Helicopter hire in London
Thames sightseeing tours, private transfers from Battersea and Canary Wharf, and the rules that shape every flight over the capital.
- Shared tour
- £245 per person
- Battersea landing
- £420 to £2,485 + VAT
- Heliport hours
- 07:00 to 23:00
- Biggin Hill to Battersea
- About 6 min
Flying over London by helicopter
A shared seat on Heli Air's 50-minute London tour from Wycombe Air Park costs £245 per person. Private tours from Redhill and Elstree are priced per flight for a small group, and a private helicopter typically costs £1,200 to £3,500 per flight hour. Landing at The London Heliport in Battersea adds £420 to £2,485 plus VAT, depending on the helicopter.
Most London helicopter rides start at an airfield outside the centre and follow the Thames past Parliament, the London Eye and Tower Bridge. Private transfers can land in the city itself.
London has two commercial heliports: The London Heliport at Battersea, open since 1959, and Skyports London Heliport near Canary Wharf. Both need arrangements in advance, and Battersea charges by helicopter size.
Over central London, single-engine helicopters fly prescribed H routes laid out to keep safe landing places in reach. H4 follows the river, which is why tours trace the Thames.
Flying to a race meeting? See Royal Ascot, the British Grand Prix or Cheltenham.
Sources:Heli Air: London helicopter tourEBG Helicopters: London helicopter tours from RedhillICE Helicopters: private London helicopter tourThe London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)Wikipedia: London HeliportSkyports: Skyports London HeliportFLYER, 6 January 2023: Heli lanes of London
London helicopter tours and prices
- Operator
- Heli Air
- From
- Wycombe Air Park, Buckinghamshire
- Flight time
- About 50 min
- Price
- £245 per person
- Operator
- EBG Helicopters
- From
- Redhill Aerodrome, Surrey
- Flight time
- 35 min, or 45 min with the Olympic Park
- Price
- On request, up to 3 passengers
- Operator
- ICE Helicopters
- From
- Elstree Aerodrome, Hertfordshire
- Flight time
- 30 to 40 min
- Price
- Per flight, whole helicopter
- Operator
- Castle Air
- From
- London Biggin Hill Airport
- Flight time
- About 6 min to Battersea
- Price
- Per flight
Tours as published by each operator, checked October 2026. Heli Air flies a Robinson R44 or similar and seats are shared; ICE flies an Airbus EC120. Routes and timings depend on air traffic control.
Sources:Heli Air: London helicopter tourEBG Helicopters: London helicopter tours from RedhillICE Helicopters: private London helicopter tourICE Helicopters: helicopter toursHeliHub, 15 September 2023: London Heli Shuttle expands with a second AW139
Tell us the dates and passengers. A specialist replies with aircraft options and an all-in price, around the clock.
Battersea, Canary Wharf and the airfields
On the south bank of the Thames, open since 1959 and London's only licensed heliport. Permitted hours are 07:00 to 23:00 by arrangement; normal hours 07:30 to 19:30 on weekdays and 08:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays. Passengers check in at operations and may be asked for photo ID; international flights need a passport.
Near Canary Wharf, one of London's two commercial heliports, with three touchdown pads. Operators need CAA permission to land, and commercial operators must be able to hover out of ground effect with one engine inoperative.
Tours and many charters start at Wycombe Air Park, Redhill, Elstree or Biggin Hill. The London Heli Shuttle links Biggin Hill with Battersea and Canary Wharf in about six minutes.
Sources:Wikipedia: London HeliportThe London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)The London Heliport: conditions of use, 1 February 2025 (PDF)Skyports: Skyports London HeliportSkyports London Heliport: heliport informationHeliHub, 15 September 2023: London Heli Shuttle expands with a second AW139
The London Heliport charges by helicopter
- Example helicopters
- Robinson R44, R22
- Landing fee
- £420
- Parking, first 4 hours
- £420
- Example helicopters
- Airbus H125, H130, Bell 206 JetRanger
- Landing fee
- £485
- Parking, first 4 hours
- £485
- Example helicopters
- Airbus AS355 Twin Squirrel
- Landing fee
- £750
- Parking, first 4 hours
- £750
- Example helicopters
- Leonardo AW109, Airbus H135, H145
- Landing fee
- £1,080
- Parking, first 4 hours
- £1,080
- Example helicopters
- Leonardo AW139, AW169, Sikorsky S-76
- Landing fee
- £1,230
- Parking, first 4 hours
- £1,230
- Example helicopters
- Sikorsky S-92, AW189
- Landing fee
- £2,485
- Parking, first 4 hours
- Not listed
Charges from 24 August 2026, excluding VAT. Parking runs from the end of the 15-minute slot. Extensions cost £500 (early or evening) and £1,000 (21:00 to 22:59), and a £165 special event charge applies per slot on listed days.
Sources:The London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)
How helicopters fly over London
- Every helicopter flight in the London control zones needs an air traffic control clearance; pilots still navigate visually and stay responsible for the Rules of the Air.
- Prescribed routes, each with an H number, let single-engine helicopters cross the capital and are laid out to keep safe landing places in reach.
- H4 follows the Thames past the Houses of Parliament, the London Eye and Tower Bridge, with a 2,000 ft limit in normal visual flight.
- Some restrictions apply only to single-engine helicopters. Twins, which became common after the routes were set up in the 1970s, can be cleared on more direct routings.
- On the routes, helicopters keep at least 500 ft above the ground and 500 ft clear of tall buildings.
- Flights to Battersea stay over the centre of the river where possible, with a circuit at 1,000 ft between Wandsworth and Battersea bridges.
Sources:CAA: London helicopter operationsFLYER, 6 January 2023: Heli lanes of LondonThe London Heliport: environment and Fly Neighbourly policy
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 London flights
Tours fly light helicopters such as the Robinson R44; transfers into Battersea use twins such as the AW109 and AW139.
Operators around London
CAA Air Operator Certificate holders based in and around London.
Biggin Hill. Runs the London Heli Shuttle; AW109, AW169, H135 and BK117
London Oxford Airport. H135 and H145 twins for business and race day charters
London Elstree. Twin-engine AS355 and AW109 charters
Elstree. Private London tours in an EC120
Redhill. London sightseeing tours in a Robinson R44
Wycombe Air Park. Shared London tours
Fairoaks. Sikorsky S-76 and H145
White Waltham. Charter, sightseeing and filming
Redhill. AS355 Twin Squirrel charters and tours
Sources:CAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)HeliHub, 15 September 2023: London Heli Shuttle expands with a second AW139ICE Helicopters: private London helicopter tourEBG Helicopters: London helicopter tours from RedhillHeli Air: London helicopter tour
Questions, answered
Still deciding? A charter specialist will talk you through aircraft, airports and price, with no obligation.
Ask a specialistHow much is a helicopter ride over London?+
From £245 per person for a shared 50-minute tour with Heli Air. Private tours are priced per flight for the whole helicopter.
How long is a London helicopter tour?+
Usually 30 to 50 minutes in the air: 30 to 40 minutes with ICE from Elstree, 35 or 45 minutes with EBG from Redhill, about 50 minutes with Heli Air from Wycombe.
Do London helicopter tours leave from Battersea?+
The tours listed here leave from airfields outside the centre and fly along the Thames. A private helicopter can land at Battersea, for a landing fee of £420 to £2,485 plus VAT.
What are The London Heliport's opening hours?+
Normal hours are 07:30 to 19:30 on weekdays and 08:00 to 18:00 at weekends and on bank holidays. Flights between 07:00 and 23:00 can be arranged for an extension fee.
Why do helicopters follow the Thames?+
Single-engine helicopters cross central London on prescribed routes designed to keep safe landing places in reach. The H4 route follows the river.
Can I fly from Battersea to the airports or a race meeting?+
Yes, as a private charter. The London Heli Shuttle links Battersea with Biggin Hill in about six minutes.
Do I need ID?+
All passengers check in at The London Heliport and may be asked for photo ID; international flights need a passport.
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.Heli Air: London helicopter tour
- 2.EBG Helicopters: London helicopter tours from Redhill
- 3.ICE Helicopters: private London helicopter tour
- 4.The London Heliport: charges from 24 August 2026 (PDF)
- 5.Wikipedia: London Heliport
- 6.Skyports: Skyports London Heliport
- 7.FLYER, 6 January 2023: Heli lanes of London
- 8.ICE Helicopters: helicopter tours
- 9.HeliHub, 15 September 2023: London Heli Shuttle expands with a second AW139
- 10.The London Heliport: conditions of use, 1 February 2025 (PDF)
- 11.Skyports London Heliport: heliport information
- 12.CAA: London helicopter operations
- 13.The London Heliport: environment and Fly Neighbourly policy
- 14.HMRC: the VAT treatment of passenger transport (Notice 744A)
- 15.GOV.UK: VAT rates
- 16.CAA: making sure your flight is legal
- 17.CAA: Air Operator Certificate holders list, 5 October 2026 (PDF)
- 18.British Helicopter Association: illegal public transport
See London from the air, on your schedule.
A specialist replies around the clock with aircraft options, the operator's name and an all-in price.