Helicopter hire in Glasgow
Flights over the Clyde, private charters across Scotland, and where helicopters can and cannot land around the city.
- Shared 30-min flight
- £194 per person
- Private hire
- £1,200 to £3,500/hr
- Cumbernauld Airport
- 13 miles NE
- City heliport
- Police base
Hiring a helicopter in Glasgow
Yes. A private helicopter typically costs £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole aircraft, positioned from its base. Shared 30-minute sightseeing flights from Bishopton are listed at £194 per person, passing the Clyde, the Squinty Bridge, Kelvingrove and Glasgow Cathedral.
Glasgow's city heliport is a police base, so most flights start at an airfield or a private site outside the centre.
Glasgow City Heliport on Linthouse Road, Govan, is the operating base of the Police Scotland air support unit, run by Babcock. Cumbernauld Airport, about 13 miles northeast, holds a CAA licence for passenger flights.
Private charters come from Scottish and northern English operators, such as DSP Helicopters at Balado and Apollo Air at Carlisle.
Need a jet instead? See private jets from Glasgow or empty legs from Glasgow.
Sources:WonderDays: 30-minute Glasgow helicopter sightseeing tourWikipedia: Glasgow City HeliportWikipedia: Cumbernauld AirportDSP Helicopters, Balado Airfield, KinrossApollo Air Services, Carlisle Airport
Glasgow helicopter rides
- From
- Bishopton
- Flight time
- About 30 min
- Price
- £194 per person; £379 for 2, £519 for 3, £679 for 4
- From
- Your pickup point
- Flight time
- Your choice
- Price
- £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour as a guide
Shared flights are sold as gift vouchers by WonderDays, which does not name the operator. Landmarks listed: the River Clyde, the Clyde Arc (Squinty Bridge), Kelvingrove, Glasgow Cathedral and the Science Centre.
Sources:WonderDays: 30-minute Glasgow helicopter sightseeing tour
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Where helicopters land around Glasgow
Linthouse Road, Govan. The base of the Police Scotland air support unit, operated by Babcock; it replaced the SECC site in 2014.
About 13 miles northeast of Glasgow, with an 819 m asphalt runway and a CAA licence for passenger flights and training.
Hotels, estates and venues with the landowner's consent, once the operator has assessed the site as safe.
Sources:Wikipedia: Glasgow City HeliportWikipedia: Cumbernauld Airport
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 for Glasgow flights
Twin-engine AW109s fly most private charters in Scotland.
Operators for Glasgow
CAA Air Operator Certificate holders flying in Scotland and the north of England.
Balado Airfield, Kinross. AW109 Trekkers seating up to seven
Carlisle. AW109 charter across the UK
Newcastle and Carlisle. Light helicopter charter and pleasure flights
Sources:DSP Helicopters, Balado Airfield, KinrossApollo Air Services, Carlisle AirportCAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)
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 in Glasgow?+
As a guide, £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole helicopter, plus positioning from its base.
Is there a helicopter ride over Glasgow?+
Shared 30-minute flights from Bishopton are listed at £194 per person, over the Clyde and the city's landmarks.
Can a private helicopter land at Glasgow City Heliport?+
It is the Police Scotland air support base, operated by Babcock. Private flights use airfields such as Cumbernauld or approved private sites.
How do I check the operator is legal?+
Check the operator's name on the CAA's Air Operator Certificate list. We name the operator before you book.
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.WonderDays: 30-minute Glasgow helicopter sightseeing tour
- 2.Wikipedia: Glasgow City Heliport
- 3.Wikipedia: Cumbernauld Airport
- 4.DSP Helicopters, Balado Airfield, Kinross
- 5.Apollo Air Services, Carlisle Airport
- 6.The London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)
- 7.HMRC: the VAT treatment of passenger transport (Notice 744A)
- 8.GOV.UK: VAT rates
- 9.CAA: making sure your flight is legal
- 10.CAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)
- 11.British Helicopter Association: illegal public transport
Fly over the Clyde.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.