The short answer
Helicopter charter Southampton starts from Southampton Airport, a 1,887 metre runway with customs on site, or from Solent Airport Daedalus at Lee-on-the-Solent, 10 nautical miles away. Southampton Airport to central London takes about 30 to 35 minutes by helicopter and 1 hour 39 minutes by road.
Flying from Southampton? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Main airport
- Southampton Airport, Wide Lane, Eastleigh (EGHI / SOU)
- Hours (as published, checked 29 Sep 2026)
- Mon to Sat 06:30 to 22:00; Sun 07:30 to 22:00 local; extension to 23:00 by prior permission; not 24 hours
- Customs and immigration
- On site in airport hours; notice 4 hours EU, 12 hours Channel Islands and Isle of Man, 24 hours elsewhere
- Prior permission and handling
- Required; self-handling not permitted, a handling agent is appointed before arrival
- Second site
- Solent Airport Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent, 09:00 to 18:00 daily, 1,176 m runway
- Jets
- Light, mid-size and super-mid-size jets at Southampton; certain heavier types not permitted
Where Southampton flights start and end
The map shows Southampton Airport and the other sites that serve Southampton, 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. Southampton Airport is at Southampton Airport, Wide Lane, Southampton. Open it in Google Maps.
Southampton Airport
Choose a place
Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Southampton
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.
Southampton Airport EGHI / SOU
- Address
- Southampton Airport, Wide Lane, Southampton
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Mon–Sat 06:30–22:00, Sun 07:30–22:00 local; PPR extension to 23:00; not a 24-hour airport.
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- Yes – on site (as airport hours; GAR notice 4 hours EU, 12 hours Channel Islands / Isle of Man, 24 hours non-EU)
- Runway
- 02/20 – 1,887 m × 36 m asphalt (grooved)
Solent Airport Daedalus (Lee-on-Solent) EGHF
- Address
- Solent Airport Daedalus, Lee-on-the-Solent, Hampshire
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- 09:00–18:00 local, seven days a week; closed Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Out-of-hours movements need an indemnity agreement
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement / prior notice (Border Force agreement – GAR at least 2 hours before)
- Runway
- 05/23 – 1,176 m × 30 m asphalt
Helicopter charter HampshireOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
Helicopter charter Southampton: two sites, and which suits you
Southampton Airport has a 1,887 metre grooved runway and takes light to super-mid-size business jets. It is not a 24-hour airport: it runs 06:30 to 22:00 Monday to Saturday and 07:30 to 22:00 on Sunday, with an extension to 23:00 by prior permission. Self-handling is not permitted, so a handling agent on the airfield is appointed before every arrival, and passengers use airport transport between terminal and aircraft.
Solent Airport Daedalus at Lee-on-the-Solent is a quieter alternative, 10 nautical miles to the south east. It is owned by Fareham Borough Council, opens 09:00 to 18:00 seven days a week, and requires prior permission for every aircraft. Out-of-hours movements need an indemnity agreement. Customs is by arrangement with a General Aviation Report sent at least two hours ahead.
Journey times from Southampton Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Goodwood | 24 nm (27 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 41 min (36 mi) | 23 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 38 nm (43 mi) | 20 to 30 min | 1 h 02 min (53 mi) | 37 min |
| London Gatwick | 46 nm (52 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 34 min (79 mi) | 1 h 06 min |
| London Heathrow | 46 nm (53 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 16 min (66 mi) | 48 min |
| Epsom Downs | 47 nm (54 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 26 min (73 mi) | 58 min |
| Oxford | 53 nm (61 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 26 min (73 mi) | 53 min |
| London | 54 nm (62 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 39 min (81 mi) | 1 h 06 min |
| Bristol | 58 nm (66 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 04 min (85 mi) | 1 h 29 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 64 nm (73 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 55 min (93 mi) | 1 h 17 min |
| Silverstone | 69 nm (79 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 1 h 53 min (96 mi) | 1 h 13 min |
| Cardiff | 79 nm (91 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 54 min (147 mi) | 2 h 09 min |
| Birmingham | 91 nm (105 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 30 min (130 mi) | 1 h 40 min |
| Cambridge | 95 nm (109 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 35 min (130 mi) | 1 h 45 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 102 nm (117 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 37 min (139 mi) | 1 h 42 min |
| Norwich | 143 nm (164 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 3 h 46 min (193 mi) | 2 h 33 min |
| Manchester | 148 nm (171 mi) | 65 to 85 min | 4 h 15 min (212 mi) | 3 h |
| Liverpool | 153 nm (176 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 21 min (230 mi) | 3 h 03 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 163 nm (187 mi) | 70 to 90 min | 4 h 22 min (238 mi) | 3 h 02 min |
| Leeds | 175 nm (202 mi) | 75 to 95 min | 4 h 41 min (245 mi) | 3 h 16 min |
| York Racecourse | 180 nm (207 mi) | 80 to 100 min | 4 h 34 min (247 mi) | 3 h 04 min |
| Newcastle | 246 nm (283 mi) | 1 h 45 min to 2 h 10 min | 6 h 22 min (331 mi) | 4 h 24 min |
Times from Solent Airport Daedalus
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Southampton | 10 nm (12 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 26 min (15 mi) | 13 min |
| Goodwood | 17 nm (20 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 34 min (27 mi) | 16 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 41 nm (47 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 21 min (66 mi) | 53 min |
| London Gatwick | 43 nm (50 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 28 min (70 mi) | 1 h |
| Epsom Downs | 46 nm (53 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 26 min (69 mi) | 58 min |
| London Heathrow | 48 nm (56 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 31 min (76 mi) | 1 h 01 min |
| London | 55 nm (63 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 38 min (76 mi) | 1 h 05 min |
| Oxford | 62 nm (71 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 45 min (86 mi) | 1 h 10 min |
| Bristol | 67 nm (77 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 2 h 23 min (98 mi) | 1 h 45 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 74 nm (85 mi) | 35 to 45 min | 2 h 14 min (106 mi) | 1 h 34 min |
| Silverstone | 76 nm (88 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 12 min (109 mi) | 1 h 29 min |
| Cardiff | 88 nm (101 mi) | 40 to 55 min | 3 h 13 min (160 mi) | 2 h 25 min |
| Cambridge | 98 nm (113 mi) | 45 to 60 min | 2 h 50 min (140 mi) | 1 h 57 min |
| Birmingham | 101 nm (116 mi) | 45 to 60 min | 2 h 49 min (144 mi) | 1 h 56 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.
Helicopter and road times from Southampton
These are typical helicopter block times against free-flowing road times, from Southampton Airport.
- Southampton to Goodwood: about 15 to 20 minutes by helicopter, 41 minutes by road.
- Southampton to Ascot: about 20 to 30 minutes, against 1 hour 2 minutes.
- Southampton to Heathrow: about 25 to 30 minutes, against 1 hour 16 minutes.
- Southampton to central London: about 30 to 35 minutes, against 1 hour 39 minutes.
- Southampton to Bristol: about 30 to 40 minutes, against 2 hours 4 minutes.
- Southampton to Cardiff: about 40 to 50 minutes, against 2 hours 54 minutes.
The longer the road, the bigger the saving; see our comparison of helicopter and car journey times.
Why businesses charter by helicopter from here
Southampton is one of the country's major container and cruise ports, and the Solent has a large marine, maritime-services and engineering community. Executives joining a ship, visiting a yard or reviewing a project often have a tight window and a destination that is poorly served by rail. The city is also a base for shipping, insurance and professional services, and for the university and hospital sector.
A helicopter takes the A3 and M3 out of the equation: a board meeting in the City and a shipyard visit on the Solent can share one day. Read about business helicopter charter and same-day business trips to see how that is planned.
Events and hospitality near Southampton
The best-known destinations in reach are Chewton Glen in the New Forest and the motoring and racing at Goodwood: see Glorious Goodwood and the Goodwood Festival of Speed. For Cowes Week and other Solent sailing events, check dates with the organiser and talk to us early; landing near a yacht club is subject to landing permission and site suitability.
Nearby city pages cover Bournemouth and the Isle of Wight.
How the booking works
Tell us the date, the number of passengers and their weights, and the destination. We confirm which airport suits your hours, arrange the handling agent and permission, and send one quote with the helicopter type. You arrive 10 minutes before departure; soft bags are best where the hold is small. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. For cost guidance see the price guides. More options along this coast are on our South Coast region page and in the southern England airfield directory.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to Southampton Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Is Southampton Airport open 24 hours?
No. It runs Monday to Saturday 06:30 to 22:00 and Sunday 07:30 to 22:00, with an extension to 23:00 by prior permission.
Do I need a handling agent at Southampton?
Yes. Self-handling is not permitted, so an agent is appointed for every flight before it arrives. We organise this.
How long is a helicopter from Southampton to London?
About 30 to 35 minutes, against around 1 hour 39 minutes by road in free-flowing traffic.
What is Solent Airport Daedalus?
A council-owned airfield at Lee-on-the-Solent, open 09:00 to 18:00 daily, with a 1,176 metre runway and mandatory prior permission.
Can I clear customs at Southampton?
Yes, in airport hours, with notice of 4 hours for EU flights, 12 hours for the Channel Islands or Isle of Man and 24 hours for non-EU flights.
How far is it from Southampton to Goodwood by helicopter?
About 15 to 20 minutes, against 41 minutes by road. Event landings are subject to the organiser's arrangements.
