The short answer
You can charter a helicopter from London Southend Airport in Essex, where the Jet Centre runs daily from 06:00 to 02:30 and customs and immigration are on site. Southend to central London takes about 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter and 1 hour 27 minutes by road. Private helicopters cannot operate at night under the airport rules.
Flying from Southend? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Site
- London Southend Airport, Southend-on-Sea, Essex (EGMC / SEN)
- Hours (as published, checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Jet Centre daily 06:00 to 02:30; airport 24 hours, 22:00 to 06:30 by prior permission from ATC
- Night restrictions
- 23:00 to 06:30: quieter aircraft only; private helicopters not at night
- Customs and immigration
- On site, H24, with pre-clearance
- Runway
- 05/23, 1,856 m x 36 m asphalt
- Permission
- Strictly prior permission; handling mandatory for non-based aircraft over 2.5 tonnes
Where Southend flights start and end
The map shows London Southend Airport, with range rings and the nearest cities. Pins with a page of their own are links.
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London Southend Airport
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Sites that serve Southend
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 Southend Airport EGMC / SEN
- Address
- London Southend Airport, Southend-on-Sea, Essex
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
airport 24 hours but use 22:00–06:30 subject to prior permission from ATC; night restrictions 23:00–06:30 (quieter…
airport 24 hours but use 22:00–06:30 subject to prior permission from ATC; night restrictions 23:00–06:30 (quieter aircraft only; private helicopters not at night)- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 05/23 – 1,856 m × 36 m asphalt (grooved)
What Southend Airport offers a charter passenger
Helicopter charter Southend works because London Southend Airport has a 1,856 metre runway, a dedicated Jet Centre with round-the-clock handling support, and on-site customs and immigration with pre-clearance. It is strictly prior permission, and a handling agent on the airfield is mandatory for visiting aircraft over 2.5 tonnes. There is a hotel on site.
For a helicopter passenger, that means a calm, uncongested airport with a short walk from car to aircraft, 33 nautical miles east of central London. It works as the start of a business day heading inland, or as the arrival point for a jet passenger who wants to avoid the A13 and the M25.
Journey times from London Southend Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 33 nm (38 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 27 min (48 mi) | 1 h 04 min |
| Epsom Downs | 39 nm (45 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 20 min (60 mi) | 52 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 42 nm (48 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 29 min (69 mi) | 1 h 01 min |
| London Gatwick | 42 nm (48 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 19 min (62 mi) | 51 min |
| Cambridge | 43 nm (49 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 30 min (65 mi) | 1 h 02 min |
| London Heathrow | 44 nm (50 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 35 min (77 mi) | 1 h 07 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 52 nm (60 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 46 min (86 mi) | 1 h 13 min |
| Goodwood | 69 nm (80 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 12 min (104 mi) | 1 h 32 min |
| Norwich | 70 nm (80 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 21 min (102 mi) | 1 h 41 min |
| Silverstone | 70 nm (81 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 10 min (101 mi) | 1 h 30 min |
| Oxford | 77 nm (88 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 17 min (111 mi) | 1 h 34 min |
| Southampton | 86 nm (99 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 30 min (129 mi) | 1 h 45 min |
| Birmingham | 105 nm (120 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 51 min (144 mi) | 1 h 56 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 105 nm (120 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 3 h 02 min (146 mi) | 2 h 07 min |
| Bristol | 128 nm (147 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 40 min (183 mi) | 2 h 32 min |
| Cardiff | 151 nm (174 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 19 min (221 mi) | 3 h 01 min |
| Manchester | 153 nm (175 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 30 min (220 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| York Racecourse | 157 nm (181 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 13 min (220 mi) | 2 h 55 min |
| Leeds | 162 nm (187 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 26 min (223 mi) | 3 h 06 min |
| Liverpool | 167 nm (193 mi) | 75 to 90 min | 4 h 36 min (238 mi) | 3 h 13 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 176 nm (202 mi) | 75 to 95 min | 4 h 37 min (246 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| Newcastle | 225 nm (259 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | 6 h 02 min (304 mi) | 4 h 14 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.
Night rules you need to know
The airport is open 24 hours, but between 22:00 and 06:30 you need prior permission from ATC, and night restrictions apply from 23:00 to 06:30. Only quieter aircraft are accepted and private helicopters are not allowed at night. If your flight lands late and you need a helicopter on the ground before dawn, we will plan an alternative or move the helicopter leg to the morning.
Southend to London, Cambridge and Newmarket
Southend sits between the capital and East Anglia, so the useful journeys run both ways.
- Southend to central London: about 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter, 1 hour 27 minutes by road.
- Southend to Epsom: about 25 to 30 minutes, against 1 hour 20 minutes.
- Southend to Newmarket: about 25 to 30 minutes, against 1 hour 29 minutes.
- Southend to Cambridge: about 25 to 30 minutes, against 1 hour 30 minutes.
- Southend to Gatwick: about 25 to 30 minutes, against 1 hour 19 minutes.
- Southend to Norwich: about 35 to 45 minutes, against 2 hours 21 minutes.
All figures are typical helicopter block times and free-flowing road times. Our pages on Cambridge, Norwich and Newmarket describe each destination.
Why Essex clients charter by helicopter
Essex is a business county: the Thames Gateway and the container port at London Gateway, the logistics parks along the A13 and the county town of Chelmsford all generate trips that do not suit the train. A site visit at Basildon or Thurrock followed by a board meeting in Cambridge is the sort of day a helicopter turns from two days into one.
It also suits racing. Newmarket racecourse is under half an hour away, and the corporate hospitality there suits clients who want to host and be home that evening. For the broader picture, read business helicopter charter and the East of England region page.
Booking from Southend
Send us the date, passenger numbers and weights, and where you need to land. We confirm permission with the airport, the handling arrangements and the helicopter, and propose a landing site at the far end. Arrive 10 minutes before departure with soft bags where the hold is small. Landing at an estate, hotel or business park is subject to landing permission and site suitability. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
If you want a London arrival rather than an Essex one, the next-door option is the Isle of Dogs heliport; see our London City page. For a wider view of your options, see heliports and airfields in the Midlands and East, and for jets use Charter-A private jet charter.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to London Southend Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Southend Airport open 24 hours?
The airport is open 24 hours but use between 22:00 and 06:30 is subject to ATC permission, and the Jet Centre runs 06:00 to 02:30. Private helicopters are not permitted at night.
Does Southend have customs and immigration?
Yes. Customs and immigration are on site 24 hours with pre-clearance.
How long is a helicopter from Southend to central London?
About 20 to 25 minutes, against about 1 hour 27 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Can I arrive by jet and continue by helicopter?
Yes. Tell us your arrival time and aircraft type and we will arrange permission, handling and the helicopter leg.
Is handling compulsory at Southend?
For non-based aircraft over 2.5 tonnes, yes. We arrange it with the agent on the airfield.
Can you fly from Southend to Newmarket?
Yes, in about 25 to 30 minutes, against nearly an hour and a half by road. Landing at the racecourse depends on the event arrangements.
