Van Nuys Private Jet Guide: Flying Private Into Los Angeles

A Van Nuys private jet trip starts in the San Fernando Valley, roughly 20 km (12 to 13 miles) north of Beverly Hills, at an airport built almost entirely around business and general aviation. There are no airline gates and no long security lines, just private terminals on the ramp and a car waiting at the door.

What surprises many first-time visitors is how much the airport's noise rules decide the schedule. Van Nuys runs a departure curfew with aircraft-specific exemptions, plus a voluntary late-night program, and the answer to "can we leave at midnight?" depends on the jet. This guide explains those rules, compares VNY with the other Los Angeles options, and covers customs, costs and the drive. For FBO addresses and car logistics at the field, see our Van Nuys FBO car service page.

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What is Van Nuys Airport and why do private jets choose it?

Van Nuys Airport (VNY) is a 730-acre general aviation airport in the San Fernando Valley, owned by Los Angeles World Airports. It has an 8,000-foot main runway with an instrument landing system, four major FBOs and more than 217,000 takeoffs and landings a year, making it one of the world's busiest general aviation airports.

Those figures come from Los Angeles World Airports' own description of VNY, which names the four FBOs as Castle & Cooke Aviation, Clay Lacy Aviation, Jet Aviation and Signature Aviation. The airport's history page records that it opened in 1928 as the privately owned Metropolitan Airport and that the City of Los Angeles bought it in 1949 for one dollar.

Private flyers choose Van Nuys for three practical reasons. The FBOs handle nothing but non-airline traffic, so arrival is quick. The location suits the Westside, Hollywood and the Valley studios. And because the airport is so busy with business jets, operators, crews and handlers know it well, which keeps the experience predictable.

Van Nuys vs LAX vs Burbank: picking the right Los Angeles airport

Los Angeles private jet charter is not limited to VNY. The right airport depends on where you are staying, the size of the aircraft and the time you need to leave.

Airport	Best suited to	Main trade-off
Van Nuys (VNY)	Beverly Hills, Bel Air, Brentwood, the Valley, studio visits	Night departure curfew for noisier jets
Hollywood Burbank (BUR)	Burbank and Glendale studios, Hollywood, Pasadena	Shared with airline traffic; smaller private footprint
Los Angeles International (LAX)	Long-haul connections, Santa Monica, beach cities	Airline congestion on the ground and in the air
Long Beach (LGB)	Orange County and the South Bay	Long drive to the Westside

If part of your group arrives on an airline instead, our LAX car service page covers commercial arrivals with the same desk and the same confirmation.

The simplest rule of thumb: if your plans center on Beverly Hills or the Valley, Van Nuys usually saves the most road time. If you must leave late at night in an older or louder jet, ask your broker early whether another field is the better choice.

The Van Nuys curfew: the rule that shapes your departure time

The Van Nuys Noise Abatement and Curfew Regulation, a City of Los Angeles ordinance, says no aircraft may depart between 11:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless it is exempt, and a later amendment added the 10:00 to 11:00 p.m. hour. The key exemption is for aircraft whose published takeoff noise level is 74 dBA or lower under FAA Advisory Circular 36-3.

LAWA's noise management quick facts summarize the rest:

Departures from 10 p.m. to 7 a.m. by non-exempt aircraft whose estimated takeoff noise exceeds 74 dBA can be prohibited or fined.
Takeoffs and landings by aircraft with a takeoff noise level of 77 dBA or higher can be prohibited or fined at any time, unless exempt.
Maintenance engine run-ups are barred from 7 p.m. to 7 a.m.
Voluntary programs, including "No Early Turn" and "Quiet Jet Departure/Fly Friendly", ask crews to fly quieter procedures.

On top of the curfew, the airport's Quieter Nights program encourages jet operators to avoid flights between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m. whenever possible. It is voluntary, but responsible operators take it seriously.

What this means in practice: a late dinner followed by a 10:30 p.m. wheels-up can be fine in one modern jet and impossible in another. When you request a quote, give your ideal departure time and ask the operator to confirm the aircraft's noise status. If the schedule cannot move, the broker may suggest a different aircraft rather than a different airport.

Your Van Nuys private jet arrival: FBOs and the walk to the car

At VNY each FBO runs its own lounge and ramp, so the operator's choice of VNY FBO sets the pickup point. Give your chauffeur the FBO name and the aircraft tail number; the car does the rest. Our explainer on how an FBO works covers baggage, catering and the walk from aircraft to car.

Arrival is usually brisk. Bags come off the aircraft while you walk through the lounge, and most passengers are seated in the car within minutes of the engines stopping. Ramp access for vehicles is decided by each FBO, so do not promise a planeside pickup until the FBO has agreed to it.

Arriving in Van Nuys from another country

The airport hosts a US Customs and Border Protection facility, but it does not run around the clock. The airport's CBP information page lists day-by-day hours (last updated in 2020) and refers operators to Signature for pricing and to CBP's eAPIS system for advance passenger data. Treat those hours as a starting point and have your operator confirm the current schedule when it requests landing rights.

If the customs hours do not line up with your arrival, the crew may clear at another US port of entry first and continue to Van Nuys as a domestic leg. That is a routine solution, but it adds a stop, so factor it into the timing. Our article on private jet customs and immigration explains eAPIS and arrival rules in more detail.

What does a Los Angeles private jet charter cost?

Charter pricing is built from aircraft time plus fees, and the airport is a smaller factor than the aircraft type. For a broad benchmark, Business Jet Traveler published JetASAP marketplace averages for January 2023 that ranged from about US$4,100 an hour for turboprops to about US$12,500 an hour for heavy jets. Those are averages from a single month, not quotes, and current pricing should come from a named operator.

Costs that often appear on a Van Nuys quote include positioning the aircraft if it is based elsewhere, FBO handling and overnight parking, crew hotel costs on multi-day trips, and US federal excise taxes on domestic legs. For 2026 the FAA lists the domestic passenger ticket tax at 7.5% plus a per-passenger segment tax.

Short hops, such as Van Nuys to Las Vegas or the desert, are where a light jet or turboprop can make sense. Coast-to-coast trips usually call for a larger cabin with more range, which raises the hourly rate.

Need the car for this trip? Price it here; the fare is confirmed before you pay.

From Van Nuys to Beverly Hills, Santa Monica and beyond

Every drive south from the Valley crosses the Santa Monica Mountains, usually through the Sepulveda Pass on the 405. Typical road distances and drive times:

Beverly Hills and Rodeo Drive: about 20 km (12 to 13 miles), 25 to 45 minutes, longer at rush hour.
Century City: about 22 km (14 miles), 30 to 55 minutes.
Santa Monica: about 24 km (15 miles), 30 to 55 minutes.
Hollywood: about 20 km (12 to 13 miles), 25 to 50 minutes via the Cahuenga Pass.
Malibu: about 40 to 45 km (25 to 28 miles), 50 to 90 minutes.
LAX: about 29 km (18 miles), 35 to 80 minutes on the busiest stretch of the 405.

Weekday afternoons southbound and evenings northbound are the slow periods. A chauffeur who drives the canyons daily will know when Beverly Glen or Coldwater Canyon is quicker than the freeway. Our Los Angeles limo service page covers city-wide transfers, and a private jet car service booking ties the pickup to the aircraft's actual landing time.

For a day of studio meetings, fittings and dinner, book an hourly chauffeur rather than separate rides; the car waits between stops and the luggage stays aboard.

Coachella, awards season and other peak weeks

Spring brings Coachella and Stagecoach in the desert, and many private flyers base themselves in Los Angeles before driving or flying east. Palm Springs is about 175 km (110 miles) from Van Nuys by road, typically 1 hour 45 minutes to 3 hours, and a long-distance car service is a calm alternative to a short repositioning flight. See our Coachella event transportation page and the guide to Coachella transportation by jet and car.

Awards season and major premieres also crowd the ramps and the roads around Hollywood. Public figures travel through Van Nuys because the FBO setting keeps arrivals out of public view. What protects them is the process, not the airport: confidentiality agreements with chauffeurs, unmarked vehicles, a single coordinator and a tested plan for the press. Our VIP and celebrity chauffeur service and family office chauffeur programs are organized around those standards.

Your Van Nuys booking checklist

Aircraft: confirm with the operator that the jet meets the curfew exemption if you might depart after 10 p.m.
Customs: for international arrivals, confirm CBP hours and whether a first stop is needed elsewhere.
FBO: get the FBO name in writing and share it with your driver.
Car: book on the online booker against the tail number; the exact fare appears before you confirm. Our fleet runs from executive sedans to Sprinters.
Waiting time: free waiting is 60 minutes after international landings and 30 minutes after domestic ones.
Changes: ground bookings are free to cancel more than 72 hours before pickup, 10% inside 72 hours, 50% inside 48 hours and 100% inside 24 hours or for a no-show.

The desk on (877) 860-3388 coordinates the charter request and the car in one conversation, and every flight is operated by a licensed carrier that holds operational control.

Sources

Frequently asked questions

Is there a curfew at Van Nuys Airport?

Yes. Under the city's noise regulation, aircraft may not depart between 10:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m. unless they are exempt, and the main exemption covers aircraft with a published takeoff noise level of 74 dBA or lower. Aircraft at 77 dBA or above can be barred at any hour. A voluntary program also asks operators to avoid flights between 11 p.m. and 7 a.m.

How far is Van Nuys Airport from Beverly Hills?

Beverly Hills is about 20 km (12 to 13 miles) south of Van Nuys. The drive normally takes 25 to 45 minutes over the Sepulveda Pass and can stretch beyond that at rush hour. Santa Monica and Century City are slightly farther, usually 30 to 55 minutes. A chauffeur booked against the tail number adjusts if the flight is early or late.

Should I fly private into Van Nuys or LAX?

For most private flyers heading to Beverly Hills, Bel Air or the Valley, Van Nuys is quicker on the ground and calmer on arrival because it serves only non-airline traffic. LAX can suit beach-city destinations or tight connections to an international airline flight. The deciding factors are your final address, the aircraft and how late you need to depart.

How many FBOs are at Van Nuys?

Los Angeles World Airports lists four major fixed base operators at Van Nuys: Castle & Cooke Aviation, Clay Lacy Aviation, Jet Aviation and Signature Aviation. Your charter operator chooses the FBO, and each one has its own lounge, ramp and entrance, so share the exact name with your chauffeur. Our Van Nuys FBO page lists the details.

Can I clear customs at Van Nuys?

Van Nuys has a CBP facility with limited, scheduled hours rather than round-the-clock service, and the operator must arrange landing rights and file advance passenger data through eAPIS. If the hours do not match your arrival, the crew can clear at another US port of entry and continue to Van Nuys as a domestic flight.

How much does a private jet from Los Angeles cost per hour?

There is no fixed Van Nuys rate. As a reference only, Business Jet Traveler's January 2023 marketplace averages ranged from about US$4,100 an hour for turboprops to about US$12,500 for heavy jets. Positioning, handling, crew costs and federal excise taxes come on top. Ask for an all-in quote that names the operator and tail number.

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