How much does a London helicopter tour cost?

Battersea Helicopter lists private London helicopter tours from £2,750 plus VAT for the whole aircraft, which takes up to four passengers. A tour starting from a landing site outside London is listed from £1,950 plus VAT. Because the price is for the helicopter, not the seat, a group of four divides it between them.

What does a private London helicopter tour cost?

Battersea Helicopter, which charters helicopters from the London Heliport, sets out its starting prices on its helicopter tour page. A tour leaving from the heliport at Battersea starts from £2,750 plus VAT. A tour leaving from a landing site outside London, such as a country estate, an airfield or a hotel helipad, starts from £1,950 plus VAT.

Both figures are for the complete aircraft. Battersea Helicopter says a tour carries up to four passengers and that the price does not change with the number of people on board, up to that maximum. It also says a live quote depends on the route, the date and the departure point, so treat the starting prices as a guide to the scale of the cost.

This guide's own page on how much a helicopter flight costs covers the published prices more widely. This article concentrates on what sits behind them, so you can read a quote with confidence.

What drives the price of a sightseeing flight?

A sightseeing flight is priced like any other charter: you hire the aircraft and its crew for a period of flying time. Helicopter Hire Prices, a sister site of Battersea Helicopter, breaks the cost into a handful of parts. The table below summarises them in plain terms.

The tour prices on the Battersea Helicopter page are quoted for a small aircraft with up to four passengers. The hourly guide rates above are for larger aircraft and are given here only to show how the cost scales with the type of helicopter.

How does a 30-minute flight differ from a short loop?

Battersea Helicopter says a central London sightseeing circuit typically takes 20 to 30 minutes in the air. An extended tour, for example along the Thames from Richmond to Greenwich, or adding Windsor Castle and the Surrey countryside, runs to 45 to 60 minutes. It adds that the tour price is based on the route and the aircraft time, not on a fixed duration.

That has a practical meaning. More minutes in the air means more aircraft time and more fuel. But some costs do not shrink with a shorter flight, because the helicopter still has to be positioned and the landing fees still apply. Helicopter Hire Prices notes that positioning can be as much as a third of the total on shorter routes. A 20-minute loop therefore costs less than a 60-minute tour, but not in proportion to the minutes.

Battersea Helicopter's cost guide adds that minimum flight times are common in charter flying, often 30 to 60 minutes. Ask whether a quote has a minimum, and what the price would be for a longer or shorter route.

Is a short flight worth it?

That depends on what you want to see and how many people share the cost. A central circuit covers the main sights quickly. Battersea Helicopter lists the Thames, Tower Bridge, the Tower of London, St Paul's Cathedral, the Shard, the London Eye, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and Canary Wharf as typical views, with live commentary from the pilot.

The price per head is the clearest test. Battersea Helicopter works out that four people sharing a £2,750 plus VAT tour pay £687.50 plus VAT each. One person flying alone pays the whole figure. If you are weighing it up, a short flight is the lower-risk way to find out how you enjoy flying in a helicopter, which is also the suggestion made in Battersea Helicopter's cost guide.

To judge what a longer route would add, use the flight times tool for indicative times from Battersea, and read types of helicopter flight to see how a private tour differs from other kinds of flight.

How can you lower the cost per person?

None of these steps changes the basics of aircraft hire, but each can reduce what each person pays or avoid an unpleasant surprise.

• Fill the seats. The price is per aircraft, so a full tour of four costs each person a quarter of the price. Helicopter Hire Prices makes the same point about larger charters.
• Consider a different start point. Battersea Helicopter lists tours from £1,950 plus VAT from a landing site outside London, against £2,750 plus VAT from Battersea. This only helps if you can reach such a site easily.
• Be flexible about the date. Battersea Helicopter's cost guide says avoiding major event dates, such as Royal Ascot or Silverstone, and flexible departure times can help secure better rates.
• Ask for the quote in parts. Helicopter Hire Prices advises asking for aircraft time, positioning, landing fees and VAT shown separately, so you can compare like with like.
• Book ahead. Battersea Helicopter says tours can often be arranged with 24 to 48 hours' notice on weekdays, but suggests booking at least a week ahead, and several weeks ahead for summer weekends and Valentine's Day. See how far in advance to book.

What happens to the price if the weather is bad?

Helicopter flying depends on the weather. Battersea Helicopter states the position for its charter flights in its frequently asked questions: If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing. Its tour page says the team contacts you in advance to discuss rescheduling when conditions are not safe. You can check conditions yourself with the guide's London helicopter weather page, and read what happens if weather cancels a flight.

What is included in a private tour?

According to Battersea Helicopter, a private tour includes a pre-flight safety briefing, exclusive use of the aircraft for up to four passengers, and live pilot commentary throughout. There are no other passengers on board and no fixed timetable. The route and the duration can be tailored. For a view of the aircraft side of the cost, see the guide's article on the cost of hiring a private helicopter in London.

Next steps. Work out where you would like to go with the flight times tool, then compare with the figures on the cost page. For a quote that fits your own date and route, Battersea Helicopter and Helicopter Hire Prices both ask for the route, the date and the number of passengers.