The short answer
Helicopter charter in Bristol runs from Bristol Airport, which is open around the clock with prior permission at night. The flight to London takes about 45 to 55 minutes, against about 2 hours 43 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic. Tell us your date, weights and destination and we send a firm quote.
Flying from Bristol? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Main site
- Bristol Airport (EGGD), Lulsgate, North Somerset, 2,011 m runway, customs on site, jet capable
- Hours (checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Airport 24 hours; prior permission 23:00 to 07:00; night surcharge on landings 22:00 to 07:00; business aviation facility open 24 hours
- Permission
- All flights prior permission with mandatory ground handling; slot coordinated through Airport Co-ordination Ltd
- Customs
- On site, 24 hours subject to notified movements
- Bristol to London
- Helicopter about 45 to 55 minutes; car about 2h43 (free-flowing)
- Bristol to Cheltenham
- Helicopter about 25 to 30 minutes; car about 1h14
Where Bristol flights start and end
The map shows Bristol 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. Bristol Airport is at Bristol Airport, Bristol. Open it in Google Maps.
Bristol Airport
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Sites that serve Bristol
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.
Bristol Airport EGGD / BRS
- Address
- Bristol Airport, Bristol
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- 24 hours (airport, customs subject to notified movements and ATC). PPR 23:00–07:00 local and a night surcharge on landings 22:00–07:00.
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 09/27 – 2,011 m × 45 m asphalt (grooved)
Bristol Airport and how it works for helicopters
For helicopter charter Bristol, Bristol Airport is the single main site for helicopter charter here, and we arrange everything with the airfield before you travel. Every flight is by prior permission with mandatory ground handling, and slots are coordinated, so ad-hoc slots are booked with your flight. We use the private business aviation facility rather than the passenger terminal, which can clear customs without visiting the main terminal and is open 24 hours.
The published airport hours are 24 hours, with prior permission required between 23:00 and 07:00 and a night surcharge on landings from 22:00 to 07:00. We check these terms again when we quote. The airport's own site carries the general information. If your arrival is by jet, charter-private-jet.com covers the fixed-wing side.
Journey times from Bristol Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 24 nm (27 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 1 h 29 min (63 mi) | 1 h 11 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 40 nm (46 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 14 min (52 mi) | 46 min |
| Southampton | 57 nm (66 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 01 min (84 mi) | 1 h 26 min |
| Oxford | 59 nm (68 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 59 min (86 mi) | 1 h 24 min |
| Birmingham | 74 nm (85 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 11 min (103 mi) | 1 h 31 min |
| Silverstone | 76 nm (87 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 25 min (109 mi) | 1 h 42 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 77 nm (88 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 06 min (101 mi) | 1 h 23 min |
| Goodwood | 81 nm (93 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 36 min (117 mi) | 1 h 51 min |
| London Heathrow | 85 nm (97 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 18 min (114 mi) | 1 h 33 min |
| Epsom Downs | 92 nm (106 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 39 min (127 mi) | 1 h 49 min |
| London | 95 nm (110 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 43 min (126 mi) | 1 h 53 min |
| London Gatwick | 96 nm (110 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 55 min (145 mi) | 2 h 05 min |
| Liverpool | 117 nm (135 mi) | 55 to 65 min | 3 h 41 min (183 mi) | 2 h 41 min |
| Cambridge | 118 nm (136 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 38 min (178 mi) | 2 h 35 min |
| Manchester | 120 nm (138 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 35 min (165 mi) | 2 h 32 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 126 nm (145 mi) | 60 to 70 min | 3 h 43 min (191 mi) | 2 h 38 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 127 nm (146 mi) | 60 to 70 min | 3 h 40 min (187 mi) | 2 h 35 min |
| Leeds | 154 nm (177 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 30 min (227 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| York Racecourse | 165 nm (190 mi) | 75 to 90 min | 4 h 23 min (229 mi) | 3 h |
| Norwich | 167 nm (192 mi) | 75 to 90 min | 4 h 49 min (241 mi) | 3 h 26 min |
| Newcastle | 223 nm (256 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | 6 h 12 min (313 mi) | 4 h 24 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.
How much faster is the helicopter from Bristol?
Bristol to London takes about 45 to 55 minutes by helicopter against about 2 hours 43 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic, and the M4 rarely gives you free flow. Our London to Bristol route page has the comparison. Heathrow is about 40 to 50 minutes against 2 hours 18 minutes, and Ascot about 40 to 45 minutes against 2 hours 6 minutes. For a landing in central London, Battersea Helicopter operates the London Heliport.
Closer to home, Cardiff is about 15 to 20 minutes by air against 1 hour 29 minutes by road. Birmingham is about 35 to 45 minutes against 2 hours 11 minutes, on Bristol to Birmingham. Southampton is about 30 to 40 minutes against 2 hours 1 minute, and Oxford about 30 to 40 minutes against 1 hour 59 minutes. Manchester is about 55 to 70 minutes against 3 hours 35 minutes.
Why charter a helicopter from Bristol?
Business gives the steady demand. Bristol has aerospace at Filton, a large financial and professional sector around Temple Quay and Cabot Circus, and a ring of employers along the M4 and the Severn. A director can be in London for a morning meeting and back for lunch. Our same-day business trips page shows how such days are built, and business helicopter charter covers multi-stop days.
Racing is the other regular. Cheltenham is about 25 to 30 minutes by helicopter against 1 hour 14 minutes by road, and clients have also flown to Bath Racecourse. See our Cheltenham Festival page and the Cheltenham city page. The Cotswolds and the south coast are within easy reach: Cotswolds, Cardiff and Exeter are all covered.
Local landing places
Our clients' past flights from Bristol have taken in Bath, Bath Racecourse, Cheltenham Racecourse, Clevedon, Portishead and Bristol Harbour. Landing at a hotel, a harbourside venue or a private site is subject to landing permission and site suitability, and in a city this dense it is the exception rather than the rule, so we usually land at Bristol Airport and arrange a car for the last stage, or agree a nearby field or grounds with the landowner. Our chauffeur service can meet the aircraft.
One practical point: Bristol operates a Clean Air Zone in the city, with charges for some older vehicles, so ask the car company about the vehicle. The South West England region page shows the other sites in the region, and the southern airfield directory lists the alternatives.
The booking and the day
Send us the date, the passengers and their weights, and where you want to go. We confirm the aircraft and the landing arrangements and return a quote through the form, and the 24-hour line is open if anything changes. Arrive 10 minutes before departure, with luggage in soft bags where the hold is small. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
For cost guides, start at Helicopter Hire Prices. If helicopters are not based at Bristol on your date, the quote may include positioning, and we tell you when it does.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to Bristol Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a helicopter service from Bristol Airport?
Yes. We arrange charters in and out of Bristol Airport through its business aviation facility, which is open 24 hours, subject to prior permission.
How long is the helicopter from Bristol to London?
About 45 to 55 minutes, against about 2 hours 43 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Can I fly from Bristol at night?
The airport is published as 24 hours, but prior permission is needed between 23:00 and 07:00 and a night surcharge applies from 22:00 to 07:00. Tell us your times and we confirm.
How do I get from Bristol to Cheltenham races?
By helicopter it takes about 25 to 30 minutes, against about 1 hour 14 minutes by road. See our Cheltenham pages for arrival arrangements.
Can the helicopter land in Bath or at Bristol Harbour?
Only with landing permission and a suitable site, which is hard to find in town centres. We normally use Bristol Airport and a car.
Do I pass through the main terminal?
The business aviation facility is separate from the passenger terminal and can clear customs without visiting it, where that service is available.
