The short answer
Helicopter charter to Chester Racecourse lands at Hawarden Airport on the Welsh side, with a car for the last stretch to the Roodee. Liverpool is about 10 to 15 minutes by helicopter, Manchester 20 to 25 and Birmingham 30 to 40. Hawarden needs prior permission. Race dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date.
Quote this event Tell us the date and the number of guests; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Venue
- Chester Racecourse, the Roodee, Chester, Cheshire
- Main meeting
- The May Festival, headed by the Chester Cup
- Dates
- Dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date
- Where we land
- Hawarden Airport (EGNR), 2,093 m runway, weekdays 08:00 to 21:00, weekends 08:30 to 18:00, prior permission
- Customs
- By arrangement with 24 hours of notice
- Hawarden to Liverpool
- About 10 to 15 minutes by helicopter; at least 49 minutes by road
- Hawarden to Manchester
- About 20 to 25 minutes by helicopter; at least 1 hour 10 minutes by road
The nearest landing site
Hawarden Airport is the site we plan around for this event. Permission and times are confirmed with your booking.
The map draws a satellite picture, so it needs JavaScript and an internet connection. Hawarden Airport is at Hawarden Airport, Broughton, Chester. Open it in Google Maps.
Hawarden Airport (Chester)
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Hawarden Airport (Chester) EGNR / CEG
- Address
- Hawarden Airport, Broughton, Chester
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Mon–Fri 08:00–21:00; Sat–Sun 08:30–18:00 (may vary with operational requirements). Customs and immigration by arrangement with 24 hours' notice
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement / prior notice
- Runway
- 04/22 – 2,093 m × 45 m concrete/asphalt (grooved)
Helicopter charter Chester and CheshireOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
How do you fly to Chester races?
Helicopter charter to Chester Racecourse uses Hawarden Airport, on the Welsh side of the border and a short drive from the course. Hawarden has a 2,093 metre grooved runway, a dedicated business aviation facility and published hours of 08:00 to 21:00 on weekdays and 08:30 to 18:00 at weekends, with customs by arrangement on 24 hours of notice. Prior permission is required. We do not hold a landing site at the racecourse itself, so a car completes the journey.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. Landing closer to the Roodee, or at a private house nearby, would need the owner's permission, subject to landing permission and site suitability. We ask first. See helicopter charter Chester for the airport page.
Journey times to Hawarden Airport
Typical helicopter times against the car from the nearest cities, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 10 nm (12 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 49 min (32 mi) | 36 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 18 nm (21 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 55 min (42 mi) | 37 min |
| Manchester | 27 nm (32 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 10 min (45 mi) | 47 min |
| Birmingham | 62 nm (72 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 05 min (93 mi) | 1 h 30 min |
| Leeds | 63 nm (72 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 57 min (93 mi) | 1 h 22 min |
| York Racecourse | 81 nm (94 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 13 min (117 mi) | 1 h 28 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 83 nm (95 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 38 min (126 mi) | 1 h 53 min |
| Silverstone | 97 nm (112 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 57 min (141 mi) | 2 h 07 min |
| Oxford | 101 nm (116 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 3 h 07 min (151 mi) | 2 h 12 min |
| Cardiff | 108 nm (124 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 3 h 45 min (167 mi) | 2 h 47 min |
| Bristol | 108 nm (125 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 3 h 36 min (175 mi) | 2 h 38 min |
| Newcastle | 121 nm (139 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 4 h 02 min (201 mi) | 2 h 59 min |
| Cambridge | 129 nm (148 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 32 min (178 mi) | 2 h 24 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 135 nm (155 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 40 min (186 mi) | 2 h 32 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 136 nm (156 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 50 min (193 mi) | 2 h 42 min |
| London Heathrow | 138 nm (159 mi) | 60 to 80 min | 3 h 48 min (193 mi) | 2 h 38 min |
| London | 145 nm (167 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 12 min (198 mi) | 2 h 59 min |
| Southampton | 147 nm (169 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 20 min (218 mi) | 3 h 07 min |
| Epsom Downs | 150 nm (173 mi) | 65 to 85 min | 4 h 13 min (214 mi) | 2 h 58 min |
| Norwich | 157 nm (181 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 47 min (239 mi) | 3 h 29 min |
| London Gatwick | 159 nm (183 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 29 min (232 mi) | 3 h 09 min |
| Goodwood | 162 nm (186 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 54 min (246 mi) | 3 h 34 min |
| Edinburgh | 167 nm (192 mi) | 75 to 90 min | 4 h 50 min (251 mi) | 3 h 27 min |
| Glasgow | 170 nm (195 mi) | 75 to 95 min | 4 h 43 min (254 mi) | 3 h 18 min |
Helicopter figures are typical block times: distance at 135 knots plus 8 minutes, shown as a range. Road figures are free-flowing road times, a floor that real journeys rarely beat. Distances are in a straight line. Figures from our UK route data, checked 29 Sep 2026.
Times from Merseyside, Manchester and the Midlands
From Hawarden, Liverpool is about 10 to 15 minutes by helicopter against at least 49 minutes by road, Aintree 15 to 20 against 55, Manchester 20 to 25 against 1 hour 10, Birmingham 30 to 40 against 2 hours 5 and Leeds 30 to 40 against 1 hour 57. These come from our route data, and the road times are free-flowing floors that a race day will exceed.
For nearby routes, see Manchester to Liverpool and Liverpool to Birmingham. North Wales is across the border; see North Wales.
The May meeting and corporate racing
Chester's May Festival is one of the best-known early-season meetings in the north, and the track's tight turns and city-wall setting make for a distinctive day. Tickets, enclosures and hospitality come from the racecourse; we arrange the travel. Cheshire has a large corporate base in finance, pharmaceuticals and engineering, and a race day is a common client event.
See horse racing by helicopter for the wider picture and Aintree for the Grand National. Business helicopter charter explains the process.
Planning notes
Arrive 10 minutes before departure, supply weights and keep bags soft. Chester's meetings are well attended and the roads around the city are slow, so we plan a margin for the transfer. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Executive Global Travel can arrange cars. See the North West England page for the region.
Frequently asked questions
Where do helicopters land for Chester races?
Hawarden Airport, with a car for the last stretch. A closer site needs landing permission.
When is the May Festival?
Dates are announced each year: ask us for the current date. It is held in the spring, normally in May.
How long is the flight from Liverpool?
About 10 to 15 minutes.
Is Hawarden open at weekends?
Yes, with shorter hours: 08:30 to 18:00 at weekends.
Do you sell tickets?
No. Tickets and hospitality come from the racecourse. We arrange the travel.
What if the weather stops the flight?
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
