Private jet to London

Together with Paris, London is one of the two largest business aviation markets in Europe, and few cities have so many airports that take private jets. Clients fly in for meetings in the City and Canary Wharf, for auctions and galleries in Mayfair, for Royal Ascot, Wimbledon and the fashion weeks, and for country houses in Surrey and the Cotswolds. Paris, Geneva, Zurich, Nice, Milan and the German hubs are 1-2 hours away, and New York and Dubai about seven hours non-stop.

The choice of airport matters more than the choice of aircraft. Farnborough, south-west of the city, handles business aviation only and is open 07:00-22:00 on weekdays. Biggin Hill serves the City and Kent, London City lands steep-approach jets a few kilometres from Canary Wharf, and Luton and Stansted take any aircraft around the clock. As a broker, we ask for the address of the meeting or hotel, then compare aircraft from operators across Europe and quote the airport, the transfer and the price for the whole aircraft.

Tell us the route, the date, the number of passengers and the address in the city, and a consultant will reply with aircraft options, the best airport and the price.

Why business travellers fly privately to London

Flight times from the main European hubs

Times to Farnborough in a Citation CJ3, from the price tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Paris Le Bourget: 0:59 h, 344 km
• Brussels: 1:01 h, Amsterdam: 1:03 h
• Frankfurt: 1:26 h, Geneva: 1:33 h
• Hamburg: 1:35 h, Zurich: 1:36 h
• Munich: 1:50 h, Milan Linate and Berlin: 1:52 h
• Copenhagen: 1:54 h, Nice: 1:56 h
• Madrid: 2:12 h, Vienna: 2:18 h

Every hub in western and central Europe is less than two and a half hours away, so a faster jet saves little: from Vienna a Challenger 350 needs 2:07 h against 2:18 h in the CJ3. Larnaca, almost 3,300 km away, is beyond the range of the light and midsize jets in the table without a fuel stop, so the super midsize Challenger 350 flies it non-stop in 4:37 h. From Tel Aviv a heavy jet takes about 4:44 h, and from Dubai or New York 6:39-7:00 h, depending on the aircraft.

Private jet prices to London

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. Handling, airport fees and passenger taxes are added in the quote. Flight times refer to the first priced aircraft in each row. To Luton or Biggin Hill the price is almost the same as to Farnborough.

From the European hubs

Paris, Brussels and Amsterdam all cost EUR 8,500 in the light jet column, because on a one-hour sector the fixed share for crew and positioning outweighs the distance. The gap between classes is wider: from Nice the same trip costs EUR 11,500 in a CJ3 and EUR 18,500 in a Challenger 350.

From Ireland, the Channel Islands, Scotland and the rest of Europe

Turboprops make sense on short sectors from Jersey or Dublin, and on flights from Edinburgh or Glasgow. Leaving Scotland, the flight is a UK domestic leg, which only a UK operator may fly. From Scandinavia, Spain, Portugal and Italy the Phenom 300 carries more luggage than the CJ3, and the Legacy 500 has a stand-up cabin.

Long-haul flights

Farnborough has a 2,440 m runway, enough for ultra long range jets with full fuel, so New York, Dubai, Doha and Riyadh are non-stop in all three types below. Arrivals have to fit the airport's opening hours; a night landing is planned at Luton or Stansted.

To London City instead

Only aircraft approved for the 5.5° steep approach may land at the Docklands airport. The Phenom 300, the Legacy 500 and the Falcon 2000LXS are among them, which is why this table uses different columns:

The price grows with flight time, plus a fixed share for bringing the aircraft and crew to the departure airport. Passenger taxes depend on the country of departure: about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet leaving France. Italy charges EUR 100 per passenger on sectors up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond, and Austria EUR 12. Germany also charges a departure tax. Flights into the UK pay no Air Passenger Duty, but the return leg does: aircraft under 5.7 t are exempt, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher rate, and other jets the standard rate for the distance. All amounts are listed in the quote.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

What a trip really costs

Price per person

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the cost per seat falls quickly as the group grows. Taxes are added per passenger:

Online calculator

For a quick estimate on your own route and date, fill in the calculator; the figures arrive by e-mail, and you can add the area of the city in the comment so that we suggest the right airport.

Farnborough and the other business aviation airports

Heathrow and Gatwick do accept business jets, but their slots go to airline traffic and are hard to get at short notice. Private flights therefore use one of six airports around the city, chosen by the address, the time of day and the aircraft type.

Farnborough (FAB / EGLF)

Farnborough Airport in Hampshire has no scheduled flights at all. The 2,440 m runway takes everything up to airliner-sized business jets, and the airport itself runs the only handling operation, so one terminal provides customs and immigration, lounges, crew rest and parking, and the car drives up to the aircraft. Every movement needs prior permission. The field is open 07:00-22:00 on weekdays and 08:00-20:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, with no night flights. A cap of 50,000 movements a year, of which no more than 8,900 at weekends and on bank holidays, makes summer Saturdays the hardest slots to get.

Biggin Hill, Luton, London City, Northolt and Stansted

Biggin Hill, a former RAF fighter base south-east of the city, has no scheduled flights either and no runway slot system, and a helicopter reaches Battersea in about 6 minutes. Hours are 06:30-23:00 on weekdays and 08:00-22:00 at weekends and on bank holidays.

Luton is the busiest private aviation airport in the UK, with several FBOs, among them Signature and Harrods Aviation, and it is open 24 hours. Stansted, also open around the clock, has a 3,048 m runway for any aircraft and suits Cambridge, Essex and late arrivals. London City has a private jet centre, a 1,508 m runway and the steep approach; it is open 06:30-22:30 on weekdays and closes from Saturday 12:30 to Sunday 12:30. RAF Northolt, a military airfield in west London, accepts a limited number of civil business jets in daytime with prior permission, one handler and parking on an open apron, and military flights have priority. Distances in the table are straight-line from central London:

Which aircraft suits the trip

Most groups of up to six on a one-hour sector fit in light jets. Around London the Phenom 300 is the most chartered type, and many are based within a short positioning flight, which keeps prices down. For the Gulf or the USA, compare heavy jets with ultra long range jets. Air Passenger Duty does not apply to aircraft under 5.7 t, such as the PC-12, and reaches its higher rate on jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, such as the Challenger 650 or the Falcon 7X, so on the return these aircraft also cost more in tax.

Not sure which airport or aircraft to choose? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

When to fly: the season around the city

Business traffic runs all year. Recurring events that tighten slots, parking and the choice of aircraft:

January is usually the quietest month, with aircraft often available at short notice. Helicopter seats for Ascot, Wimbledon and Silverstone sell out first, so the helicopter is booked together with the jet.

From the airports to the city and the countryside

Empty Legs to and from London

Many business jets are based at the airports around the city, and they regularly fly empty to collect clients or to return to base. Typical directions for these one-way sectors:

The operator sets the date and time of an Empty Leg, and a sector can be withdrawn if the original booking changes, so these flights suit a flexible trip. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates, and we send matching flights as they come up.

Flying with a dog or cat

On a private jet the animal travels in the cabin beside you, not in the hold, and the operator must approve it in advance. Great Britain applies stricter rules than the EU:

• Microchip to ISO standard, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination given at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination.
• EU pet passport for pets from the EU; animals from other countries need a health certificate, checked case by case.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• Tapeworm treatment for dogs by a vet 1-5 days before arrival in Great Britain; cats are exempt.
• Arrival only with an operator approved to carry pets into the UK and at an approved airport: Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Luton and Stansted are on the list, London City is not.

Not every operator holds the approval for animals, which narrows the choice of aircraft, so tell us the species, breed and weight a few days before the flight.

Documents, customs and taxes

Before departure: checklist

• Valid passport for every passenger, children included; ID cards are not enough.
• Approved ETA for each passenger who needs one, checked before the day of travel.
• Passenger list with names, dates of birth and passport numbers for the General Aviation Report.
• Exact address of the meeting, hotel or house, so we choose the airport and the transfer.
• Return time checked against the opening hours of the airport.
• Number of suitcases, golf bags or equipment cases.
• For a dog: microchip, rabies record, pet passport and tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

How to book a private flight to London

1. Send the route, the date, the times you need to be in the city and to leave it, the number of passengers and the address of the meeting or hotel.
2. We match the address and the times with the airports: London City or Biggin Hill for the City and Canary Wharf, Farnborough for the West End and Surrey, Luton or Stansted for late flights.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos, airport and the price for the whole aircraft, including Air Passenger Duty on the return.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we collect passport and ETA details for the General Aviation Report and book the car or helicopter.
5. On the day, arrive 20-30 minutes before take-off; after landing, border control takes a few minutes in the business aviation terminal.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Questions about private flights to London

• • How much does a private jet to London cost?

  • A light jet from Paris, Brussels or Amsterdam costs from EUR 8,500 one way for the whole aircraft, and a turboprop from Jersey from EUR 7,000. Handling and passenger taxes are added in the quote.

• • Which airport is best for a meeting in the City or Canary Wharf?

  • London City is closest if the aircraft is approved for its steep approach, for example the Phenom 300. Otherwise Biggin Hill, about 19 km from Canary Wharf, with a helicopter option.

• • Can a private jet land at Heathrow?

  • It can, but slots go to airline traffic and are hard to obtain. Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Luton or London City are almost always quicker and closer to the destination.

• • How long is the flight from Geneva?

  • About 1:30 h to Farnborough: 1:33 h in a Citation CJ3 and 1:27 h in a Challenger 350. The UK is one hour behind Geneva, so you land about half an hour after the departure time on the clock.

• • Can we fly back late in the evening?

  • Farnborough closes at 22:00 on weekdays and 20:00 at weekends, and London City at 22:30. For a later departure we plan Luton or Stansted, which are open 24 hours.

• • Do EU citizens need an ETA for a private flight?

  • Yes. Private flights follow the same entry rules, and each passenger needs a passport and an approved ETA. Irish citizens are exempt.

• • Which taxes apply on the way back?

  • Air Passenger Duty, charged per passenger on departures from the UK. Aircraft under 5.7 t are exempt, jets of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher rate, other jets the standard rate, and the amount is shown in the quote.

• • Can my dog fly with me to London?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with an approved operator and arrival at Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Luton or Stansted. The dog needs a microchip, rabies vaccination, pet passport and tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival.

• • Can a European operator fly me from London to Edinburgh?

  • No. Domestic UK legs are reserved for UK operators, so for a trip that continues to Scotland we combine operators or choose a UK aircraft for the whole route.

• • Are there Empty Legs to and from London?

  • Yes, often: to the Alps in winter, from the Riviera and the Balearics in summer, and on the Paris and Geneva routes all year. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your direction and dates.

• • How much luggage fits in a light jet?

  • About one medium suitcase per passenger plus hand luggage. For golf bags or several large cases, a Legacy 500 or a Challenger 350 is the safer choice.

• • How far ahead should I book?

  • On ordinary weekdays a flight can often be arranged within a day. For Royal Ascot, Wimbledon, Silverstone and summer weekends at Farnborough, book 3-4 weeks ahead.