Cheltenham Festival Private Jet Catering: Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO) Race Week Guide
Cheltenham Festival private jet catering is all about four days in March when the racing world gathers in the Cotswolds. The Festival is the high point of the National Hunt season, and owners, trainers, syndicates and racegoers fly in from Ireland, London, continental Europe and beyond. The closest airport to the racecourse is Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO) at Staverton, between Cheltenham and Gloucester.
Global Diners prepares VVIP inflight catering in our own kitchens in Paris, Nice and Madrid and in our kitchens across more than 2,500 airports, including Gloucestershire, Cotswold Kemble (EGBP / GBA) and Oxford (EGTK / OXF). This race-week guide explains how to plan catering around the Festival, what racegoers love to find on board, and how our specialised team works with your FBO through one of the liveliest weeks of the British sporting year.
Four days of racing in the Cotswolds
The Festival runs from Tuesday to Friday in mid-March, with a championship race as the highlight of each day and the Gold Cup on the final afternoon. Many guests fly in on the morning of their chosen day and fly out after the last race, while others stay for the whole week in Cotswold country houses and hotels. Either way, catering often spans an outbound breakfast, a return dinner and sometimes a celebration on board.
Airport | Why racegoers choose it | How Global Diners supports it |
Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO) | Closest to Cheltenham racecourse | Delivery coordinated with your FBO, timed to race-day departures |
Cotswold Kemble (EGBP / GBA) | Southern Cotswolds, Cirencester and Tetbury | The same Global Diners menu and order process |
Oxford (EGTK / OXF) | Larger aircraft and connections to Oxford and London | Multi-leg planning across the week |
Because Gloucestershire is a busy airport during the Festival, our team recommends confirming your FBO and slot early and sharing the full week's schedule with us in one email. We then plan each delivery with your FBO, so that the catering is in place when your passengers return from the course.
Race-day flights from Ireland and beyond
Irish racing has a special place at Cheltenham, and a large share of Festival flights come from Dublin (EIDW / DUB) and Shannon (EINN / SNN). Many of these are short sectors, so the onboard service needs to be quick, generous and easy to serve. Flights from London, Paris and the continent follow the same pattern, with an outbound breakfast and a convivial return.
Morning outbound: smoked salmon and scrambled eggs, warm viennoiserie, fresh fruit and good coffee for an early start.
Afternoon return: sandwiches, savoury pies, cheese and a slice of cake for guests coming back from the course.
Celebration flights: caviar, canapés and Champagne for a winning owner or syndicate, subject to local rules.
Crew meals: balanced, filling dishes for crews spending a long day on the ground at Staverton.
Race day is full of emotion. The flight home should feel like the perfect end to the day, whatever the result on the course.
British and Irish flavours on board
The Cotswolds in March call for warming, seasonal food. Our kitchens bring British and Irish classics on board, alongside the caviar, smoked salmon, cheese and pastries of the Global Diners menu card.
Moment | Race-week inspiration | How Global Diners prepares it |
Breakfast | Scottish smoked salmon, scrambled eggs, Irish soda bread | Components packed separately, reheating guidance |
Light lunch | Finger sandwiches, game or chicken pie, Cotswold cheeses | Individually portioned, allergen-labelled |
Hot main | Slow-cooked beef, roast chicken, seasonal root vegetables | Galley-ready trays, gravy apart, reheating guidance |
Tea | Scones with clotted cream and jam, fruit cake | Ready to serve, jam and cream in separate pots |
Drinks | Champagne, Irish whiskey, English sparkling wine | Subject to local rules, confirmed with your quote |
An afternoon tea on the return flight has become a favourite request: finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, and a selection of small cakes, served with fine teas. Cotswold cheeses, such as Double Gloucester and Stinking Bishop, make a fitting local touch, and our guide to wine pairing for private jet catering has ideas for Champagne and English sparkling wine.
Beyond the Festival: the Cotswolds year
Cheltenham is busy beyond March. The November Meeting opens the jump-racing season, the Jazz Festival arrives in late spring, Badminton Horse Trials fill a May weekend, the Royal International Air Tattoo brings aviation fans to RAF Fairford in July, and the Literature Festival welcomes authors in October. Summer polo and country-house weddings complete the calendar, and our kitchens prepare for each of them with the same care.
Dietary menus and galley-ready packing
Halal, kosher and alcohol-free menus are available for every Cotswolds departure, together with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free dishes. Every item carries an allergen label, sauces and gravies are packed separately and hot dishes come with reheating guidance. Our article on what flight crews expect from a private jet caterer shares the details crews value most.
How to order catering for Cheltenham race week
Email order@globaldiners.com with the registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count for each day of your trip.
Add dietary needs, allergies and any celebration plans.
Order 24 hours ahead, or a little earlier during Festival week.
Receive your dedicated quote and written confirmation from our specialised team.
Our team coordinates every delivery with your FBO or handler at Gloucestershire, Kemble or Oxford.
The Global Diners client portal is coming very soon. It is designed to bring the Global Diners menu, order requests, confirmations and documents into one space for crew, operations and finance. Until it opens, every request goes through order@globaldiners.com. A Global Diners crew training programme will also launch soon.
Private Jet Catering During Cheltenham and the Cotswolds Events (EGBJ / GLO)
Racing defines the catering calendar at Gloucestershire Airport. Cheltenham's March Festival fills the apron with business aircraft and helicopters, and the whole region comes alive in the same few days. Equestrian events, the air tattoo at nearby Fairford and the town's literature and jazz festivals bring further peaks. These are the most sought-after dates of the year, so ordering a little earlier than the standard 24 hours keeps everything relaxed. Confirm passenger numbers as soon as hospitality plans are set, agree delivery timing with the handler, and choose easy formats such as sealed individual boxes or sharing platters that can be served on short sectors.
Event | When | Where |
Cheltenham Festival | March | Cheltenham Racecourse, Prestbury Park |
Cheltenham November Meeting | November | Cheltenham Racecourse |
Badminton Horse Trials | May | Badminton Estate, South Gloucestershire |
Royal International Air Tattoo | July | RAF Fairford, Gloucestershire |
Cheltenham Literature Festival | October | Montpellier Gardens and Imperial Gardens, Cheltenham |
Cheltenham Jazz Festival | Late April to early May | Montpellier Gardens and venues across Cheltenham |
Cheltenham Festival at Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO): March
The Cheltenham Festival is the high point of the British and Irish jump-racing season, held over four days each March. Owners, trainers and racegoers fly into Staverton from Ireland, the UK and further afield, and many aircraft wait on the ground all day. Plan celebratory return-flight menus with smoked salmon, roast beef sandwiches, cheese and Champagne (subject to local rules), plus crew meals for the afternoon on the ground. Share your plans early, confirm a departure window with the handler and enjoy a lively final afternoon.
Racing fixtures and festival dates shift each year, so confirm the timing with our team when you send your order.
Things to do around Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO)
Cheltenham Racecourse sits at Prestbury Park under Cleeve Hill, the highest point in the Cotswolds, where open grassland offers wide views and walking routes. The Cotswold Way national trail runs along the escarpment above the town. Golfers have courses at Cleeve Hill and in the surrounding countryside. Classic Cotswold villages such as Broadway, Bourton-on-the-Water, Stow-on-the-Wold and Painswick are within easy drives. Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, is famous for its autumn colour. The Forest of Dean, west of Gloucester, offers cycling and woodland trails, and the Severn Bore can be watched from riverbanks below Gloucester on the biggest spring tides.
Culture and heritage near Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO)
Gloucester Cathedral has a remarkable fan-vaulted cloister and the tomb of King Edward II. Gloucester Docks, a Victorian inland port, now holds the National Waterways Museum. Cheltenham grew as a Regency spa town; the Pittville Pump Room and the terraces around Montpellier show its architecture. The composer Gustav Holst was born in the town, and his childhood home is a museum. Sudeley Castle at Winchcombe and Tewkesbury Abbey are both short drives away.
Also nearby: Cotswold Kemble (EGBP / GBA)
Cotswold Airport occupies the former RAF Kemble airfield, about 6 km south-west of Cirencester in Gloucestershire. Its long runway accepts business jets, and the site is also known for aircraft maintenance, storage and recycling alongside general aviation and flight training. Private visitors use it as a convenient arrival point for the southern Cotswolds: Cirencester, Tetbury, Malmesbury and the country estates of Gloucestershire and Wiltshire, many of them second homes. The calendar is shaped by equestrian and country sports, from the Cheltenham Festival and Badminton Horse Trials to summer polo, with the busiest months running from March to September.
The Cotswolds, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, offer walking trails, honey-stone villages and rolling hills. Westonbirt, the National Arboretum, near Tetbury, is famous for its autumn colours. The Cotswold Water Park, with over 150 lakes, provides sailing, paddleboarding and walking. Polo at Cirencester Park and Beaufort, golf, riding and shooting estates draw country-sports enthusiasts. The source of the River Thames lies close to the airport, and Bath and Cheltenham are each within an easy drive. Cycling along quiet lanes, hot-air balloon flights over the hills and visits to country fairs fill summer days, while autumn brings walks through beech woods and shooting on local estates.
FBOs at every airport in this guide
Here are the business aviation terminals (FBOs) at each airport mentioned above. Our team coordinates every catering delivery with the FBO or handler you choose, and our own kitchens deliver planeside at Paris (LFPB / LBG) and Nice (LFMN / NCE).
Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO): Flightpartner Ltd, The Little Jet Company and Weston Aviation
Cotswold Kemble (EGBP / GBA): Cotswold Airport
Oxford (EGTK / OXF): London Oxford Airport
Frequently asked questions
Which airport is closest to Cheltenham racecourse?
Gloucestershire Airport (EGBJ / GLO) at Staverton is the closest, between Cheltenham and Gloucester. Cotswold Kemble (EGBP / GBA) and Oxford (EGTK / OXF) are useful alternatives, and Global Diners serves all three.
How early should I order catering for the Cheltenham Festival?
We recommend ordering 24 hours ahead, or a little earlier during Festival week, and sharing the full week's schedule in one email to order@globaldiners.com.
Can you prepare an afternoon tea for the flight home?
Yes. Finger sandwiches, scones with clotted cream and jam, small cakes and fine teas are a race-week favourite, packed so the crew can serve them beautifully on board.
Where is catering delivered at Gloucestershire Airport?
Delivery is coordinated with your FBO or handler at Gloucestershire Airport, at the time agreed for your departure.
Can I order catering at Gloucestershire Airport (EGBJ / GLO) for a flight during the Cheltenham Festival?
Yes. Gloucestershire Airport (EGBJ / GLO) is the closest airfield to Cheltenham Racecourse, and Global Diners prepares catering for Festival week on request. Celebration platters, smoked salmon, cheese boards and Champagne pairings (subject to local rules) suit the return flight after the last race. Festival week is the busiest period here, so place your order several days in advance and share the expected departure time with the handler.
Is a Cotswold cheese board available for flights from Gloucestershire Airport (EGBJ / GLO)?
Yes. For flights from Gloucestershire Airport (EGBJ / GLO), Global Diners can supply a cheese board featuring local styles such as Double Gloucester and other farmhouse cheeses from the region, with chutney, fruit and crackers. Our kitchens prepare the board, and pairings with English wine (subject to local rules) or local apple juice are available on request.
Explore more destinations and guides
Private jet catering in Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO)
Private jet catering in Cotswold Kemble (EGBP / GBA)
Private jet catering in Oxford (EGTK / OXF)
Private jet catering in Dublin (EIDW / DUB)
Flying to the Cheltenham Festival?
Whether your guests are coming for the Gold Cup, the whole Festival or a quiet weekend in the Cotswolds, Global Diners brings one menu, one specialised team and our kitchens to Gloucestershire (EGBJ / GLO). Send us your race-week schedule and we will prepare a dedicated quote, so every flight to and from the course is as memorable as the racing.
To request a quote, email order@globaldiners.com with your aircraft registration, airport, date, delivery time and passenger count. Our specialised team replies with a dedicated quote for your mission.
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