The private terminal at Farnborough Airport

Why it is on the list

Farnborough is the largest business aviation airport in the UK, was ranked the No. 1 FBO in the Aviation International News FBO Survey 2023, and its terminal has a RIBA award.¹ The building, by 3D Reid, was drawn for privacy at a small scale, with lounges that look out over the airfield.² Customs, immigration and screening are in the terminal, you can be driven to the aircraft, and on return the car is waiting as the stairs come down; central London is under an hour by road or 12 minutes by helicopter.³

It handles business aviation only, so it is the wrong choice for a scheduled flight.² For a scheduled departure from Heathrow, take The Windsor instead.

How to get it

To fly in or out, send booking enquiries through the contact page, write to enquiries@farnboroughairport.com or call +44 (0)1252 379000; questions about a flight already booked go to ops@farnboroughairport.com.⁴¹ The airport is open 07:00 to 22:00 Monday to Friday and 08:00 to 20:00 at weekends and on bank holidays, and it is closed on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, so plan departures and arrivals inside those hours.⁴ Use the postcode GU14 0LJ for satellite navigation.⁴ Parking outside the terminal is free for the whole trip and has EV charging; chauffeurs and catering come through the airport's partners.³ Pets travel under the Pet Travel Scheme without quarantine; ask pets@farnboroughairport.com or call 01252 379 041.³

Discretion

The terminal was designed with anonymity in mind, and there is a separate private lounge as well as the main lounges.³ A concierge takes the luggage at the entrance. On departure the car can drive to the aircraft; on return it waits as the stairs come down.³