Sydney's 11pm to 6am curfew grounds most airline flights, but many business jets can still use the airport. The Sydney Airport Curfew (Curfew Aircraft) Instrument 2015 lists low-noise jet types that may operate during those hours without using the movement quota, and the department describes them as mostly business and small freight jets. Those flights route over Botany Bay. So a 5am departure or a midnight arrival, outside airline hours, is often available on a charter, depending on the aircraft type.
The other Sydney decision is Kingsford Smith against Bankstown. Kingsford Smith is 8 km from the city with a private terminal and customs. Bankstown is 22 km out, has no Commonwealth curfew, and Navair runs a private terminal there with car parking.
Prices shown are published estimates only. Your final price will depend on the aircraft available, travel date, route, passenger numbers, luggage and any additional fees. Request a quote from the charter company for an exact price.
Bankstown against Kingsford Smith
| Kingsford Smith | Bankstown | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance from CBD | About 8 km | About 22 km |
| Private terminal | ExecuJet, hangarage to Global 7500. Universal Aviation provides supervision | Navair, with car parking |
| Curfew | 11pm to 6am, low-noise jets exempt from the quota, route over Botany Bay | No Commonwealth curfew |
| Charges | Minimum runway charge rose from $91.74 to $519.86 (Air Charter Network) | Not published |
| Customs | Yes | Ask the operator |
In our reading, Kingsford Smith makes sense for international departures, heavy jets, and anyone starting in the eastern suburbs or the CBD, while Bankstown suits domestic flights from western Sydney.
The curfew fines run to $1,050,000 for a body corporate, so if your aircraft type is not on the low-noise list, expect the answer to be no.
Prices from Sydney
| Route | Distance | Published price | Basis | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney to Melbourne | 706 km | $10,500 to $13,000 | Light jet, return, ex GST | FlightCharter |
| Sydney to Melbourne | 706 km | From $11,500 plus GST | Same-day return, up to 4 passengers | Navair |
| Sydney to Brisbane | 751 km | $8,000 to $12,000 | All in | Charter One |
| Sydney to Gold Coast | 678 km | $11,600 | Light jet or turboprop, same-day return | Navair |
| Sydney to Gold Coast | 678 km | From $3,747 per person | 4 passengers, Mustang, same-day return, incl. GST | Navair |
| Sydney to Gold Coast | 678 km | $14,000 to $18,000 | Light jet, about one hour | Charter One |
| Sydney to Canberra | 236 km | $14,000 to $18,000 | Light jet, seven passengers, same-day return | Charter One |
| Sydney to Coffs Harbour | Not stated | From $2,626 per person | 4 passengers, Mustang, same-day return, incl. GST | Navair |
| Sydney to Hunter Valley | Not stated | From $6,000 for the day | Light jet, up to 5 people | Navair |
| Sydney to Hamilton Island | 1,522 km | $16,000 to $20,000+ | Midsize, return | FlightCharter |
| Sydney to Cairns | Not stated | $25,000 to $32,000 | Midsize, three hour flight, all in | Charter One |
| Sydney to Perth | 3,284 km | $105,000 | Mid or heavy jet, same-day return | Navair |
| Sydney to Queenstown | Not stated | $45,000 | Charter, 2024 pricing | Navair |
| Sydney to Nadi | Not stated | $75,000 | Charter, 2024 pricing | Navair |
| Sydney to Auckland | Not stated | $100,000 | Charter, 2024 pricing | Navair |
Prices checked: 7 September 2026. International figures are Navair's October 2024 pricing and are indicative only.
Navair's Hunter Valley entry, from $6,000 for the day on a light jet carrying up to five people, is the cheapest way into private flying on this list. The flying time is short and the aircraft comes home the same day, so none of the overnight crew costs apply.
Sydney to the Gold Coast
Three published prices, and they range from $11,600 to $18,000 for what sounds like the same trip.
Navair quotes $11,600 for a same-day return on a light jet or turboprop, and separately from $3,747 per person for four passengers on a Citation Mustang including GST, which works out at about $14,988 for the aircraft. Charter One puts a light jet at $14,000 to $18,000 for a flight of about an hour.
Airly published a comparison showing how far the booking route moves the price: one of its jet card members flew Gold Coast to Sydney for $9,791, against a last-minute quote elsewhere of $18,936 on the same aircraft type. Airly is describing its own product, so read it as a claim rather than an independent test. It still points at something real, which is that notice period and who you book through change this number a great deal.
Empty legs do appear on this sector. On 29 September 2026 FlightCharter listed Gold Coast to Sydney and Sydney to Gold Coast on a 13 seat Falcon 900 at $9,500 each excluding GST, and Sydney to Gold Coast on a Challenger 604 at the same price.
Canberra, and when a turboprop wins
Canberra is 236 km, a 30 minute flight in a jet, and Charter One prices seven passengers on a same-day return at $14,000 to $18,000, or roughly $2,000 to $2,570 each.
The same source makes the case against the jet. A turboprop covers the sector in 45 minutes instead of 35 and costs about 40 per cent less. Ten minutes for that saving is worth weighing on a route this short.
Canberra is also a route where airline seats are easy to find. BITRE's 2025 figures put the Canberra to Sydney airline load factor at 65.4 per cent against a national average of 82.5 per cent. The seats exist, so the case for a charter here is about timing rather than access.
Brisbane, at 751 km and 45 to 80 minutes, sits at $8,000 to $12,000 all in per Charter One, which that company calculates at $1,400 to $2,000 a head for six.
Who you can book through
| Company | Sydney presence | Focus | Operator or broker |
|---|---|---|---|
| Navair | Bankstown FBO | Mustang to Falcon 7X, jet card, pilots minimum 2,000 hours | Holds a certificate, CASA.AOC.0056 |
| Airly | Adelaide to Hamilton Island network | Jet cards, Mustang, Phenom 100, CJ2 | Broker, states it is not an airline |
| FlightCharter | Not stated | Charter, published empty legs | Broker, states it holds no AOC |
| Charter One Aviation | Not stated | Charter, published cost guides | Not found on the CASA register |
| Air Charter Network | Not stated | Charter arrangement | Not found on the CASA register |
| The Air Charter Group | Not stated | Charter enquiries | Not found on the CASA register |
| The Jet Club | Not stated | Membership and charter, funds in a ring-fenced Westpac account | Broker, no AOC |
| Air Charter Service | Global, Australian site | International brokerage | Broker |
| ExecuJet | Kingsford Smith FBO | Fixed base operation, not a charter seller | Not applicable |
| Universal Aviation | Kingsford Smith and 27 other fields | Ground handling and supervisory services | Not applicable |
Three of the companies here are brokers and say so themselves, which matters more than it sounds. The Jet Club states it is not an operator and holds no AOC, and adds that client funds sit in a ring-fenced Westpac account, answering the obvious question of what happens to your money if the company fails. Airly describes itself as a booking agent and says the operators it uses hold the certificates. FlightCharter calls itself an air charter broker. None of that is a mark against them. It just means the company taking your payment is not the company flying you.
We checked this list against the CASA register on 29 September 2026. Navair's CASA.AOC.0056 is real and current, expiring 1 December 2027. Three companies did not appear under the names we searched, which is not proof they hold no certificate: the register lists legal entities rather than brands, and several operators elsewhere on this site only surfaced once we traced the company behind the trading name. Ask which entity operates your flight and check that name. CASA's advice line is 131 757.
Common questions
Can a private jet fly out of Sydney after 11pm?
Often. The curfew runs 11pm to 6am, but the Sydney Airport Curfew (Curfew Aircraft) Instrument 2015 lists low-noise jet types, mostly business jets, that may operate without using the movement quota, routing over Botany Bay. Confirm your aircraft type with the operator. Bankstown has no Commonwealth curfew.
How early do I need to arrive?
Between 12 and 30 minutes, depending on the company. Airly says 12 minutes from the kerb, Navair says 15 to 20, and Charter One and Air Charter Network say 15 to 30.
How much is a private jet from Sydney to the Gold Coast?
Navair publishes $11,600 for a same-day return on a light jet or turboprop, or from $3,747 per person for four including GST. Charter One quotes $14,000 to $18,000 on a light jet. On 29 September 2026 FlightCharter listed empty legs on the sector at $9,500 excluding GST.
Which airport do private jets use in Sydney?
Both. Kingsford Smith for international, heavy jets and customs. Bankstown for domestic flights where western Sydney access matters more than proximity to the CBD.
Can I take my dog?
Navair, Airly and Charter One all say pets travel in the cabin. Tell the operator when you request the quote, because the aircraft and the crew need to know.
Is a private jet to Canberra worth it?
For a group, possibly. Charter One's seven-passenger same-day return at $14,000 to $18,000 is $2,000 to $2,570 a head for a 30 minute flight, and a turboprop does it for about 40 per cent less. Against that, the airline route runs at a 65.4 per cent load factor, so seats are usually available and the real question is schedule control rather than access.
Compare Sydney operators or request quotes for your route.