Canary Wharf stands on the Isle of Dogs in east London, a cluster of office towers inside a tight loop of the Thames. From the river it is a wall of glass. From a helicopter you see why the loop matters: the water wraps around three sides of the peninsula, the towers rise from the middle, and the older docks sit between them. It marks the point where the flights on the London hub leave the historic centre behind.
The London Olympic Park 45-Minute Private Helicopter Tour gives it the most time. It spends about 45 minutes in the air, from £1,210 (GBP) per helicopter for up to 3 guests. It follows the same central route as the Thames tour, past the Houses of Parliament, St Paul’s and Tower Bridge, and then extends east past Canary Wharf and the Olympic Stadium. Its route map shows the Isle of Dogs, the Dome and ExCeL, with Greenwich and the Thames Barrier also on the map.
The London Thames 35-Minute Private Helicopter Tour also names Canary Wharf, as the last sight of its eastern section along with the Olympic Stadium. It lasts about 35 minutes, from £1,055 per helicopter for up to 3 guests. The London Champagne 35-Minute Private Helicopter Flight for Two does not include Canary Wharf; its river section ends at Tower Bridge. If the towers of east London are high on your list, choose between the Olympic Park and Thames tours, since both name Canary Wharf, and decide how much time in the air you want.
Every flight starts at Redhill Aerodrome in Surrey, about 20 miles (32 km) south of central London, so the trip east to Canary Wharf comes at the end of a longer route. 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 through the centre. It returns to Redhill via Croydon. You fly at about 1,000 feet, just above the height of the Shard, so the towers are close to your height.
The flights pass Canary Wharf rather than circling it, and none of them lands. Each one is private, so only your group is on board, and the price covers the whole helicopter. Tickets are non-refundable: all sales are final, and there is no refund if you cancel. If the weather is unsuitable, which the pilot decides on the morning using an aviation forecast, you are offered another date. Flights usually run between about 10:00 and 16:00, year-round except 25–26 December; the Thames and champagne tours fly Tuesday to Sunday.
The meeting point is Hangar 1 at Redhill Aerodrome, Kings Mill Lane, Redhill RH1 5JY; park in the roadside car park and follow the signs airside. There is no pickup. Check in online at least 48 hours before with every passenger’s details, then arrive 30 minutes before take-off with photo ID. Weight is limited to 136 kg (21 st) per seat. For Canary Wharf and the eastern Thames, book the Olympic Park tour.
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