The short answer
The Etihad Stadium has no helicopter landing site, so for Manchester City home games we fly you to Manchester Heliport at Barton Aerodrome, about 7.8 miles away in a straight line, or to Manchester Airport, and a car completes the journey across the city. London to Manchester takes about 65 to 80 minutes by helicopter.
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
- Etihad Stadium, Ashton New Road, Manchester M11 3FF; east Manchester
- Landing at the ground
- No helicopter landing site at the stadium
- Nearest dedicated site
- Manchester Heliport, Barton Aerodrome, Eccles; about 7.8 miles from the ground in a straight line
- Barton hours
- As published: Monday to Thursday 09:00 to 18:00, Friday to Sunday 09:00 to 19:00 or sunset; 24 hours on request with an out-of-hours charge
- Second option
- Manchester Airport, 8.3 nautical miles from Barton; slot-coordinated, handling mandatory
- London to Barton
- About 65 to 80 minutes by helicopter, around 4 hours by road
- Birmingham to Barton
- About 35 to 40 minutes by helicopter, around 1 hour 54 minutes by road
- Good for
- Client hospitality, directors' days, staff incentive days
Where do you land for the Etihad Stadium?
The Etihad Stadium is part of a large sports campus in east Manchester, and there is no helicopter landing site at the ground. Our standard landing point is Manchester Heliport at Barton Aerodrome in Eccles, five miles west of the city centre. It is the region's dedicated rotary facility, with a departure lounge, a café and free parking, and it is booked by us with your flight on a strict prior-permission basis. Our Manchester page has the site facts.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. For helicopter charter Manchester City clients, we plan the Barton landing and the chauffeur car as one unit. The honest point is that Barton is on the wrong side of the city for the Etihad, so the car leg is a real journey of about 7.8 miles in a straight line, and match-day traffic decides how long it takes.
Is Manchester Airport better for the Etihad?
Sometimes. Manchester Airport is 8.3 nautical miles from Barton, with two long runways, customs on site and business-aviation terminals, and it is open 24 hours. It is also slot-coordinated, handling is mandatory for every visiting aircraft and lead time matters, so we book early. It suits larger parties, jet connections and late returns. The old version of this page named the airport as the Manchester site for the Etihad; both are valid, and we choose by party size, hours and where your guests are coming from.
Barton closes earlier than the airport, with flying until 18:00 on Monday to Thursday and 19:00 or sunset from Friday to Sunday as published, though 24-hour opening is available on request with a charge. Evening kick-offs therefore tilt the plan towards the airport or a pre-arranged late opening.
How long does the flight take from London, Birmingham or Liverpool?
London to Barton takes about 65 to 80 minutes by helicopter and around 4 hours by road; see London to Manchester by helicopter. Birmingham to Barton is about 35 to 40 minutes against around 1 hour 54 minutes by road; see Birmingham to Manchester. Liverpool to Barton is about 15 to 20 minutes against around 40 minutes by road; see Liverpool.
A typical day: depart London mid-morning, land at Barton before lunch, car to the Etihad and the match. Arrive 10 minutes before take-off, give us a weight for each passenger and use soft bags. Fixture dates and kick-off times are set by the league and broadcasters, so check the club for dates.
Can we land closer to the ground?
The previous version of this page named the Three Arrows Hotel in Middleton (about 4.1 miles from the ground), Norton Grange Hotel in Rochdale, Bredbury Hall in Stockport (about 5.8 miles) and an industrial park at Mossley (about 6.9 miles). All are private sites. Landing at any of them is subject to landing permission and site suitability, and the owner decides; we can ask but cannot promise.
For the car, we use Executive Global Travel. See also Manchester United at Old Trafford, Liverpool at Anfield, football by helicopter and north west England. The price guides explain what shapes a figure.
Frequently asked questions
Can a helicopter land at the Etihad Stadium?
No landing site at the stadium is available to us. We land at Manchester Heliport at Barton or Manchester Airport and arrange a car.
How far is Barton from the Etihad?
About 7.8 miles in a straight line, across the city. Allow for match-day traffic on the road leg.
How long from London?
About 65 to 80 minutes by helicopter to Barton, against around 4 hours by road.
Can we fly back after an evening match?
Yes, with planning. Barton closes at 18:00 or 19:00 as published but opens 24 hours on request with a charge; the airport is open 24 hours.
What if the weather cancels the flight?
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
