Private helicopter charter from Milan: which aircraft, how many seats, what it costs

Most helicopter enquiries start with a destination and a date. The answer usually depends on a third thing nobody mentions: how many people, with how much luggage, and whether the route crosses water or a city.

The fleet, plainly **Eurocopter EC130** — single-engine turbine, up to 6 passengers, panoramic cabin with excellent visibility for scenic flights. The quietest of the group and the standard aircraft for Lake Como tours. It is the default machine behind every "from" price we publish.

Agusta A109 A-II — twin-engine, up to 5 passengers, retractable gear, notably fast. Chosen when the route is long, when the client wants two engines, or when the schedule is tight.

AgustaWestland AW109 SP GrandNew — twin-engine, up to 6 passengers, glass cockpit, the modern executive standard. The right aircraft for cross-border and mountain work such as St. Moritz.

Eurocopter EC155 — twin-engine, up to 8 passengers, large cabin and real baggage volume. This is the aircraft for a full family with luggage, or a long over-water leg such as Porto Cervo.

You can see all four in our own photographs on the helicopter page.

Single engine or twin? For daytime scenic flights over the Italian lakes, a single-engine turbine is normal, legal and safe, and it is what almost every operator uses for tours. Twin-engine is required or strongly preferred when the route crosses long stretches of water, when you fly at night, and when corporate travel policy demands it. Twin-engine charter is roughly 40 to 80 per cent more per hour depending on the type.

What drives the price 1. **Flight time** — helicopters are billed by the hour in the air, not by distance on a map. 2. **Positioning** — if the aircraft has to fly empty to you and back, those legs are billed. 3. **Landing and handling fees** — included in our published lake and day-trip prices; airport landings at Venice, Florence or Nice-side destinations carry higher fees. 4. **Waiting time** — a day trip keeps the crew and aircraft on the ground for you; that is inside the day-trip rate. 5. **Border crossings** — St. Moritz, Saint-Tropez and Monaco add customs and landing charges quoted at booking.

Indicative day-trip rates, per aircraft, VAT excluded - Bormio: from **€4,200** - St. Moritz: from **€4,200** (VAT exempt, plus customs and landing) - Portofino / Rapallo: from **€4,700** - Forte dei Marmi: from **€5,150** - Florence: from **€5,650** - Venice Lido: from **€5,750** - Saint-Tropez: from **€8,400** (VAT exempt, plus customs and landing) - Monte Carlo: from **€9,600** (VAT exempt, plus customs and landing) - Porto Cervo, Sardinia: from **€14,400** (twin-engine EC155)

What we handle around the flight Chauffeur to and from the heliport, meet-and-greet, luggage handling, restaurant and hotel bookings at the destination, and a boat or car waiting at the other end. If a helicopter is the wrong tool for your day — bad weather window, short distance, heavy luggage — we will say so and put you in an S-Class instead. See the [chauffeur day rate](/atlas/chauffeur-day-rate-milan) guide for that comparison.

Send your date and passenger count to the concierge below and we will come back with the aircraft, the flight time and a firm figure.