A private jet from New York to Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard runs from roughly $4,150 on a turboprop or light jet up to $13,000–$25,000 on a midsize for a larger group. The flight itself is the easy part — under an hour in the air. On this route the real variable is summer Saturdays, when both island airports run short on parking and slots, and aircraft routinely drop you and fly off to wait. Get the day and the airport right and it is the most effortless weekend escape on the East Coast. Here is what it costs and how the peak-season logistics actually work.
Cost scales with aircraft and party size, not distance — this is a short hop. From the New York area, a turboprop or light jet to Nantucket starts around $4,150 one-way and seats up to six; a light jet for a larger party runs nearer $12,500, and a midsize with full cabin and baggage room sits in the $13,000 to $25,000 band. Martha’s Vineyard prices track closely, from roughly $3,700 to $14,000 one-way depending on aircraft.
Those are standard-day figures. Summer Saturdays, holiday weekends and event dates lift them materially, and — crucially — the slot and parking pressure at both small island airports adds its own friction rather than a single line-item fee. The peak-day cost driver is often the repositioning the airports force on your aircraft, covered next, as much as the headline charter rate.
| Route | Aircraft | One-way (typical) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| NY → Nantucket | Turboprop / light | From ~$4,150 | 4–6 seats, < 1h |
| NY → Nantucket | Midsize | $13,000–$25,000 | More cabin & bags |
| NY → Martha’s Vineyard | Light / midsize | $3,700–$14,000 | Vineyard Haven (MVY) |
ACK and MVY are small fields, and in July and August they behave accordingly. On peak summer Saturdays and holiday weekends both saturate, and parking is the sharper constraint than the air slot: there is simply not room to hold every arriving jet for the length of a weekend stay. Many aircraft therefore operate drop-and-go — they drop you, reposition empty to the mainland to wait, and return to collect you for departure. Those repositioning legs are billable, so a peak-Saturday island trip can carry more flight time than the short hop alone suggests.
It is not a hidden trick — a good operator builds it into the quote — but it is the single most important thing to understand before booking a midsummer weekend. For the wider set of charges that shape any quote, our hidden-fees guide is the companion read, and our repositioning and deadhead fees explainer covers exactly how those empty legs are billed.
Peak-Saturday island pricing hinges on the slot and any drop-and-go repositioning your aircraft may need. The fastest way to a firm, honest all-in figure — with any repositioning legs itemised — is a direct quote for your exact route, dates and party.
Compare a private charter quote →Nantucket Memorial (ACK) is the island’s only airport, three miles southeast of town, with a 6,303-foot main runway that takes turboprops through midsize and many heavy jets, and FBO services including VIP lounges and handling. It is open roughly 06:00 to 22:00. Martha’s Vineyard Airport (MVY) at Vineyard Haven serves that island similarly. From the New York side, jets depart Teterboro (TEB), Westchester (HPN) or Farmingdale (FRG) depending on where you are starting.
Arrange a private ground transfer from the airport to your house or hotel in advance, as island taxi supply is thin on peak weekends. Our guide to the best US private-jet airports and FBOs covers the New York-area departure fields in detail.
This is a short hop, so the choice is about party size and luggage rather than range. Match the aircraft to your group.
Four to six passengers: a turboprop (Pilatus PC-12, King Air) or a light jet (Citation CJ3, Phenom 300) is efficient and lands easily at either island. Larger groups or heavy luggage: a midsize jet adds cabin space and a proper baggage hold — useful for golf clubs, bikes or a full family’s bags. There is no performance reason to over-spec for a sub-hour flight; size to the party and confirm runway suitability with your operator. Our light, midsize and heavy jet guide walks through the trade-offs.
The islands run late May through early October, peaking in July and August when the beaches, restaurants and social calendar are at full tilt — and when slots, parking and pricing are most constrained. If your trip is about peak-summer island life, those weeks are the point, and you plan around the friction.
For better value and far easier logistics, June, September and midweek dates deliver the same sun and sea air with much less friction: easier airports, no drop-and-go scramble and lower rates. For travellers with flexibility, those are the smart windows.
For peak summer weekends, book well ahead: capable aircraft, island slots and house availability all tighten together. Outside the peak, lead times relax and the whole trip is simpler to arrange.
The value angle is the empty leg. This corridor generates heavy repositioning traffic in summer — partly because of the drop-and-go pattern itself, which sends aircraft empty between the islands and the mainland. A same-direction empty leg can cut a one-way sharply for a flexible traveller. Our empty-leg guide explains how to find and vet them, and for how US route pricing behaves more broadly, our US domestic route cost guide sets the wider context.
From around $4,150 one-way for a turboprop or light jet seating up to six, rising to roughly $12,500 on a light jet for a larger party and $13,000 to $25,000 on a midsize. Martha's Vineyard prices are similar, from about $3,700 to $14,000 one-way. Summer Saturdays and event weekends lift these materially, and the constrained slots and parking at both island airports add their own friction rather than a fixed fee.
Nantucket Memorial (ACK) is the island's only airport, three miles from town, with a 6,303-foot main runway that takes turboprops through to midsize and many heavy jets, open roughly 6am to 10pm. Martha's Vineyard Airport (MVY) at Vineyard Haven serves that island. Both have FBO services, and both saturate in peak summer. From the New York area, jets depart Teterboro (TEB), Westchester (HPN) or Farmingdale (FRG).
Effectively yes on the busiest summer days. ACK and MVY are small fields that fill quickly on July and August weekends and holiday periods, and parking is the binding constraint. On peak Saturdays many aircraft drop passengers and reposition to the mainland to wait, returning to collect you for departure. Coordinating arrival and departure slots through your operator well ahead is essential during these months.
Under an hour in the air. Nantucket is about 172 miles from New York City and Martha's Vineyard about 150 miles, so flight time runs roughly 45 minutes to an hour depending on aircraft and departure airport. Door to door, with no security line and a tarmac-side car, the whole trip is typically under two hours — against four to five hours driving plus a ferry.
The islands run from late May through early October. July and August are the peak, with packed beaches, the full social calendar and the tightest slots, parking and pricing. June and September deliver the same warm days and sea air with far less friction — easier airports, lower rates and a calmer island. For flexible travellers the shoulder weeks are the smart play; if you must fly a peak Saturday, book well ahead and expect the drop-and-go pattern.
For a short hop with four to six passengers, a turboprop (Pilatus PC-12, King Air) or a light jet (Citation CJ3, Phenom 300) is efficient and lands easily at ACK or MVY. For larger groups or more luggage, a midsize jet adds cabin and baggage room. There is no need to over-spec for a sub-hour flight — size the aircraft to your party and luggage, and confirm it suits the island runway with your operator.
Get a firm Nantucket or Martha’s Vineyard quote for your exact dates — with summer slots and any repositioning itemised before you commit.
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