Popular business hubs in Europe and how to fly there

Europe has been a business hub for centuries and its airports welcome millions of corporate travellers every year. Many offer private jet passengers a seamless travel experience with fixed base operators (FBOs) and private terminals. We’ve collated the continent’s most popular business hubs, along with each city’s closest airports.

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London, England

London has a long history as one of the world’s leading business hubs and still plays a major role in banking, financial and professional services sectors worldwide, despite the UK’s exit from the European Union. While Canary Wharf is the city’s best-known financial district, wider London is also home to a plethora of business headquarters. To cope with the sheer number of people flying in every day, there are several airports and FBOs to choose from.

London City Airport

The closest airport to the city centre sits just three miles from Canary Wharf, five miles from the Houses of Parliament and 10 miles from swanky Mayfair. London City also has the only private jet terminal located within the centre of London.

London Biggin Hill Airport

Once used by the Royal Air Force, Biggin Hill now specialises in general aviation and handles a spectrum of traffic, from turboprops to large business jets. The airport’s private nature and location just 13 miles from the city centre make it a popular destination for corporate travel.

Farnborough Airport

Farnborough was purpose-built as London’s business aviation gateway and the building itself is more reminiscent of a five-star hotel than an airport terminal, with a beautiful lounge where you can sit and relax before your flight. It’s about an hour’s drive from the city centre and 90 minutes from Canary Wharf, while a helicopter charter can whisk you to Battersea’s heliport in central London in under 20 minutes.

RAF Northolt Airport

Located just 16 miles from central London, RAF Northolt – also known as the King’s Airport – is one of the city’s most exclusive private jet terminals. The active military airport’s security and privacy make it a sought-after alternative to more congested airports, but limited operating hours can make it hard to guarantee landing slots.

London Luton Airport

This popular airport for private jets sits an hour’s drive from central London in Bedfordshire. The international aviation hub has two dedicated private terminals, including Harrods Aviation, with facilities like a bar, business centre and VIP lounges.

London Stansted Airport

It’s located further from the city centre than Biggin Hill and London City, but Stansted is one of just three London airports that can handle VIP jets larger than a Boeing B767. It’s also known for its convenience, with 24-hour operations meaning flights can come and go at almost any time of day.

London Heathrow Airport

Heathrow is one of the world’s busiest commercial airports, so obtaining landing slots for private aircraft can prove difficult and costly – especially at late notice. However, the airport has excellent infrastructure, including an FBO, and is just 12 miles from central London.

London Gatwick Airport

Like Heathrow, landing slots need to be booked well in advance at Gatwick. The busy airport sits 30 miles south of the city centre, but private passengers can catch the Victoria Express from its train station just a five-minute walk from the FBO.

Paris, France

Welcoming hundreds of aircraft every day, Paris is a gateway to Europe and home to corporate giants like BNP Paribas and AXA. The city’s business hubs, including La Défense business district and Paris Le Bourget Exhibition Centre, play host to so many front-office functions that it accounts for almost 30 percent of the French economy.

Unlike London, where several airports are scattered in and around the city, business aviation in Paris is monopolised by one of the world’s biggest private airports.

Paris-Le Bourget Airport

Originally for commercial flights, Paris-Le Bourget is now dedicated to private travel. Located five miles from the city and 12 miles from La Défense, Europe’s leading business airport boasts three runways, around 80 airport and aviation service companies, and eight FBOs – the most in the world.

Frankfurt, Germany

While Berlin and Munich contribute to Germany’s status as the continent’s biggest economy, Frankfurt is a vital international financial centre and European traffic hub.

The city’s geographical location has attracted financial juggernauts like the European Central Bank, Deutsche Bundesbank and Frankfurt Stock Exchange. In addition to key road and train links to other major German cities, Frankfurt am Main International Airport is one of the world’s largest international and cargo airports.

Frankfurt am Main International Airport

Frankfurt’s biggest airport has a dedicated private terminal just eight miles southwest of the city centre, for easy access to the business district and exhibition centre. A driver can get you to central Frankfurt in under 15 minutes, or you can charter a helicopter.

Frankfurt-Hahn

Frankfurt-Hahn is primarily an international airport serving Germany’s Rhineland-Palatinate region. Despite being nearly 80 miles from Frankfurt, it still attracts business and diplomatic flights, as well as passengers travelling to destinations west of the city like Mainz.

Madrid, Spain

Madrid is Spain’s economic and financial centre, with some of the world’s most innovative businesses boasting outposts in the country’s capital. Apple, Tesla, Alibaba, Facebook, Nike and Coca-Cola are just a few of the brands that have a large presence here, making it a popular destination for private business travel.

Most major businesses sit on the Paseo de la Castellana thoroughfare, which cuts through the city from north to south and is just a 20-minute drive from the main airport.

Adolfo Suárez Madrid

Also known as Barajas Airport, Adolfo Suárez Madrid is Europe’s second-largest airport by physical size behind Paris-Charles de Gaulle and offers four main terminals, six VIP lounges and a dedicated private terminal. The airport is just eight miles from the city centre, putting visitors within easy reach of the capital’s business hubs by car or helicopter charter.

Madrid-Cuatro Vientos Airport

Madrid-Cuatro Vientos is a business jet airport located 20 minutes from the city centre. Spain’s oldest airport dates back to 1911 and is now used for smaller aircraft like turboprops and light jets, with an onsite FBO servicing private jet travellers.

Barcelona, Spain

While Barcelona doesn’t quite have Madrid’s financial might, it’s still a world benchmark in entrepreneurship and renowned as the leader of Spain’s knowledge economy. Businesses own real estate all over the city, with trade centralised in the Les Corts financial district.

Josep Tarradellas Barcelona-El Prat Airport

Located just under 10 miles from the city centre, El Prat is Spain’s second-largest airport and the sixth-largest in Europe. As well as several VIP lounges, there’s a private business aviation terminal for speedy transit in and out of the country. Passengers can also book helicopter charters to the popular islands of Ibiza, Majorca and Menorca in just over an hour.

Geneva, Switzerland

Switzerland is often referred to as the financial centre of the world and Geneva plays a major role in the country’s reputation. Several UN agencies are headquartered in the city, which also hosts world-renowned exhibitions and trade shows like the International Geneva Motor Show and the European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE). The Geneva Business Centre sits a few minutes from both the city centre and Geneva International Airport.

Geneva Cointrin International Airport

Geneva International had humble beginnings in 1919 as a landing strip three miles from the city centre. Today, the airport welcomes thousands of flights every year and is the primary source of air travel in and out of the city. Terminal 3 is dedicated to private aviation, with state-of-the-art facilities and a comfortable lounge.

Zurich, Switzerland

Home to several Swiss banks, Zurich is a hive of financial business activity. It’s also almost tailor-made for MICE events, with a famous shopping district and buzzing nightlife. Many of the city’s hotels have luxury suites and event spaces for hosting small- to medium-sized events, while the convention centre’s gold-ceilinged music hall is ideal for larger functions.

Zurich Kloten Airport

Zurich Kloten is a 25-minute drive north of the city centre and has been servicing the region since 1953. The airport has a dedicated business aviation terminal for quick and discreet transfers from a private jet.

If you want to travel to any of these destinations by private jet, call one of our friendly team today.