The Houses of Parliament stretch along the north bank of the Thames at Westminster, a long Gothic building with towers at each end and the river running right past its terrace. From Westminster Bridge you see one façade. From a helicopter over the river you see the whole building in its setting, with the London Eye on the opposite bank and the bridges lined up downstream. It is one of the first central-London sights on every private flight on the London hub.
The London Thames 35-Minute Private Helicopter Tour names it early on its river route. The flight lasts about 35 minutes in the air, about an hour in total, and costs from £1,055 (GBP) per helicopter for up to 3 guests. After Parliament the route continues past the London Eye, Trafalgar Square, St Paul’s Cathedral, the Globe Theatre, the City, the Tower of London, HMS Belfast and Tower Bridge, then east to the Olympic Stadium and Canary Wharf.
Parliament is also on the other two routes. The London Champagne 35-Minute Private Helicopter Flight for Two, £1,055 per helicopter for 2 guests with a bottle of champagne included, follows the river from Westminster to Tower Bridge. The London Olympic Park 45-Minute Private Helicopter Tour, about 45 minutes and from £1,210 per helicopter for up to 3, takes the same central section before its route map extends further east. Choose by group size and how far east you want to go, not by whether you see Parliament.
All flights start at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey, about 20 miles (32 km) south of central London, so Westminster is not where you take off. The helicopter first crosses the Surrey countryside and the M25, passes through the Heathrow control zone and joins the Thames at Barnes, then follows the river east into the centre. You fly at about 1,000 feet, just above the height of the Shard, and the pilot gives commentary on the way. The return runs back to Redhill via Croydon.
There is no landing and no hover over Parliament; it is a sight on a route that keeps moving. Each flight is private for your group only, and the price covers the whole helicopter. Tickets are non-refundable: all sales are final. Flights depend on suitable weather, which the pilot checks on the morning, and if conditions are unsuitable you are offered another date. Limited mobility, epilepsy, heart conditions and pregnancy may prevent flying, so check with a doctor if in doubt.
The meeting point is Hangar 1 at Redhill Aerodrome, Kings Mill Lane, Redhill RH1 5JY, with a roadside car park and signs through to the airside area. There is no pickup. Online check-in for every passenger must be done at least 48 hours before the flight. Arrive 30 minutes before take-off with photo ID, and leave bags at the office, as there is no room on board. To see Parliament and the rest of the river in 35 minutes, book the Thames tour.
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