The short answer
Helicopter charter in Manchester runs from Manchester Heliport at Barton, five miles west of the centre, or from Manchester Airport for jet connections. A flight from Barton to London takes about 65 to 80 minutes, against about 4 hours 1 minute by road. Tell us your date and weights and we quote.
Flying from Manchester? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Heliport
- Manchester Heliport, Barton Aerodrome, Liverpool Road, Eccles (EGCB), 5 miles west of the city centre
- Airport
- Manchester Airport (EGCC), two 3,050 m runways, customs on site, jet capable
- Hours (checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Barton: flying Mon to Thu 09:00 to 18:00, Fri to Sun 09:00 to 19:00 or sunset if earlier; 24 hours for helicopter bookings on request. Airport: 24 hours
- Permission
- Prior permission required at both; Barton is strictly by booking
- Customs
- Barton by arrangement, 4 hours notice inbound and 24 hours outbound; on site at the airport
- Barton to London
- Helicopter about 65 to 80 minutes; car about 4h01 (free-flowing)
Where Manchester flights start and end
The map shows Manchester Airport and the other sites that serve Manchester, 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. Manchester Airport is at Manchester Airport, Manchester. Open it in Google Maps.
Manchester Airport
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Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Manchester
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.
Manchester Airport EGCC / MAN
- Address
- Manchester Airport, Manchester
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Airport 24 hours (customs). aether – The Private Terminal 08:00–20:00, out of hours on request
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site
- Runway
- 05L/23R – 3,048 m × 45 m; 05R/23L – 3,050 m × 45 m
Manchester Heliport (Barton Aerodrome) EGCB
- Address
- Manchester Heliport, Barton Aerodrome, Liverpool Road, Eccles, Manchester
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
Flying operations Mon–Thu 09:00–18:00 local; Fri–Sun 09:00–19:00 local, or sunset if earlier. Manchester Heliport…
Flying operations Mon–Thu 09:00–18:00 local; Fri–Sun 09:00–19:00 local, or sunset if earlier. Manchester Heliport available 24 hours for rotary bookings on request (out-of-hours charge applies)- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement
Strictly PPR – booked by Charter-A with your flight. Customs by arrangement with 4 hours' notice inbound / 24 hours outbound.
Which Manchester site should you use?
For helicopter charter Manchester, use Manchester Heliport at Barton when the aim is to be close to the city and its business districts, and Manchester Airport when you are connecting to or from a jet or an airliner. Barton is Manchester's dedicated helicopter facility, about five miles west of the centre in Eccles, with a proper departure lounge, a cafe and free parking. The airport is 24 hours, has customs on site and two business aviation terminals, one of which sits inside Terminal One, and a handling agent on the airfield is mandatory for every visiting aircraft.
The two are about 8 nautical miles apart. For a flight out of Barton you arrive 10 minutes before departure and walk to the aircraft; for the airport, slots are coordinated, so lead time matters. For the jet side of a connection, see charter-private-jet.com, and our airport transfers by helicopter page explains how a helicopter leg fits around a jet.
Journey times from Manchester Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Liverpool | 21 nm (24 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 46 min (30 mi) | 28 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 25 nm (29 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 47 min (38 mi) | 29 min |
| Leeds | 38 nm (44 mi) | 20 to 30 min | 1 h 21 min (61 mi) | 56 min |
| York Racecourse | 55 nm (64 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 37 min (84 mi) | 1 h 04 min |
| Birmingham | 57 nm (66 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 47 min (89 mi) | 1 h 14 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 86 nm (99 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 20 min (122 mi) | 1 h 35 min |
| Silverstone | 89 nm (102 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 38 min (138 mi) | 1 h 48 min |
| Oxford | 97 nm (112 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 48 min (148 mi) | 1 h 58 min |
| Newcastle | 103 nm (119 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 3 h 26 min (168 mi) | 2 h 31 min |
| Cambridge | 113 nm (129 mi) | 50 to 65 min | 3 h 14 min (174 mi) | 2 h 16 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 118 nm (136 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 22 min (182 mi) | 2 h 19 min |
| Bristol | 119 nm (137 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 17 min (171 mi) | 2 h 14 min |
| Cardiff | 124 nm (142 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 45 min (195 mi) | 2 h 42 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 130 nm (150 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 32 min (189 mi) | 2 h 24 min |
| London Heathrow | 131 nm (151 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 30 min (190 mi) | 2 h 22 min |
| Norwich | 135 nm (155 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 4 h 20 min (197 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| London | 137 nm (157 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 54 min (194 mi) | 2 h 46 min |
| Epsom Downs | 143 nm (165 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 55 min (211 mi) | 2 h 42 min |
| Southampton | 148 nm (170 mi) | 65 to 85 min | 4 h 01 min (215 mi) | 2 h 46 min |
| London Gatwick | 153 nm (176 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 11 min (228 mi) | 2 h 53 min |
| Goodwood | 160 nm (184 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 36 min (243 mi) | 3 h 16 min |
| Edinburgh | 161 nm (185 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 24 min (227 mi) | 3 h 04 min |
| Glasgow | 169 nm (194 mi) | 75 to 95 min | 4 h 17 min (231 mi) | 2 h 52 min |
Times from Manchester Heliport
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manchester | 8.2 nm (9 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 36 min (16 mi) | 23 min |
| Liverpool | 18 nm (21 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 40 min (29 mi) | 22 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 20 nm (23 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 40 min (32 mi) | 22 min |
| Leeds | 35 nm (40 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 07 min (49 mi) | 44 min |
| York Racecourse | 54 nm (62 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 24 min (73 mi) | 51 min |
| Birmingham | 65 nm (75 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 54 min (96 mi) | 1 h 16 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 94 nm (108 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 27 min (128 mi) | 1 h 37 min |
| Newcastle | 97 nm (112 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 3 h 12 min (157 mi) | 2 h 22 min |
| Silverstone | 97 nm (112 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 46 min (144 mi) | 1 h 56 min |
| Oxford | 106 nm (122 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 56 min (154 mi) | 2 h 01 min |
| Cambridge | 120 nm (138 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 22 min (181 mi) | 2 h 19 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 125 nm (144 mi) | 55 to 70 min | 3 h 29 min (189 mi) | 2 h 26 min |
| Bristol | 126 nm (145 mi) | 60 to 70 min | 3 h 25 min (177 mi) | 2 h 20 min |
| Cardiff | 129 nm (149 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 53 min (201 mi) | 2 h 45 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.
Opening hours, permission and customs
Barton publishes flying hours of 09:00 to 18:00 Monday to Thursday and 09:00 to 19:00 Friday to Sunday, or sunset if that is earlier. The heliport is available 24 hours for helicopter bookings on request, with an out-of-hours charge. Every landing is by prior permission and we book it with your flight. Customs is by arrangement: 4 hours notice inbound and 24 hours outbound. The airport is open around the clock with customs, handling and fuel all available 24 hours. These are the published hours as checked on 29 September 2026, and we confirm them again when we quote.
The Manchester Airport business aviation facilities run to their own hours, one staffed 06:00 to 22:00 with a call-out service and the other 08:00 to 20:00, with out-of-hours cover on request. Both are separate from the main passenger flows.
Manchester to London and the rest of the north
The run to London from Barton takes about 65 to 80 minutes, against about 4 hours 1 minute by road with no traffic, which is not how the M6 and M1 usually behave. From the airport it is about 60 to 75 minutes against 3 hours 54 minutes. Our London to Manchester route page sets out the full comparison.
Within the north the numbers are just as sharp. Barton to Liverpool is about 15 to 20 minutes against 40 minutes by road, to Leeds about 20 to 25 minutes against 1 hour 7 minutes, and to Birmingham about 35 to 40 minutes against 1 hour 54 minutes. Newcastle is about 45 to 55 minutes against 3 hours 12 minutes, and Manchester to Edinburgh is about 70 to 85 minutes against 4 hours 10 minutes. For a London arrival in the centre, Battersea Helicopter operates the London Heliport.
Stadiums, business districts and the Cheshire side
Manchester is a city of fixtures. We arrange corporate hospitality days at Old Trafford and the Etihad Stadium, where the pattern is usually a landing at Barton or the airport and a car for the final miles, since landing at a stadium is subject to landing permission and site suitability. Racing from here runs to Aintree and Cheltenham; see the Aintree Grand National page.
For business, the Barton side suits Spinningfields and Salford Quays, with MediaCityUK on the water, while the airport serves Airport City and the Cheshire side towards Wilmslow and Alderley Edge. Directors regularly use a helicopter for a morning in Manchester and an afternoon in Leeds or Birmingham; the same-day business trips page sets out how those days are built.
How a booking works from Manchester
Tell us who is travelling, with weights, and where you want to land. We confirm the aircraft, the site and the timings, and the 24-hour line is there if plans move. Luggage goes in soft bags where the hold is small. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. For a private garden, hotel or country house landing in Cheshire or Derbyshire, we handle the permission request, but a landing is always subject to landing permission and site suitability.
Neighbours worth knowing: Liverpool, Leeds, Chester and Blackpool. The north-west England region page and the northern airfield directory cover the rest. For cost guides, see Helicopter Hire Prices.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to Manchester Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a heliport in Manchester?
Yes. Manchester Heliport sits at Barton Aerodrome in Eccles, about five miles west of the city centre. Landings are by prior permission, which we book with your flight.
Can a helicopter land at Old Trafford or the Etihad?
Landing at a stadium is subject to landing permission and site suitability, and is rarely available on match days. We normally land at Barton or the airport and arrange a car for the final stage.
How long is the helicopter from Manchester to Liverpool?
About 15 to 20 minutes from Barton, against about 40 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Is the heliport open at night?
Published flying hours end at 18:00 or 19:00 depending on the day, or sunset if earlier, but the heliport is available 24 hours for helicopter bookings on request, with an out-of-hours charge. Manchester Airport is open 24 hours.
What notice does customs need at Barton?
By arrangement, with 4 hours notice for arrivals and 24 hours for departures. The airport has customs on site.
Which is cheaper, Barton or the airport?
Landing costs differ and we show them when we quote. Barton is the smaller facility and often suits a helicopter-only job; the airport suits a jet connection.
