The short answer
Helicopter charter Isles of Scilly flights land at Tresco Heliport, a private estate heliport, or at St Mary's Airport, 2.5 nautical miles apart. Both need prior permission, fly in daylight and close on Sundays. There is no road link, so the comparison is with the sea or the scheduled flight; Scilly to Bristol takes about 70 to 90 minutes by helicopter.
Flying from Isles of Scilly? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Tresco Heliport (as published, checked 29 Sep 2026)
- 1 Mar to 31 Oct: Mon to Sat 08:30 to 17:00; 1 Nov to 28 Feb: Mon to Fri 08:30 to 10:30 and 14:30 to 17:00, Sat 08:30 to 10:30; closed Sundays
- Tresco permission
- Strict prior permission; all private and charter movements arranged with the Heliport Manager; daylight only
- St Mary's Airport hours
- Summer Mon to Sat 08:00 to 18:30; winter Mon to Fri 08:15 to 12:15 and 13:15 to 17:30, Sat 08:15 to 12:15; closed Sundays
- St Mary's permission
- Strict prior permission, minimum 2 hours notice; no fuel; no hangarage for visiting aircraft
- Customs
- By arrangement at both sites
- Road link
- None: island sites
Where Isles of Scilly flights start and end
The map shows St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly and the other sites that serve Isles of Scilly, 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. St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly is at St Mary's Airport, High Cross Lane, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly. Open it in Google Maps.
St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly
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Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Isles of Scilly
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.
St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly EGHE / ISC
- Address
- St Mary's Airport, High Cross Lane, St Mary's, Isles of Scilly
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Summer Mon–Sat 08:00–18:30. Winter Mon–Fri 08:15–12:15 and 13:15–17:30; Sat 08:15–12:15. Closed on Sundays
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement / prior notice
- Runway
- 14/32 – 695 m × 23 m asphalt; 09/27 – 522 m asphalt
Tresco Heliport EGHT
- Address
- Tresco Heliport, Tresco, Isles of Scilly
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
1 Mar–31 Oct: Mon–Sat 08:30–17:00, closed Sunday. 1 Nov–28 Feb: Mon–Fri 08:30–10:30 and 14:30–17:00, Sat 08:30–10:30,…
1 Mar–31 Oct: Mon–Sat 08:30–17:00, closed Sunday. 1 Nov–28 Feb: Mon–Fri 08:30–10:30 and 14:30–17:00, Sat 08:30–10:30, closed Sunday. Extended hours may be arranged on request- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement
Strictly PPR – all private and charter helicopter movements are arranged in advance with the Heliport Manager. Daylight only; closed Sundays.
Helicopter charter Isles of Scilly: two sites
Tresco Heliport is run by the Tresco Estate, a private island. Arriving guests are met and driven by electric shuttle to their accommodation within minutes. All private and charter helicopter movements are arranged in advance with the Heliport Manager. It is a daylight-only site, closed on Sundays.
St Mary's Airport serves Hugh Town and the main island. It has a 695 metre runway with steep end gradients and a shorter cross runway, takes no jets, sells no fuel and has no hangarage for visiting aircraft. It needs at least two hours' notice and is closed on Sundays.
Journey times from St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 143 nm (165 mi) | 65 to 80 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Bristol | 162 nm (187 mi) | 70 to 90 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Southampton | 199 nm (229 mi) | 85 to 110 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 200 nm (230 mi) | 85 to 110 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Goodwood | 220 nm (253 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | No road link | Not applicable |
| Oxford | 221 nm (254 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | No road link | Not applicable |
| Birmingham | 229 nm (264 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Ascot Racecourse | 232 nm (267 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Silverstone | 238 nm (274 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| London Heathrow | 241 nm (277 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Liverpool | 242 nm (279 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| London Gatwick | 244 nm (281 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Epsom Downs | 245 nm (281 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Aintree Racecourse | 248 nm (285 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
Times from Tresco Heliport
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 143 nm (165 mi) | 65 to 80 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Bristol | 162 nm (187 mi) | 70 to 90 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Southampton | 200 nm (230 mi) | 85 to 110 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 200 nm (230 mi) | 85 to 110 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Goodwood | 220 nm (254 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | No road link | Not applicable |
| Oxford | 221 nm (254 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | No road link | Not applicable |
| Birmingham | 229 nm (263 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Ascot Racecourse | 232 nm (267 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Silverstone | 238 nm (274 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| London Heathrow | 241 nm (277 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Liverpool | 241 nm (278 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| London Gatwick | 245 nm (282 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Epsom Downs | 245 nm (282 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
| Aintree Racecourse | 247 nm (284 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | No road link | Not applicable |
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.
Seasonal hours, which matter more than anything
Tresco is open from 1 March to 31 October from 08:30 to 17:00 Monday to Saturday. In the winter months, from 1 November to the end of February, it only opens in short windows: 08:30 to 10:30 and 14:30 to 17:00 on weekdays and only the morning window on Saturday. St Mary's has a lunch break in winter, with a morning slot of 08:15 to 12:15 and an afternoon slot from 13:15 to 17:30 on weekdays.
If you plan an arrival and departure in the same day outside summer, you need the two windows to line up, and we check that before we quote. Extended hours at Tresco may be arranged on request.
From the islands to the mainland
The Isles of Scilly lie about 26 nautical miles beyond Land's End. There is no road to compare, so these are typical helicopter times from the islands:
- To Cardiff: about 65 to 80 minutes.
- To Bristol: about 70 to 90 minutes.
- To Southampton: about 85 to 110 minutes.
- To Cheltenham: about 85 to 110 minutes.
- To Goodwood or Oxford: about 95 to 120 minutes.
Penzance Heliport on the mainland is where the scheduled flights leave, and we plan connections through it; read our Penzance page. Long over-water flights require careful fuel and route planning, which we confirm at quote stage. Compare Bristol and Cardiff for the mainland end.
Who flies to the Scillies by charter
Our passengers are business owners, estate and hospitality staff, and corporate hosts with clients staying on Tresco. Tresco Abbey Garden and the estate's accommodation make it a working venue for retreats and board away days, where timing and privacy matter.
For travel planning that mixes jets and helicopters, speak to us; one option is a jet to Newquay followed by a helicopter. See Newquay and Charter Private Jet.
Booking checklist
Tell us the dates, passenger numbers and weights, luggage and the exact island and accommodation (see our business helicopter charter page for how we plan trips). Luggage travels in soft bags where the hold is small. We secure permission at Tresco or St Mary's, choose a helicopter suited to the crossing and confirm everything in one quote. Arrive 10 minutes before departure. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. Weather is a real factor over the islands, so build in a spare day if you can. See the South West England region page.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to St Mary's Airport, Isles of Scilly, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Can a charter helicopter land on Tresco?
Yes, with strict prior permission from the Heliport Manager, in daylight and not on Sundays. We make the arrangement.
Is there fuel at St Mary's Airport?
No. There is no fuel and no hangarage for visiting aircraft, and prior permission needs at least two hours' notice.
Are the islands served on Sundays?
Both Tresco Heliport and St Mary's Airport are closed on Sundays.
What are Tresco's winter hours?
From 1 November to 28 February, Monday to Friday 08:30 to 10:30 and 14:30 to 17:00, and Saturday 08:30 to 10:30. Extended hours may be arranged on request.
How long does a helicopter take from the Scillies to Bristol?
About 70 to 90 minutes. There is no road time to compare.
Is customs available on the islands?
By arrangement at both Tresco and St Mary's, so an international arrival needs advance notice.
