The Private Jet Centre, London City. Ten minutes from Canary Wharf.
No other private terminal puts an aircraft this close to the City. The catch is that London City has the tightest operating hours of any London airport and the strictest rules about which aircraft may use it, so the arrangements have to be right first time.
The terminal
The Jet Centre, at a glance
- AirportLondon City (LCY / EGLC)In the Royal Docks in east London, between the City and Canary Wharf.
- OperatorLondon City AirportThe Private Jet Centre is run by the airport itself, with its own entrance and lounge separate from the main terminal.
- HoursRoughly 0630 to 2130 on weekdaysAbout 0630 to 1230 on Saturday and 1230 to 2130 on Sunday. Extensions are occasionally possible by arrangement with the airport.
- Weekend closure1230 Saturday to 1230 SundayThe airport is closed to flights for 24 hours across the middle of the weekend, and has been for decades. It is not negotiable.
Odyssey Connections has no commercial relationship with London City Airport and claims none.
Before you book the aircraft
The hours and the aircraft decide everything
Two facts about London City catch people out, and both belong in the diary before the car is even discussed. The first is the weekend. Flights stop at half past twelve on Saturday and do not resume until half past twelve on Sunday, so a Saturday afternoon return from Geneva or a Sunday morning departure to Zurich cannot happen here at all. When that is the plan, Biggin Hill, Luton or Farnborough are the realistic alternatives, and we will say so rather than let you find out late.
The second is the runway. It is 1,508 metres long with a 5.5 degree approach, far steeper than the three degrees used almost everywhere else, and both the aircraft and the crew must be certified for it. That rules out a great many business jets. Your operator will know, but it is worth asking the question early, because an aircraft change on the morning can move you to a different airport and a very different drive.
What you get in return is the shortest journey in London. From the Jet Centre to Canary Wharf is a matter of minutes, and to the City not much more. For a same day meeting in the Docklands there is nothing else like it.
How we work with the terminal
Agreed in advance
- 01
What we need
Tail number or operator, date and slot, passengers, luggage and the destination. Tell us if the slot is near the weekend closure.
- 02
Coordination
Chauffeur name, vehicle and registration passed to the Jet Centre team in advance, and the vehicle position agreed with them.
- 03
Tracking
The aircraft is followed by tail number, and the car is timed to the real arrival.
- 04
Arrival
Luggage loaded, and out through the Royal Docks by the route that suits the hour.
Worth knowing
Local detail that matters here
London City sits inside a working part of east London, and the roads around it behave accordingly.
- Vehicle access to the aircraft is at the airport's discretion and is arranged in advance. Where it is not available, the car waits at the Jet Centre door, which is a short walk from the aircraft in any case
- The Silvertown and Blackwall tunnels govern any journey south or west, and both are charged and both queue. We plan the route for the hour
- Events at the ExCeL centre change the traffic around the airport completely. If your date coincides with a large show, we allow for it
- For the City and Canary Wharf this is the quickest arrival in London by a wide margin
- Crew transfers to and from Docklands hotels around the same movement
- A V-Class where a party is carrying more than a small jet's hold would suggest
Onward
Typical journey times
| To | Quiet roads | Busy periods |
|---|---|---|
| Canary Wharf | 10 to 20 minutes | 20 to 35 minutes |
| City of London | 20 to 30 minutes | 30 to 50 minutes |
| Mayfair and the West End | 30 to 45 minutes | 45 to 75 minutes |
| Greenwich | 15 to 25 minutes | 25 to 45 minutes |
| Knightsbridge and Belgravia | 35 to 50 minutes | 50 to 80 minutes |
| Heathrow | 60 to 80 minutes | 85 to 130 minutes |
Realistic ranges, not promises. The tunnels decide the southbound and westbound journeys.
Request a quote
Tell us the arrival
Date, slot, tail number or operator, passengers and where you are going. We reply with a clear price. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About the Jet Centre
Can I fly out on a Saturday afternoon?
Not from London City. The airport closes to flights for 24 hours from half past twelve on Saturday. We will suggest Biggin Hill, Luton or Farnborough instead, and quote the car from there.
Why can my usual aircraft not land here?
The runway is short and the approach is 5.5 degrees, so aircraft and crew both need specific certification. Many business jets do not have it. Your operator will confirm.
Can the car come to the aircraft?
It is at the airport's discretion and arranged in advance. Distances here are short either way, so the difference is smaller than at a larger field.
Is it really quicker than Biggin Hill for the City?
For Canary Wharf and the City, yes, by a long way on most days. For the West End the gap narrows once the tunnels are busy.
Can you arrange the aircraft as well as the car?
Yes, through operators we know. See private jet charter.
