3/ 5 reviews
Staff & service
“Lots of space, super clean environment and helpful polite staff.”
Nicola UK5★ on Google
Airports / Spain / VDE
Medium airport · VDE
El Hierro Airport.
El Hierro Island, Spain · 103 ft elevation. A private-aviation gateway on the Bravo register.
4.5/5
Google rating
783 ratings
0
Operators based
103
Elevation ft
Scheduled service
El Hierro Island, SpainELEV 103 FTMedium airportScheduled service
4.5
Google rating
783
Google reviews
ratings on Google
103
Field elevation
feet above sea level
49
Nearest alternate
nm to SPC
Field standing
#3 / 54
Spain airports by Google rating
4.5★ across 783 Google ratings , ranked against 54 rated Spain fields.
49 nm
To the nearest alternate
La Palma Airport (SPC).
Overview
El Hierro Airport, listed as GCHI / VDE, is a mid-sized airport in El Hierro Island, Spain. The airport sits 103 feet above sea level. Alongside scheduled airline service, the airport handles a steady flow of private and charter traffic.
No charter operator is headquartered on the field, but operators routinely position aircraft into VDE for departures. When weather or ramp space demands it, nearby options are La Palma Airport (SPC, 49 nm), Tenerife Sur Airport (TFS, 71 nm), and Tenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna Airport (TFN, 91 nm). With a single 4,101-foot paved runway, VDE can typically accommodate aircraft as large as light jets.
Charter pricing from VDE depends on aircraft category, positioning distance, and trip timing. In directories and search listings it also appears under Hierro and El Hierro. Compare rated operators or run a route through the cost estimator to gauge pricing from El Hierro Island.
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What fliers highlight.
From the stored review texts
2/ 5 reviews
Easy in & out
“Plane check in smooth and left bang on time.”
Nicola UK5★ on Google
2/ 5 reviews
Terminal & facilities
“Lots of space, super clean environment and helpful polite staff.”
Nicola UK5★ on Google
Themes counted by keyword across Google review texts for El Hierro Airport, every quote is verbatim from a real review.
Field capability
ICAO
GCHI
IATA
VDE
FAA / Local
GCHI
Elevation
103 ft
Coordinates
27.8148° N · 17.8871° W
Airspace
G · GolfClass G, GolfUncontrolled field, no tower. Pilots self-announce and sequence themselves on the common traffic advisory frequency.Source: FAA NASR class airspace
Size
Medium
Scheduled svc
Yes
Elevation vs Spain fields
state range 11–3,380 ft
At 103 ft, VDE sits lower than 75% of the 55 Spain fields on the register.
Runways & aircraft access
1 runway
longest 4,101 ft
- 16/344,101 ft × 98 ftAsphaltLighted
Which aircraft can operate here
vs longest paved runway 4,101 ft
VDE's 4,101 ft paved runway typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets.
- Turboprop3,000 ft
- Light Jet3,500 ft
- Midsize Jet4,500 ft
- Super-Midsize Jet5,000 ft
- Heavy Jet5,500 ft
- VIP Airliner6,000 ft
Class minimums are sea-level planning rules of thumb. A specific aircraft's balanced-field length varies with weight, temperature, and field elevation. Confirm performance with the operator.
Access & alternates
Closest alternate fields by great-circle distance, every listing links to its own field brief.
- 49nmSPCLa Palma AirportSta Cruz de la Palma, La Palma Island
- 71nmTFSTenerife Sur AirportTenerife
- 91nmTFNTenerife Norte-Ciudad de La Laguna AirportTenerife
- 133nmLPAGran Canaria AirportGran Canaria Island
- 216nmFUEFuerteventura AirportEl Matorral
- 236nmACECésar Manrique-Lanzarote AirportSan Bartolomé
Location
Open the full mapGCHI · El Hierro Airport · El Hierro Island, Spain
Flight times from here
Approximate nonstop block times from VDE on a typical midsize charter jet. Faster classes trim these; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.
| Destination | Distance | Block time |
|---|---|---|
| Boston (BED) | 2,717 nm | 6h 43m |
| New York (TEB) | 2,842 nm | 7h 1m |
| Washington DC (IAD) | 3,007 nm | 7h 24m |
| Palm Beach (PBI) | 3,284 nm | 8h 2m |
| Miami (MIA) | 3,309 nm | 8h 6m |
| Chicago (ORD) | 3,454 nm | 8h 26m |
| Nashville (BNA) | 3,468 nm | 8h 28m |
| Houston (HOU) | 3,993 nm | 9h 41m |
Common questions
- What size private jets can use VDE?
- El Hierro Airport's longest paved runway is 4,101 ft, which typically supports charter aircraft up to light jets. Lighter classes (turboprops, light and midsize jets) operate comfortably; confirm exact performance for a specific tail with the operator, since balanced-field length shifts with weight, temperature, and elevation.
- What is the longest runway at VDE?
- El Hierro Airport has one runway; the longest measures 4,101 ft on a paved surface and is lit for night operations.
- What is the nearest major airport to VDE?
- The closest alternate is La Palma Airport (SPC), about 49 nm away, followed by Tenerife Sur Airport (TFS) at 71 nm. Operators often position aircraft between these fields depending on ramp space and availability.
- How long is a flight from VDE to major cities?
- Typical block times on a midsize jet: Boston about 6h 43m (2,717 nm), New York about 7h 1m (2,842 nm), Washington DC about 7h 24m (3,007 nm). Faster classes trim these times; add positioning and taxi for the real schedule.