Farnborough
Airport
London’s dedicated business aviation airport, 35 miles south west of the centre. No airlines, no ACL slots, one operator, and the birthplace of British aviation. The most straightforward London arrival there is.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 2 September 2026
The Airport
Farnborough at a glance
Farnborough carries the ICAO code EGLF and the identifier FAB. An 8,005 foot runway with a 6,768 foot takeoff run, at 238 feet elevation, about 35 miles south west of central London on the M3.
It is a dedicated business aviation airport with no scheduled airlines, operated end to end by a single company, handling around 33,000 movements a year against a planning cap of 50,000.
Why here
One airport, one job
Farnborough does one thing. No airlines, no ACL slot competition, a terminal built for private passengers, and a single operator running the runway, the handling and the FBO. For most London trips that are not specifically north or in the financial district, it is the most straightforward arrival there is.
Prior permission is required and handling is mandatory, but both come from the same operator and are arranged as one. Our guide to who should avoid flying a private jet into Farnborough sets out the exceptions, and there are fewer than at any other London field.
The Constraints
Hours, the cap, and the airshow
Hours are Monday to Friday 0700 to 2200 and 0800 to 2000 at weekends and bank holidays. They are planning conditions and are firmly held. The airport operates under a planning cap of 50,000 movements a year, currently using about 33,000, with weekend movements separately limited.
The Farnborough Airshow is held in July of even years, 2026 among them, and for roughly a fortnight normal business aviation is heavily curtailed. Check any July date in an even year against the show first.
06/24 is 8,005 feet of pavement with a 6,768 foot declared takeoff run. The whole of business aviation operates here, including ultra long range types; the declared figure is the one to check on a hot heavy departure. Fire cover is RFF Category 6, upgradable on request. The GAR is filed with the PPR and handling.
History
Where British aviation began
Samuel Cody made the first powered flight in Britain at Farnborough in 1908, and the Royal Aircraft Establishment made the site the centre of British aeronautical research for most of the twentieth century. The airshow that still takes over the field every second July grew out of that heritage.
Farnborough became a dedicated business aviation airport in 2003 and has been developed continuously since into the most complete private aviation facility in the London area.
Nearby
Farnborough and the London fields
London has more business aviation airports than any city in Europe. Farnborough is the default for the south and west, and for certainty.
EGLLLondon HeathrowEGKKLondon GatwickEGSSLondon StanstedEGGWLondon LutonEGLCLondon City
EGWURAF NortholtEGKBLondon Biggin HillEGTKLondon OxfordEGLDDenham Aerodrome
Luton for the north and a choice of FBOs. Biggin Hill for the south east with longer hours. Northolt for west London on a weekday. London City for the financial district on an approved aircraft. Heathrow and Gatwick for scheduled connections. Oxford for the north west.
Airport guides & index
Questions
Farnborough, answered
Can private jets use Farnborough?
Yes. Farnborough is a dedicated business aviation airport with no scheduled airline traffic at all, an 8,005 foot runway, and a single operator running the whole field. It is the most straightforward London arrival for most private trips. Prior permission is required and handling is mandatory, but there are no ACL slots to compete for.
Why is Farnborough so popular for London?
Because it does one thing. No airlines, no slot competition, a terminal built for private passengers, and a location 35 miles south west of the centre on the M3. Our guide to who should avoid flying a private jet into Farnborough sets out the exceptions, and there are fewer of them than at any other London field.
What are the hours at Farnborough?
Monday to Friday 0700 to 2200 local, and 0800 to 2000 on Saturdays, Sundays and bank holidays. Those hours are planning conditions and are firmly held. A late evening arrival or an early Sunday departure needs to sit inside them.
Is there a movement cap at Farnborough?
Yes. The airport operates under a planning cap of 50,000 movements a year and currently handles around 33,000. The cap has been the subject of planning applications and local objection, and weekend movements are separately limited. Capacity is not a constraint today, but the framework is worth knowing.
How long is the runway at Farnborough?
06/24 is 2,440 metres, about 8,005 feet, by 151 feet of pavement. The declared takeoff run available is 6,768 feet, materially shorter than the pavement, and that is the figure a performance calculation uses. Field elevation is 238 feet.
What aircraft can use Farnborough?
The whole of business aviation up to and including large cabin and ultra long range types, which operate here routinely. The 6,768 foot declared run is the number to check for the heaviest departures on a hot day, not the 8,005 foot pavement.
Is ground handling mandatory at Farnborough?
Yes, and it is provided by the airport operator itself rather than a choice of FBOs. That makes the experience consistent and the pricing transparent, and it removes the comparison shopping that Luton invites.
What is the Farnborough Airshow?
A biennial international airshow held in July of even years, 2026 among them. For roughly a fortnight the airport is given over to the show and normal business aviation operations are heavily curtailed or suspended. If your dates fall in a July of an even year, check them against the show first.
Farnborough or Luton?
Farnborough for the south west, for a quieter single-operator arrival, and for certainty. Luton for the north and for a choice of FBOs. Both are excellent business aviation airports and the destination usually decides.
Do you need a permit to fly into the UK?
No landing permit for most private and charter flights, but a General Aviation Report must be filed with UK Border Force before arrival. We file the GAR, the PPR and the handling together.
What is the history of Farnborough?
The birthplace of British aviation: Samuel Cody made the first powered flight in Britain here in 1908, and the Royal Aircraft Establishment made it the centre of British aeronautical research for most of the twentieth century. It became a dedicated business aviation airport in 2003 under TAG Aviation and has been developed continuously since.
What time zone is London in?
Greenwich Mean Time in winter and British Summer Time from late March to late October, which is UTC+0 and UTC+1 respectively.
Get Your Number
Request a London charter
Send the dates and the aircraft. We check the hours and, in an even-year July, the airshow, run the departure figures against the 6,768 foot declared run, and file the PPR, handling and GAR as one.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.