The short answer
Helicopter charter in the East Midlands runs from East Midlands Airport at Castle Donington, which is open 24 hours with customs on site and no slot restrictions. The flight to London takes about 45 to 55 minutes, against about 2 hours 32 minutes by road. Tell us your date and weights and we quote.
Flying from East Midlands? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Main site
- East Midlands Airport (EGNX), Castle Donington, DE74 2SA, 2,894 m runway, jet capable
- Hours (checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Airport 24 hours; customs, handling and fuel 24 hours; no slot restrictions for business aviation
- Permission
- No prior permission required; handling arranged through the business aviation facilities
- Customs
- On site, 24 hours
- East Midlands to London
- Helicopter about 45 to 55 minutes; car about 2h32 (free-flowing)
- East Midlands to Silverstone
- Helicopter about 25 to 30 minutes; car about 1h17
Where East Midlands flights start and end
The map shows East Midlands Airport, with range rings and the nearest cities. Pins with a page of their own are links.
The map draws a satellite picture, so it needs JavaScript and an internet connection. East Midlands Airport is at East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Derby. Open it in Google Maps.
East Midlands Airport
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Sites that serve East Midlands
Hours, permission and customs are the airport's or site's published information, checked 29 Sept 2026. We arrange permission and confirm times with your booking.
East Midlands Airport EGNX / EMA
- Address
- East Midlands Airport, Castle Donington, Derby
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Airport 24 hours (customs). No slot restrictions
- Permission
- No PPR published; we still confirm before you fly
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 09/27 – 2,894 m × 45 m asphalt
Why East Midlands Airport suits helicopter charter
For helicopter charter East Midlands the airport is the obvious start. It is open every hour of the day, it has customs on site, and business aviation is exempt from the slot rules that apply to airliners, so handling is simply arranged with one of two business aviation facilities, both 24-hour operations. It is also one of the few large airports in our group where no prior permission is published. East Midlands Airport has a 2,894 m runway, which is why it works for a jet-plus-helicopter day as well; for the jet side see charter-private-jet.com.
One limit: jets that do not meet Chapter 3 noise certification cannot use the airport between 23:00 and 07:00 local, but that is rarely a factor for helicopters. These are the published terms as checked on 29 September 2026, and we confirm them when we quote.
Journey times from East Midlands Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Birmingham | 27 nm (31 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 51 min (38 mi) | 28 min |
| Manchester | 46 nm (53 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 55 min (78 mi) | 1 h 27 min |
| Silverstone | 47 nm (54 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 17 min (63 mi) | 49 min |
| Oxford | 60 nm (69 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 45 min (88 mi) | 1 h 10 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 61 nm (70 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 45 min (90 mi) | 1 h 10 min |
| Liverpool | 63 nm (72 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 01 min (96 mi) | 1 h 26 min |
| Leeds | 63 nm (73 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 55 min (92 mi) | 1 h 17 min |
| Cambridge | 67 nm (77 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 53 min (99 mi) | 1 h 15 min |
| York Racecourse | 68 nm (78 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 1 h 48 min (94 mi) | 1 h 08 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 70 nm (81 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 03 min (104 mi) | 1 h 23 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 72 nm (83 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h (107 mi) | 1 h 20 min |
| London Heathrow | 88 nm (101 mi) | 40 to 55 min | 2 h 12 min (118 mi) | 1 h 24 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 89 nm (102 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 26 min (127 mi) | 1 h 36 min |
| London | 92 nm (106 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 32 min (119 mi) | 1 h 42 min |
| Norwich | 95 nm (110 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 3 h 03 min (134 mi) | 2 h 13 min |
| Epsom Downs | 99 nm (114 mi) | 45 to 60 min | 2 h 38 min (139 mi) | 1 h 45 min |
| Bristol | 101 nm (116 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 43 min (139 mi) | 1 h 48 min |
| London Gatwick | 110 nm (126 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 2 h 54 min (157 mi) | 1 h 56 min |
| Southampton | 113 nm (130 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 2 h 58 min (155 mi) | 2 h |
| Cardiff | 114 nm (131 mi) | 55 to 65 min | 3 h 10 min (163 mi) | 2 h 10 min |
| Goodwood | 120 nm (138 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 19 min (171 mi) | 2 h 16 min |
| Newcastle | 133 nm (153 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 37 min (178 mi) | 2 h 29 min |
| Edinburgh | 200 nm (231 mi) | 85 to 110 min | 5 h 43 min (296 mi) | 4 h 05 min |
| Glasgow | 212 nm (244 mi) | 90 to 115 min | 5 h 35 min (300 mi) | 3 h 52 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 East Midlands to London and the north
London takes about 45 to 55 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 32 minutes by road, and Heathrow about 40 to 55 minutes against 2 hours 12 minutes. Birmingham is about 20 to 25 minutes against 51 minutes, so the saving there is smaller. Manchester is about 25 to 30 minutes against 1 hour 55 minutes, Liverpool about 30 to 40 minutes against 2 hours 1 minute, and Leeds about 35 to 40 minutes against 1 hour 55 minutes.
Newcastle is about 60 to 75 minutes against 3 hours 37 minutes, and Bristol about 50 to 60 minutes against 2 hours 43 minutes. For a central London landing, Battersea Helicopter operates the London Heliport. Our routes hub has more comparisons.
Derby, Nottingham, Leicester and Loughborough
Past flights have taken clients to Castle Donington, Loughborough, Derby, Nottingham and Leicester. The airport sits among them, so a company with sites in two of those towns can fly between them in minutes rather than drive. Nottingham has its own helicopter sites: Nottingham Heliport is about 10 nautical miles away, and Nottingham City Airport at Tollerton is helicopter-only from September 2026; see our Nottingham page. For Leicester see Leicester.
The area is also a home of manufacturing, engineering and logistics, with freight and distribution parks near the airport. For companies with sites in more than one place, our same-day business trips page explains how a day of site visits is built.
Motorsport and days out from East Midlands
Donington Park circuit sits next to the airport, which makes it a natural arrival for motorsport hospitality, with Silverstone about 25 to 30 minutes away by air against 1 hour 17 minutes by road; see our Silverstone page and race circuits by helicopter. Chatsworth in Derbyshire is covered on its dining by helicopter page.
Landing at circuits, houses and estates is subject to landing permission and site suitability. We make the request and confirm the landing site before you travel.
Booking from the East Midlands
Send the date, passengers with weights and destination; we confirm the helicopter and the landing. Arrive 10 minutes before departure and pack in soft bags where the hold is small. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. We cannot promise a helicopter waiting nearby on every date: availability varies, and positioning may be needed.
Nearby bases are Birmingham and Sheffield. The Midlands region page and the Midlands and East airfield directory list the rest. For cost guides, see Helicopter Hire Prices. For the five twin-engine aircraft we arrange, see helicopter fleet.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to East Midlands Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Is East Midlands Airport open 24 hours?
Yes, as published, with customs, handling and fuel all available around the clock.
Do I need prior permission to land at East Midlands?
None is published. Handling is arranged with the business aviation facility, and business aviation is exempt from the airline slot rules.
How long is the helicopter from East Midlands to London?
About 45 to 55 minutes, against about 2 hours 32 minutes by road.
Can I fly to Silverstone from East Midlands?
Yes, about 25 to 30 minutes by helicopter against about 1 hour 17 minutes by road, subject to arrival arrangements for the event.
Can a helicopter land in Nottingham?
Nottingham has a heliport, and the City Airport at Tollerton is helicopter-only from September 2026. We confirm availability when we quote.
