The short answer
Helicopters land at Cheltenham on race days at a helipad a few hundred metres from the racecourse, and the 2027 Festival runs from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March. Landings are booked in advance, held around the races, and passengers show race-day tickets. From central London the flight is about 35 to 45 minutes.
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
- Event
- Cheltenham Festival, Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham GL50 4SH
- Usual month
- March
- 2027 dates
- Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March 2027, as published by the Jockey Club; check with the organiser before you book
- Where we land
- The racecourse helipad, a few hundred metres from the course; race and event days only
- Landing windows
- No landings within 30 minutes of the first race; no take-offs until 30 minutes after the last race, unless the Clerk of the Course agrees
- Central London to Cheltenham
- About 35 to 45 minutes by helicopter; about 2 hours 15 minutes by car in free-flowing traffic
- Birmingham to Cheltenham
- About 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter; about 1 hour 14 minutes by car
- Nearest alternative
- Gloucestershire Airport (Staverton), about 3.9 nautical miles away
The nearest landing site
Cheltenham Racecourse Helipad 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. Cheltenham Racecourse Helipad is at Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire. Open it in Google Maps.
Cheltenham Racecourse Helipad
Choose a place
Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Cheltenham Racecourse Helipad
- Address
- Cheltenham Racecourse, Evesham Road, Cheltenham, Gloucestershire
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
Race and event days only. No landings within 30 minutes of the first race and no take-offs until 30 minutes after the…
Race and event days only. No landings within 30 minutes of the first race and no take-offs until 30 minutes after the last race, except by permission of the Clerk of the Course- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
All landings booked and briefed in advance through the helipad company – arranged by Charter-A with your flight. Race-day tickets are required on arrival. Movements are held around race times.
Map position is approximate.
Helicopter charter CheltenhamOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
How does landing at Cheltenham work?
Helicopter charter to Cheltenham for the Festival is a booking we take a year ahead for many clients.
The racecourse welcomes helicopter arrivals on race days. The helipad is temporary, a few hundred metres from the racecourse, and it handles more than 400 flights over the four days of the Festival. Landings are booked and briefed in advance and we arrange your slot with your booking.
On arrival a member of the helipad team meets you, takes you to a private enclosure and offers refreshments, and a chauffeur-driven vehicle then takes you to the stands or hospitality. Every guest shows their race-day ticket when they arrive. After racing you are driven back to the helipad.
Movements are held around the races. No landings are permitted within 30 minutes of the first race, and there are no take-offs until 30 minutes after the last race, except with the permission of the Clerk of the Course. Plan your arrival for the morning and your departure for after the last race, or leave earlier if you prefer.
Journey times to Cheltenham Racecourse Helipad
Typical helicopter times against the car from the nearest cities, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oxford | 28 nm (32 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 02 min (42 mi) | 39 min |
| Birmingham | 34 nm (39 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 14 min (57 mi) | 51 min |
| Silverstone | 40 nm (46 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 32 min (67 mi) | 1 h 04 min |
| Bristol | 40 nm (46 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 14 min (55 mi) | 46 min |
| Cardiff | 57 nm (65 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 47 min (85 mi) | 1 h 14 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 60 nm (69 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 45 min (85 mi) | 1 h 10 min |
| Southampton | 64 nm (73 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 57 min (92 mi) | 1 h 19 min |
| London Heathrow | 66 nm (75 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 51 min (86 mi) | 1 h 13 min |
| London | 75 nm (87 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 16 min (98 mi) | 1 h 36 min |
| Epsom Downs | 77 nm (88 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 17 min (107 mi) | 1 h 34 min |
| Goodwood | 80 nm (93 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 32 min (125 mi) | 1 h 47 min |
| London Gatwick | 84 nm (97 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 32 min (125 mi) | 1 h 47 min |
| Cambridge | 85 nm (97 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 37 min (132 mi) | 1 h 52 min |
| Manchester | 87 nm (100 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 37 min (119 mi) | 1 h 52 min |
| Liverpool | 90 nm (103 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 43 min (137 mi) | 1 h 53 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 93 nm (107 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 44 min (141 mi) | 1 h 54 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 99 nm (114 mi) | 45 to 60 min | 2 h 45 min (145 mi) | 1 h 52 min |
| Leeds | 118 nm (136 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 32 min (181 mi) | 2 h 29 min |
| York Racecourse | 127 nm (146 mi) | 60 to 70 min | 3 h 25 min (183 mi) | 2 h 20 min |
| Norwich | 131 nm (151 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 52 min (194 mi) | 2 h 44 min |
| Newcastle | 188 nm (216 mi) | 80 to 100 min | 5 h 14 min (267 mi) | 3 h 44 min |
| Edinburgh | 247 nm (284 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | 6 h 25 min (339 mi) | 4 h 27 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.
Which day of the Festival?
The four days each have a character. Choose for your guests and for the daylight, because March days are short.
- Tuesday 16 March, Champion Day: opening day, with the Champion Hurdle as the feature.
- Wednesday 17 March, Ladies Day: a strong fashion crowd and a full card.
- Thursday 18 March, St Patrick's Thursday: the third day, which hospitality sellers name for the Irish visitors.
- Friday 19 March, Gold Cup Day: the biggest day and the toughest to book.
Gates open at 10:30 on each day, the first race is at 13:20 and the last at 17:20, according to the Jockey Club. Times can change, so we confirm them nearer the date. The Festival is famous for the Irish invasion. We also arrange private jets and air taxi flights from Ireland to a nearby airfield, with a helicopter for the final leg.
Why a twin-engine helicopter suits March
In March the daylight is short and the last race is in the late afternoon. Daylight is the limit, so a client who wants to stay to the last race has little margin. Every aircraft we arrange is a twin, which gives more flexibility on the return, and we plan the timings with you before you book.
If you are happy to leave before the last race we will show you the options. See the Airbus H145 D3 and Leonardo AW139 pages for the cabins, or the AS355 Twin Squirrel page for the alternative. The Battersea guide to twin-engine helicopters explains more.
Flight times to Cheltenham
Cheltenham is close to London by helicopter and very close to Birmingham, Oxford and Bristol. These are the typical helicopter times from our route data, with the free-flowing car time.
- Central London: about 35 to 45 minutes, 2 hours 16 minutes by car.
- Birmingham: about 20 to 25 minutes, 1 hour 14 minutes by car. See the Birmingham page.
- Oxford: about 20 to 25 minutes, 1 hour 2 minutes by car.
- Bristol: about 25 to 30 minutes, 1 hour 14 minutes by car.
- Silverstone: about 25 to 30 minutes.
- Manchester: about 40 to 50 minutes, 2 hours 37 minutes by car.
- Leeds: about 55 to 70 minutes, 3 hours 32 minutes by car.
- Edinburgh: about 105 to 130 minutes.
Cheltenham town and the surrounding area have their own page at helicopter charter Cheltenham, and the Cotswolds page lists estates and hotels. Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton is the nearest alternative if the helipad is unavailable.
Booking the Festival
Festival week is the most popular for helicopter charter outside the summer. Clients book a year ahead so they do not miss out, and the helicopters available shrink as the date approaches. Ask us as soon as you have hospitality tickets.
Give us passenger weights, keep bags soft, and arrive 10 minutes before take-off. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. See the helicopter hire price guides for how charter prices are built. Compare other meetings on the horse racing by helicopter page, or return to the events hub.
Frequently asked questions
When is the Cheltenham Festival 2027?
The Jockey Club publishes the 2027 Festival as Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March. Check with the organiser before you book.
Where do helicopters land at Cheltenham?
At a temporary helipad a few hundred metres from the racecourse, on race days only. You are met, taken to a private enclosure and driven to the stands. Landing is subject to landing permission and site suitability.
Do I need a ticket to use the helipad?
Yes. Racegoers show their race-day ticket on arrival, so every guest needs one.
Can I leave before the last race?
Yes, and it is often simpler. No take-offs are allowed until 30 minutes after the last race unless the Clerk of the Course agrees.
How long is the flight from London to Cheltenham?
About 35 to 45 minutes from Battersea. The drive is around 2 hours 15 minutes in free-flowing traffic and much longer on Festival days.
Can you fly guests in from Ireland?
Yes. We arrange a private jet or air taxi to an airfield near Cheltenham and a helicopter for the last leg, or a helicopter alone from the nearest English airfield.
Why do I need a twin-engine helicopter?
Because of March daylight. A twin gives more freedom to stay until the end of racing, so we usually recommend one.
