The short answer
Helicopter charter to Newquay saves hours on a road journey that is among the longest in England. London to Newquay takes about 85 to 105 minutes by helicopter, against about 5 hours by road. The airport has customs on site and published hours for the summer season, with prior permission for all non-scheduled movements.
Flying from Cornwall Airport Newquay? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Site
- Cornwall Airport Newquay, St Mawgan, Newquay, Cornwall (EGHQ / NQY)
- Hours as published
- Aerodrome 29 March to 31 October 2026: Monday to Saturday 06:45 to 21:30, Sunday 07:00 to 21:30; other times by arrangement. Movements 17:00 to 09:00 need PPR before 15:00 (library check 29 September 2026)
- Prior permission
- Yes, for all non-scheduled movements
- Customs and immigration
- Yes, on site (H24; 24 hours' notice for non-scheduled movements)
- Runway
- 12/30, 2,744 m by 45 m, with CAT II/III approaches
- Jets
- Yes, the runway handles all business jets
- To London
- About 85 to 105 minutes by helicopter, 5 hours 2 minutes by road
Where Cornwall Airport Newquay flights start and end
The map shows Cornwall Airport Newquay, 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. Cornwall Airport Newquay is at Cornwall Airport Newquay, St Mawgan, Newquay, Cornwall. Open it in Google Maps.
Cornwall Airport Newquay
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Sites that serve Cornwall Airport Newquay
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.
Cornwall Airport Newquay EGHQ / NQY
- Address
- Cornwall Airport Newquay, St Mawgan, Newquay, Cornwall
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
Aerodrome (29 Mar–31 Oct 2026) Mon–Sat 06:45–21:30, Sun 07:00–21:30; other times by arrangement; PPR for all…
Aerodrome (29 Mar–31 Oct 2026) Mon–Sat 06:45–21:30, Sun 07:00–21:30; other times by arrangement; PPR for all non-scheduled movements (movements 17:00–09:00 need PPR before 15:00).- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site (H24; 24 hours' notice for non-scheduled movements)
- Runway
- 12/30 – 2,744 m × 45 m concrete/grooved asphalt; CAT II/III approaches
Why Newquay is where a helicopter wins most clearly
Helicopter charter Newquay is the clearest case for flying. Cornwall is far from everything. By road, London to Newquay takes at least 5 hours 2 minutes in free-flowing traffic. By helicopter it is about 85 to 105 minutes. Bristol is about 50 to 60 minutes by air and 2 hours 56 by road, and Cardiff about 40 to 50 minutes against 3 hours 57. Our old page said London to Newquay was an hour and a half and the road six hours; the computed range sits close to the first and the road time is a little shorter.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011.
Journey times from Cornwall Airport Newquay
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardiff | 85 nm (98 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 3 h 57 min (205 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| Bristol | 103 nm (119 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 56 min (151 mi) | 2 h 01 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 141 nm (163 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 41 min (197 mi) | 2 h 28 min |
| Southampton | 142 nm (163 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 56 min (193 mi) | 2 h 43 min |
| Oxford | 162 nm (186 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 32 min (237 mi) | 3 h 12 min |
| Goodwood | 164 nm (188 mi) | 75 to 90 min | 4 h 31 min (227 mi) | 3 h 08 min |
| Birmingham | 171 nm (197 mi) | 75 to 95 min | 4 h 38 min (248 mi) | 3 h 13 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 174 nm (200 mi) | 75 to 95 min | 4 h 25 min (230 mi) | 3 h |
| Silverstone | 179 nm (206 mi) | 80 to 100 min | 4 h 59 min (260 mi) | 3 h 29 min |
| London Heathrow | 182 nm (210 mi) | 80 to 100 min | 4 h 40 min (243 mi) | 3 h 10 min |
| Epsom Downs | 187 nm (215 mi) | 80 to 100 min | 4 h 50 min (250 mi) | 3 h 20 min |
| London Gatwick | 187 nm (215 mi) | 80 to 100 min | 5 h 06 min (268 mi) | 3 h 36 min |
| Liverpool | 191 nm (220 mi) | 85 to 105 min | 6 h 08 min (328 mi) | 4 h 33 min |
| London | 192 nm (221 mi) | 85 to 105 min | 5 h 02 min (258 mi) | 3 h 27 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 198 nm (227 mi) | 85 to 105 min | 6 h 10 min (336 mi) | 4 h 35 min |
| Manchester | 202 nm (232 mi) | 90 to 110 min | 6 h 02 min (310 mi) | 4 h 22 min |
| Cambridge | 221 nm (254 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | 5 h 59 min (307 mi) | 4 h 11 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 229 nm (264 mi) | 1 h 40 min to 2 h 05 min | 6 h 01 min (316 mi) | 4 h 08 min |
| Leeds | 240 nm (276 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | 6 h 57 min (372 mi) | 4 h 59 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.
The airport: hours, customs and permission
Cornwall Airport Newquay is at St Mawgan, about 10 miles from Newquay itself; Truro is the nearest city. From 29 March to 31 October 2026 the aerodrome is open Monday to Saturday 06:45 to 21:30 and Sunday 07:00 to 21:30, with other times by arrangement. Movements between 17:00 and 09:00 need prior permission requested before 15:00. Customs and immigration are on site, with 24 hours' notice needed for non-scheduled movements.
The 2,744 m runway can take any business jet, and the airport is also home to Spaceport Cornwall. Passengers are escorted on the apron. We use the handling agent on the airfield and arrange it for you. Winter hours differ; we check them for your date.
Times to and from the rest of the country
Cheltenham is about 65 to 80 minutes by helicopter and 3 hours 41 by road. Southampton takes about 65 to 80 minutes against 3 hours 56, Birmingham about 75 to 95 against 4 hours 38, and Oxford 70 to 90 against 4 hours 32. Heathrow is about 80 to 100 minutes against 4 hours 40 by road, and Manchester 90 to 110 against 6 hours 2. Road figures are free-flowing, so a summer Friday on the A30 will be worse.
See London to Bristol for the corridor most Newquay flights follow for part of the way, and Exeter for a closer airport on the same route.
Where our Cornwall clients go
Clients have been taken to Perranporth, Padstow, St Ives, Port Isaac, Boscastle, Bude, Rock, Land's End and Crantock Bay. Most of those are sites for hotels, estates and company meetings, and landing at any of them is subject to landing permission and site suitability. For Land's End and the far west see Penzance and the Isles of Scilly.
Newquay is also a practical arrival point for people with business in Cornwall: the airport itself, the Spaceport, and Truro and Falmouth beyond. The south west England region page places it alongside Exeter, Bristol and Cardiff, and same-day business trips shows how a Cornwall day can be built.
Booking a Newquay charter
Tell us where you start, the date, passengers and weights, and your Cornish destination. For anything outside the day hours we need to give the airport notice, so ask early. Arrive 10 minutes before departure. Soft bags suit the cabin hold. For jets into Newquay see our private jet site, and for cost guidance Helicopter Hire Prices.
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. Our old page mentioned a separate heliport at Rock; we have not verified it, so ask us if you need the north Cornish coast.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to Cornwall Airport Newquay, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a helicopter take from London to Newquay?
About 85 to 105 minutes, against about 5 hours 2 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
Does Newquay Airport have customs?
Yes, on site. Non-scheduled movements need 24 hours' notice.
What are the Newquay Airport opening hours?
For 29 March to 31 October 2026, Monday to Saturday 06:45 to 21:30 and Sunday 07:00 to 21:30. Other times are by arrangement.
Do I need permission to land at Newquay?
Yes. Prior permission is required for all non-scheduled movements, and movements between 17:00 and 09:00 need it before 15:00.
How far is Newquay Airport from Newquay town?
About 10 miles. The airport is at St Mawgan.
Can I charter a helicopter from Bristol to Newquay?
Yes. It takes about 50 to 60 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 56 minutes by road.
