For anyone chartering a private jet to London, the airport choice has long been a trade between runway length and location. The farthest-reaching jets land at Farnborough or Luton, and passengers then face a road transfer into the city. That calculation has just changed. Bombardier has secured UK Civil Aviation Authority approval for its Global 8000 to operate at London City Airport, the closest airport to the capital’s financial district.
What the approval changes
London City sits in the Docklands, minutes from Canary Wharf and central London. Its short runway and steep approach have kept the largest business jets away, and the airport’s regular fleet tops out at the Embraer E-Jet and Airbus A220. Bombardier says the Global 8000 clearance can save up to 60 to 90 minutes of ground transfer compared with arriving at Farnborough or Luton. After a long flight, that is the difference between a quick hop to a meeting and an hour in traffic.
An ultra-long-range jet with city-centre reach
The Global 8000 is Bombardier’s flagship and the fastest civil aircraft flying since Concorde, cruising at up to Mach 0.95. It carries as many as 19 passengers across four separate living spaces, with a range of 8,000 nautical miles. With the London City certification in place, Bombardier says the jet can connect the capital nonstop with Singapore, Los Angeles, Honolulu and Buenos Aires. It belongs to the ultra-long-range category, the segment built for intercontinental sectors flown without a fuel stop.
What the route costs to charter
Ultra-long-range charter into and out of London is priced by distance and demand. An all-inclusive charter from Los Angeles to London, a 10h45 sector, runs roughly $233,000 to $343,000 in this class. Shorter legs cost less: London to New York at about 5h45 is around $124,000 to $184,000, while London to Dubai at about 6h30 sits near $141,000 to $207,000. Figures shift with aircraft availability, routing and season.
Fly into London with The Jet Collection
The Jet Collection arranges ultra-long-range charters into London City and the capital’s other private gateways, matching the aircraft to your route and schedule. Contact our team to plan your flight.