The short answer
To charter a helicopter to Battersea, tell us where you are starting and when you need to land. We fly you from your own site or the nearest airfield to the London Heliport on the Thames, which is London's only licensed central heliport. Birmingham to Battersea takes about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter against around 2 hours 26 minutes by road.
Flying from Battersea and the London Heliport? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Site
- London Heliport (Battersea), Bridges Court Road, Battersea, London
- Code
- EGLW
- Hours as published
- Permitted hours 07:00 to 23:00, seven days. Core hours 07:30 to 19:30 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 18:00 Saturday, Sunday and bank holidays. Extended hours by prior arrangement only. Closed 25 and 26 December and 1 January (library check 29 September 2026)
- Prior permission
- Yes, required for every movement
- Customs and immigration
- By arrangement. There is no permanent Border Force presence, so international flights need a General Aviation Report filed in advance, which we handle
- Departures
- Must be airborne by 22:45
- To Heathrow
- About 10 to 15 minutes by helicopter, 34 minutes by road (free-flowing)
Where Battersea and the London Heliport flights start and end
The map shows London Heliport, 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. London Heliport is at London Heliport, Bridges Court Road, Battersea, London. Open it in Google Maps.
London Heliport (Battersea)
Choose a place
Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Battersea and the London Heliport
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.
London Heliport (Battersea) EGLW
- Address
- London Heliport, Bridges Court Road, Battersea, London
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
Permitted hours 07:00–23:00 seven days. Core hours 07:30–19:30 Mon–Fri; 08:00–18:00 Sat, Sun and bank holidays.…
Permitted hours 07:00–23:00 seven days. Core hours 07:30–19:30 Mon–Fri; 08:00–18:00 Sat, Sun and bank holidays. Extended hours by prior arrangement only (early 07:00–07:29, evening 19:30–20:59, late 21:00–23:00). Closed 25–26 Dec and 1 Jan- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement
London's only licensed central heliport, on the Thames at Battersea, 3 NM from Westminster Bridge. No permanent Border Force presence – international flights need a GAR filed in advance (we handle the notice). Departures must be airborne by 22:45.
Why most helicopter charters into London end at Battersea
A helicopter charter Battersea booking starts with one fact: the London Heliport sits on the south bank of the Thames at Battersea, about 3 nautical miles from Westminster Bridge. It is the only licensed heliport in central London, which is why a charter from Manchester, Bristol or Norwich that has to finish "in town" almost always finishes here.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. We do not run the flights into London on this page ourselves: the central London service, the lounge and the London-only questions belong to our partner site, Battersea Helicopter. If your question is "how do I get from Battersea to Paris" or "what happens at the heliport", go straight to the London Heliport guide or the Battersea helicopter charter page.
What this site does is bring you to Battersea from the rest of the country, and take you out again. Think of it as the long leg of the journey.
If you would rather see London than cross it, our 30-minute London helicopter tour departs from the same heliport, £4,350 + VAT.
Journey times from London Heliport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Epsom Downs | 10 nm (12 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 33 min (15 mi) | 20 min |
| London Heathrow | 11 nm (12 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 34 min (16 mi) | 21 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 19 nm (22 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 51 min (28 mi) | 33 min |
| London Gatwick | 19 nm (22 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 57 min (29 mi) | 39 min |
| Goodwood | 43 nm (49 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 28 min (61 mi) | 1 h |
| Cambridge | 46 nm (53 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 46 min (63 mi) | 1 h 18 min |
| Oxford | 48 nm (55 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 31 min (64 mi) | 1 h 01 min |
| Silverstone | 48 nm (55 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 49 min (82 mi) | 1 h 19 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 51 nm (59 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 45 min (67 mi) | 1 h 12 min |
| Southampton | 54 nm (62 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 39 min (81 mi) | 1 h 06 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 75 nm (87 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 15 min (99 mi) | 1 h 35 min |
| Birmingham | 83 nm (95 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 26 min (117 mi) | 1 h 41 min |
| Norwich | 90 nm (104 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 53 min (120 mi) | 2 h 03 min |
| Bristol | 95 nm (110 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 43 min (126 mi) | 1 h 53 min |
| Cardiff | 119 nm (136 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 22 min (164 mi) | 2 h 19 min |
| Manchester | 137 nm (157 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 4 h 09 min (193 mi) | 3 h 01 min |
| Liverpool | 149 nm (171 mi) | 65 to 85 min | 4 h 15 min (211 mi) | 3 h |
| York Racecourse | 153 nm (175 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 10 min (213 mi) | 2 h 52 min |
| Leeds | 154 nm (177 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 17 min (211 mi) | 2 h 59 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 157 nm (181 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 17 min (219 mi) | 2 h 59 min |
| Newcastle | 221 nm (254 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | 5 h 59 min (297 mi) | 4 h 11 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.
Opening hours, permission and what limits a flight
The heliport publishes permitted hours of 07:00 to 23:00 every day. Inside that, the core hours are 07:30 to 19:30 on weekdays and 08:00 to 18:00 at weekends and bank holidays. Early starts (07:00 to 07:29) and evening or late movements (19:30 to 23:00) are by prior arrangement only. Every departure must be airborne by 22:45, and the site is closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Those hours were checked in the library on 29 September 2026; always treat them as subject to change.
Landing needs prior permission, and customs is by arrangement: there is no permanent Border Force officer, so a flight arriving from abroad needs a General Aviation Report filed ahead of time. We file it. The heliport is also a licensed site over water with its own performance requirements, so the helicopters that serve it are twin-engine types such as the Leonardo AW139 or the Agusta 109 Grand. Parking at the heliport is limited, so tell us in advance if you are driving.
Battersea against the road: real journey times
The helicopter pays back fastest on the longer legs. Birmingham to Battersea takes about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter and 2 hours 26 minutes by road at best. Bristol is about 45 to 55 minutes against 2 hours 43 minutes, and Manchester about 60 to 75 minutes against 4 hours 9 minutes. Road figures are free-flowing, so a real Monday morning is slower.
On short legs the saving is smaller but still real. Heathrow is about 10 to 15 minutes by air against 34 minutes by car, and Gatwick about 15 to 20 minutes against 57 minutes. Our airport transfers by helicopter page explains when that gap is worth paying for, and the helicopter versus car journey times article shows the method behind every figure.
Which airfield do we fly in from?
The helicopter does not wait at Battersea, so a London charter normally starts from a nearby airfield and positions to the heliport shortly before your slot. Depending on the date and the aircraft, that airfield is usually Biggin Hill, Elstree, Redhill (our head office airfield) or Blackbushe. Positioning is typically a short hop of 10 to 20 minutes.
Our old site quoted about 8 minutes for that hop. The computed figures are longer, so please plan on the ranges here.
Who uses it and for what
Our clients fly to Battersea for client meetings in the City and the West End, board-level days that cannot absorb a late train, and connections from private jets landing at Farnborough or Luton. Within a few minutes' drive are Westminster, Chelsea, Fulham, Kensington and the South Bank, and a chauffeur car can be waiting; our chauffeur partner covers London.
It is also the usual London end of a day at the races or the motor racing: Ascot is about 15 to 20 minutes away and Silverstone about 25 to 35 minutes.
How a booking works from here
Send us your start point, destination, date, number of passengers and their weights through the quote form. We confirm the aircraft, the site permissions and the landing slot, and we tell you the arrival time. Please be at the helicopter 10 minutes before departure. Luggage travels best in soft bags, because the hold on some twin-engine types is small. For price guidance see Helicopter Hire Prices and request a quote there or on this site.
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. Flights to private lawns, hotels or estates are subject to landing permission and site suitability; see the guide to UK landing sites.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to London Heliport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Can I land a helicopter at Battersea without prior permission?
No. The London Heliport requires prior permission for every movement, and extended hours before 07:30 or after 19:30 on weekdays are by prior arrangement only. We request the slot as part of your booking.
What are the London Heliport opening hours?
As published, permitted hours are 07:00 to 23:00 daily, with core hours of 07:30 to 19:30 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 18:00 at weekends and bank holidays. It is closed on 25 and 26 December and 1 January. Departures must be airborne by 22:45.
Does the heliport have customs?
Customs is by arrangement. There is no permanent Border Force presence, so international flights need a General Aviation Report filed in advance. We handle that notice for you.
Can a single-engine helicopter land at Battersea?
We do not offer single-engine charter: every aircraft we arrange is twin-engine, which also suits the over-water site and its performance requirements.
How long is the flight from Birmingham to Battersea?
About 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 26 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Where do I go for central London flights and Paris?
Battersea Helicopter, our partner site, runs central London and Paris flights from the London Heliport. Start at its London Heliport page.
