Door to Slope: How Flying Private Changes the Journey to Six Alpine Resorts
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Door to Slope: How Flying Private Changes the Journey to Six Alpine Resorts

2 November 2026

Ask anyone who has done the Saturday transfer from Geneva in February and they will tell you the flight is the easy part. It's the queue at arrivals, the wait for bags, and two or three hours in a minibus that eat the first day of the holiday. On a long weekend, that can mean losing half of your time on the mountain to getting there and back.

Flying private doesn't just make the flight more comfortable. Its real advantage on ski trips is that it lets you land at a smaller airport much closer to the resort, walk through a quiet terminal in minutes, and be on the slopes the same afternoon. Here is how that works for six of the Alps' best-known resorts, from the airport to use to how long the last leg really takes.

Courchevel

Best airport: Chambéry · Then: around 2 hours by road, or around 20 minutes by helicopter

Courchevel has its own famous altiport, but the runway is short and steep and handles only small specialist aircraft. For most private flights, Chambéry is the practical gateway. From there you can drive up through the Tarentaise valley, or take a helicopter and land in Courchevel in about the time it takes to have a coffee. For clients staying at addresses such as Cheval Blanc or Les Airelles, the helicopter is often what turns a travel day into a ski day.

Zermatt

Best airport: Sion · Then: around 20 minutes by helicopter, or road to Täsch and the shuttle train

Zermatt is car-free, so every arrival ends with a train or a helicopter. Flying into Sion, a small airport in the Rhône valley, puts you within a short helicopter hop of the village heliport, with the Matterhorn in view for most of the way. By road and rail from Sion it's closer to an hour and a half. From Geneva by road, allow well over three hours.

Gstaad

Best airport: Saanen (for smaller aircraft) or Bern · Then: a few minutes from Saanen, around 1 hour 15 minutes from Bern

Gstaad is one of the few major resorts with an airfield almost in the village. Saanen has a short runway, so it is suited to turboprops and certain short-field jets, and every flight needs approval in advance. Larger aircraft use Bern and drive up through the Simmental valley. Either way, it's a far easier arrival than the two-hour drive from Geneva.

Megève

Best airport: Geneva · Then: around 1 hour 15 minutes by road

Megève is the exception that proves the rule: Geneva is close enough that it's the right answer. The difference with a private flight is the terminal. Geneva's private aviation terminals are separate from the main airport, so instead of queueing with every other ski group, you're in the car within minutes of landing.

Kitzbühel

Best airport: Salzburg or Innsbruck · Then: around 1 hour 15 minutes by road from either

Kitzbühel sits between two good gateways, so the choice usually comes down to weather, slot availability and which way the aircraft is positioned. Both are a comfortable drive away, and both are a better option than flying commercially to Munich and driving for two hours.

Cortina d'Ampezzo

Best airport: Venice or Treviso · Then: around 2 hours by road, or a helicopter transfer

Fresh from co-hosting the 2026 Winter Olympics, Cortina has some of the most dramatic scenery in the Alps. There's no airport nearby that takes jets, so Venice and Treviso are the usual gateways. For some clients, the drive is part of the appeal. For others, a helicopter from Venice makes the transfer as short as the flight.

Which aircraft for a ski trip?

The question we ask first isn't which jet you'd like. It's how many people are travelling and how many ski bags they're bringing. Skis, boots and winter clothes take up far more hold space than summer luggage, and an aircraft that's perfect for four people in July can be too small for the same four in February.

Two to four guests, light luggage. A light jet, such as a Citation M2, is the most cost-effective way to the Alps. This week we have a 2025 Citation M2 from London to Geneva from around £9,600 one way.

Four to six guests with ski kit. A super light jet such as the Pilatus PC-24 or Embraer Phenom 300 gives you more cabin space and a bigger hold. The PC-24 is especially useful for mountain airports thanks to its short-runway performance and large cargo door.

Six to nine guests, or longer flights. A super midsize jet such as the Challenger 3500 has a stand-up cabin and enough range to fly from London to the Alps and onwards, or to bring guests in from the Gulf.

Large families and groups. For 10 or more, a heavy jet keeps everyone together on one aircraft with room for all the equipment.

When you request a quote, tell us the number of ski bags as well as passengers. It's the detail that most often changes which aircraft is right.

Timing and price

The busiest weeks are always Christmas, New Year and February half-term. Aircraft based near London are booked early, and prices rise accordingly. If your dates fall in those weeks, plan two to three months ahead. If you're flexible, empty legs on the Alpine routes can be excellent value. For a full breakdown of costs by aircraft type, see our guide to what it actually costs to fly private to the Alps this winter.

One tip for London departures: flying from Biggin Hill instead of Farnborough is often noticeably cheaper for the same aircraft and route, and the terminals are calm and quick. It's always worth comparing both.

Plan your ski flight

We match the aircraft to the airport and the airport to the resort, then arrange the helicopter or car at the other end, so the whole journey is planned as one. Tell us where and when you want to ski, and we'll send you options within hours.

Ready when you are.
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