The short answer
London to Cheltenham takes about 35 to 45 minutes by helicopter. By road it is 98 miles and at least 2 hours 15 minutes free-flowing, so the helicopter typically saves about 1 hour 35 minutes each way. On Festival days the helipad is the key question, so we ask early.
Quote London to Cheltenham Racecourse We reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Distance
- 75.3 nautical miles (87 statute miles) in a straight line
- Helicopter time
- 35 to 45 minutes
- Car time
- At least 2 hours 15 minutes free-flowing, 98 miles by road
- Typical time saved
- About 1 hour 35 minutes each way
- London end
- London Heliport, Battersea; Northolt, Denham or Elstree for the west and north
- Cheltenham end
- Gloucestershire Airport (Staverton), 1,432 m runway, weekdays 08:30 to 19:30; Cheltenham Racecourse helipad by arrangement
- Return journey
- The same time applies in the other direction
London to Cheltenham Racecourse on the map
The dashed line joins the main airfield or heliport at each end, with a ring at the midpoint. Real flights follow the sites at each end and the weather on the day.
The map could not load just now. London Heliport to Gloucestershire Airport: about 75 nm in a straight line, 35 to 45 min by helicopter.
Helicopter against the car
London to Cheltenham: the numbers
London to Cheltenham by helicopter takes about 35 to 45 minutes, against at least 2 hours 15 minutes on the road.
The straight line is 75.3 nautical miles (87 statute miles). The road is 98 miles and 2 hours 15 minutes even when it flows freely, so the helicopter typically saves about 1 hour 35 minutes each way. The M4 and M5 corridor, and the A40 into Cheltenham on race days, are where the road time turns into hours.
Likely departure and arrival sites
The sites we would normally use at each end, with the same figures worked out from the site itself.
| Site | Flying | Distance | Helicopter | By road |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| City centre to city centre | London to Cheltenham Racecourse | 75 nm | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 15 min |
| Heathrow Airport | to Cheltenham Racecourse | 66 nm | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 50 min |
| RAF Northolt | to Cheltenham Racecourse | 65 nm | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 51 min |
| London City Airport | to Cheltenham Racecourse | 83 nm | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 41 min |
| London Luton Airport | to Cheltenham Racecourse | 63 nm | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 19 min |
| London Stansted Airport | to Cheltenham Racecourse | 85 nm | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 58 min |
| London Heliport | to Cheltenham Racecourse | 75 nm | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 15 min |
| Gloucestershire Airport | to London | 78 nm | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 21 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse Helipad | to London | 75 nm | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 16 min |
Staverton, the racecourse and Kemble
Gloucestershire Airport, known as Staverton, sits between Gloucester and Cheltenham. Its main runway is 1,432 metres, hours are weekdays 08:30 to 19:30 and weekends 09:00 to 18:00 (19:30 in summer), and it needs strict prior permission and a slot, with handling mandatory for commercial movements. It is well placed for the racecourse. Cheltenham Racecourse has its own helipad for race days, subject to permission. Cotswold Airport at Kemble, 14.9 nautical miles from the racecourse, is a quiet alternative; see helicopter charter Cotswolds.
Racing and corporate days
Cheltenham means racing, from the Festival in March to the autumn meetings, and our Cheltenham racecourse page explains the day-by-day. The town is also a business centre with a strong cyber and engineering sector, and a base for visits to the Cotswolds. For hospitality, see horse racing by helicopter.
Other routes into the area are Birmingham to Cheltenham and Bristol to Oxford.
A same-day plan
- Leave London at 08:30, land at Cheltenham between 09:05 and 09:15.
- Racing, lunch and meetings.
- Leave Cheltenham at 17:00, land at London between 17:35 and 17:45.
That is 1 hour 10 minutes to 1 hour 30 minutes in the air for the round trip. The same trip by car is at least 4 hours 30 minutes of driving, so the helicopter typically gives back about 3 hours 10 minutes across the day. On big race days the return slot is the first thing to agree. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Festival week: what changes
On the days of the Festival the roads and the car parks are full, and helicopter slots are scarce. We ask for the racecourse helipad or a nearby site as soon as the date is set, and we tell you the transfer time and the latest return. If you are planning an October or April meeting, there is more flexibility, but the same planning applies. For the ground, Executive Global Travel can arrange a car.
Where the figures come from
For London to Cheltenham the straight-line distance is 75.3 nautical miles. At a cruise of 135 knots that is about 33 minutes; we add 8 minutes for start-up, climb and the approach, which gives a block time of about 41 minutes, and we show it as a range, 10 per cent shorter to 12 per cent longer, rounded to the nearest five minutes. The road figure is the free-flowing time from a routing engine, so it is a floor. Real journeys on the day are usually slower. The other routes are on the UK helicopter routes page, and helicopter against car journey times explains the comparison.
Flying the other way
The figures are the same in both directions: Cheltenham Racecourse to London is 75 nm in a straight line and 35 to 45 minutes by helicopter. The car takes at least 2 hours 15 minutes (98 miles).
Frequently asked questions
How long does it take to fly from London to Cheltenham?
About 35 to 45 minutes by helicopter.
How long is the drive from London to Cheltenham?
At least 2 hours 15 minutes for 98 miles, free-flowing. Real journeys are usually slower.
Is there a helipad at Cheltenham Racecourse?
Yes, used on race days subject to permission. We book it with your flight.
What is the alternative site?
Gloucestershire Airport at Staverton, or Cotswold Airport at Kemble, with a car for the last stretch.
What happens if the weather stops the flight?
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
