How much does it cost to learn to fly in the United Kingdom?
Prices that 73 flight schools in the United Kingdom publish on their own websites for a private pilot licence (PPL) course and a trial flight.
A private pilot licence (PPL) package at a flight school in the United Kingdom typically costs £9,600. Half of the 24 schools that publish a package price charge between £7,550 and £12,000. The lowest published price is £2,250 and the highest is £15,800.
A trial flight (also called a discovery or introductory flight) typically costs £175. Half of the 73 schools that publish a price charge between £140 and £230.
Compare all schools in the United Kingdom by PPL pricePrices by region
Lowest published PPL packages in the United Kingdom
| School | Town | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Peterborough Flying School Ltd | Cambridgeshire | £2,250 |
| West London Aero Club | Berkshire | £2,550 |
| Highland Aviation Training Limited | Invernesshire | £3,200 |
| Ravenair | Merseyside | £3,250 |
| G.S. Aviation (Europe) Limited (UK/PTO-0449) | Marlborough, Wiltshire | £4,400 |
| Blackbushe Aviation | Surrey | £4,500 |
| North Weald Flight Training Limited | Essex | £8,550 |
| Academy Aviation Limited | North Weald | £8,600 |
| Airspace FTS Ltd | West Midlands | £8,600 |
| A2B Heli (Charters) Ltd | Redhill | $11,100 |
Lowest published trial flight prices in the United Kingdom
| School | Town | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Hull Aero Club Limited | East Yorkshire | £80 |
| Ravenair | Merseyside | £85 |
| Invicta Aero Club Limited | Kent | £90 |
| North Weald Flight Training Limited | Essex | £100 |
| Airspace FTS Ltd | West Midlands | £100 |
| GoFly Ltd | Hampshire | £100 |
| Academy Aviation Limited | North Weald | £105 |
| Flight Training Limited | Cambridgeshire | £110 |
| Booker Aviation | Buckinghamshire | £110 |
| Yorkshire Aero Club Limited | Doncaster | £120 |
What changes the final cost
- Hours: most students need more than the legal minimum before their skills test, and extra hours are charged at the school’s hourly rate.
- Aircraft: a newer or larger aircraft costs more per hour than a basic two-seat trainer.
- Fees outside the package: the medical certificate, theory exams, the examiner for the skills test and the licence itself are often charged separately.
- Airfield and weather: landing fees, and how often the weather lets you fly, both affect how long training takes.
How we worked this out
Prices come from the schools’ own websites, checked in September 2026. For each school we take its lowest package price for the PPL course and its lowest trial flight price, leave out figures that look like single lessons or exam fees, and convert the few prices quoted in other currencies. “Typical” is the median: half of schools charge less and half charge more. “Most schools” is the middle half.
Cite this data: BookFlightSchools, “Cost of learning to fly in the United Kingdom: PPL and trial flight prices (2026)”, September 2026. https://bookflightschools.com/flight-schools/united-kingdom/cost