British Royals Fly Commercial Airlines Despite Access to RAF and Charter Aircraft
Why It MattersRoyal use of scheduled carriers alongside RAF and charter flights shows that government-approved and private aircraft remain a security and scheduling tool for official trips rather than the default for every journey.
Members of the British royal family, including King Charles III, Queen Camilla and the Prince and Princess of Wales, have all travelled on commercial airlines, even though royal travel often involves private aircraft, Royal Air Force (RAF) planes and extensive security arrangements. The choice of aircraft depends on the purpose of the trip, security requirements and operational arrangements.
For state visits, overseas tours and other official engagements, senior royals generally use government-approved aircraft or privately chartered planes, which offer flexibility for complex schedules, security coordination and multi-destination journeys. One aircraft used for government and royal travel is the RAF Voyager. According to the Royal Household's 2025-26 Sovereign Grant report, approved official travel is funded through the Sovereign Grant, with overseas state visits and other official engagements subject to government approval.
Prince William and Kate Middleton have flown commercially on several occasions. They flew with British Airways from London (LHR) to Mumbai (BOM) in April 2016, used Aer Lingus (EI) to Dublin (DUB) for their first official visit to Ireland in March 2020, and arrived in Boston on a commercial flight during their 2022 US visit. On personal journeys, they used Flybe and easyJet to travel to Scotland for Zara Tindall's wedding in 2011, and in 2019 the couple and their three children flew Flybe from Norwich to Aberdeen to visit Queen Elizabeth II at Balmoral.
Royal aviation has also involved protocols to protect the line of succession. Traditionally, the monarch's immediate successors are discouraged from flying together on the same aircraft. Former royal pilot Graham Laurie said Prince William travelled separately from his parents after turning 12 in 1994, with exceptions possible when Queen Elizabeth II gave written permission. The arrangement has never been a legally binding prohibition.
