The short answer
Helicopter charter in the Midlands runs from Birmingham, East Midlands, Nottingham, Leicester, Sywell, Wolverhampton and Wellesbourne. Birmingham to London takes about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter against nearly 2 hours 30 by road. Birmingham to Manchester takes 30 to 35 minutes against about 2 hours. Nottingham City is helicopter-only.
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Key facts
- Main sites
- Birmingham, East Midlands, Nottingham City (Tollerton), Nottingham Heliport, Leicester, Sywell, Wolverhampton Halfpenny Green, Wellesbourne
- 24-hour airports
- Birmingham and East Midlands, both with customs on site
- Helicopter-only
- Nottingham City (Tollerton): fixed-wing operations permanently withdrawn in September 2026; Nottingham Heliport
- Sywell
- Closed to visiting aircraft Monday to Friday; weekends 09:00 to 18:00 or sunset
- Slots
- East Midlands has no slot restrictions; Birmingham slots cleared through the FBO
- Motorsport
- Silverstone is 20 to 25 minutes from Birmingham
- Weather
- If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
City pages in this region
Every city we have a page for here, with the typical helicopter time to London where the data covers it.
The sites on the map
12 airports, airfields and heliports serve these cities. Pins with a city page are links.
The map draws a satellite picture, so it needs JavaScript and an internet connection. The sites are listed on this page.
Map
Choose a place
Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Where can you charter a helicopter in the Midlands?
The Midlands is the best-equipped region outside London for helicopter work, with two 24-hour airports and several smaller sites. Prior permission is needed at most.
- Birmingham Airport is open 24 hours with customs on site and a 3,052 m runway. Two business aviation terminals sit apart from the main passenger terminal. Handling is mandatory and slots are cleared in advance.
- East Midlands Airport is 24 hours with customs on site, and business aviation is exempt from the slot rules that apply to airline traffic.
- Nottingham has two helicopter sites: Nottingham City Airport at Tollerton, which became helicopter-only after fixed-wing operations were withdrawn in September 2026 (open daily, 09:00 to 17:00 with later summer closing), and the purpose-built Nottingham Heliport on the A46 Fosse Way, open seven days a week.
- Leicester Airport at Stoughton opens 09:00 to 17:00 daily, with late flying on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
- Sywell near Northampton is closed to visiting aircraft from Monday to Friday and open weekends only, so weekday work uses other sites.
- Halfpenny Green serves Wolverhampton with a 12-tonne weight limit, and Wellesbourne serves Stratford-upon-Avon.
How much faster is a helicopter in the Midlands?
The Midlands is crossed by motorways that jam often, and the helicopter gain is greatest on the diagonals. The numbers come from our route data; road figures are free-flowing, so real journeys are slower.
- Birmingham to London takes about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 25 minutes by road.
- Birmingham to Manchester takes about 30 to 35 minutes, against about 2 hours 1 minute.
- Birmingham to Leeds takes about 40 to 50 minutes, against about 2 hours 35 minutes.
- East Midlands to Birmingham takes about 20 to 25 minutes, against about 51 minutes.
- Nottingham Heliport to Birmingham takes about 20 to 25 minutes, against about 1 hour 6 minutes.
- Sywell to Silverstone takes about 15 minutes, against about 42 minutes.
Our route pages go deeper on London to Birmingham, Birmingham to Manchester, Birmingham to Leeds and Liverpool to Birmingham.
What do people in the Midlands fly for?
Business dominates. Birmingham has the NEC and the airport side by side, a major financial and professional services centre, and automotive and aerospace manufacturing across Solihull, Coventry, Derby and Nottingham. East Midlands Airport draws logistics and manufacturing traffic. A day trip from Birmingham to London, or Nottingham to Manchester, is exactly the case for same-day business trips and business helicopter charter.
Motorsport follows: Silverstone and its on-site heliport handle huge numbers on Grand Prix weekend, and slots sell out early. Racing is also near, with Cheltenham about 20 to 25 minutes from Birmingham. The Premier League gives hospitality days at Villa Park. Landing at any venue is subject to permission and site suitability.
Shooting estates in Staffordshire, Shropshire, Warwickshire and Rutland are all accessible; see shooting by helicopter. For protection teams, secure helicopter transport describes how a Midlands pick-up can be planned.
Which Midlands city pages should I read?
Pages for the West Midlands: Birmingham, Wolverhampton and Stratford-upon-Avon. For the East Midlands: East Midlands Airport, Nottingham, Leicester and Northampton. Sheffield, which is served from Retford Gamston, East Midlands and Sandtoft, is on the Sheffield page and in Yorkshire and the Humber.
Neighbours: North West England to the north-west, the South West through the Cotswolds, the East of England to the east, and the South East for Oxford and Milton Keynes.
Checks that matter in the Midlands
Because the Midlands has both 24-hour airports and part-time airfields, the booking question is usually which one, not whether. Confirm the airfield is open when you need it, because Sywell is weekend only to visitors, Halfpenny Green and Leicester close in late afternoon, and Nottingham City closes by early evening. Check weight limits on small aerodromes, and ask whether customs is needed. We take care of all of this in the quote. For the full list of Midlands sites and hours, see the UK heliports and airfields directory. The national picture is at helicopter charter UK. In short, helicopter charter midlands is the easiest in the country to arrange, because two 24-hour airports sit at its heart.
More places, events and routes in the Midlands
Staffordshire and Derbyshire and the Peak District have their own pages, with the sites that serve them. For motorsport, Donington Park is close to East Midlands Airport.
From Birmingham, the route pages cover Birmingham to Cambridge, Birmingham to Cheltenham, Birmingham to Oxford and Birmingham to Cardiff.
Frequently asked questions
Is Nottingham City Airport still open for aircraft?
Nottingham City (Tollerton) is helicopter-only since fixed-wing operations were permanently withdrawn in September 2026. We arrange prior permission for helicopters as part of the booking. Nottingham Heliport on the A46 is a second option.
How long is the flight from Birmingham to London?
About 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 25 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic. Central London landings are at Battersea.
Can I fly to Silverstone from Birmingham?
Yes. It takes about 20 to 25 minutes, against about 1 hour 16 minutes by road. Event slots are pre-booked and sell out early.
Is Sywell open on weekdays?
Sywell is closed to visiting aircraft from Monday to Friday. Weekends it is open 09:00 to 18:00 or sunset, whichever is earlier, by prior permission.
Which Midlands airport has no slot restrictions?
East Midlands Airport. It is open 24 hours and business aviation is exempt from the slot rules that apply to airline traffic.
Can a helicopter land at my factory or office?
Often possible on suitable private land, subject to landing permission and site suitability. We check the site and approach with the crew before confirming.
