The short answer
Helicopter charter in Aberdeen runs from Aberdeen International Airport at Dyce, five nautical miles north-west of the city. A flight to Edinburgh takes about 40 to 50 minutes, against about 2 hours 26 minutes by road. Give us the date, passenger weights and landing place and we quote from the quote form.
Flying from Aberdeen? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Main site
- Aberdeen International Airport (EGPD), Dyce, AB21 7DU, 1,953 m runway, jet capable
- Hours (checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Airfield 06:00 to 22:30 daily; prior permission outside; customs and immigration 07:00 to 23:00
- Permission
- Prior permission required; extended hours need 24 hours notice for non-delayed traffic
- Customs
- On site within published hours; charter and GA flights need at least 24 hours notice
- Aberdeen to Edinburgh
- Helicopter about 40 to 50 minutes; car about 2h26 (free-flowing)
- Aberdeen to Glasgow
- Helicopter about 50 to 65 minutes; car about 3h06
Where Aberdeen flights start and end
The map shows Aberdeen Airport, with range rings and the nearest cities. Pins with a page of their own are links.
The map draws a satellite picture, so it needs JavaScript and an internet connection. Aberdeen Airport is at Aberdeen International Airport, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 7DU. Open it in Google Maps.
Aberdeen International Airport
Choose a place
Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Aberdeen
Hours, permission and customs are the airport's or site's published information, checked 29 Sept 2026. We arrange permission and confirm times with your booking.
Aberdeen International Airport EGPD / ABZ
- Address
- Aberdeen International Airport, Dyce, Aberdeen AB21 7DU
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
AD administration 0600–2230 local daily; PPR outside these hours (non-delayed traffic must request extended opening…
AD administration 0600–2230 local daily; PPR outside these hours (non-delayed traffic must request extended opening with at least 24 hours' notice). Customs 0700–2300 local and Immigration 0700–2300 local.- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 16/34 – 1,953 m × 46 m, asphalt (grooved)
How does helicopter hire from Aberdeen work?
For helicopter charter Aberdeen, you give us the date, where you are going and each passenger's weight; we match the helicopter, book the landing and send a firm quote. Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011, and every helicopter we arrange is twin-engine. Private aircraft can reach private landing sites that an airliner cannot, so a popular request has long been a transfer between Aberdeen Airport and a hotel landing site, and ground transport can be arranged at either end.
Aberdeen International Airport sits about five nautical miles north-west of the city. The airport publishes airfield hours of 06:00 to 22:30 each day, with prior permission outside those hours; customs and immigration run 07:00 to 23:00, and charter and general aviation flights need at least 24 hours notice for customs. Two fuel suppliers operate during published times. A handling agent on the airfield looks after the aircraft and passengers.
Journey times from Aberdeen Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Edinburgh | 85 nm (97 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 26 min (125 mi) | 1 h 41 min |
| Glasgow | 109 nm (125 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 3 h 06 min (161 mi) | 2 h 08 min |
| Newcastle | 131 nm (151 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 5 h 09 min (237 mi) | 4 h 01 min |
| York Racecourse | 199 nm (229 mi) | 85 to 110 min | 6 h 34 min (349 mi) | 4 h 56 min |
| Leeds | 201 nm (231 mi) | 90 to 110 min | 6 h 39 min (340 mi) | 4 h 59 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 225 nm (259 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | 6 h 28 min (352 mi) | 4 h 40 min |
| Manchester | 231 nm (266 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | 6 h 54 min (363 mi) | 5 h 01 min |
| Liverpool | 233 nm (268 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | 6 h 47 min (365 mi) | 4 h 54 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.
Aberdeen to Edinburgh, Glasgow and England
Edinburgh is about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter against 2 hours 26 minutes by road. Glasgow is about 50 to 65 minutes against 3 hours 6 minutes. Newcastle is about 60 to 75 minutes against 5 hours 9 minutes, which is where the helicopter wins by the widest margin. Leeds and York are about 85 to 110 minutes against more than 6 hours by road. See Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle for the other ends of those flights.
Those road times are free-flowing floors from our journey data; winter weather on the A90 and the A9 makes real journeys longer. There is a full comparison in the table on this page, and a wider look at helicopter against car journey times across the UK.
Business, estates and golf around Aberdeen
Aberdeen is the centre of the UK offshore energy industry, with energy companies, suppliers and engineering firms spread across the city, Dyce and the harbour. The flights we arrange for that sector tend to be point to point: a morning at the harbour, an afternoon in Edinburgh, then home. Our business helicopter charter page explains the model, and same-day business trips covers the there-and-back day.
Aberdeenshire and Deeside have shooting estates and country houses, and the coast has Royal Aberdeen and Trump International Golf Links at Balmedie. Landing on an estate or at a golf club is subject to landing permission and site suitability, and we agree it with the landowner. See shooting by helicopter for how shoot days are handled, and the Scotland region page for the rest of the country.
Practical points for Aberdeen
Fixed-wing movements between 23:00 and 06:00 are limited to quieter aircraft types, a rule that affects jets more than helicopters, but the airport still closes at 22:30 for most flights, so a late return needs advance notice. Winter planning matters: daylight is short and the weather can shift fast, and we monitor it on the morning. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Arrive 10 minutes before departure with your passenger list and weights, and pack in soft bags where the hold is small. If you are also flying a jet, our private jet partner covers it, and the Scottish airfield directory lists other sites. For cost guides, see Helicopter Hire Prices.
Frequently asked questions
What helicopters are available in Aberdeen?
Every aircraft is twin-engine, operated on a UK CAA Air Operator's Certificate, and fully insured. Seating runs from 5 to 8 passengers depending on the aircraft (ask us for the Sikorsky S-76). See the fleet pages for details.
How long is the helicopter from Aberdeen to Edinburgh?
About 40 to 50 minutes, against about 2 hours 26 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Is Aberdeen Airport open late?
The airfield is published as open 06:00 to 22:30 daily. Outside those hours you need prior permission, and non-delayed traffic must ask for extended opening with at least 24 hours notice.
Can I travel to a hotel by helicopter from Aberdeen?
Often, subject to landing permission and site suitability. Hotel transfers from the airport have long been a popular request, and we ask the hotel first.
Does Aberdeen have customs?
Yes, on site 07:00 to 23:00, with at least 24 hours notice for charter and general aviation flights.
