Helicopter to the Isle of Wight
No scheduled flights, so a helicopter means a private charter. Where you can land, what it costs, and the operators around the Solent.
- Private hire
- £1,200 to £3,500/hr
- Sandown runway
- 884 m grass
- Bembridge runway
- 827 m hard
- Scheduled flights
- None
Flying to the Isle of Wight
There are no scheduled flights to the island, so you charter a helicopter. It can land at Isle of Wight Airport in Sandown, at Bembridge Airport with prior permission, or at a private site with the landowner's permission. A private helicopter typically costs £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole aircraft.
The ferry is the usual way across the Solent. A helicopter flies you door to door, over the water, without the queue at the terminal.
Both island airfields are unlicensed aerodromes, and Bembridge needs online prior permission for every visiting aircraft.
Private landing sites are possible with the owner's agreement: in 2016 The Fighting Cocks at Arreton opened a field next to the pub for helicopters, by prior permission.
Helicopter operators nearby include Elite Helicopters at Goodwood and Bliss Aviation at Bournemouth Airport.
Sources:Visit Isle of Wight: getting here by airWikipedia: Isle of Wight/Sandown AirportWikipedia: Bembridge AirportOnTheWight, 22 April 2016: Arreton pub opens a helicopter landing siteElite Helicopters, Goodwood
Where a helicopter can land on the island
| Site | Surface | Rules and hours |
|---|---|---|
| Isle of Wight Airport, Sandown (EGHN) | 884 m x 40 m grass runway | Unlicensed; open all year; radio 09:00 to 17:00 or sunset, whichever is earlier; self-serve fuel |
| Bembridge Airport (EGHJ) | 827 m hard runway, plus a parallel grass strip | Unlicensed; online prior permission mandatory for visiting aircraft; opens at 09:00 |
| Private land | Field or lawn the operator approves | Landowner's permission; for example, The Fighting Cocks at Arreton by prior permission (2016) |
Details from Visit Isle of Wight and published airfield records, checked October 2026.
Sources:Visit Isle of Wight: getting here by airWikipedia: Isle of Wight/Sandown AirportWikipedia: Bembridge AirportOnTheWight, 22 April 2016: Arreton pub opens a helicopter landing site
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Helicopter or ferry
- There are no direct commercial flights to the Isle of Wight.
- By sea: ferries run from Portsmouth and Southampton to Ryde and Cowes, and the Red Jet links Southampton with West Cowes.
- By helicopter: your own departure time and landing site, priced for the whole aircraft at about £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour.
- Pleasure flights over the island are available by light aircraft or 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 for the island hop
Light helicopters such as the R44 and EC120 suit two or three passengers; twins such as the AW109 carry more.
Operators near the Solent
CAA Air Operator Certificate holders on the south coast and west of London.
Goodwood. Charter, sightseeing and wedding hire
Bournemouth Airport. Charter and sightseeing in an R44 and EC120
Redhill, with a second base at Brighton City Airport
Fairoaks. Sikorsky S-76 and H145
White Waltham. Charter and sightseeing
Sources:Elite Helicopters, GoodwoodCAA: 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 specialistCan you fly to the Isle of Wight by helicopter?+
Yes, by private charter. There are no scheduled flights to the island.
Where do helicopters land on the Isle of Wight?+
At Isle of Wight Airport in Sandown, at Bembridge Airport with prior permission, or at a private site with the landowner's agreement.
How much is a helicopter to the Isle of Wight?+
As a guide, £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour for the whole helicopter, plus positioning and landing fees.
Is Sandown airport open all year?+
Yes. Radio coverage runs 09:00 to 17:00 or until sunset, whichever is earlier, seven days a week.
Can I land at my hotel or house on the island?+
Only with the landowner's permission and once the operator has assessed the site as safe.
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.Visit Isle of Wight: getting here by air
- 2.Wikipedia: Isle of Wight/Sandown Airport
- 3.Wikipedia: Bembridge Airport
- 4.OnTheWight, 22 April 2016: Arreton pub opens a helicopter landing site
- 5.Elite Helicopters, Goodwood
- 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
Cross the Solent in minutes.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.