Flying private to the Alps: how to choose the right ski airport

Flying private to the Alps: how to choose the right ski airport

Every winter, the same question reaches our Schiphol office in a dozen different forms. A family in Amsterdam wants to be in Verbier by lunchtime. A company in Utrecht is taking 40 people to the Tirol. A group of friends wants the Three Valleys without the Saturday crowds at Geneva.

The answer always starts with the airport. Choose the right one and the flight, the transfer and the cost fall into place. Choose the wrong one and a 90-minute flight becomes a long afternoon in a minibus.

This guide compares the five airports we use most for ski trips from the Netherlands and explains how we choose between them.

When the Dutch ski season peaks

Demand from the Netherlands is concentrated into a few weeks. The kerstvakantie (Christmas holiday) runs from 19 December 2026 to 3 January 2027 across the whole country. The voorjaarsvakantie (spring holiday) falls from 13 to 21 February 2027 in Regio Zuid (the southern region), and from 20 to 28 February 2027 in Regio Noord and Regio Midden (the northern and central regions).

Those weeks overlap with holidays in Belgium, Germany and the UK, so aircraft and airport slots for the peak dates are taken early. If you plan to fly over Christmas or in February, now is the time to start.

The airports at a glance

• Geneva (GVA), Switzerland. 3,900 m runway, suitable for every business jet. About 2 hours to Verbier and 2 hours 15 minutes to the Three Valleys. Best for the widest choice of aircraft and resorts.
• Sion (SIR), Switzerland. Runway of around 2,000 m, suited to light and midsize jets. About 45 minutes to Verbier and 30 minutes to Crans-Montana. Best for the Valais.
• Chambéry (CMF), France. 2,020 m runway. Around 1 hour 30 minutes to Courchevel and Méribel. Best for the Three Valleys and the Tarentaise.
• Innsbruck (INN), Austria. About 70 minutes to St Anton, 90 minutes to Lech and Zürs, and 1 hour 15 minutes to Kitzbühel. Best for the Arlberg and the Tirol.
• Salzburg (SZG), Austria. About 1 hour 20 minutes to Zell am See and 1 hour 30 minutes to Saalbach. Best for the Salzburgerland resorts.

Drive times are approximate and assume normal winter conditions. Snowfall and peak Saturdays can add considerably more.

Geneva: the most choice, and the most competition

Geneva is the main gateway to the western Alps. Its runway takes any business jet, several handling agents look after private passengers, and the roads reach Verbier, Chamonix, Megève and the French Three Valleys. Chamonix is around 1 hour 20 minutes away, and helicopter transfers serve many resorts.

The difficulty is capacity. Geneva is fully slot coordinated, so every private arrival and departure needs an allocated slot, and on peak ski weekends those slots are scarce. Parking is tight too. Stays of more than three hours need airport approval, so aircraft on longer trips often reposition elsewhere and return for the flight home. We plan for that from the first quote, because repositioning affects the price.

Sion: the closest airport to Verbier

For Verbier and Crans-Montana, Sion is hard to beat. It sits on the floor of the Rhône valley, about 45 minutes by road from Verbier, and a helicopter covers the same journey in around 15 minutes.

The airport is shared with the Swiss Air Force. It is not open around the clock and has a night curfew, so arrival times need planning, and slot coordination applies on peak winter weekends. The runway suits light and midsize jets well. Larger cabins usually use Geneva instead.

Chambéry: the short road to the Three Valleys

Chambéry is the nearest airport to Courchevel, Méribel and Val Thorens that can take most business jets. Its 2,020 m runway has an instrument landing system, and the drive to Courchevel takes around 1 hour 30 minutes.

There are two things to weigh. The mountains around the airport mean crews must know the approach and departure procedures well, which narrows the choice of operator slightly. Valley fog also forces occasional diversions to Lyon or Geneva, so it is worth booking a transfer that can follow the aircraft. The second consideration is cost, which we cover below.

For travellers heading straight to Courchevel, very light aircraft and helicopters can use the resort’s own altiport. We can arrange either as a connection from Chambéry or Geneva.

Innsbruck and Salzburg: the Austrian gateways

Innsbruck is the closest airport to St Anton, Lech, Zürs, Ischgl and Sölden. It is compact and close to the motorway, so the time from aircraft door to car is short. The approach through the Inn valley is one of the most demanding in Europe and crews need specific training to fly it, which limits the number of suitable operators. Slots are required and parking is limited.

Salzburg serves Zell am See, Kaprun and Saalbach-Hinterglemm, and Kitzbühel is around 1 hour 15 minutes from either Salzburg or Innsbruck. Flights into Salzburg need special permission from Austro Control, which our team arranges as part of the booking.

The French tax factor

Since March 2025, charter flights departing French airports pay France’s solidarity tax for every passenger on board. For business jet charters to destinations within Europe, the rate is €420 per passenger. We explained how it works when it was introduced, in our guide to France’s private jet passenger tax.

The tax applies to departures only, so on a ski trip it lands on the flight home. Take a family of six flying from Amsterdam to Chambéry for a week in Courchevel. The return flight from Chambéry adds around €2,520 in solidarity tax. Flying home from Geneva avoids it, at the cost of roughly 45 minutes more on the road.

That is not always the right trade. For a short weekend, or when Geneva slots are full, Chambéry may still be the better choice. But it belongs in the comparison, and it is changing behaviour. A French parliamentary report found that movements by French charter jets have fallen by between 11% and 20% since the tax rose.

How we choose the right airport

Start from the resort, not the country. Courchevel can be reached from Chambéry or Geneva, and Kitzbühel from Innsbruck or Salzburg. The best airport depends on the resort, the aircraft and the dates.

Avoid Saturdays where you can. Saturday is changeover day across the Alps. Slots, handling and mountain roads are all under the most pressure, and flying on a Friday or Sunday is often smoother at both ends.

Size the aircraft for the luggage. Skis, boot bags and winter clothing take up far more space than a summer trip. A group that fits a light jet in July may need a midsize jet in February.

Plan the transfer with the flight. Snow and traffic make the road the least predictable part of the journey. We book cars and helicopters around the flight details, so they can adjust to a delay or diversion.

Consider a larger aircraft for groups. Corporate ski trips, clubs and tour operators moving 30 or more people often find a passenger charter on a regional jet or airliner simpler and better value than several smaller aircraft. Our group charter coordination guide explains how we plan these trips.

Aircraft location matters too. Choosing an airport where suitable jets are already based can reduce positioning costs, as our private jet charter pricing guide explains.

Our view

Geneva will remain the first airport most people think of, and for many trips it is the right one. But for a lot of ski journeys from the Netherlands, a smaller airport closer to the resort saves more time than the flight takes. Add Geneva’s peak-weekend pressure and the French tax on return flights, and the obvious option is not always the best one. The earlier we know your dates, the more of these options stay open.

Frequently asked questions

What is the closest airport to Verbier for a private jet?

Sion, about 45 minutes by road or 15 minutes by helicopter. Geneva is around 2 hours by road and takes larger aircraft.

What is the closest airport to St Anton?

Innsbruck, around 70 minutes by road. It is also the nearest airport for Lech and Zürs, at about 90 minutes.

What is the closest airport to Courchevel?

For most business jets it is Chambéry, around 1 hour 30 minutes away. Very light aircraft and helicopters can land at Courchevel’s own altiport.

Do I pay the French solidarity tax when flying into France?

No. It applies to charter flights departing French airports, so it affects the return leg from airports such as Chambéry, not the outbound flight.

Planning a ski trip this winter?

If you are planning private charter to the Alps this season, request a quote. Tell us your resort, dates and number of passengers, and how much ski luggage you are bringing, and our team will recommend the airport and aircraft that suit the trip.