The short answer
Helicopter charter from London Elstree Aerodrome reaches the London Heliport at Battersea in about 10 to 15 minutes, against 48 minutes by road. Elstree is licensed 09:00 to 20:00 or sunset, with movements outside those hours by arrangement, and fuel is available round the clock. Prior permission is mandatory.
Flying from London Elstree Aerodrome? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Site
- London Elstree Aerodrome, Hogg Lane, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire (EGTR)
- Hours as published
- Licensed 09:00 to 20:00 local or sunset; 24-hour movements for residents or by arrangement; ground handling seven days 08:30 to 17:00 and outside those hours if planned in advance (library check 29 September 2026)
- Prior permission
- Yes, mandatory
- Customs and immigration
- By arrangement and prior notice
- Runway
- 08/26, 651 m by 20 m asphalt
- Jets
- No. Helicopter and light-aircraft field
- Fuel
- Round-the-clock refuelling advertised (Avgas and Jet A-1)
- To Battersea
- About 10 to 15 minutes by helicopter, 48 minutes by road
Where London Elstree Aerodrome flights start and end
The map shows London Elstree Aerodrome, 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 Elstree Aerodrome is at London Elstree Aerodrome, Hogg Lane, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire. Open it in Google Maps.
London Elstree Aerodrome
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Sites that serve London Elstree Aerodrome
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 Elstree Aerodrome EGTR
- Address
- London Elstree Aerodrome, Hogg Lane, Elstree, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
Licensed hours 09:00–20:00 local or sunset; 24-hour movements for resident aircraft or by arrangement; ground 7 days a…
Licensed hours 09:00–20:00 local or sunset; 24-hour movements for resident aircraft or by arrangement; ground 7 days a week 08:30–17:00 and outside these hours if planned in advance- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement / prior notice
- Runway
- 08/26 – 651 m × 20 m asphalt
What makes Elstree useful
Helicopter charter Elstree is built on flexibility. The aerodrome has a licensed day of 09:00 to 20:00 or sunset, but movements at other times are possible by arrangement, and fuel is advertised round the clock. When the London Heliport is outside its core hours, Elstree is often the place a late or early London arrival ends up.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. Our old page said Elstree had "unrestricted 24-hour operations". The published position is narrower: licensed hours with out-of-hours by arrangement, and we ask the airfield for every night or early flight.
Journey times from London Elstree Aerodrome
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Heathrow | 12 nm (14 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 35 min (27 mi) | 22 min |
| London | 13 nm (14 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 48 min (19 mi) | 35 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 20 nm (23 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 49 min (35 mi) | 31 min |
| Epsom Downs | 21 nm (24 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 1 h 01 min (48 mi) | 43 min |
| London Gatwick | 31 nm (36 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 17 min (65 mi) | 54 min |
| Silverstone | 36 nm (42 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 14 min (56 mi) | 51 min |
| Cambridge | 38 nm (43 mi) | 20 to 30 min | 1 h 16 min (53 mi) | 51 min |
| Oxford | 39 nm (44 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 18 min (61 mi) | 50 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 44 nm (51 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 18 min (62 mi) | 50 min |
| Goodwood | 50 nm (58 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 42 min (80 mi) | 1 h 12 min |
| Southampton | 57 nm (66 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 38 min (85 mi) | 1 h 03 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 67 nm (77 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 2 h 02 min (96 mi) | 1 h 24 min |
| Birmingham | 71 nm (82 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 1 h 55 min (98 mi) | 1 h 15 min |
| Norwich | 85 nm (98 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 27 min (116 mi) | 1 h 42 min |
| Bristol | 91 nm (105 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 41 min (133 mi) | 1 h 51 min |
| Cardiff | 114 nm (131 mi) | 55 to 65 min | 3 h 19 min (171 mi) | 2 h 19 min |
| Manchester | 124 nm (143 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 33 min (174 mi) | 2 h 30 min |
| Liverpool | 137 nm (157 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 39 min (192 mi) | 2 h 31 min |
| York Racecourse | 140 nm (162 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 34 min (194 mi) | 2 h 21 min |
| Leeds | 141 nm (163 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 41 min (192 mi) | 2 h 28 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 145 nm (167 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 41 min (200 mi) | 2 h 28 min |
| Newcastle | 209 nm (240 mi) | 90 to 115 min | 5 h 23 min (278 mi) | 3 h 40 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.
Elstree against the road, route by route
Central London is about 12 nautical miles away. That is about 10 to 15 minutes by helicopter against 48 minutes by road. Heathrow is about 10 to 15 minutes against 35, Ascot about 15 to 20 against 49, and Gatwick about 20 to 25 against 1 hour 17.
Beyond the M25, Cambridge is about 20 to 30 minutes against 1 hour 16, Silverstone about 20 to 25 against 1 hour 14, and Newmarket about 25 to 30 against 1 hour 18. Oxford is about 25 to 30 minutes against 1 hour 18. Birmingham takes about 35 to 45 minutes against 1 hour 55, and Manchester about 55 to 70 against 3 hours 33. The London to Manchester route page covers the long northern leg. Road times are free-flowing and so a lower bound.
Elstree and Heathrow: the airport-transfer idea
Heathrow is slot-constrained for private flying, so we do not normally land helicopters there. A common solution is to fly into Elstree or Denham and take a car for the last stretch. The road time from Elstree to Heathrow is 35 minutes in free-flowing traffic; for a passenger arriving at the airport the helicopter does the part of the journey that the M25 and M1 spoil. Our guide to airport transfers by helicopter sets out the options.
Where Elstree clients are heading
Our clients have used Elstree for Watford, Potters Bar, St Albans and The Grove hotel near Watford, now a regular corporate venue: see The Grove and nearby Brocket Hall. Those are corporate meeting and hospitality sites, and any landing at them is subject to landing permission and site suitability.
Elstree is also the traditional launch point for race and sports days that run north to Cheltenham, Ascot and Silverstone. The film and television studios at Borehamwood make it a working airfield for production teams who need to move people and equipment fast. For the sporting calendar, see Cheltenham and Ascot.
How to book an Elstree charter
Tell us your date, passengers and weights, and your destination. We check the aircraft and the airfield's permission, and we confirm ground handling for the hours you need, since handling runs 08:30 to 17:00 unless planned in advance. Arrive 10 minutes before departure with soft luggage. For costs see Helicopter Hire Prices or ask for a quote.
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. A chauffeur car can wait at either end through our chauffeur partner.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to London Elstree Aerodrome, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Elstree Aerodrome open 24 hours?
Not as a general rule. Licensed hours are 09:00 to 20:00 local or sunset, with 24-hour movements for resident aircraft or by arrangement. We arrange out-of-hours flights in advance.
Can a jet land at Elstree?
No. The 651 m runway is for helicopters and light aircraft. For jets see Luton, Farnborough or Northolt.
Is there fuel at Elstree at night?
The aerodrome advertises round-the-clock refuelling, Avgas and Jet A-1, but we confirm availability for your flight.
How long is the helicopter flight from Elstree to London?
About 10 to 15 minutes to the London Heliport at Battersea, against about 48 minutes by road.
Does Elstree have customs?
By arrangement and prior notice. It is not a full-time customs airport, so international flights are planned ahead.
Can I get a helicopter from Elstree to Cambridge?
Yes. It takes about 20 to 30 minutes by helicopter, against about 1 hour 16 minutes by road at best.
