Private helicopter hire
City hops, race days, island transfers and sightseeing. What a helicopter costs per hour, where it can land, and the operators allowed to fly you.
- Private hire
- £1,200 to £3,500/hr
- On UK charter fleets
- 131 helicopters
- London Heliport landing
- From £420 + VAT
- Licence to carry you
- CAA AOC
How helicopter hire works in the UK
A private helicopter typically costs £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole aircraft, before VAT and fees. Positioning from the operator's base, landing fees and waiting time are added: landing at The London Heliport in Battersea costs £420 to £2,485 plus VAT depending on the helicopter. Shared seats are cheaper: a 50-minute London tour costs £245 per person.
You hire the whole helicopter and its pilot, on your schedule, from an airfield or heliport near you to anywhere it can legally land.
Paid passenger flights in the UK must be operated by a holder of a CAA Air Operator Certificate. 131 helicopters fly in the charter fleets of UK certificate holders, from three-passenger Robinson R44s to twin-engine AW139s.
Altivo Jets is a broker: we match your trip to a certified operator, name that operator and the full price before you book, and handle the paperwork with the landing site.
A few routes also sell seats: Penzance Helicopters flies a year-round scheduled service to the Isles of Scilly, and many airfields sell shared sightseeing flights.
Sources:CAA: making sure your flight is legalCAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)The London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)Heli Air: London helicopter tourHMRC: the VAT treatment of passenger transport (Notice 744A)Penzance Helicopters: about usVisit Isles of Scilly: how to travel here
Helicopter hire by city
Battersea and Canary Wharf heliports, the Thames route and tours from £245 per person.
Rides and charters from Manchester Barton Aerodrome, from £149 per person.
Charter across the Midlands, with Warwick Castle and Stratford flights nearby.
Sightseeing over the castle and the Forth, and golf charters to St Andrews.
Flights over the Clyde, and where helicopters can land around the city.
Sources:Heli Air: London helicopter tourHeli Air: Manchester helicopter flight
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Island hops by helicopter
Penzance to St Mary's or Tresco in about 15 to 20 minutes; day returns from £149.
No scheduled flights: land at Sandown, Bembridge or a private site with permission.
Jersey Airport only, with a customs declaration filed before you leave.
Sources:Penzance Helicopters: Isles of Scilly day tripsTresco Island: by helicopter, direct to TrescoVisit Isle of Wight: getting here by airBailiwick Express, 26 July 2022: can you land a helicopter anywhere in Jersey?
Event and occasion helicopters
Helicopter transfers to Silverstone.
Flights to the racecourse from London and beyond.
Racecourse landing and flights from London and the Midlands.
Aintree transfers from London and the North West.
Festival of Speed and Revival helicopter transfers.
How to reach the festival by helicopter.
Arrivals, getaways and proposals by helicopter.
What goes into a helicopter price
You charter the whole helicopter and its pilot, so the price is per flight, not per seat.
- Flying time at the hourly rate for the type: as a guide, £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole helicopter.
- Positioning when the helicopter is based away from your pickup point, both to reach you and to fly home.
- Landing fees: at The London Heliport, from £420 for a Robinson R44 to £2,485 for the largest types, plus VAT.
- Out-of-hours fees at The London Heliport: £500 for an early or evening extension, £1,000 from 21:00 to 22:59.
- VAT: transport in an aircraft with fewer than 10 seats is generally standard-rated (20%), and sightseeing flights that return to their departure airfield are standard-rated.
- Waiting time if the helicopter holds for you during the day.
Sources:The London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)HMRC: the VAT treatment of passenger transport (Notice 744A)GOV.UK: VAT rates
Check the operator holds a CAA Air Operator Certificate
- A paid flight is commercial air transport in law, and the operator must hold the correct certificate, insurance and licences.
- Check the operator's name against the CAA's published list of Air Operator Certificate holders. The seller and the operator can be different companies, and you are entitled to know the operator.
- The CAA warns that on an illegal flight you may not be insured, and that knowingly using an illegal operator may be an offence.
- The British Helicopter Association notes that illegal flights are usually offered at a substantial discount.
- As a broker, Altivo Jets names the operator and its certificate before you book.
Sources:CAA: making sure your flight is legalCAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)British Helicopter Association: illegal public transport
Helicopters on UK charter fleets
The types UK certificate holders fly most. Each page shows how many fly and which operators have them.
Helicopter operators in the UK
CAA Air Operator Certificate holders with the largest helicopter fleets on our list. 33 operators fly helicopters in the UK.
12 helicopters: Bell 206 JetRanger, Robinson R44, Bell 206L LongRanger
10 helicopters: Leonardo AW109, Leonardo AW119 Koala, Airbus H125
8 helicopters: Bell 206L LongRanger, Leonardo AW109, Airbus H125
8 helicopters: Airbus AS355 Twin Squirrel, Airbus H125, Leonardo AW109
6 helicopters: Leonardo AW109
6 helicopters: Robinson R44, Robinson R66, Airbus AS355 Twin Squirrel
5 helicopters: Airbus AS355 Twin Squirrel, Leonardo AW109
5 helicopters: Airbus H145, Airbus H135
5 helicopters: Airbus H130, Robinson R44, Airbus H125
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistHow much does it cost to hire a helicopter for an hour?+
As a guide, £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole helicopter, before VAT. Positioning, landing fees and waiting time are added.
Is a shared seat cheaper than a private helicopter?+
Yes. Shared London tours cost £245 per person and Manchester flights start at £149 per person, against a private helicopter priced per hour for the whole aircraft.
Who is allowed to fly me for money?+
Only an operator holding a CAA Air Operator Certificate. Check the name on the CAA's list; Altivo Jets names the operator before you book.
Is there VAT on helicopter hire?+
Generally yes: transport in an aircraft with fewer than 10 seats is standard-rated at 20%, and sightseeing flights that return to the same airfield are standard-rated.
Is there a helicopter taxi service?+
Some routes run like one: the London Heli Shuttle links Biggin Hill and Battersea in about six minutes, and Penzance Helicopters flies scheduled flights to the Isles of Scilly. Anywhere else, you charter the helicopter.
Can a helicopter land at my house or venue?+
Often, if the landowner agrees and the operator assesses the site as safe. Some places, such as Jersey, allow landings only at the airport.
Fares, dates and rules on this page were checked on October 2026. Official fares and schedules change every season; the operator or authority named in each source has the final word.
- 1.CAA: making sure your flight is legal
- 2.CAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)
- 3.The London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)
- 4.Heli Air: London helicopter tour
- 5.HMRC: the VAT treatment of passenger transport (Notice 744A)
- 6.Penzance Helicopters: about us
- 7.Visit Isles of Scilly: how to travel here
- 8.Heli Air: Manchester helicopter flight
- 9.Penzance Helicopters: Isles of Scilly day trips
- 10.Tresco Island: by helicopter, direct to Tresco
- 11.Visit Isle of Wight: getting here by air
- 12.Bailiwick Express, 26 July 2022: can you land a helicopter anywhere in Jersey?
- 13.GOV.UK: VAT rates
- 14.British Helicopter Association: illegal public transport
- 15.HeliHub, 15 September 2023: London Heli Shuttle expands with a second AW139
Tell us where the helicopter needs to go.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.