Overflight and Landing Permits for Private and Charter Flights

Overflight permits let you cross a country's airspace. Landing permits let you land there. You do not apply for them. Your aircraft operator does.

What each permit means

Every country controls the airspace above its land. This comes from Article 1 of the Chicago Convention. So you sometimes need a country's permission to cross or land.

An overflight permit is that permission to cross without landing. A landing permit is permission to land. You may or may not need them for a trip. It depends on the country, the type of flight, and where the aircraft is registered. Some countries do not ask for a permit for every flight.

Article 5 says aircraft that are not on scheduled services may fly into or across another member country and make stops for non-traffic needs, like fuel, without prior permission. But if the flight carries passengers or cargo for pay, the country can set its own rules or limits. In practice, many countries ask for permits for charter flights.

Article 6 says scheduled international services need the special permission of each country they fly over or into.

Overflight vs landing permits at a glance

For charter flights, authorities often ask for the air operator certificate. If you want a quick primer on that, see what an AOC is.

Regional rules you should know

European Union: if an operator from outside the EU wants to fly commercial air transport into, within, or out of the EU, it needs a TCO authorisation from EASA under Regulation (EU) No 452/2014. This is a safety authorisation. EASA does not issue operating permits. Those are still issued by each member state. A valid TCO authorisation must be in place before a member state can issue its operating permit. Applications must be sent at least 30 days before the planned start of operations. Flying over the EU without landing does not need a TCO authorisation. The rule makes no difference between scheduled and non-scheduled commercial flights.

United Kingdom: a non-UK operator needs a Foreign Carrier Permit from the UK Civil Aviation Authority for commercial flights to, from, or within the UK. This is in addition to a UK Part-TCO certificate. The CAA says private flights, positioning flights, ferry or delivery flights, and overflights do not need a Foreign Carrier Permit. There are ad hoc permits for one-off charters and separate permits for scheduled or series flights.

United States: for a private aircraft flying to the US, the pilot must send the passenger and crew manifest to US Customs and Border Protection electronically no later than 60 minutes before departure. This is the APIS rule in 19 CFR 122.22. Commercial operations by foreign civil aircraft in the US fall under Department of Transportation rules in 14 CFR Part 375.

Who applies for permits and how it works

The passenger does not apply for permits. The aircraft operator applies. This is usually done by the operator's own operations team, a trip support company, or a ground handler in the country. If you are choosing local support, our guide on how to choose a ground handler can help.

A permit request usually lists the aircraft registration and type, the operator name, the route with entry and exit points, the dates and times, the purpose of the flight, and crew and passenger details. Authorities often ask for copies of the aircraft's registration, airworthiness, and insurance certificates. For charter flights, they often ask for the air operator certificate. Because the permit is tied to these details, late changes to date, route, aircraft, or passenger list can mean a new or revised permit.

If you book through a broker, the broker works with an operator. The operator still handles the permits. If you want help deciding how to book, see broker vs operator.

Planning time and real world notes

Lead times vary by country. In our interview about flying New York to Dubai, Enzo Viardot, Co-Founder and COO of Elysium Jet and a Falcon 900 pilot, said, "Otherwise, we can usually organize the flight with 48 to 72 hours' notice." Read the interview here: New York to Dubai by private jet. In the same article, landing permits normally take a few working days, and the operator handles them along with the overflight permits. Again, actual lead times depend on the country.

If your schedule is firm, it helps the operator lock in the permits with fewer changes. If you are still thinking about timing, see our guide on how far ahead to book.

Permits vs airport slots and PPR

A permit is not the same as an airport slot or PPR. A slot is a time window to land or take off at a busy airport. PPR means prior permission required and comes from the airport itself. Your trip can need all three. For example, you might have the right permits, but still need a slot or PPR from the airport. Your operator and ground handler will check all of these items together.

How to avoid delays

Share all route details early. Confirm your passenger list and passport details as soon as you can. If you think you may need a tech stop, say so up front. Ask your operator how they track country rules and how they handle changes after permits are issued.

Checklist: questions to ask your provider

• Which countries on this route need overflight or landing permits for this flight type and this aircraft registration?
• Who is applying for each permit, and when will you submit the requests?
• What documents do you need from me or my guests to support the permit requests?
• If we change dates, route, aircraft, or passengers, what permits must be revised?
• Do we also need an airport slot or PPR at any stop, and who is arranging those?
• If this is a commercial charter, do any regional rules apply, such as EU TCO or UK permits?
• How will you keep me updated on permit status and any conditions on the route?

Sources: ICAO Convention on International Civil Aviation (Articles 1, 5 and 6); EASA Third Country Operators pages; UK Civil Aviation Authority foreign carrier permit guidance; US 19 CFR 122.22 and 14 CFR Part 375.

Need local help with permits and handling? Browse ground handling companies in our aviation directory.