The short answer
Helicopter charter Surrey uses Redhill Aerodrome, where Charter-A is based, Fairoaks near Chobham and the helipad at Epsom Downs racecourse. From Fairoaks, Heathrow is about 10 to 15 minutes and London about 15 by helicopter, against at least 24 and 42 minutes by road. Send your date and weights for a quote.
Flying from Surrey? Tell us where and when; we reply with options and a price for the whole aircraft.
Key facts
- Head office
- Hangar One, London Redhill Aerodrome (EGKR), Kingsmill Lane, Redhill; visual flight rules only; staffed 09:00 to 19:00 in summer, 09:00 to 17:00 in winter
- West Surrey
- Fairoaks Airport (EGTF), 810 m runway, Mon to Sat 08:00 to 18:00, Sunday 09:00 to 18:00, extensions by arrangement
- Epsom
- Epsom Downs Racecourse Helipad, used for the Derby meeting and by arrangement
- Fairoaks to Heathrow
- Helicopter about 10 to 15 minutes; car at least 24 minutes (9 miles)
- Fairoaks to London (Battersea)
- Helicopter about 15 minutes; car at least 42 minutes (18 miles)
- Redhill to Gatwick
- Helicopter about 10 minutes; car at least 19 minutes
- Redhill to London (Battersea)
- Helicopter about 15 minutes; car at least 55 minutes
Where Surrey flights start and end
The map shows Fairoaks Airport and the other sites that serve Surrey, 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. Fairoaks Airport is at Fairoaks Airport, Chobham, Woking, Surrey. Open it in Google Maps.
Fairoaks Airport
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Hover, or tap, a pin for the details
Sites that serve Surrey
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.
Fairoaks Airport EGTF
- Address
- Fairoaks Airport, Chobham, Woking, Surrey
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Mon–Sat 08:00–18:00; Sundays and public holidays 09:00–18:00 (local). Extensions 07:00–22:00 by arrangement with Air Traffic. Closed Christmas Day
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement / prior notice
- Runway
- 06/24 – 810 m × 27 m asphalt
Redhill Aerodrome EGKR
- Address
- Redhill Aerodrome, Kings Mill Lane, Redhill, Surrey
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
Staffed hours summer 09:00–19:00 local, winter 09:00–17:00 local (ATS); 09:00–16:30 (winter) / 09:00–18:30 (summer) and…
Staffed hours summer 09:00–19:00 local, winter 09:00–17:00 local (ATS); 09:00–16:30 (winter) / 09:00–18:30 (summer) and by arrangement; out-of-hours movements by arrangement (charge applies)- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
- Customs
- By arrangement
Charter-A's home base – Hangar One, Redhill Aerodrome. Surrey's main helicopter base south of London: passengers are met by their charter crew (no separate). Customs by Certificate of Agreement – GAR required with 4 hours' notice inbound, 24 hours for Common Travel Area flights.
Helicopter charter Redhill AerodromeOfficial websiteOpen in Google Maps
Epsom Downs Racecourse Helipad
- Address
- Epsom Downs Racecourse, Epsom Downs, Epsom, Surrey
- Hours as published (checked 29 Sept 2026)
- Race days only – Ladies Day (Friday) and Derby Day (Saturday) of the Derby Festival, first weekend in June
- Permission
- Prior permission required (PPR): we arrange it with your flight
Race-day tickets must be shown on arrival. Landings booked and briefed in advance through the helipad company – arranged by Charter-A with your flight.
Map position is approximate.
Why does Surrey suit a helicopter?
Helicopter charter Surrey is short-hop work. The county sits inside the M25 ring road, where a 20 mile trip can take an hour. From Fairoaks, Ascot is about 10 minutes by helicopter against 18 minutes by road, Heathrow 10 to 15 against 24, Epsom 10 to 15 against 29, London 15 against 42 and Gatwick 15 to 20 against 45. Further out, Goodwood is about 20 to 25 minutes against 1 hour 10 and Southampton about 25 to 30 against 1 hour 5.
Charter-A Helicopter is the helicopter charter service of Charter-A Ltd, which has arranged private flights across the UK and Europe since 2011. Our own base is in Surrey, so the aircraft, the crew and the paperwork for these flights start a few miles from where many clients live and work.
Journey times from Fairoaks Airport
The nearest places first, with the helicopter time against the car, taken from our route data.
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ascot Racecourse | 5.8 nm (7 mi) | 10 to 10 min | 18 min (8 mi) | About the same |
| London Heathrow | 8.2 nm (9 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 24 min (17 mi) | 11 min |
| Epsom Downs | 11 nm (13 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 29 min (19 mi) | 16 min |
| London | 16 nm (18 mi) | 15 to 15 min | 42 min (27 mi) | 27 min |
| London Gatwick | 18 nm (21 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 45 min (37 mi) | 27 min |
| Goodwood | 30 nm (35 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 10 min (51 mi) | 47 min |
| Southampton | 38 nm (44 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 05 min (54 mi) | 37 min |
| Oxford | 41 nm (47 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 16 min (60 mi) | 48 min |
| Silverstone | 47 nm (54 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 34 min (79 mi) | 1 h 06 min |
| Cambridge | 58 nm (67 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 43 min (80 mi) | 1 h 08 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 64 nm (74 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 45 min (90 mi) | 1 h 07 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 66 nm (76 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 58 min (92 mi) | 1 h 20 min |
| Birmingham | 80 nm (92 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 12 min (113 mi) | 1 h 27 min |
| Bristol | 81 nm (93 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 18 min (108 mi) | 1 h 33 min |
| Cardiff | 104 nm (120 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 57 min (146 mi) | 2 h 02 min |
| Norwich | 105 nm (121 mi) | 50 to 60 min | 2 h 54 min (144 mi) | 1 h 59 min |
| Manchester | 136 nm (156 mi) | 60 to 75 min | 3 h 56 min (195 mi) | 2 h 48 min |
| Liverpool | 146 nm (168 mi) | 65 to 80 min | 4 h 02 min (213 mi) | 2 h 49 min |
| Aintree Racecourse | 155 nm (178 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 03 min (221 mi) | 2 h 45 min |
| Leeds | 156 nm (180 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 08 min (216 mi) | 2 h 50 min |
| York Racecourse | 157 nm (181 mi) | 70 to 85 min | 4 h 01 min (218 mi) | 2 h 43 min |
| Newcastle | 225 nm (259 mi) | 1 h 35 min to 2 h | 5 h 50 min (303 mi) | 4 h 02 min |
Times from Redhill Aerodrome
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London Gatwick | 4.4 nm (5 mi) | 10 to 10 min | 19 min (8 mi) | About the same |
| Epsom Downs | 7.5 nm (9 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 29 min (11 mi) | 16 min |
| London | 15 nm (18 mi) | 15 to 15 min | 55 min (28 mi) | 40 min |
| London Heathrow | 20 nm (23 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 53 min (36 mi) | 35 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 23 nm (27 mi) | 15 to 20 min | 54 min (38 mi) | 36 min |
| Goodwood | 31 nm (36 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 17 min (50 mi) | 54 min |
| Southampton | 49 nm (56 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 39 min (80 mi) | 1 h 09 min |
| Oxford | 58 nm (67 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 45 min (80 mi) | 1 h 10 min |
| Cambridge | 61 nm (70 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 55 min (88 mi) | 1 h 20 min |
| Silverstone | 61 nm (71 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 2 h 03 min (99 mi) | 1 h 28 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 65 nm (75 mi) | 35 to 40 min | 1 h 53 min (92 mi) | 1 h 15 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 84 nm (96 mi) | 40 to 50 min | 2 h 29 min (115 mi) | 1 h 44 min |
| Birmingham | 95 nm (110 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 40 min (133 mi) | 1 h 50 min |
| Bristol | 97 nm (112 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 53 min (135 mi) | 2 h 03 min |
Times from Epsom Downs Racecourse Helipad
| To | Distance | Helicopter | By road | Typical saving |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| London | 10 nm (12 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 32 min (16 mi) | 19 min |
| London Gatwick | 10 nm (12 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 32 min (21 mi) | 19 min |
| London Heathrow | 12 nm (14 mi) | 10 to 15 min | 40 min (29 mi) | 27 min |
| Ascot Racecourse | 17 nm (19 mi) | 15 to 15 min | 41 min (30 mi) | 26 min |
| Goodwood | 33 nm (38 mi) | 20 to 25 min | 1 h 15 min (53 mi) | 52 min |
| Southampton | 47 nm (54 mi) | 25 to 30 min | 1 h 26 min (72 mi) | 58 min |
| Oxford | 51 nm (58 mi) | 25 to 35 min | 1 h 32 min (72 mi) | 1 h 02 min |
| Silverstone | 54 nm (62 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 50 min (91 mi) | 1 h 17 min |
| Cambridge | 56 nm (64 mi) | 30 to 35 min | 1 h 57 min (95 mi) | 1 h 24 min |
| Newmarket Racecourse | 61 nm (70 mi) | 30 to 40 min | 1 h 56 min (99 mi) | 1 h 21 min |
| Cheltenham Racecourse | 77 nm (88 mi) | 40 to 45 min | 2 h 16 min (107 mi) | 1 h 33 min |
| Birmingham | 88 nm (101 mi) | 40 to 55 min | 2 h 27 min (126 mi) | 1 h 39 min |
| Bristol | 92 nm (106 mi) | 45 to 55 min | 2 h 39 min (127 mi) | 1 h 49 min |
| Norwich | 100 nm (115 mi) | 45 to 60 min | 3 h 05 min (153 mi) | 2 h 12 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.
Redhill, Fairoaks and Epsom Downs
Redhill Aerodrome, with Hangar One as our head office, is the main helicopter base south of London, visual flight rules only, with a cafe on site and Gatwick six miles away. Customs is by certificate of agreement, with a general aviation report required four hours ahead for inbound international flights. See helicopter charter Redhill for the full picture.
Fairoaks, near Chobham, is a general aviation airfield with an 810 metre runway, Avgas and Jet A-1 and several helicopter businesses based there. Hours run to 18:00 with extensions by arrangement. Epsom Downs racecourse has its own helipad, and the Epsom page explains Derby day. Gatwick itself is covered at Gatwick.
Golf, racing and business in Surrey
Surrey holds some of the best-known golf in England, including Wentworth, and our Wentworth page covers that side. The county also has Epsom, Sandown and Brooklands in its racing and motoring history, and a corporate base around Woking and Guildford. A client day often combines a meeting, lunch at a golf club or a country house and a flight home.
Landing at a club, a hotel or a private lawn is subject to landing permission and site suitability; we ask the owner first and use the nearest airfield and a car where a site cannot take a helicopter. For corporate planning see business helicopter charter, and for London arrivals see London helicopter transfers and Battersea Helicopter.
Planning notes
Give us the date, the destination and each passenger's weight. Arrive 10 minutes before departure and keep bags soft. Airspace around Heathrow and Gatwick is busy, and the routes into Battersea follow set corridors, which we plan for. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Redhill and Fairoaks close in the evening, so a late return needs an extension, which we ask for early. Nearby pages are Farnborough, Heathrow and Blackbushe, and the London and Home Counties page covers the wider area. For ground transport at either end, a chauffeur can wait.
Nearby airfields and heliports
Other sites close to Fairoaks Airport, with the distance in nautical miles. Chips with a link open that site's own page.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Charter-A based in Surrey?
Our head office is Hangar One at London Redhill Aerodrome, Kingsmill Lane, Redhill.
How long is a helicopter from Fairoaks to Heathrow?
About 10 to 15 minutes, against at least 24 minutes by road.
Can I land at Epsom Downs?
The racecourse has a helipad used for the Derby meeting and by arrangement. We confirm it for your date.
Is Redhill open for customs?
By certificate of agreement, with a general aviation report four hours ahead for inbound international flights.
Can you land at a golf club or hotel?
Often, subject to landing permission and site suitability. We ask first.
What if the weather stops the flight?
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
