RAF Northolt transfers
RAF Northolt, close to the West End
RAF Northolt is a Royal Air Force station in the London Borough of Hillingdon that also handles a limited number of civil business flights. Paddington and Kensington are around half an hour away by the A40 outside the rush.
RAF Northolt is an operational military airfield near Ruislip in west London. Alongside its RAF role, which includes flying government and royal passengers, it accepts a limited number of civil business aviation flights by prior arrangement. For those passengers, it offers something no other London airfield can: an arrival a short drive from the West End.
Access is tightly controlled, and arrangements are made through the flight operator. This page explains the drive into London and how we work with the security arrangements at the station.
How long is the drive from Northolt?
The station sits beside the A40, one of the main roads into west London, so the journey into town is straightforward. West and central London are close; the City and east London take longer.
| Destination | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paddington | 12 miles | 29 min | 42 min |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 12 miles | 31 min | 45 min |
| Hampstead | 14 miles | 32 min | 46 min |
| Richmond upon Thames | 12 miles | 33 min | 43 min |
| Mayfair | 13 miles | 35 min | 51 min |
| City of London | 16 miles | 45 min | 65 min |
Times come from road routing, with a rush-hour allowance in the last column. The A40 into London is slow in the weekday morning peak, so an early arrival may take closer to the rush-hour figure.
How does a pickup at a military airfield work?
Because Northolt is an RAF station, vehicle access is controlled by the station’s security arrangements, and every visiting car and chauffeur must be cleared in advance through the flight operator or handling contact. Share the details your operator needs for the car and chauffeur when you book, and allow time for that clearance.
On the day, the chauffeur follows the instructions agreed for your flight, which may mean waiting at a specific gate or an agreed meeting point. We never assume access and never improvise it: the station’s rules come first.
Who uses Northolt for civil flights?
Civil business aviation at Northolt is limited in number and subject to the station’s military requirements, which take priority. It tends to be used by passengers who value a very short journey to central London and are able to arrange their flight within those conditions. Operators arrange the slot; we provide the car.
If your flight cannot use Northolt on the day you need, Farnborough, Biggin Hill and the private jet centres at Luton, Stansted and London City are the usual alternatives, and we serve all of them.
What discretion do you offer?
Complete discretion is the standard. Chauffeurs do not display name boards unless asked, do not discuss passengers or their movements, and share journey details only with the contacts you nominate. Many Northolt passengers are travelling for official, diplomatic or high-profile reasons, and we plan every detail with that in mind.
If your party includes security personnel, tell us how they would like the vehicles arranged, including the number of cars and the order in which they travel.
Which car suits a Northolt arrival?
The S-Class is the usual choice for principals, with the V-Class for accompanying staff and luggage. For larger delegations, we can supply several vehicles timed to leave together. Tell us the passenger numbers and luggage in advance, so the vehicles can be cleared and ready.
Because journeys from Northolt are short, the car is often waiting for a shorter time than at a larger airport; plan the handover with your operator so that the passengers step from the aircraft to the car without delay.
Which route does the chauffeur take into London?
The usual route is east along the A40 Western Avenue, past Perivale and Hanger Lane, and onto the elevated Westway into Paddington and Marylebone. From there, the West End and Mayfair are a short drive through Marble Arch. For Kensington and Chelsea, chauffeurs may leave the A40 earlier and cut south through Shepherd’s Bush.
The A40 is predictable outside the rush hours and slow in the weekday morning peak, especially around the Hanger Lane gyratory. For south-west London, such as Richmond, the chauffeur will use the North Circular and the A316 or local roads through Ealing and Brentford.
Is Northolt close to Heathrow?
Yes, only a few miles north of it. That makes Northolt useful for passengers connecting between a private flight and a scheduled long-haul flight at Heathrow, or for a delegation arriving at both airports on the same day.
We can coordinate cars across the two airports so that everyone reaches the same destination at the same time, and plan the connection between them with a margin that allows for the security arrangements at Northolt as well as Heathrow’s own terminal procedures.
What if the arrival time changes?
Private and official flights often change at short notice. If the landing time moves, tell us or ask your operator to pass the change on, and the chauffeur will adjust. Because vehicle access at the station is arranged in advance, a significant change can also mean the clearance needs updating, which is another reason to let us know as early as possible.
If a flight is diverted to another airfield, such as Farnborough or Luton, we will arrange a car there instead, and keep you informed.
How it works
From Northolt arrivals to the car
- 01
Book online
Give the tail number or flight details and the handling agent. The price is fixed when you book.
- 02
We follow the flight
Private schedules move. The chauffeur watches the arrival time and adjusts to it.
- 03
Met at the civil enclave
Your chauffeur waits at the handling agent's building, often beside the aircraft if the agent allows it.
- 04
Away in minutes
Bags go straight into the car. There is no public terminal to cross.
Every route from Northolt
From the terminal to every London borough
Choose any airport to compare. Off-peak drive times from road routing.
From Northolt
NHT
- Westminster15 mi39 min
- Mayfair13 mi35 min
- City of London16 mi45 min
- Canary Wharf20 mi62 min
- Kensington and Chelsea12 mi31 min
- Paddington12 mi29 min
All 58 destinations from Northolt
| Destination | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hillingdon | 6 mi | 13 min | 17 min |
| Harrow | 6 mi | 19 min | 25 min |
| Brent | 8 mi | 21 min | 27 min |
| Ealing | 6 mi | 21 min | 27 min |
| Hounslow | 9 mi | 24 min | 31 min |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 10 mi | 28 min | 36 min |
| Notting Hill | 11 mi | 28 min | 41 min |
| Paddington | 12 mi | 29 min | 42 min |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 12 mi | 31 min | 45 min |
| Hampstead | 14 mi | 32 min | 46 min |
| Richmond upon Thames | 12 mi | 33 min | 43 min |
| Marylebone | 13 mi | 33 min | 48 min |
| South Kensington | 13 mi | 34 min | 49 min |
| St John's Wood | 13 mi | 34 min | 49 min |
| Mayfair | 13 mi | 35 min | 51 min |
| Fulham | 12 mi | 35 min | 46 min |
| Barnet | 17 mi | 36 min | 47 min |
| Knightsbridge | 13 mi | 36 min | 52 min |
| Chelsea | 13 mi | 36 min | 52 min |
| Soho | 14 mi | 37 min | 54 min |
| King's Cross | 14 mi | 37 min | 54 min |
| Camden | 14 mi | 38 min | 55 min |
| Haringey | 17 mi | 38 min | 49 min |
| Belgravia | 14 mi | 38 min | 55 min |
| St Pancras International | 14 mi | 38 min | 55 min |
| Euston | 14 mi | 38 min | 55 min |
| Westminster | 15 mi | 39 min | 57 min |
| Covent Garden | 15 mi | 40 min | 58 min |
| Battersea | 14 mi | 40 min | 58 min |
| Victoria | 15 mi | 40 min | 58 min |
| Wandsworth | 16 mi | 42 min | 55 min |
| Enfield | 21 mi | 43 min | 56 min |
| Islington | 16 mi | 43 min | 62 min |
| Waterloo | 16 mi | 44 min | 64 min |
| City of London | 16 mi | 45 min | 65 min |
| Kingston upon Thames | 15 mi | 45 min | 59 min |
| Shoreditch | 16 mi | 47 min | 68 min |
| Waltham Forest | 22 mi | 48 min | 62 min |
| Liverpool Street | 17 mi | 48 min | 70 min |
| London Bridge | 17 mi | 49 min | 71 min |
| Southwark | 17 mi | 50 min | 73 min |
| Lambeth | 17 mi | 51 min | 74 min |
| Wimbledon | 16 mi | 51 min | 66 min |
| Hackney | 18 mi | 53 min | 69 min |
| Merton | 21 mi | 54 min | 70 min |
| Redbridge | 27 mi | 54 min | 70 min |
| Sutton | 41 mi | 59 min | 77 min |
| Barking and Dagenham | 32 mi | 61 min | 79 min |
| Newham | 31 mi | 61 min | 79 min |
| Havering | 31 mi | 62 min | 81 min |
| Tower Hamlets | 21 mi | 62 min | 81 min |
| Canary Wharf | 20 mi | 62 min | 81 min |
| Stratford | 28 mi | 62 min | 81 min |
| Croydon | 23 mi | 63 min | 82 min |
| Lewisham | 23 mi | 68 min | 88 min |
| Bromley | 26 mi | 72 min | 94 min |
| Greenwich | 32 mi | 74 min | 96 min |
| Bexley | 29 mi | 76 min | 99 min |
Central London
From Northolt to the centre
The ten central addresses people ask for most, off-peak and in the weekday rush.
| Destination | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | 15 mi | 39 min | 57 min | A40 |
| Mayfair | 13 mi | 35 min | 51 min | A40 |
| City of London | 16 mi | 45 min | 65 min | A40, A501 |
| Canary Wharf | 20 mi | 62 min | 81 min | A40, A501 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 12 mi | 31 min | 45 min | A40 |
| Paddington | 12 mi | 29 min | 42 min | A40 |
| St Pancras International | 14 mi | 38 min | 55 min | A40, A501 |
| Victoria | 15 mi | 40 min | 58 min | A40 |
| Shoreditch | 16 mi | 47 min | 68 min | A40, A501 |
| South Kensington | 13 mi | 34 min | 49 min | A40 |
Quickest from Northolt
The twelve closest areas
Off-peak and weekday rush-hour times from road routing, fastest first.
| Area | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hillingdon | 6 mi | 13 min | 17 min | A40 |
| Harrow | 6 mi | 19 min | 25 min | |
| Brent | 8 mi | 21 min | 27 min | A40, A4127 |
| Ealing | 6 mi | 21 min | 27 min | A40 |
| Hounslow | 9 mi | 24 min | 31 min | A312 |
| Hammersmith and Fulham | 10 mi | 28 min | 36 min | A40 |
| Notting Hill | 11 mi | 28 min | 41 min | A40 |
| Paddington | 12 mi | 29 min | 42 min | A40 |
| Kensington and Chelsea | 12 mi | 31 min | 45 min | A40 |
| Hampstead | 14 mi | 32 min | 46 min | A40, A406 |
| Richmond upon Thames | 12 mi | 33 min | 43 min | A40, A406 |
| Marylebone | 13 mi | 33 min | 48 min | A40 |
Cruise connections
From Northolt to the ship
Straight from arrivals to the cruise terminal, fastest first.
| Cruise port | Distance | Off-peak | Rush hour | Main roads |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tilbury | 47 mi | 82 min | 107 min | A40, A406 |
| Portsmouth | 78 mi | 93 min | 121 min | A40, M40 |
| Southampton | 76 mi | 95 min | 124 min | A40, M40 |
| Harwich | 111 mi | 131 min | 170 min | A40, M40 |
| Dover | 114 mi | 137 min | 178 min | A40, M40 |
In every fare
What the price includes
- 01
Flight tracking
The chauffeur follows your flight number, so an early landing or a delay moves the pickup with it.
- 02
Meet and greet
Your chauffeur waits in arrivals with a board showing your name, and takes the bags from there.
- 03
A fixed price
Agreed when you book. Traffic, a longer route on the day or a late landing do not change it.
- 04
Parking and drop-off
Airport drop-off and short-stay parking charges are part of the price, not added afterwards.
- 05
A route from live traffic
The chauffeur checks the roads before setting off and picks the line that is moving.
Other airports
The rest of London’s airports
Road distance and off-peak time between the two airports.
Good to know
Questions, answered
Can anyone fly into RAF Northolt?
No. Civil business flights are accepted in limited numbers by prior arrangement, and military requirements take priority. Your flight operator arranges permission.
How far is Northolt from central London?
About 13 miles from Mayfair by the A40, typically around 35 minutes off-peak.
Do you need our chauffeur and vehicle details in advance?
The station’s access arrangements usually require it. We will supply whatever your operator needs for clearance.
Can you supply several cars for a delegation?
Yes. Tell us the number of passengers, the order of travel and any security requirements, and we will supply and coordinate the vehicles.
What are the alternatives to Northolt?
Farnborough and Biggin Hill are dedicated business aviation airports, and Luton, Stansted and London City have private jet terminals. We serve all of them.
Ready when you are
Your chauffeur, already waiting
A named chauffeur, a fixed price and a quiet car, at every London airport.