London to Palma. Two hours in the air, then twenty minutes by car to Club de Mar.
The easiest of the Balearic routes, and the one the yachting world actually uses. Palma's general aviation terminal works around the clock, which means a crew change at three in the morning is an ordinary request rather than a favour.
The route
At a glance
- Flight timeAbout 2 hours to 2 hours 20Depending on aircraft type, routing and winds.
- DistanceRoughly 820 milesWithin the comfortable non-stop range of every jet category, from light jets upward.
- FromLuton, Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Northolt or StanstedChosen for where you live and where suitable aircraft are based that week.
- ToPalma de Mallorca (PMI)A 24 hour field with its own general aviation terminal, customs and immigration on site.
Because the whole range of aircraft can do it non-stop, the decision is about cabin and luggage. Yacht trips travel heavy: tenders full of guests, cases, provisions and crew bags add up quickly, and a midsize or super midsize aircraft is often the honest answer where a light jet would technically do.
Why people fly it privately
The boat sets the timetable
Most London to Palma charters are not holidays that happen to involve a boat. They are boats that dictate the whole movement. A captain has a weather window, a charter starts on Saturday, a refit is finishing at the yard, and the flight has to fit around all of that rather than the other way round. That is why the twenty four hour terminal matters so much: it removes the question of whether you can arrive at an awkward hour.
It also changes who travels. A single Palma trip often involves guests arriving on one aircraft, crew arriving from three different countries on scheduled flights, and provisioning arriving by van, all in the same twelve hours. When those are arranged by three different people, something is left standing at a terminal door. When one person holds them, they simply happen.
The two busiest weeks for ground transport on Mallorca are not in August at all. They are the spring, when the fleet comes out of the yards and the bay fills for the boat show, and the second half of September, when the boats go back. We treat both as peak, and we ask for those dates earlier than the summer ones.
Door to door
How the options really compare
| Mode | Typical door to door | What it is actually like |
|---|---|---|
| Private jet from Luton or Farnborough | About 4 hours to 4 hours 45 | Fifteen minutes on the ground in London, two hours in the air, and a car at the general aviation terminal that reaches Club de Mar in twenty minutes. |
| Scheduled flight from Heathrow or Gatwick | 6 hours 30 to 8 hours 30 | Fine in May. In August, a full aircraft and an arrivals hall that is one of the busiest in Spain. |
| Road and ferry | 24 hours or more | Drive to Barcelona or Valencia and take the ferry. Only worth it if the car is staying for the season. |
Realistic ranges. The private figure assumes the car is waiting and the marina is on the Palma side of the island. Port Adriano, Andratx and the north west coast add half an hour or more.
Planning it well
Things worth knowing
- Give us the marina and the berth, not just the yacht name. Club de Mar, Moll Vell, Port de Mallorca, Puerto Portals and Port Adriano are all different drives and different gate procedures
- Say whether the move is guests or crew, and if it is both, expect two cars. Crew moves are luggage heavy and often at unhelpful hours, and a V-Class is usually the right answer
- If the aircraft is staying more than a week in high summer, tell your operator early. Between June and September the apron rules limit longer stays for larger aircraft without specific approval
- Slot requests for general and corporate aviation in the summer months have to carry both the arrival and the departure, so a vague return date makes the operator's job harder
- Menorca and Ibiza are short hops from Palma by air or fast ferry, and in August both need booking. See Ibiza airport
- For a day trip with the aircraft waiting, or for a one-way with the return as an empty leg, ask us to compare both. See what charter costs
Around the trip
Related pages
On the islands
Yachts and charter
Request a quote
Tell us the dates
Give us the outline and we will come back with a fixed price. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About this route
Which London airport is best?
Whichever is closest to you and has a suitable aircraft that week. Luton and Farnborough have the most choice. Biggin Hill suits the City and the south east.
Can we arrive in the middle of the night?
Yes. Palma's general aviation terminal works around the clock with customs and immigration on site, which is exactly why yacht crews use it.
Is Palma better than Ibiza for a yacht?
Usually. More room, longer hours and a proper superyacht infrastructure in the bay. For an Ibiza villa, fly to Ibiza.
Can you move crew as well as guests?
Yes, and we prefer to. Splitting the guest car and the crew car between two suppliers is how a three in the morning pick up gets missed.
Can you arrange the yacht as well?
Yes. See yacht charter and how yacht charter works.
One contact, wherever you are