds cost when a second turboprop segment is required. Staniel Cay and Norman's Cay legs are typically priced as separate charter segments.
• Repositioning costs apply when the nearest available aircraft is based outside the departure market. South Florida departures benefit from shorter repositioning distances than Northeast markets.

Exuma operates as a year-round private aviation destination, though timing significantly affects both pricing and operational conditions.

• Peak season (December through April): Best weather in the Exumas and highest demand. Book 4 to 8 weeks in advance for Christmas, New Year, and Spring Break windows.
• Shoulder season (May and November): Favorable conditions with pricing typically 15 to 20% below peak rates. Excellent visibility and calm seas make this the best value window.
• Hurricane season (June through October): Meaningful weather risk, particularly August and September. Flexible departure scheduling is essential.
•  The Exumas sit in the central Bahamas chain, slightly more exposed to Atlantic weather systems than Nassau, so weather windows matter more here than at larger hub airports.

This guide is written for travelers arriving by private jet. The focus is on ground logistics, resort options, and the specific experiences that make Exuma worth the flight, including the ones that affect your departure planning.

Where to Stay on Great Exuma

The luxury hotel set in Exuma is deliberately small, the island's appeal is exclusivity, not scale. Most high-net-worth charter clients arriving at GGT either stay at one of two primary resort properties or, more often, continue directly to a charter yacht for their time in the cays. We are honest about this: if the goal is the cays, the yacht is the real answer.

The Swimming Pigs at Big Major Cay

Big Major Cay, locally known as Pig Beach, is one of the most searched private travel experiences in the Caribbean. A colony of feral pigs lives on the uninhabited island and swims out to meet boats in the surrounding waters. Access is by boat only from Staniel Cay or by charter yacht anchored nearby. For clients whose primary goal is the swimming pigs, the practical routing is: fly private to GGT, clear customs, then either take a domestic turboprop leg to Staniel Cay (MYES) and a short boat from there, or board a charter yacht at GGT and sail north. Hogani Jets handles the aviation legs.

Places to Visit in the Exuma

The following spots are the most requested by visitors. 

•   Big Major Cay (Pig Beach): The famous swimming pigs, the single most aspirational Exuma experience, reached by boat from Staniel Cay or by yacht.
• Thunderball Grotto (Staniel Cay): A spectacular snorkeling cave used in James Bond films, accessible at low tide.
• The Exuma sandbars: Photogenic shifting sandbars in shallow turquoise water, a yacht-and-boat highlight.
• Compass Cay: Home to the friendly nurse sharks visitors can swim alongside, by boat from Staniel Cay.
• George Town and Stocking Island: The island's social hub plus the beaches and Chat 'N' Chill across the harbour.

Activities That Affect Flight Planning

• Scuba diving: FAA recommends a 24-hour interval between diving and flying. The Exumas offer some of the best diving in the Bahamas, including Thunderball Grotto. Schedule dive days at least 24 hours before departure.
• Boat charters and cay hopping: Day trips returning to Great Exuma by evening do not affect departure scheduling.
•  Fishing: The Exumas are a world-class bonefishing destination. No flight planning impact for same-day guided trips.

Practical Considerations

Exuma uses the Bahamian dollar, pegged 1:1 to the U.S. dollar, so no currency exchange is required. Cell coverage is reliable in George Town and at the main resorts but becomes limited or absent across the outer cays. Medical facilities on Great Exuma handle routine cases; serious events require evacuation to Nassau or Miami, a practical consideration for remote cay itineraries.

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 discuss Exuma routing and charter options.