Air taxi
Charter an air taxi across the UK and Europe
An air taxi is a private plane you hire for a short journey, flying in and out of smaller airfields that big jets cannot use. Tell us the airfield, the time and how many are travelling, and we send one fully inclusive price.
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Air taxi hire in the UK: the short answer
An air taxi is a private aircraft you hire for a short hop, flown between the airports and airfields you choose. You charter the whole aircraft, so the price is per plane, not per seat. Charter starts from £2,950 for the whole aircraft on short routes, and a full load can bring it down to as low as £300 per person. See the UK air taxi routes that save money.
- Aircraft: piston twins, turboprops, very light jets and helicopters, matched to your group and luggage.
- Seats: from 3 up to 8 on a single aircraft, and up to 24 in our larger air taxis.
- Quotes: one inclusive price, valid for 5 days, from a 24-hour desk on +44 (0)20 7781 8094.
Request an air taxi quote or call +44 (0)20 7781 8094. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
What is an air taxi?
An air taxi is a charter flight on a small aircraft, booked on demand for a short journey. There is no timetable and no ticket counter: you tell us where you want to go and when, and the aircraft flies to your schedule.
The term describes the kind of trip, a short hop, rather than one particular aircraft. That is why an air taxi can be a very light jet, a turboprop, a twin-engine piston aircraft or a helicopter. All of them do the same job: they get a small group from A to B without the long drive, the connecting flight or the busy terminal.
In the UK an air taxi is regulated as commercial air transport. The Civil Aviation Authority sets out what that means, including the operator’s certificate, insurance and pilot qualifications, on its page about charter and air taxi flights. Every flight we arrange is flown on a UK or EASA Air Operator Certificate.
Which aircraft are used as air taxis?
We choose the aircraft from your passenger count, luggage, distance and airfield, not the other way round. These are the types we use most; the full comparison is in our air taxi fleet guide.
| Type | Aircraft | Passengers | Typical cruise speed | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piston twin | Diamond DA42 | Up to 3 | 200 mph | Three passengers, hand luggage, short runways |
| Piston twin | Diamond DA62 | 4 | 221 mph | Four on a short hop at the lowest cost |
| Turboprop | Piper M600 | Up to 4 | 315 mph | Four passengers in a fast, pressurised cabin |
| Turboprop | Pilatus PC-12 | Up to 8 | 334 mph | Groups, more luggage, small airfields |
| Turboprop | King Air 200 | 6 to 8 | 305 mph | Longer trips in a stand-up cabin |
| Very light jet | Citation Mustang | 4 | 391 mph | Fast, longer routes |
Speeds are typical cruise figures and vary with the aircraft and the load. Your quote confirms the aircraft and timings for your flight.
Piston twins for the shortest, lowest-cost hops
The Diamond DA62 for four passengers is the most economical aircraft we charter, which is why our from-price is built around it. It suits a party of up to four on a short hop with soft bags. The DA42 does the same job for three.
Turboprops for more seats, more luggage and small airfields
Turboprops are the most widely used aircraft for air taxi charter. The Pilatus PC-12 air taxi carries up to eight with plenty of baggage space and good short-field ability. The King Air 200 charter seats six to eight in a stand-up cabin with an on-board lavatory. It often has more luggage space than a light jet and can use shorter runways. For four passengers who want speed, the Piper M600 is a fast pressurised single turboprop.
Small jets for longer air taxi routes
When the route stretches further, the Citation Mustang very light jet takes four passengers at 391 mph with a range of 1,000 miles. It has no on-board lavatory, so it suits sectors of an hour or so. For bigger cabins and longer legs, see private jet charter.
Helicopters when you need to land closer still
For the very shortest hops a helicopter can be the air taxi, landing at private sites and smaller airfields that no fixed-wing aircraft can use. Helicopters need suitable weather. See our helicopter charter service for fleet, sites and events.
Featured aircraft
The Diamond DA62: the most economical way to fly
The new Diamond DA62 is the most economical aircraft available for charter. It is also comfortable, fast and modern, which makes it an excellent choice for four passengers on a short hop.
Air taxi charter starts from £2,950 for the whole aircraft, and a smaller, efficient aircraft like the DA62 is how we keep the price down on shorter routes, from London to Newquay and beyond.
- The most economical aircraft available for charter
- Comfortable, fast and modern
- Excellent for four passengers on a short hop
- From £2,950 for the whole aircraft
How much does an air taxi cost?
An air taxi is priced per aircraft, so the more people you bring, the lower the cost per person. Air taxi charter starts from £2,950 for the whole aircraft. The price depends on four things: the aircraft, the distance, the day and airports, and the size of your group.
| Route | Aircraft | Passengers | Cost from (whole aircraft) |
|---|---|---|---|
| London to Newquay | Diamond DA62 | Up to 4 | £2,950 |
| London to Paris | Citation Mustang | Up to 4 | £4,500 |
| London to Brussels | King Air 200 | 6 to 8 | £5,250 |
Typical flight times: London to Paris about 49 minutes in a Citation Mustang, and London to Brussels about 1 hour 15 minutes in a King Air 200. More examples are on our air taxi rates and example routes page, and the private jet charter rates page shows what a larger jet costs for comparison.
Peak dates, busy airports and handling fees can move the price, which is why we quote each flight individually. VAT depends on the flight and is always shown as its own line: see the VAT question below. If your dates are flexible, empty leg flights can cost less when an aircraft is already positioned on your route.
Typical air taxi routes
Air taxis suit journeys where the road is slow and the airline timetable does not fit. The patterns we fly most:
- London to the regions and the South West: for example London to Newquay in a Diamond DA62, or a UK city pair such as Leeds to Newquay.
- London to Europe: Paris and Brussels are the most common short sectors, with the Riviera (Nice and Cannes), Jersey, Dublin and Milan within reach of the turboprops and small jets.
- Between regional airfields: flying airfield to airfield, such as Redhill, Fairoaks, Gloucester, Shoreham, Blackbushe or Wellesbourne, instead of using a major airport at either end.
- Islands: Jersey and the Isle of Man are served from airfields across the UK.
From London we can use up to twelve airports and airfields, from Biggin Hill and Redhill to Stapleford, Elstree, Luton, Stansted, Farnborough, Blackbushe, Fairoaks, Northolt, London City and Southend. See plane charter from London airports for the detail.
Who an air taxi suits
Business travellers and teams
Two or three meetings in a day, a site visit or a client in a region with poor rail links: an air taxi gives you the whole aircraft on your timetable, usually with a short check-in (arrive about 30 minutes before departure), normally through the general aviation facilities or a private terminal (FBO).
Families, friends and pets
You choose who flies with you. Your dog or cat can sit in the cabin with you, never in the hold; see flying with a dog or cat in the cabin for what we need from you.
Groups and urgent freight
For parties of up to 24 we use larger air taxis, covered under group air charter up to 24 seats. For time-critical parts, equipment or documents, urgent air cargo flights use the same light aircraft fleet.
When a different aircraft is better
If you are flying more than about eight people, carrying hard cases or a lot of luggage, or going a long way, a larger jet will serve you better. We say so when we quote, and we price both where it makes sense.
How booking an air taxi works
Tell us your trip
The airfield, the date and time, and how many are travelling. Use the quote form or call the desk on +44 (0)20 7781 8094.
We find the aircraft
We match an aircraft to your passengers and luggage, often positioned close to your departure point.
One inclusive quote
A single clear price with no hidden extras, valid for 5 days. Quotes are subject to aircraft availability until your booking is confirmed.
Turn up and fly
A licensed, type-rated crew flies you airfield to airfield on a fully insured aircraft. If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.
Pets and cargo
Your pet or your urgent freight
Fly your pet comfortably with us. Take your dog or cat on the plane with you: air taxis allow your pet to join you in the cabin, with no leaving them in a cargo hold. See our pet flights page.
Urgent air cargo. We operate a dedicated air cargo service using the light aircraft fleet for time-critical freight across the UK and Europe, such as urgent automotive and aerospace components, medical equipment and same-day legal documents. The aircraft can be configured for cargo-only or mixed passenger and freight loads.
Trusted by our clients
What our clients say
Thank you to the Charter a team — I cannot thank the Charter a team enough for the speedy approach they took to get me and my team from London to the south of France in one of their jets.
Ben Porter · Private jet · Trustpilot
The absolute best private charter experience.
Beverley R · Charter-A client · Trustpilot
From the start Martin was helpful and informative. The whole process was easy… I cannot recommend enough and the whole trip was amazing.
John Bloodworth · Charter-A client · Trustpilot
See what our passengers say: Trustpilot customer feedback
More on air taxis
Air taxi pages
What it costs, the aircraft we use for short hops, group charters and flights from the London airports.
Air taxi questions answered
What is an air taxi?
How much does an air taxi cost in the UK?
Is an air taxi the same as a private jet?
How many passengers and how much luggage can an air taxi take?
Which airports and airfields can an air taxi use?
How far ahead do I need to book an air taxi?
Are air taxis safe and regulated in the UK?
Does VAT apply to air taxi flights?
Request your air taxi quote
Tell us the airfield, the time and how many are travelling. A charter specialist replies with one fully inclusive price.
If the flight is cancelled because of the weather, you pay nothing.