Helicopter flight to Cheltenham is about 35 minutes.
Flying by helicopter from London Battersea to Cheltenham take around 35 minutes. This is done in one of our Agusta 109 Grand helicopters pictured below which will carry six passengers subject to weights, this helicopter will fly directly into the Cheltenham Racecourse.
Useful links when flying by Helicopter to the Cheltenham Gold cup.
Helicopter charter Cheltenham.
London Helicopter charter.
Helicopter charter quote.
Helicopter fleet.
The journey in detail
From London Battersea the helicopter tracks west over the Thames valley, crosses the Cotswold escarpment and lands on the helipad inside Cheltenham Racecourse. Forty-five minutes is a typical figure for the Agusta 109 Grand with a light headwind; on a still day it can be a few minutes less. From Denham, Elstree or Redhill the flight is shorter again, and from a private site in Berkshire or Oxfordshire it can be under half an hour.
Compared with the road
On a Festival day the M4, M5 and the A40 approach to Cheltenham are the slowest roads in the country. A car from central London rarely manages it in under three hours, and the last mile into the car parks can take as long as the rest of the journey. The helicopter lands you beside the course with time for lunch before the first race.
Making the most of the day
- Lift from London mid-morning, land at the course around 11:30, and the aircraft waits for you.
- Return after the last race or stay for the evening; night-capable twin-engine helicopters fly after dark.
- Six passengers in the Agusta 109 Grand; for a bigger party we fly two helicopters together.
Aircraft, pricing and the racecourse arrangements are on the Cheltenham helicopter hire page. Other race-day flights we run regularly include Ascot, Newbury, Goodwood and Epsom. Call +44 20 7781 8094 for availability on your date.
For the full picture, see our guide to Cheltenham Festival 2027 helicopter charter.
Coming from abroad: a jet to Farnborough, then a helicopter
Many clients arrive by private jet from France. A flight from Paris Le Bourget to Farnborough takes about 45 minutes, and a helicopter then covers the 25 minutes from Farnborough to Cheltenham Racecourse. Including the walk to your private aircraft, that is a leisurely hour and a half in total.
Cheltenham Festival 2027
The Festival runs from Tuesday 16 to Friday 19 March 2027, with the Cheltenham Gold Cup on the final day, Friday 19 March. Landing slots at the course are limited, so enquire early.
