Jets, helicopters,
coordinated.
Empty legs, scheduled charters or a short helicopter transfer to Sotogrande - arranged by the same office you already know.
Private aviation at Cavalma covers the coordination of private jet and helicopter movements into and out of Malaga Airport and Gibraltar Airport, arranged by the same Marbella-based private office that handles a client's cars, villa and reservations. The office does not operate aircraft; it sources capacity through a small circle of vetted operators and manages the client's side of the journey from first enquiry to arrival on the coast.
An aircraft is chosen for the leg rather than offered as a single fixed product. A light or midsize jet suits a short hop from a regional European airport with a small party and modest luggage, a super-midsize or heavy jet suits longer sectors, larger groups or additional baggage such as golf equipment, and a helicopter suits point-to-point movements along the coast where a road journey would take considerably longer.
A helicopter is often the more practical answer for short distances: Marbella to Sotogrande, Gibraltar or Malaga, and onward connections to airports elsewhere in Andalusia. The flight time is measured in minutes rather than hours, which matters most during July and August when road traffic along the coast is heaviest.
Lead times vary with the aircraft and the season. A domestic or short European sector can sometimes be confirmed within a day when suitable aircraft are available, while a specific cabin type, a particular date in peak season or a longer international sector is more reliably secured with several days to a week of notice.
Empty legs are positioning flights that an operator needs to fly regardless of a paying passenger, and they are offered at a reduced rate when the timing and route happen to match a client's plans. The office checks empty-leg availability on request, but it will only propose a leg that suits the client's actual schedule rather than adjusting the schedule to fit a discounted flight.
Handling on arrival is arranged through the fixed-base operator terminal rather than the main passenger terminal. At Malaga Airport and Gibraltar Airport this means a private arrivals area, direct access from the aircraft steps to a car, and no queue at immigration or baggage reclaim shared with commercial passengers.
Ground mobility is coordinated as part of the same booking rather than as a separate arrangement. The chauffeur is positioned at the aircraft steps before the doors open, so the movement from cabin to car happens without a wait, and any change to the flight time is reflected in the car's schedule automatically.
Discretion is treated as a practical requirement of the arrival rather than an optional extra. FBO terminals allow a client to avoid the main concourse entirely, passenger and crew details are shared only with those directly handling the flight, and the office does not discuss a client's movements with anyone outside the booking.
Luggage and travelling pets are confirmed against the aircraft before departure, since cabin size and hold capacity vary between aircraft categories. Golf bags, ski equipment and other oversized items are declared at the time of booking, and any pet travelling in the cabin is arranged directly with the operator, who confirms documentation and any restriction on the aircraft type well ahead of departure.
Crew arrangements sit with the operator rather than with the private office, since crew are employed and rostered by the airline or management company operating the aircraft. The office's role is to confirm the operator's safety standards and reputation before proposing a flight, and to relay any specific request, such as dietary requirements or cabin preferences, to the crew in advance.
Weather and diversions are managed by the operator's flight crew in line with aviation regulation, and the private office's part is to keep the client informed and to adjust ground arrangements accordingly. If Malaga or Gibraltar is affected by weather and an aircraft is diverted to an alternative airport, the office rearranges the chauffeur and any onward booking to match the revised arrival point and time.
Every request is assessed against the party size, luggage, preferred dates, budget and destination before an aircraft is proposed, and where a scheduled or commercial option would serve the client better, the office will say so rather than propose private aviation for its own sake. Where flexibility exists, the office will also flag empty-leg options that might reduce the cost of the journey.
Private aviation through Cavalma suits clients already using the private office for transfers, a private chauffeur, a villa or executive protection, since the aircraft booking is reconciled against everything else arranged for the same stay. It is used by families arriving for a holiday on the coast, executives combining a business visit with meetings in Marbella or Gibraltar, and groups moving between the Costa del Sol and other destinations on a schedule that a commercial timetable cannot match.
Frequently asked
Do you charter the aircraft yourselves, or work with operators?
We are not an aircraft operator. We source aircraft through a small circle of trusted brokers and operators, and we coordinate the ground and passenger experience end to end. Existing broker relationships are respected - we can simply handle the arrival.
Can you check empty-leg availability?
Yes. When dates are flexible, empty legs from Málaga, Marbella-San Pedro, Gibraltar or the wider European network can offer meaningful savings. We check them on request and never present a leg we would not use ourselves.
Do you arrange helicopter transfers?
Yes - Marbella to Sotogrande, Gibraltar, Málaga or across to Ibiza and Formentera. Helicopter is often the quieter answer for short hops, especially in July and August.
Can ground transport be coordinated with the aircraft?
Always. Cars are on the tarmac before the aircraft opens its door. No terminal, no queue, and no separation between the aircraft and the car.
Which airports do you cover for private aviation?
Málaga (AGP), Gibraltar (GIB), Jerez, Seville and Granada as home fields; onward coordination anywhere in Europe.
What is the difference between a charter broker and a private office arranging a flight?
A charter broker sources an aircraft and stops there. Cavalma is a Marbella-based private office: the flight is sourced through vetted operators and then reconciled against everything else arranged for the same stay, so the chauffeur, the villa arrival and the evening reservation all move together when a departure slot changes.
Which type of aircraft suits my journey?
The aircraft is chosen for the leg rather than sold as a fixed product. A light or midsize jet suits a short European sector with a small party and modest luggage, a super-midsize or heavy jet suits longer sectors, larger groups or bulky baggage such as golf equipment, and a helicopter suits point-to-point movements along the Costa del Sol where a road journey would take considerably longer.
How much notice is needed to arrange a private flight to Marbella?
Lead times vary with the aircraft and the season. A domestic or short European sector can sometimes be confirmed within a day when suitable aircraft are available, while a specific cabin type, a peak-season date in July or August, or a longer international sector is more reliably secured with several days to a week of notice.
What exactly is an empty leg, and is it worth waiting for one?
An empty leg is a positioning flight an operator must fly regardless of a paying passenger, offered at a reduced rate when its timing and route happen to match a client's plans. Cavalma checks empty-leg availability on request, but only proposes a leg that fits the client's actual schedule rather than reshaping the trip around a discounted flight.
Can you fly into Gibraltar rather than Málaga?
Yes. Gibraltar Airport is used regularly for clients staying towards Sotogrande and the western end of the coast, and Málaga Airport for Marbella, Puerto Banús and the Golden Mile. The choice is made on the accommodation address and the road time on the day, and Cavalma positions the chauffeur at whichever field the aircraft uses.
What happens on arrival at a private terminal?
Handling is arranged through the fixed-base operator terminal rather than the main passenger concourse. At Málaga and Gibraltar this means a private arrivals area, direct access from the aircraft steps to the car, and no queue at immigration or baggage reclaim shared with commercial passengers.
Are passport and customs checks still required on a private flight?
Yes. Border and customs formalities apply to private aviation exactly as they do to scheduled flights, and they are carried out by the authorities at the airport. What changes is the setting: checks take place in the private terminal, usually within minutes of the aircraft's arrival, rather than in the main hall.
Can golf clubs, skis or oversized luggage be carried?
Luggage is confirmed against the aircraft before departure, because hold and cabin capacity vary considerably between aircraft categories. Golf bags, ski equipment and other oversized items are declared at the time of booking so the aircraft proposed can actually carry them, rather than being discovered at the aircraft steps.
Can pets travel in the cabin?
Travelling pets are arranged directly with the operator, who confirms documentation and any restriction attaching to the aircraft type well ahead of departure. Cavalma raises this at the booking stage rather than on the day, since acceptance is the operator's decision and depends on the aircraft.
Who employs the flight crew?
Crew are employed and rostered by the operator or management company flying the aircraft, not by the private office. Cavalma's role is to confirm the operator's safety standards and reputation before proposing a flight, and to pass on specific requests such as dietary requirements or cabin preferences in advance.
What happens if weather diverts the aircraft?
Weather decisions are taken by the operator's flight crew in line with aviation regulation. If Málaga or Gibraltar is affected and the aircraft is diverted, Cavalma rearranges the chauffeur and any onward booking to match the revised arrival point and time, so the client is not left reorganising the ground side from the aircraft.
Can catering and cabin preferences be requested?
Yes. Dietary requirements, preferred refreshments and cabin preferences are relayed to the operator in advance so the crew can prepare before the flight. Requests made at the booking stage are far more reliably met than those raised on the day of departure.
How is discretion maintained around a private flight?
Discretion is treated as a practical requirement of the arrival rather than an optional extra. Private terminals allow a client to avoid the main concourse entirely, passenger and crew details are shared only with those directly handling the flight, and Cavalma does not discuss a client's movements with anyone outside the booking.
Will you tell me if a scheduled flight would serve me better?
Yes. Every request is assessed against the party size, luggage, preferred dates, budget and destination before an aircraft is proposed, and where a scheduled or commercial option serves the client better, Cavalma says so rather than proposing private aviation for its own sake.
Is a helicopter faster than a car between Marbella and Gibraltar or Sotogrande?
For short coastal distances the flight time is measured in minutes rather than hours, which matters most in July and August when road traffic along the coast is heaviest. Cavalma compares the two honestly for the day in question, because on a quiet morning a chauffeured car is often the simpler answer.
Can a flight be arranged alongside a chauffeur, villa or protection detail?
That is the usual case. Private aviation through Cavalma suits clients already using the private office for transfers, a private chauffeur, a villa or executive protection, since the aircraft booking is reconciled against everything else arranged for the same stay and handled by the same point of contact.