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Savannah is one of the South's most distinctive private aviation markets — a 290-year-old port city with a leisure economy built around cobblestone squares, the Bonaventure cemetery, and one of the largest St. Patrick's Day celebrations in the country, paired with a corporate base anchored by Gulfstream Aerospace's global headquarters. From The Jet Guys' home base in Upstate South Carolina, SAV is just over an hour by air and a frequently booked destination for both leisure weekends and Lowcountry corporate trips.
This page covers what you need to plan a private charter to or from Savannah: the airport and FBO options, route data for the city pairs The Jet Guys handle most often, what to expect by season, and answers to the questions clients ask before they book. The Jet Guys is a WYVERN Registered Broker and arranges every charter through vetted Part 135 operators.
Savannah has one airport handling the full range of private aviation. The "Hilton Head" in the airport's name reflects its dual role: SAV is also the primary heavy-jet gateway for Hilton Head Island, about 45 minutes northeast across the Talmadge Memorial Bridge.
SAV handles every category of business jet up to ultra-long-range, with two full-service FBOs and a deep operational footprint anchored by Gulfstream Aerospace's headquarters and major MRO facility on field. The airport is 15 minutes from downtown Savannah and 45 minutes from Hilton Head Island.
For clients heading specifically to Hilton Head Island rather than Savannah, HXD is the on-island option for any aircraft that fits its 5,000-ft runway — light, mid-size, and most super-mid jets. Worth knowing about as a planning alternative depending on which side of the Lowcountry your trip is centered on. See our Hilton Head destination page for detailed information.
The Jet Guys don't publish fixed prices because every Savannah trip is priced differently. Rates depend on departure city, aircraft category, dates, and operator availability. A Tuesday corporate trip from Atlanta to SAV prices very differently from a heavy jet from New York during St. Patrick's Day weekend.
A few factors drive Savannah pricing more than others.
Savannah's St. Patrick's Day celebration draws roughly 300,000 attendees to a city of 150,000 — and the surrounding two-week "St. Patrick's season" creates the most concentrated demand window of the year for SAV. Operators reposition aircraft into the area, ramp space at both FBOs tightens, and pricing firms up significantly. Many hotels run two-night minimums and the parade weekend itself is essentially booked out months in advance. Six to eight weeks of lead time is sensible for any travel during St. Patrick's Day weekend — longer for the parade day itself.
Late March through May (post-St. Patrick's, azalea season) and September through November are Savannah's two strongest leisure windows. Pricing is steadier than during single-event peaks but reflects sustained tourism demand. Three to four weeks of lead time is sensible for prime weekends in either window.
The Northeast-to-Florida corridor and Northeast-to-Caribbean repositioning routes both generate steady empty leg flights that pass through or near SAV. For flexible travelers, an empty leg into SAV can substantially reduce trip costs. The Jet Guys' Flight Desk tracks empty legs daily.
SAV is the primary heavy-jet gateway for Hilton Head Island, which has its own concentrated peaks around the RBC Heritage golf tournament (mid-April) and fall golf season. Many "Savannah" trips are actually Hilton Head trips routed through SAV for aircraft category reasons. The Flight Desk handles airport selection based on actual destination address.
For a quote tailored to your specific trip, contact The Jet Guys Flight Desk.
Savannah has three clear demand peaks: St. Patrick's Day in March, azalea season in late March through May, and fall tourism from September through November. Summer is generally quieter for leisure travel, though corporate demand continues year-round.
Savannah sits at the center of the Lowcountry corridor that stretches from Charleston in the north to the Golden Isles in the south. Many private charter clients land at SAV and continue by car within the region.
About 45 minutes northeast of SAV across the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. SAV is the primary heavy-jet gateway for Hilton Head when aircraft category exceeds what HXD can handle (5,000-ft runway). For trips centered on Sea Pines, Harbour Town, Palmetto Dunes, or the broader island, see our Hilton Head destination page for the full breakdown.
About 30-35 minutes east of SAV, Tybee is Savannah's beach. The lighthouse, the historic fort, and a small concentration of vacation rentals and beachfront restaurants make this a frequent day trip or weekend extension for SAV-based clients.
About 45 minutes north of SAV, Beaufort is the historic Lowcountry town between Savannah and Hilton Head. Antebellum architecture, the waterfront, and the surrounding sea islands (Fripp, Hunting, Daufuskie) make this a quieter alternative to either Savannah or Hilton Head proper.
About a 2-hour drive north of Savannah, or a 35-minute flight to Charleston International (CHS). Charleston pairs naturally with Savannah for clients combining both Lowcountry historic cities into one trip — Friday morning into SAV for two nights, Sunday drive or flight to Charleston for two more nights, then home Tuesday.
About 90 minutes south of SAV by car, the Golden Isles (Jekyll Island, St. Simons Island, Sea Island) are Georgia's coastal resort corridor. The Cloister at Sea Island is the anchor luxury property. McKinnon St. Simons Island Airport (SSI) handles light through super-mid jets for direct fly-in service; Brunswick Golden Isles (BQK) is the alternative for heavier aircraft.
About 30 minutes from SAV, The Landings is a private gated residential community on Skidaway Island with six golf courses, a marina, and a concentration of waterfront homes. SAV is the home airport for residents and visitors.
Two of Savannah's most photographed locations sit within 20 minutes of downtown — the Wormsloe oak avenue and the historic Bonaventure Cemetery on the Wilmington River. Worth knowing for clients on cultural or photography-focused itineraries.
Savannah/Hilton Head International (SAV) is the right choice for nearly every Savannah-area trip. The 9,351-ft runway accommodates every business jet category, both Sheltair and Signature Flight Support provide full-service FBO operations, on-field U.S. Customs runs 24/7, and the airport is 15 minutes from downtown Savannah. The "Hilton Head" in the airport's name reflects its dual role — it's also the primary heavy-jet gateway for Hilton Head Island, about 45 minutes northeast.
Pricing depends on departure city, aircraft category, dates, and operator availability. St. Patrick's Day weekend firms up pricing dramatically — six to eight weeks of lead time is sensible for that window. Spring azalea season, fall tourism, and Hilton Head crossover events (RBC Heritage in mid-April) all create smaller demand spikes. Short regional hops from Atlanta, Charlotte, or Greenville typically use light jets and are priced against operator daily minimums. Trips from the Northeast or Midwest are priced more straightforwardly on flight time. The Jet Guys' Flight Desk provides fixed-price quotes through vetted Part 135 operators — request a quote here.
Yes — the Northeast-to-Florida and Northeast-to-Caribbean repositioning corridors both generate steady empty leg flights that pass through or near SAV. Empty legs require date flexibility but can substantially reduce trip costs. The Jet Guys' Flight Desk tracks empty legs daily.
It depends on your aircraft. HXD is the on-island airport and the closer drive to Sea Pines, Palmetto Dunes, and the Hilton Head resorts — but its 5,000-ft runway accommodates only light, mid-size, and most super-mid jets. For heavy and ultra-long-range aircraft, SAV is the right choice with the trade-off of a 45-minute drive over the Talmadge Memorial Bridge. The Flight Desk pairs aircraft to airports based on actual operating conditions. For full Hilton Head airport details, see our Hilton Head destination page.
Very. Savannah's St. Patrick's Day celebration draws roughly 300,000 attendees — twice the city's population — and the surrounding two-week St. Patrick's season creates the most concentrated demand window of the year for SAV. Both FBOs see ramp compression, Sheltair's recent apron expansion notwithstanding, and pricing firms up significantly. Six to eight weeks of lead time is sensible for the parade weekend; longer for the parade day itself. Many hotels require two-night minimums and book out months in advance.
Roughly 1 hour from Greenville-Spartanburg International (GSP) or Greenville Downtown (GMU) to SAV. This is well within the range of any light jet for a 6-passenger trip, and a mid-size jet handles 7-8 passengers with full luggage comfortably.
Yes, and these are common multi-stop Lowcountry itineraries. A typical pattern: arrive SAV Friday for two nights in Savannah, drive or short flight to Charleston for two more nights, fly home Tuesday. Hilton Head pairs naturally as a same-airport trip with Savannah depending on aircraft. The Golden Isles (Jekyll, St. Simons, Sea Island) can be added by short flight to SSI or BQK. The Jet Guys' Flight Desk regularly builds multi-stop Lowcountry trips through one aircraft and crew. Contact us to discuss your routing.
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