Westland AW109
Twin engine. The one for over-water legs and bad weather.
Passengers
6 + pilot
Engines
Twin turbine
Forty minutes from Palma, over the top of Mallorca and across the channel. The quiet island of the three, and the one the ferry timetable makes hardest to reach on your own terms.
Menorca is the least convenient of the Balearics to reach from Mallorca, which has nothing to do with distance. It is the shortest of the island crossings. The problem is the schedule: a handful of sailings a day, most of them slow, and a drive at each end that turns a short hop into a full day out.
A helicopter removes the timetable from the decision. Forty minutes in the air, leaving when it suits you, and the aircraft is yours — the fare covers the helicopter and the pilot whether two of you fly or six.
The route runs north-east from the Bay of Palma, crosses the Serra de Tramuntana or skirts its eastern edge depending on the wind, and then crosses the channel with Mallorca’s north coast falling away behind you.
The approach to Menorca is the part people talk about afterwards. The south coast is a run of narrow limestone inlets — Galdana, Macarella, Mitjana — and from the air you see the shape of them properly, which you never do from the beach.
Flights land at Menorca airport, just outside Maó at the eastern end of the island. Maó itself is a few minutes away; Ciutadella, at the far western end, is around three quarters of an hour by road, so it is worth telling us which end you are staying at when you enquire.
Ground transport is arranged with the booking, and landing fees at both ends are already in the fare. Landing somewhere other than the airport is occasionally possible with the landowner’s permission and a suitable clear area, but the approval takes a few days rather than a morning.
The clearest case is a short stay. If you are going for two or three nights, the ferry takes a meaningful bite out of both ends of the trip and the helicopter gives you most of that time back.
The other is a fixed commitment at the far end — a wedding, a boat waiting, a table booked. Sailings get cancelled in a blow and the next one may be the following day. Forty minutes in the air is a far smaller thing to reschedule.
Most flights can be arranged within twenty-four hours and, outside August, often the same day. July and August are the exception: aircraft are committed early and a few days’ notice is the difference between choosing your time and taking what is left.
Which one depends on your group and your luggage. We confirm it when we quote, not after you book.
Twin engine. The one for over-water legs and bad weather.
Single engine. The workhorse — quiet, quick, panoramic.
Four seats. The value option for tours and short hops.
Single engine. Four seats and a proper hold — the classic island runabout.
Twin engine, rigid rotor. Agile, and the clamshell rear doors swallow awkward loads.
About forty minutes in the air, Palma to Menorca. Add a short drive to the departure pad at the Mallorca end, and a few minutes from Menorca airport into Mao at the other.
From EUR 2,700 for the whole aircraft, one way, with landing fees at both ends included. That is the price of the aircraft rather than a per-seat fare, so the cost per person falls sharply as the group grows.
Considerably, once the whole journey is counted. The crossing itself is a few hours, but the day also includes getting to the port, checking in, boarding, disembarking and driving again. The bigger difference is the timetable: sailings are limited and the helicopter leaves when you choose.
Up to six passengers plus the pilot on the largest aircraft in the Palma fleet. Larger groups fly across several aircraft released on the same slot, so everyone lands together rather than in waves.
Flights land at Menorca airport near Mao; there is no scheduled landing site at the Ciutadella end. Ciutadella is about forty-five minutes by road and the transfer is arranged with the booking, so there is a car waiting.
The pilot decides on the day and safety comes first. If the flight cannot go you are not charged; we rebook or refund. The channel crossing is open water and is occasionally affected by wind when the inland routes are not.
Everything is validated as you type. You see the aircraft and the fare before you send anything, and nothing is charged at this stage — this is a quote request.
| Route | Flight time | From (one way) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mallorca→Ibiza | 40 min | €2,400 | View route → |
| Mallorca→Barcelona | 60 min | €3,800 | View route → |
| Mallorca→Dénia | 50 min | €3,900 | View route → |
| Mallorca→Valencia | 60 min | €4,500 | View route → |
| Mallorca→Alicante | 75 min | €4,600 | View route → |