Helicopter charter in North East England

Where can you charter a helicopter in the North East?

Two airports carry the work, and both are well suited to charter. Prior permission applies at each.

• Newcastle International Airport is open 24 hours with customs and immigration on site and a 2,330 m runway. Handling and fuel are available from early morning to evening, with 24-hour operational support on request and a surcharge out of hours.
• Teesside International Airport has a 2,291 m runway and no slots. Its published hours are 06:00 to 22:00 all week, with extensions on request. Every visiting aircraft is handled through the jet centre.

Carlisle, in Cumbria, is the closest helicopter-friendly airport to the western Northumberland border; it sits on the North West page and is covered in the Carlisle guide. The UK heliports and airfields directory lists every other site in the north.

How fast is a helicopter from the North East?

The North East is far from the main road corridors, so the helicopter saving is substantial. The figures are from our route data; road times are free-flowing, so real journeys are slower.

• Newcastle to Edinburgh takes about 40 to 50 minutes by helicopter, against about 2 hours 53 minutes by road.
• Newcastle to Leeds takes about 35 to 45 minutes, against about 2 hours 21 minutes.
• Newcastle to York takes about 35 to 45 minutes, against about 2 hours 14 minutes.
• Teesside to Newcastle takes about 20 to 25 minutes, against about 1 hour 22 minutes.
• Teesside to York takes about 20 to 25 minutes, against about 1 hour 10 minutes.
• Newcastle to Glasgow takes about 50 to 60 minutes, against about 3 hours 25 minutes.
• Battersea to Newcastle takes about 95 to 120 minutes, against about 5 hours 59 minutes.

Our route pages cover Newcastle to Edinburgh, Leeds to Newcastle and London to Newcastle, and the journey times article explains the method.

What do people in the North East fly for?

Business flying is led by Tyneside's professional and public sector, the process and chemical industries on Teesside and the energy supply chain along the coast. A morning meeting in Edinburgh or Leeds and a return the same day is the core use, and our same-day business trips page shows how a day is built. The business helicopter charter guide covers the rest.

The countryside is the other big reason. County Durham, Northumberland and the North York Moors are lined with shooting estates, and Teesside is popular for grouse and pheasant season traffic. For how guns and cartridges are carried, and why weights and bag size matter, read shooting by helicopter. Landing at an estate is always subject to landing permission and site suitability.

Racing at York is about 35 to 45 minutes from Newcastle and 20 to 25 from Teesside, and the Doncaster St Leger is on our events list. Check dates with the organiser.

North East city pages and neighbours

Read helicopter charter Newcastle and helicopter charter Teesside for the full site details. York and Hull sit in Yorkshire and the Humber, just south, and Scotland starts about 80 nautical miles north at Edinburgh.

For secure and discreet movements out of the region, secure helicopter transport describes how we plan point-to-point flights and alternates. The national picture is on our helicopter charter UK page.

Planning around the north-eastern weather

Sea fret can roll in along the coast, and winter cloud on the Pennines affects the western routes. Teesside's shorter operating day, compared with a 24-hour airport like Newcastle, can matter for evening returns, so we plan the return time before you commit. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. Out-of-hours handling is available at both airports at extra cost. In short, helicopter charter north east pays back most on the long hops to Edinburgh, Leeds and York.

More events and routes in the North East

St James’ Park has an event page for match days in Newcastle. Route pages include Manchester to Newcastle and Glasgow to Newcastle.