The short answer
Helicopter charter to Ayr Racecourse lands at Prestwick Airport, a few miles away, which is open 24 hours with a 2,987 metre runway and customs on site. Glasgow is about 15 to 20 minutes by helicopter and Edinburgh 25 to 35. A handling agent is mandatory. Race dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date.
Quote this event Tell us the date and the number of guests; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Venue
- Ayr Racecourse, Ayr, Ayrshire
- Main meetings
- The Scottish Grand National in April and the Ayr Gold Cup meeting in September
- Dates
- Dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date
- Where we land
- Glasgow Prestwick Airport (EGPK), open 24 hours, customs on site; handling is mandatory
- Prestwick to Glasgow
- About 15 to 20 minutes by helicopter; at least 47 minutes by road
- Prestwick to Edinburgh
- About 25 to 35 minutes by helicopter; at least 1 hour 28 minutes by road
- Prestwick to Newcastle
- About 50 to 60 minutes by helicopter; at least 3 hours 32 minutes by road
The nearest landing site
Glasgow Prestwick Airport is the site we plan around for this event. Permission and times are confirmed with your booking.
The map draws a satellite picture, so it needs JavaScript and an internet connection. Glasgow Prestwick Airport is at Aviation House, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Prestwick KA9 2PL. Open it in Google Maps.
Glasgow Prestwick Airport
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Glasgow Prestwick Airport EGPK / PIK
- Address
- Aviation House, Glasgow Prestwick Airport, Prestwick KA9 2PL
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- H24 – AD administration, customs & immigration, health & sanitation, ATS, security and de-icing all H24 (UK AIP AD 2.3)
- Permission
- Check before you fly: we confirm it with your booking
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 12/30 – 2,987 m × 45 m, concrete/asphalt (92 m wide paved surface incl. shoulders); 02/20 – 1,906 m × 45 m asphalt
Helicopter charter PrestwickOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
How does a race day at Ayr work?
Helicopter charter to Ayr Racecourse follows the airport rather than the track. The racecourse does not appear in our library as a helicopter site, so we plan a landing at Prestwick Airport, which is a few miles away and open 24 hours, with a 2,987 metre runway, customs and immigration on site, and fuel and handling at any hour. A handling agent is mandatory for every aircraft, and the agent presents international passengers to Border Force. A car takes your party the last few miles to the course.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. If the racecourse or a nearby estate agrees, a landing closer to the track may be possible, subject to landing permission and site suitability. We ask first and never promise one. See helicopter charter Prestwick.
Journey times to Glasgow Prestwick Airport
Typical helicopter times against the car from the nearest cities, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | 23 nm (26 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 47 min (35 mi) | 29 min |
| Edinburgh | 49 nm (56 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 28 min (69 mi) | 58 min |
| Newcastle | 103 nm (118 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 3 h 32 min (157 mi) | 2 h 37 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 134 nm (154 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 4 h 14 min (218 mi) | 3 h 06 min |
| Leeds | 141 nm (162 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 25 min (207 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| Liverpool | 144 nm (165 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 33 min (231 mi) | 3 h 20 min |
| Manchester | 152 nm (175 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 40 min (229 mi) | 3 h 22 min |
| York Racecourse | 153 nm (175 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 20 min (215 mi) | 3 h 02 min |
| Birmingham | 208 nm (240 mi) | 90 to 115 min | 5 h 51 min (305 mi) | 4 h 08 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 233 nm (268 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | 6 h 24 min (338 mi) | 4 h 31 min |
| Silverstone | 241 nm (277 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | 6 h 43 min (353 mi) | 4 h 45 min |
| Oxford | 249 nm (286 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 15 min | 6 h 53 min (363 mi) | 4 h 53 min |
Helicopter figures are typical block times: distance at 135 knots plus 8 minutes, shown as a range. Road figures are free-flowing road times, a floor that real journeys rarely beat. Distances are in a straight line. Figures from our UK route data, checked 29 Sep 2026.
Times to Prestwick
From Glasgow, Prestwick is about 15 to 20 minutes by helicopter against at least 47 minutes by road; from Edinburgh about 25 to 35 against 1 hour 28; from Newcastle about 50 to 60 against 3 hours 32; and from Aintree about 60 to 75 against 4 hours 14. Those are figures from our route data and the road times are free-flowing floors. Campbeltown is 37.9 nautical miles away; see Argyll.
Links to nearby routes: Edinburgh to Glasgow and Glasgow to Newcastle.
Two racing days to plan around
The Scottish Grand National is the spring highlight at Ayr, and the Gold Cup meeting is the September one. Tickets, hospitality and enclosures are arranged through the racecourse, not by us. We arrange the travel. For hospitality guests, Ayr is a coastal course, and spring and autumn weather can bring wind and rain; we plan the return with a margin and a twin-engine aircraft.
For the full racing picture, see horse racing by helicopter and the events hub. For Ayrshire golf days nearby, see golf by helicopter.
Planning notes
Arrive 10 minutes before departure and keep bags soft. Jet circuit training is restricted in the evening for noise, which does not affect charter arrivals. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Executive Global Travel can arrange cars. The Scotland region page gives the wider picture.
Frequently asked questions
Where do helicopters land for Ayr Racecourse?
Prestwick Airport, a few miles away, with a car for the last stretch. A closer site needs landing permission.
When are the Scottish Grand National and the Gold Cup?
Dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date. The Scottish Grand National is in April and the Gold Cup meeting in September.
How long is the flight from Glasgow?
About 15 to 20 minutes.
Is Prestwick open at night?
Yes, it is open 24 hours. A handling agent is mandatory.
Do you sell tickets?
No. Tickets and hospitality come from the racecourse. We arrange the travel.
What if the weather stops the flight?
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
