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Private jet hire in London: which of the five airports fits your flight

Five airports around London handle private aviation regularly, and they are not interchangeable. Private jet hire in London therefore starts with a question that sounds trivial and is not: which airport. JETAURA works as a charter broker, so the departure airport is one of the things we check for every request. The choice usually comes down to runway length, opening hours and who is permitted to land at all. Below is what the official aeronautical publications say about each one.

Depending on the aircraft type, private flights can use a wide range of airports, including smaller airfields that scheduled aircraft do not serve regularly. Around London that means five realistic options. Farnborough is built for business aviation but capped by planning law. Luton is the only one open around the clock. Biggin Hill sits closest to the city among the dedicated business airports. Northolt is a working Royal Air Force station where military needs come first. London City is nearest of all, yet most business jets cannot land there.

Tell us your destination, travel date and number of passengers, and our aviation team will check which of the five fits your journey. Your enquiry is not binding.

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The five airports at a glance

FarnboroughLutonBiggin HillNortholtLondon City
Runway2,440 m × 45 m2,162 m × 45 m1,806 m × 45 m1,683 m × 40 m1,508 m × 30 m
Landing distance1,800 m—1,555 m (rwy 03)1,501 m (rwy 07)—
Hours (local)Mon–Fri 07:00–22:00, weekends 08:00–20:00H24Mon–Fri 06:30–23:00, weekends 08:00–22:00Mon–Fri 08:00–20:00, weekends 10:00–17:00Mon–Fri 06:30–22:00, Sat 06:30–12:30, Sun 12:30–22:00
AccessPPR, ICAO Chapter 4 onlyACL slot and handling agent mandatoryStrictly PPR, ICAO Chapter 3PPR 4 h (EU) or 24 h, max. 29 passengers5.5° steep approach approval required
Distancein Hampshire, southwest30.5 NM N12 NM SSEwest London6 NM E

Runway dimensions and operating hours come from the UK AIP, AIRAC cycle 2026-09-03. The Northolt figures come from the UK Military AIP dated 3 September 2026. All sources are listed at the end of this page.

FAB · EGLF

Farnborough: built for business aviation, limited by planning law

Farnborough describes itself as the largest and most pre-eminent business aviation airport in the UK. It handles no scheduled traffic. Airport and FBO are in the same hands here. An FBO, or fixed base operator, is the terminal that handles private flights away from the scheduled terminal, and at Farnborough the UK AIP directs handling, fuelling and permission requests to Farnborough Airport Ops as the single point of contact. There is no competing handler on site. The airport was acquired by Macquarie in 2019 and is still listed in Macquarie Asset Management's portfolio.

The practical difference to a scheduled terminal is one of scale and sequence. An FBO handles a handful of movements where a scheduled terminal handles thousands, with its own entrance, security screening and border control rather than shared queues, and the aircraft parked on an apron reached directly from the building. Your luggage does not travel through a central baggage system. How long before departure you need to arrive is not a fixed rule and depends on the airport, the terminal and the operator.

Runway 06/24 measures 2,440 metres, the longest of the five. One detail matters more than that headline figure. According to the airport's published airfield specifications, the landing distance available is 1,800 metres in both directions. The full length serves departures, not landings.

What happens here is shaped less by the runway than by two planning conditions. The 2011 permission caps the airport at 50,000 aircraft movements per year, of which no more than 8,900 may fall on weekends and Bank Holidays. A second condition limits aircraft above 50,000 kg maximum take-off weight to a quota of 1,500 movements a year, with an absolute ceiling of 80,000 kg. That is the binding constraint for the heaviest business jets.

Farnborough accepts only aircraft meeting ICAO Chapter 4 noise criteria, stricter than Biggin Hill's Chapter 3 requirement, and closes entirely on 25 and 26 December. An application to raise the weekend and Bank Holiday quota to 13,500 movements was submitted in November 2025 and referred to the Planning Inspectorate. The overall annual cap of 50,000 is not part of that proposal. Farnborough private jet traffic is therefore limited by planning law, not by demand.

LTN · EGGW

Luton: the only London private jet airport open around the clock

Luton operates H24. Air traffic services, handling, fuelling and border control are available at any hour. For a departure at three in the morning, it is usually the only realistic answer near London.

It also has the widest choice of handling agents. The UK AIP lists Harrods Business Aviation and two Signature Flight Support terminals alongside several others. Signature's Terminal 2 offers a reduced scope of services and restricted hours, with call-out available on request. Anyone comparing Luton private jet handling will find more competition here than at the other four.

Two requirements apply together here, and missing either one is expensive. Luton is slot-coordinated by Airport Coordination Limited, so an ad-hoc flight needs an allocated slot. The AIP is equally clear on the second point: “a nominated handling agent is mandatory for all visiting aircraft.” Operating without both triggers a financial penalty payable before the aircraft is allowed to leave.

One restriction matters for late departures. Aircraft with a QC value above 1 may not operate during the night period from 23:00 to 07:00 local time. Whether a specific aircraft qualifies depends on its noise certification, which is one of the points our aviation team checks when we look at options for you.

BQH · EGKB

Biggin Hill: closest of the dedicated business airports

At 12 NM south-southeast of London, Biggin Hill is the nearest of the four airports that any business jet can realistically use. It handles no scheduled traffic and has UK Border Force on site. Two FBOs operate here: Biggin Hill Executive Handling, run by the airport itself, and Jetex London.

The trade-off is runway length. Runway 03/21 measures 1,806 metres, and the landing distance available on runway 03 is 1,555 metres. Among the four airports open to the general business jet fleet, only Northolt offers less. For heavy and ultra long range jets at high landing weights, that stops being a formality and starts being the limit. Anyone weighing up Biggin Hill private jet access against the longer runways further out is really weighing proximity against payload.

Operating hours run Monday to Friday 06:30 to 23:00 and weekends 08:00 to 22:00. The AIP is unusually direct about the consequence: “Operations are not permitted outside of aerodrome operating hours.” No out-of-hours procedure is published. Noise and track keeping are monitored, and the airport states that repeated violations may result in permanent exclusion.

NHT · EGWU

Northolt: a military station that accepts civil flights

Northolt is an active Royal Air Force station. Civil business aviation is permitted, and the Military AIP publishes dedicated business aviation operating hours. The terms are explicit about the order of priority. Ministry of Defence conditions state that civilian use “is only accepted from irreducible spare capacity and therefore military tasking will always take priority.” Allocated slots can be changed or cancelled at short notice, and the station accepts no liability for losses that result.

Universal Aviation UK opened the FBO at Northolt in January 2021 and runs the general aviation terminal there.

Northolt's rules are unusually blunt, and there are four of them. Civil aircraft are accepted with no more than 29 passengers. Prior permission is mandatory: four hours for arrivals from the EU, 24 hours otherwise. Aircraft without it are not admitted, without exception. Runway 07/25 measures 1,683 metres with a pavement classification number of 30, and anything requiring a higher PCN needs separate permission from the aerodrome operator. Site constraints mean an engineered material arresting system replaces the standard runway end safety area.

We mention Northolt because its location in west London genuinely suits some journeys. We also mention the conditions, because a slot here is less certain than at a civil airport. That is worth knowing before it affects your plans.

LCY · EGLC

London City: nearest to the centre, hardest to reach

At 6 NM east of the City of London, London City is closer to the centre than any other option here. For most business jets, it is also unavailable. London City Airport private jet requests are the ones we most often have to redirect elsewhere.

The reason is technical, not commercial. The UK AIP states that no aeroplane may use the aerodrome unless its flight manual contains “data and procedures for approach path angles of 5.5° or steeper.” A standard instrument approach is around 3°. Only a limited number of business jet types hold that steep approach certification, and the approval attaches to the aircraft and its documentation, not to an operator's willingness.

If London City suits your schedule, we check first whether a suitably certified aircraft can be sourced for your dates.

Which aircraft classes can operate where

Runway length sets the outer boundary. The published limits above narrow it further. JETAURA describes four aircraft categories:

ClassSuited toPractical note for London
Light jetsShorter routes and smaller groupsFour of the five are within reach, subject to slot and permission; London City additionally requires steep approach certification
Midsize jetsMore space and range for longer journeysComfortable at Farnborough, Luton and Biggin Hill
Heavy jetsConsiderable space and comfort for larger groups and longer distancesFarnborough's weight quota and Biggin Hill's landing distance become relevant
Ultra long range jetsDesigned for particularly long international connectionsFarnborough and Luton are the realistic options; Northolt's PCN 30 usually rules it out

This table reflects published runway and access data. It is not a guarantee for a specific aircraft. Actual performance depends on take-off and landing weight, weather, runway condition and the operator's own procedures. That is why the aircraft is matched to the route, and not the other way round.

If you already know your dates, send them over with your destination and passenger numbers. Our aviation team will come back with suitable options and an individual offer for your private jet hire in London.

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What influences the price of private jet hire in London

There is no flat rate for a private jet, and the airport is one of the reasons. The factors that shape a quote include the distance flown, the aircraft type, the number of passengers, the travel date, availability, the positioning of the aircraft, airport charges and any additional services requested.

Two of those are specific to this comparison. Positioning matters because an aircraft rarely waits at the airport you want to leave from. It has to get there first. Airport charges also differ between the five, which is one reason the nearest airport is not automatically the most sensible one.

You receive no blanket “from” promise from us. You receive an offer tailored to your journey, with the relevant costs set out before you book. Our private jet charter service works the same way for every route.

How a request works

You send us your travel details. We check which aircraft are available, you receive suitable options and an individual offer, and once you confirm, we coordinate the remaining steps with the operator in charge. The flight itself is operated by the relevant air carrier, not by JETAURA.

How long before departure you need to be at the airport depends on the airport, the terminal and the operator. We confirm that with your booking rather than promising a figure here.

Your enquiry is not binding. A booking only comes into being once you have expressly confirmed it. If your dates are flexible, empty leg flights may be worth considering, though they follow an operator’s existing schedule and are less flexible on route and departure time.

Frequently asked questions about London airports

Which London airports can private jets use?

Five airports around London handle private aviation: Farnborough, Luton, Biggin Hill, Northolt and London City. Farnborough and Biggin Hill are dedicated business aviation airports. Luton combines scheduled and private traffic, Northolt is an RAF station accepting civil flights, and London City requires steep approach certification.

Which London airport is open at night?

Luton is the only one of the five that operates around the clock. Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Northolt and London City all have published operating hours, and Biggin Hill's aeronautical information states plainly that operations outside those hours are not permitted. Noise restrictions may still apply at Luton depending on the aircraft's certification.

Why can't every jet land at London City?

London City requires an approach angle of 5.5 degrees or steeper, against roughly 3 degrees at a conventional airport. According to the UK AIP, an aircraft may only use the airport if its flight manual contains data and procedures for that steep approach. Only a limited number of business jet types hold this certification.

What makes Northolt different from the other London airports?

Northolt is an operational Royal Air Force station. Civil flights are accepted only from spare capacity, and Ministry of Defence terms state that military tasking always takes priority. Allocated slots may be changed or cancelled at short notice. Civil aircraft are limited to a maximum of 29 passengers.

Which London airport has the longest runway for private jets?

Farnborough, at 2,440 metres. The landing distance available is shorter at 1,800 metres in both directions, according to the airport's published specifications. Luton follows at 2,162 metres, then Biggin Hill at 1,806 metres, Northolt at 1,683 metres and London City at 1,508 metres.

More general questions about booking, aircraft and on-board service are answered in our frequently asked questions.

Tell us your route

Your departure airport is one part of the picture. Whether you are flying a private jet to London or out of it, tell us your destination, travel date and number of passengers. Our aviation team will check which aircraft and which private jet airport in London fit your journey, including the access conditions described above.

Your enquiry is not binding. A booking only comes into being once you have expressly confirmed it. If your dates are flexible, mention that too. It widens the options, particularly at the slot-constrained airports.

Send us your route and we will come back with suitable options and an individual offer. Or write to charter@flyjetaura.com.

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