London to Nice. Breakfast at home, lunch on the Riviera.
The busiest private route out of London in summer: around two hours in the air, with the car timed to the steps at both ends.
The route
At a glance
- Flight timeAbout 1 hour 45 to 2 hoursDepending on aircraft type and winds.
- DistanceRoughly 650 milesComfortably within the range of every jet category.
- FromLuton, Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Stansted or NortholtChosen for where you live and where suitable aircraft are based.
- ToNice Côte d'Azur (NCE)With Cannes Mandelieu as an alternative for smaller aircraft bound for Cannes.
Why people fly it privately
The Riviera, without the airport
Nice is a fine airport and a crowded one in July and August. A private arrival uses the business aviation terminal, where formalities take minutes and a car or a helicopter is waiting outside. Door to door from central London, a private trip typically takes around four and a half hours against six or seven by airline.
It is also the natural start of a yacht charter. We arrange the aircraft, the car to the quay in Antibes, Cannes or Monaco and the yacht itself on one itinerary, so the captain knows if your slot moves.
On arrival
Onward from Nice
| To | By car | By helicopter |
|---|---|---|
| Monaco | 35 to 60 minutes | About 7 minutes |
| Cap d'Antibes | 30 to 50 minutes | Not usual |
| Cannes | 35 to 60 minutes | About 7 to 10 minutes |
| Saint-Tropez | 90 minutes to 2 hours 30, far longer in August | About 20 minutes |
Road times are realistic ranges. The coast road in high summer and during the Monaco Grand Prix and the Cannes Film Festival is very slow, which is why the helicopter is popular. Cars on the Riviera are arranged through operators we know.
Planning it well
Things worth knowing
- Peak weeks book up early: the Monaco Grand Prix, the Cannes Film Festival and the whole of August. Slots and parking at Nice are limited in those weeks
- A light jet suits up to six or seven passengers with holiday luggage. Larger groups, or a lot of luggage for a yacht, need a midsize aircraft or bigger
- This is one of the best routes for empty legs, because so many trips are one-way
- For a day trip the aircraft waits and the return costs far less than a second charter. See what charter costs
- Tell us about pets early. Entry rules apply and must be arranged ahead
Around the trip
Related pages
On the Riviera
Events and yachts
Request a quote
Tell us the dates
Give us the outline and we will come back with a fixed price. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About this route
Which London airport is best?
Whichever is closest to you and has a suitable aircraft available. Luton and Farnborough have the most choice. Biggin Hill suits the City and the south-east.
Can we land at Cannes instead?
Cannes Mandelieu accepts smaller business aircraft and is closer to Cannes. Whether it suits depends on the aircraft and the day. We will advise.
Can you arrange the yacht as well?
Yes. See yacht charter.
One contact, wherever you are