London Luton
EGGW · LTN · runway 7,087 ft
The busiest business-aviation field in the UK and the default London arrival for heavy jets. Parking is genuinely scarce during Wimbledon, Ascot and the Formula 1 weekend.
- Customs
- 24 hours
- Slots
- Required
Private jet charter
London
In short
Which London airport is best for a private jet?
Luton for most flights, Farnborough when the passenger experience matters more than the schedule. Farnborough is business aviation only, has no scheduled traffic and is the fastest arrival in London — but a firm 22:00 curfew rules out late arrivals from the Gulf and the United States. Luton has no night restriction and handles the majority of London’s long-haul private traffic. Biggin Hill suits south-east London and Kent.
01Where people go
Routes we price from London
- Dubai → London
2,978 nm · 6 h 50 min
from $67,500
- London → Nice
580 nm · 1 h 45 min
from $10,000
- London → Geneva
423 nm · 1 h 25 min
from $9,000
- London → Ibiza
784 nm · 2 h 10 min
from $11,500
- London → Milan
543 nm · 1 h 40 min
from $10,000
02Demand
Who flies here
London is the largest business-aviation market in Europe and the busiest long-haul private destination on the continent. Inbound traffic from the Gulf peaks over the winter holidays and through July and August; the outbound leisure pattern runs the other way, towards Nice, Ibiza and Geneva in season. Business traffic to Geneva, Milan and Paris is steady midweek year-round and barely moves with the seasons.
03The field
Choosing the airport
Luton is the default and the one with parking, though during Wimbledon, Ascot and the British Grand Prix that parking is genuinely scarce and needs securing days ahead. Farnborough has a single FBO, a calmer experience and better road access to the south and west, but the curfew is absolute rather than negotiable. London City takes only a narrow set of aircraft because of its steep approach. Stansted is the practical answer for VIP airliners, which are too heavy for the others.
04On the ground
Airports serving London
All the London business-aviation fields clear customs at the FBO rather than in a terminal, usually in under five minutes. The constraint is the road: Luton is roughly forty-five minutes from central London off-peak and considerably more in traffic, Farnborough around an hour to the West End. Helicopter transfer into Battersea is available from both and takes about fifteen minutes, weather permitting.
London Farnborough
EGLF · FAB · runway 8,005 ft
Business aviation only, no scheduled traffic, and the fastest arrival experience in London. A firm night curfew makes late eastbound arrivals from the Gulf impossible — Luton is the alternative.
- Customs
- 24 hours
- Slots
- Required
- Night curfew
- 22:00–07:00
London Biggin Hill
EGKB · BQH · runway 5,925 ft
Business aviation only, south-east of London and the closest of the business airports to the City and Canary Wharf. Open 06:30–23:00 on weekdays and 08:00–22:00 at weekends and on public holidays; the 5,925 ft runway suits light, midsize and super-midsize jets.
- Customs
- Limited hours
- Slots
- Not required
- Night curfew
- 23:00–06:30
05Handling
What it costs on the ground
Handling at the London business-aviation fields runs roughly $2,500 to $5,500 at Luton and $2,800 to $6,000 at Farnborough for a heavy jet, which is towards the top of the European range. Landing fees rise with aircraft weight and parking is charged by the hour after a short free period, so an aircraft waiting for a same-day return can add meaningfully to the bill. Passenger duty does not apply to charter in the way it does to scheduled tickets, but customs and immigration attendance outside normal hours is sometimes chargeable at the smaller fields.
06Fallbacks
Alternative airports
Biggin Hill suits south-east London and Kent, and is quieter and cheaper than Luton, though its runway limits the largest aircraft. London City takes only a narrow set of types because of its steep approach — mostly light and midsize jets with specific approval — but it is by far the fastest arrival for the City and Canary Wharf. Stansted is the practical answer for VIP airliners, which are too heavy for Farnborough and Biggin Hill. Oxford and Cambridge are worth considering for anyone heading out of London rather than into it, and both are cheaper to handle.
07Before you pay
What the reply looks like
Every quote from London comes back in this shape, whichever aircraft turns out to be closest. The figures below are computed for the busiest leg on this page.
Specimen reply — not a live quote
DWC → LTN
What comes back on Telegram, typically within 15 minutes, subject to availability.
- Aircraft
- Heavy jets — specific type and year of manufacture named with the option
- Registration
- 9H-XXXX — the real tail number where available, checkable on a public register
- Operator
- Legal name of the operating company
- AOC
- Air Operator Certificate number and issuing authority
- Safety
- ARGUS, Wyvern or IS-BAO status where applicable, with the audit date
- Passengers
- Up to 14 in this class
- Baggage
- About 115 cu ft in the hold
- Flight time
- 7 h 5 min non-stop · 2,978 nm
- Cancellation
- The operator’s cancellation schedule, in writing
Indicative starting price
From $67,500
- Aircraft, crew and fuel
- Landing, handling and parking at both ends
- Catering to the standard of the class
- Our commission
A live reply replaces this with the quoted price for the named aircraft. VAT, de-icing and peak surcharges are itemised when they apply, before you agree to anything, and nothing is added after you do.
And what we commit to
Nothing is charged before the aircraft is confirmed.
You receive the operating carrier’s legal name, its AOC number and the aircraft registration in writing before any invoice or wallet address is issued. If those three things are not in front of you, you have not been asked to pay yet.
If the operator cancels, you choose the remedy — not us.
Aircraft go technical and operators occasionally fail. When that happens before departure you are offered a replacement aircraft on equivalent terms or a full refund, and the choice between them is yours. We do not get to decide that a substitute was good enough.
Crypto refunds return in the same asset, at the USD value originally invoiced.
A refund goes back in the asset you paid, on the network you used, valued at the dollar figure on the original invoice rather than the market on the day. An operator’s problem is not a reason for you to carry a currency loss.
These form part of our terms of business. If any of them changes, the change is dated there rather than made quietly here.
08Questions
Questions about flying to London
- How early do I need to arrive at the airport?
- Fifteen minutes before departure at a private terminal, and often less. There is no check-in desk and no security queue. On international departures passport control happens at the FBO, usually in under five minutes. At many airports your car can drive to the aircraft steps.
- Can I fly with my pet?
- Usually, and in the cabin with you — but it depends on the aircraft and the operator. Many charter operators accept dogs and cats in the cabin without a crate; some limit size, species or number, and a few do not carry animals at all. The destination country’s import rules apply regardless of aircraft: the UK, for example, requires an approved route and documentation. Tell us the species, size and destination when you send the request, and we only offer operators who accept them.
- How much luggage can I take?
- Baggage is limited by volume, not by piece count — around 50 cubic feet on a light jet and 115 on a heavy jet. Skis, golf bags and oversized cases are fine but must be declared when you request the quote, because they can change which aircraft works. Weight matters on long legs: a full cabin plus heavy baggage can shorten range enough to add a fuel stop.
- How do you check that an operator is safe?
- Every flight is operated by a company holding a valid air operator certificate in its own jurisdiction. We check that certificate and the operator’s insurance cover before offering the aircraft, and any third-party safety audit it holds — ARGUS, Wyvern or IS-BAO. Not every good operator holds one, so we never imply one that has not been verified for that operator. You receive the operator name, and any audit status, before you pay so you can verify it yourself.
09Get a price
Tell us the trip
Nothing is charged until the aircraft is confirmed and you have the operator name and tail number in writing.