The short answer
Helicopter charter to the Royal Highland Show lands at Edinburgh Airport, which is open 24 hours and sits next to the Royal Highland Centre at Ingliston. Glasgow is about 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter and Newcastle 40 to 50. A handling agent is mandatory. The show is held in June. 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
- Event
- Royal Highland Show, Royal Highland Centre, Ingliston, Edinburgh
- Usual timing
- Four days in June
- Dates
- Dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date
- Where we land
- Edinburgh Airport (EGPH), open 24 hours, customs on site; a handling agent is mandatory for every flight, helicopters included
- Edinburgh to Glasgow
- About 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter; at least 1 hour 4 minutes by road
- Edinburgh to Newcastle
- About 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter; at least 2 hours 53 minutes by road
- Edinburgh to Leeds
- About 65 to 80 minutes by helicopter; at least 4 hours 26 minutes by road
The nearest landing site
Edinburgh 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. Edinburgh Airport is at Edinburgh Airport, Edinburgh, Lothian EH12 9DN. Open it in Google Maps.
Edinburgh Airport
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Edinburgh Airport EGPH / EDI
- Address
- Edinburgh Airport, Edinburgh, Lothian EH12 9DN
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
H24 – AD administration, ATS, customs & immigration, security and de-icing all H24; Terminal Building H24; Business…
H24 – AD administration, ATS, customs & immigration, security and de-icing all H24; Terminal Building H24; Business Aviation Centre H24; 0530–2300 local, outside by prior arrangement with (UK AIP AD 2.3)- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 06/24 – 2,558 m × 45 m, asphalt (grooved), PCN 68
Helicopter charter EdinburghOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
How do you land at the Royal Highland Show?
Helicopter charter to the Royal Highland Show is unusual because the show ground at Ingliston is beside Edinburgh Airport. The airport is open 24 hours for air traffic, customs, handling and security, and has a business aviation centre. Its parking is limited, so every aircraft, helicopters included, is cleared in advance with a handling agent on the airfield, and general aviation is exempt from the airline slot rules. We arrange the agent and the permission.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. From the airport, the Royal Highland Centre is a short transfer. We do not promise a landing at the show ground itself. See helicopter charter Edinburgh for the airport page.
Journey times to Edinburgh Airport
Typical helicopter times against the car from the nearest cities, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glasgow | 36 nm (41 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 04 min (51 mi) | 41 min |
| Newcastle | 79 nm (91 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 53 min (113 mi) | 2 h 08 min |
| Leeds | 138 nm (159 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 26 min (207 mi) | 3 h 13 min |
| York Racecourse | 144 nm (165 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 20 min (216 mi) | 3 h 07 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 149 nm (172 mi) | 65 to 85 min | 4 h 15 min (219 mi) | 3 h |
| Liverpool | 158 nm (182 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 34 min (231 mi) | 3 h 14 min |
| Manchester | 161 nm (185 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 40 min (230 mi) | 3 h 20 min |
| Birmingham | 218 nm (250 mi) | 95 to 115 min | 5 h 52 min (305 mi) | 4 h 07 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 247 nm (284 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | 6 h 25 min (338 mi) | 4 h 27 min |
| Silverstone | 247 nm (284 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | 6 h 44 min (354 mi) | 4 h 46 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 Ingliston
From Glasgow, Edinburgh Airport is about 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter against at least 1 hour 4 minutes by road. From Newcastle it is about 40 to 50 minutes against 2 hours 53, from Leeds about 65 to 80 against 4 hours 26, and from York 65 to 80 against 4 hours 20. Those come from our route data and the road times are free-flowing floors, which show-week traffic on the M8 and the A8 will exceed.
For the connecting legs, see Edinburgh to Glasgow, Newcastle to Edinburgh and Manchester to Edinburgh.
Who goes and how to plan
The show is run by the Royal Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and draws farmers, food and drink producers, rural businesses and their suppliers, along with banks, land agents and firms hosting clients. Entry, hospitality and trade stand access come from the society; we arrange the aircraft and the car. Give us the party size, the weights and the time you want to arrive.
Rural Scotland also means estates, and shooting by helicopter and golf days are natural add-ons. See business helicopter charter for corporate groups and the events hub for more events.
Planning notes
Arrive 10 minutes before departure and keep bags soft. Night noise limits apply at the airport. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Executive Global Travel can arrange cars. The Scotland region page and the Scottish airfield directory cover other bases, and Perth and Dundee are 29 and 32 nautical miles away; see Perth.
Frequently asked questions
Is the show ground next to the airport?
Yes. The Royal Highland Centre is at Ingliston, beside Edinburgh Airport.
When is the Royal Highland Show?
Dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date. It is held over four days in June.
Do I need a handling agent?
Yes. Every flight at Edinburgh, including helicopters, needs one. We arrange it.
Can a helicopter land at the show ground?
We do not hold a landing site there. We land at the airport and a short transfer completes the journey.
Do you sell tickets?
No. Tickets and hospitality come from the society. We arrange the travel.
What if the weather stops the flight?
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
