KVNY to KSAF 616 nm ENE 079 degrees true
Private JetCharter LosAngeles to Santa Fe
616 nautical miles direct. About 1h 54m nonstop in a very light jet. Operators bid on this leg without knowing who is flying it.
The leg
Los Angeles to Santa Fe
The great circle track from Los Angeles to Santa Fe runs 616 nautical miles on an initial heading of 079 degrees true. A very light jet covers it nonstop in roughly 1h 54m, before winds.
At this length the aircraft reaches a settled cruise and the class differences start to show up on the clock, though not dramatically. The bigger separation is cabin comfort and baggage volume. Santa Fe runs 1 hour ahead of Los Angeles year round, which is worth building into the schedule at both ends.
Nonstop capability starts at the very light jet class on this route, with the Embraer Phenom 100EV the smallest airframe we would put on it without a stop.
Book range figures assume long range cruise, standard reserves and a stated payload. Load the cabin, add bags, put the departure field at elevation on a hot afternoon, and the real number comes down. We treat anything above roughly 80 percent of book range as a leg that needs the operator to confirm against the specific tail number rather than the brochure.
Aircraft
What flies this leg, and how fast
Block time and nonstop capability across the classes for 616 nautical miles. Times are planning estimates in still air.
| Aircraft | Class | Seats | Block time | Book range | This leg |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cessna Citation M2 Gen2 | Very Light Jet | 6 | 1h 54m | 1,550 nm | Nonstop |
| Embraer Phenom 300E | Light Jet | 8 | 1h 42m | 2,010 nm | Nonstop |
| Cessna Citation XLS+ | Midsize Jet | 9 | 1h 46m | 2,100 nm | Nonstop |
| Bombardier Challenger 350 | Super Midsize Jet | 9 | 1h 41m | 3,200 nm | Nonstop |
| Gulfstream G450 | Heavy Jet | 13 | 1h 40m | 4,350 nm | Nonstop |
| Gulfstream G650ER | Ultra Long Range Jet | 14 | 1h 38m | 7,500 nm | Nonstop |
Airports
Which runway you actually use
Departing Los Angeles. Most charter traffic uses Van Nuys (KVNY / VNY). The credible alternates are Hollywood Burbank (BUR), Los Angeles International (LAX), John Wayne Orange County (SNA) and Long Beach (LGB). Which one you leave from is worth deciding on ground time rather than on the map, because twenty minutes of extra driving often buys a cheaper ramp and a faster departure.
John Wayne enforces a noise abatement departure procedure and a night curfew.
Arriving Santa Fe. Most charter traffic uses Santa Fe Regional (KSAF / SAF). The credible alternates are Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ). Pick the one closest to where you are actually going. The airport with the famous name is frequently the wrong answer.
Confirm slot availability, customs hours and overnight parking at both ends before you commit to a departure time. Those three items cause more schedule changes than weather does.
| Airport | ICAO | IATA | Metro | End | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Van Nuys | KVNY | VNY | Los Angeles | Departure | Preferred |
| Hollywood Burbank | KBUR | BUR | Los Angeles | Departure | Alternate |
| Los Angeles International | KLAX | LAX | Los Angeles | Departure | Customs |
| John Wayne Orange County | KSNA | SNA | Los Angeles | Departure | Alternate |
| Long Beach | KLGB | LGB | Los Angeles | Departure | Alternate |
| Santa Fe Regional | KSAF | SAF | Santa Fe | Arrival | Preferred |
| Albuquerque International Sunport | KABQ | ABQ | Santa Fe | Arrival | Alternate |
Cost
What moves the number
We do not publish a price for this route, and neither should anyone else. Here is what the number is actually made of.
- Positioning. Where the aircraft sits when you call. If it is already on your departure ramp you pay for your legs only. If it has to fly in empty and fly home afterwards, someone pays for that, and it is you.
- Daily minimum. Most operators bill a minimum number of flight hours per day the aircraft is away. A short leg with a three night stay can price higher than a long leg that returns the same day.
- Crew duty. A crew has a legal duty limit. Cross enough time zones or depart late enough and the trip needs a second crew or an overnight, and both cost money.
- Ramp and handling. Landing fees, ramp fees, overnight parking and the FBO handling charge vary enormously between fields in the same metro.
- Peak days. Operators apply surcharges around the predictable weekends. Thanksgiving Sunday, the Super Bowl, Art Basel, the Fourth of July and the ski season change of week all price differently.
- Federal excise tax. Domestic United States charter carries a federal excise tax plus segment fees. It is a real line and it belongs in any quote you are comparing.
Our fee sits on top of the operator price as its own line, visible, so you can see both halves. Send the trip and the operators bid against each other on all of the above at once.
Timing
Season, weather and the clock
Mountain fields are the ones that reward planning. High elevation cuts engine performance, summer heat cuts it further, and the combination reduces how much weight the aircraft can lift. Winter brings snow closures and de-icing. Both seasons can change which aircraft the operator will put on the trip.
Questions
VNY to SAF
How long is a private jet flight from Los Angeles to Santa Fe?
The great circle distance is 616 nautical miles, which is about 1,141 km. A very light jet covers it nonstop in roughly 1h 54m block to block. A heavy jet flies the distance in about 1h 40m, and a light jet in about 1h 42m if it can make it without stopping. These are planning estimates in still air and exclude winds and air traffic routing.
Can a light jet fly Los Angeles to Santa Fe nonstop?
Yes. A Embraer Phenom 300E covers this leg nonstop with comfortable margin, using about 31 percent of its published range. That is inside the band where a full cabin and average winds will not force a stop.
Which airport should I use in Santa Fe?
Santa Fe Regional (KSAF) handles most charter traffic. The alternates are Albuquerque International Sunport (ABQ). Choose on ground time to your final address rather than on the name you recognise.
What does a private jet from Los Angeles to Santa Fe cost?
We do not publish a figure, because a fixed number for this route would be invented. The dominant variable is where the aircraft is parked when you call, not the aircraft type. Positioning legs, daily minimums, crew duty, ramp fees, peak day surcharges and taxes all move the total. Send the trip through the quote form and certificated operators bid against each other on it, sealed, without knowing who you are.
Are empty legs available on this route?
Sometimes. An empty leg exists when an operator has to reposition an aircraft along this track anyway, so the timing is theirs and not yours. They appear and vanish with little notice and get cancelled when the paying trip behind them changes. Flag empty legs on the quote form and we will include any that fit your window, but do not build a fixed commitment around one.
Nearby
Related routes
More from Los Angeles
More into Santa Fe
Photography on this site is representative. It does not depict a specific aircraft, operator or tail number offered for charter.