The short answer
To charter a helicopter in Birmingham, tell us your date, your passenger weights and where you want to land, and we quote from Birmingham Airport or Halfpenny Green. The flight to London takes about 40 to 50 minutes, against roughly 2 hours 25 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Flying from Birmingham? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Main site
- Birmingham Airport (EGBB), 3,052 m runway, customs and immigration on site, jet capable
- Second site
- Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport (EGBO), 1,005 m runway, turboprop and helicopter airfield
- Hours (checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Birmingham: airport 24 hours, one business aviation facility 07:00 to 19:00 with call-out and one available 24 hours on request. Halfpenny Green: 09:00 to 18:00 in summer, 09:00 to 17:00 in winter
- Permission
- Prior permission required at both; a handling agent on the airfield is mandatory at Birmingham
- Birmingham to London
- Helicopter about 40 to 50 minutes; car about 2h25 (free-flowing)
- Passengers
- Up to 8 in an AW139; 5 or 6 in the smaller twins
Where Birmingham flights start and end
The map shows Birmingham Airport and the other sites that serve Birmingham, 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. Birmingham Airport is at Birmingham Airport, Birmingham. Open it in Google Maps.
Birmingham Airport
Choose a place
Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Birmingham
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.
Birmingham Airport EGBB / BHX
- Address
- Birmingham Airport, Birmingham
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Airport 24 hours (customs). Night noise policy 23:30–06:00 restricts certain aircraft types
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 15/33 – 3,052 m × 45 m asphalt (grooved)
Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport EGBO
- Address
- Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport, Crab Lane, Bobbington, Stourbridge, West Midlands
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Summer 09:00–18:00; winter 09:00–17:00 (local); winter night flying Thursdays until 21:00; out-of-hours scheme via the website
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement / prior notice (Border Force agreement – GAR 4 hours' notice from the EU)
- Runway
- 16/34 – 1,005 m × 30 m asphalt; 10/28 – 799 m; 04/22 – 646 m
Helicopter charter Wolverhampton and the Black CountryOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
How do you charter a helicopter in Birmingham?
Helicopter charter Birmingham works the same way every time. You send us the date, the places, the number of passengers and their weights through the quote form, or you call the 24-hour line. We check the aircraft that suit the job, confirm the landing arrangements and come back with 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, so the process is the same whether the flight is across the West Midlands or to the other end of the country.
Most Birmingham jobs start at Birmingham Airport, because it has a long runway, customs on site and a business aviation side that sits apart from the passenger terminal with its own ramp access and private screening. If your journey is mainly to the north-west of the city, the Black Country or Staffordshire, Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green is often the better start, and our Wolverhampton page covers it in more detail.
Journey times from Birmingham Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 34 nm (39 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 11 min (58 mi) | 48 min |
| Silverstone | 35 nm (40 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 16 min (56 mi) | 53 min |
| Oxford | 40 nm (46 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 19 min (64 mi) | 51 min |
| Manchester | 57 nm (66 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 2 h 01 min (86 mi) | 1 h 28 min |
| Liverpool | 66 nm (76 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 2 h 07 min (104 mi) | 1 h 29 min |
| Cambridge | 72 nm (83 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 1 h 52 min (96 mi) | 1 h 12 min |
| Bristol | 74 nm (85 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 09 min (107 mi) | 1 h 29 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 74 nm (85 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 03 min (105 mi) | 1 h 23 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 75 nm (87 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 09 min (112 mi) | 1 h 29 min |
| London Heathrow | 76 nm (87 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 01 min (106 mi) | 1 h 18 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 80 nm (92 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 1 h 59 min (105 mi) | 1 h 14 min |
| London | 83 nm (95 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 25 min (118 mi) | 1 h 40 min |
| Leeds | 85 nm (98 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 35 min (128 mi) | 1 h 50 min |
| Cardiff | 87 nm (100 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 37 min (130 mi) | 1 h 52 min |
| Epsom Downs | 88 nm (101 mi) | 40 to 55 min | 2 h 26 min (127 mi) | 1 h 38 min |
| Southampton | 91 nm (105 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 32 min (131 mi) | 1 h 42 min |
| York Racecourse | 93 nm (107 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 28 min (130 mi) | 1 h 38 min |
| London Gatwick | 97 nm (112 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 42 min (144 mi) | 1 h 52 min |
| Goodwood | 103 nm (118 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 3 h 07 min (159 mi) | 2 h 12 min |
| Norwich | 111 nm (128 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 3 h 07 min (158 mi) | 2 h 09 min |
| Newcastle | 155 nm (178 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 17 min (215 mi) | 2 h 59 min |
| Edinburgh | 218 nm (250 mi) | 95 to 115 min | 5 h 48 min (305 mi) | 4 h 03 min |
| Glasgow | 226 nm (260 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h | 5 h 41 min (309 mi) | 3 h 51 min |
Times from Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green Airport
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 19 nm (22 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 58 min (36 mi) | 40 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 37 nm (42 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 10 min (51 mi) | 47 min |
| Manchester | 50 nm (58 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 58 min (73 mi) | 1 h 28 min |
| Silverstone | 53 nm (61 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 41 min (72 mi) | 1 h 08 min |
| Oxford | 54 nm (62 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 45 min (80 mi) | 1 h 12 min |
| Liverpool | 54 nm (62 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 2 h 04 min (91 mi) | 1 h 31 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 63 nm (72 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 06 min (99 mi) | 1 h 31 min |
| Bristol | 70 nm (81 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 08 min (100 mi) | 1 h 28 min |
| Cardiff | 78 nm (90 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 35 min (124 mi) | 1 h 50 min |
| Leeds | 84 nm (96 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 53 min (135 mi) | 2 h 08 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 89 nm (102 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 28 min (121 mi) | 1 h 38 min |
| Cambridge | 91 nm (105 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 26 min (121 mi) | 1 h 36 min |
| London Heathrow | 92 nm (105 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 26 min (122 mi) | 1 h 36 min |
| York Racecourse | 96 nm (110 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 50 min (139 mi) | 2 h |
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 sites serve Birmingham?
Birmingham Airport is the main site. It is open 24 hours as published, with a night noise policy from 23:30 to 06:00 that restricts certain aircraft types. One business aviation facility is staffed 07:00 to 19:00 with a call-out service and another is available around the clock on request. Slots are cleared through Airport Co-ordination Ltd and a handling agent on the airfield is mandatory, so we book early. Arriving by jet is simple: tell us the handling agent your jet is using and we plan the helicopter to meet it. For the jet itself, see charter-private-jet.com.
Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green sits about 19 nautical miles to the north-west. It is a smaller airfield with a 1,005 m main runway, published hours of 09:00 to 18:00 in summer and 09:00 to 17:00 in winter, night flying on Thursdays until 21:00, and prior permission for every movement. Customs there is by arrangement. It is a helicopter and turboprop airfield rather than a jet airport. Hours were checked on 29 September 2026; we confirm them again when we quote.
Birmingham to London, Manchester, Leeds and beyond
London is the flagship run. From Birmingham Airport it takes about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 25 minutes by car on free-flowing roads, and real motorway traffic only makes the gap wider. The same pattern holds across the country. Birmingham to Manchester is about 30 to 35 minutes by air and 2 hours 1 minute by road. Liverpool is about 35 to 40 minutes against 2 hours 7 minutes. Leeds is about 40 to 50 minutes against 2 hours 35 minutes, and Bristol is about 35 to 45 minutes against 2 hours 9 minutes.
Shorter hops are where the helicopter earns its keep for events. Cheltenham and Silverstone are each about 20 to 25 minutes from Birmingham Airport, against over an hour on the road. Our route pages cover London to Birmingham, Birmingham to Leeds and Bristol to Birmingham in full. If your London meeting is in the centre, Battersea Helicopter runs the London Heliport landing, and we hand over to them for that last stage.
Why do people charter helicopters from Birmingham?
Business is the steady core: directors who need a morning meeting in the Midlands and an afternoon one in London, Manchester or Bristol, then home for the evening. A same-day return, covered on our same-day business trips page, turns two days of travel into one. Our business helicopter charter page explains how multi-stop days are planned.
Our clients have also flown to the NEC Arena, the football grounds at Villa Park and St Andrew's, Edgbaston cricket ground and The Belfry golf course. Landing at a stadium, a hotel or a club is always subject to landing permission and site suitability, so we agree it with the venue first and often land at Birmingham Airport with a car transfer for the last few miles. Aston Villa hospitality is covered on our Villa Park page, and the racing and motorsport days at Cheltenham and Silverstone are both a short flight away.
What happens on the day
Arrive 10 minutes before departure. The pilot needs a passenger list with weights, because weight decides the aircraft and the fuel, and we ask for luggage in soft bags where the hold is small. At Birmingham you go through private screening on the business aviation side rather than the main terminal, where that service is available, and walk to the helicopter. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Landing at your own site, a country house lawn or a company grounds, is possible in many cases, subject to landing permission and site suitability. We ask for the postcode, the surface and any obstacles, and we take on the landowner conversation. Our Midlands and East England airfield directory lists the alternatives around the city, and the Midlands region page shows how Birmingham fits with the rest of the region.
Nearby bases
If Birmingham is not quite the right start, East Midlands is about 27 nautical miles away with no prior permission needed, Stratford-upon-Avon is served by Wellesbourne about 17 nautical miles south-east, and Northampton and Leicester are within reach. For prices, the independent guides at Helicopter Hire Prices are the place to start, and the quote form gives you a firm figure.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to Birmingham Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a helicopter take from Birmingham to London?
About 40 to 50 minutes from Birmingham Airport, against about 2 hours 25 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic. Real journeys by car are usually longer.
Can I land at the NEC or at a hotel in Birmingham?
Sometimes. Landing at any venue, hotel or private site is subject to landing permission and site suitability. We ask the venue first; if it is not possible we land at Birmingham Airport and arrange a car for the last stage.
Do I need prior permission to land at Birmingham Airport?
Yes. Birmingham is a prior permission airport with mandatory ground handling and slots cleared in advance, so we arrange it when we quote. Allow as much notice as you can.
Is Birmingham Airport open at night?
It is published as open 24 hours, though a night noise policy from 23:30 to 06:00 restricts certain aircraft types, and one business aviation facility is staffed 07:00 to 19:00 with call-out outside that. Tell us your timings and we confirm.
When would I use Halfpenny Green instead?
When your journey is towards Wolverhampton, the Black Country or Staffordshire, or when you want a quieter airfield. It has published hours and needs prior permission, and it handles helicopters and turboprops rather than jets.
How many people can fly together?
An AW139 carries up to 8 passengers and the smaller twins 5 or 6. We need weights for every passenger and bag, and we ask for soft bags where the hold is limited.
