Private jet ski resorts, and the right airport for each
Which runway serves St. Moritz, Verbier, Zermatt and Courchevel, what each one asks of the aircraft and crew, and how our concierge arranges the charter and the drive to your chalet.
For private jet ski resorts, the question is not whether you can fly, but where the aircraft can land. St. Moritz has its own airport, Engadin Airport in Samedan, at 1,707 m. Verbier and Zermatt are reached through Sion or Geneva, and Courchevel through Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry, or its own altiport for certain aircraft flown by specially qualified pilots. Our concierge books the flight with a certified operator and lines up the last leg to your chalet.
The nearest runway is not always the best one. A mountain airport may refuse a larger jet, close at dusk, or require the crew to have completed a specific briefing, and winter weather in a high valley can force a diversion. The right choice depends on your group, your luggage (skis and boot bags take room), the aircraft and the time of year.
Below, each of our resorts with the airports that serve it, the questions worth asking any operator, and the summer equivalent for our Riviera villas. When you stay with us, the flight is one more element our private concierge coordinates alongside the chef, the ski passes and the instructors.
Mountain and Riviera airfields in figures
Checked against official sources, so you can plan with confidence.
Engadin Airport, in Samedan near St. Moritz, sits at 1,707 m and describes itself as Europe’s highest-altitude airport.
Source: engadin-airport.chCrews flying to Samedan must sign up for, and complete, the airport’s briefing and test before departure, and carry proof of it with their flight documents.
Source: engadin-airport.ch (Pilots)The Courchevel altiport lies at the top of the resort at 2,006 m, is open all year, keeps its runway cleared of snow all winter, and has ski slopes a few metres away.
Source: courchevel.com (tourist office)Its runway is 537 m long with a concave profile, its gradient varying from 12.5% to 18.66%. The altiport is restricted to mountain-qualified pilots and pilots holding a site authorisation.
Source: BEA, French air accident investigation bureauGolfe de Saint-Tropez airport at La Môle has a 1,071 m runway, requires a special qualification and 24 hours’ notice, opens 8am to 7pm in summer and 9am to 5pm in winter, and lists non-Schengen flights as authorised from 1 July to 15 October.
Source: sainttropez.aeroport.frThe UK Civil Aviation Authority says a paid business jet flight is commercial air transport: by law you must be told the name of the operator, which you can check against the list of Air Operator Certificate holders.
Source: caa.co.ukPrivate jet to the Alps: ski resorts and their airports
Here is how a private jet to the Alps works for each of the four resorts where we have chalets. Times are by road unless stated, taken from the resorts’ official information.
| Resort | Where the jet lands | The last leg | Worth knowing |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Moritz | Engadin Airport, Samedan (1,707 m), in the valley just outside the resort | A short drive into St. Moritz, often with the chalet’s own chauffeur | Crews need the airport’s briefing and test before departure; plan a fallback in case of valley weather |
| Verbier | Sion, in the Rhône valley, or Geneva | By road: allow about 2 to 2.5 hours from Geneva; helicopter transfers on request | Sion airport presents Verbier, Zermatt and Crans-Montana among the resorts it serves |
| Zermatt | Sion, or Geneva and Zurich | Car-free village: private cars stop at Täsch, then a 12-minute shuttle train; or helicopter on request | By train, Zermatt is three and a half hours from Zurich Airport and four from Geneva |
| Courchevel | Geneva (179 km), Lyon-Saint-Exupéry (176 km) or Chambéry; the altiport (2,006 m) for certain aircraft | About 2 hours by road from Geneva or Lyon, about 1 hour 15 from Chambéry, or helicopter up to the altiport | 537 m of sloping runway, open only to mountain-qualified or site-authorised pilots |
Sources: engadin-airport.ch, sionaeroport.ch, verbier4vallees.ch, zermatt.swiss, courchevel.com, bea.aero. Airport rules change: we confirm them with the operator for your dates.
A private jet to St. Moritz, via Samedan
St. Moritz is the one resort on our list where a private jet lands almost at the door. Engadin Airport sits in the valley floor at Samedan, which makes a private jet to St. Moritz unusually simple on a clear day: wheels down, a short drive, and you are at the chalet before lunch.
The altitude and the alpine approach are the reason for the airport’s own rule: every crew must complete its briefing and test before leaving for Samedan. When we arrange the flight, we ask the operator to confirm this for the crew actually assigned, not just for the company, and we keep a fallback airport and a ground transfer in mind in case snow or low cloud closes the valley.
On arrival, several of our St. Moritz chalets have a chauffeur on hand daily: at Chalet Azelia, from 8am until 11pm. For the town, the lakes and the ski areas, see our St. Moritz travel guide.
Courchevel: altiport or Geneva?
Courchevel’s altiport is famous for good reason: it sits at 2,006 m, at the top of the resort, with the slopes a few metres from the runway. But the runway is 537 m long and steeply sloped, and only mountain-qualified pilots or those with a site authorisation may use it. In practice, most jet travellers land lower down and finish the journey by road or helicopter. The question to settle is which routine suits your group.
- Jet to Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry, then road. The most flexible option for a larger group or a lot of luggage. Allow about 2 hours from Geneva or Lyon, a little over an hour from Chambéry. Our Courchevel chalets with chauffeur and transfers explain how the driver is organised on the ground.
- Jet to a lowland airport, then helicopter to the altiport. The fastest door to door when the weather allows. Luggage limits are tighter, so ski bags may follow by road.
- Small aircraft straight to the altiport. Possible only with an aircraft and pilot cleared for it, and dependent on visibility. We treat it as a bonus, never as the only plan.
- For the resort itself, from the 1850 lifts to the quieter villages, read our Courchevel ski resort guide.
How we arrange your charter
We are not an airline and do not operate aircraft. We act on your behalf with operators that hold the certificates the law requires, so that the flight, the transfer and the chalet run on one timetable.
- Tell us the trip
Dates and how flexible they are, number of passengers, any children or pets, and the luggage: skis, boot bags and anything bulky change the aircraft you need.
- We source options
We ask certified operators for aircraft suited to the airport you need, from a direct return flight to a one-way leg, and flag any empty-leg opportunities if your dates can move.
- You compare clearly
Each option shows the aircraft, the operator’s name, the arrival airport, the luggage capacity and what the quote includes. Fares are on request and depend on the route and the aircraft.
- You confirm with the operator
The contract is with the operator. We check the terms with you: cancellation, weather diversions, waiting days and the return leg.
- We meet you on the ground
A chauffeur or a helicopter waits at the airport, ski passes can be delivered, and the chalet team knows your arrival time. If the flight moves, the rest moves with it.
Questions to ask any operator
Whether you book through us or directly, these are the questions that separate a smooth ski trip from a stressful one.
- Who is the operator, and do they hold an Air Operator Certificate? The UK CAA says you must be told the operator’s name and should never accept a flight on trust.
- Is this aircraft and crew cleared for the airport? Samedan requires a briefing and test, the Courchevel altiport a mountain qualification or site authorisation, La Môle a special qualification.
- Will the skis fit? Ask for the hold capacity in bags, not just the number of seats.
- What happens if the airport closes? Ask which alternative airport is planned and who pays for the ground transfer from there.
- What does the quote include? Winter de-icing, crew waiting days, repositioning and airport fees can all be listed separately.
- Can the return date move? On a ski week, snow and children’s plans change. Know the notice period before you sign.
The Riviera by private jet, for our villas
The same logic applies in summer. Nice Côte d’Azur has a dedicated business aviation terminal with its own customs post, about 27 km from Cannes. Cannes-Mandelieu, which presents itself as France’s second business aviation airport, is about 15 minutes from the centre of Cannes, with evening closing times that move with the season. For Saint-Tropez, La Môle is the closest airfield, but its short runway, special qualification and non-Schengen window (1 July to 15 October) matter for a flight from the UK; Toulon-Hyères, 52 km away, and Nice, 94 km away, are the alternatives.
Two of our Saint-Tropez residences have their own helipad, so the last leg can be by air: Villa Vittoria, on the water at Les Canoubiers, and Villa Calista, at the Pointe de la Rabiou.
Chalets that make the arrival easy
Residences in our private jet ski resorts where a chauffeur, airport transfers or helicopter transfers are part of the stay or can be arranged.
The chalets side by side
Size, bedrooms and highlights at a glance before you choose where to fly.
| Residence | Guests | Bedrooms | Bathrooms | Living area | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chalet AzeliaSt. Moritz | 14 | 6 | 7 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Massage Room, Jacuzzi |
| Chalet ZeyrZermatt | 12 | 6 | 7 | 565 m² | Sauna, Massage Room, Jacuzzi, Gym, Elevator |
| Chalet AuronVerbier | 14 | 7 | 8 | 1,150 m² | Indoor Pool, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet OrizonVerbier | 16 | 8 | 9 | 1,000 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Hammam, Sauna, Massage Room |
| Chalet ValmontCourchevel | 14 | 6 | 7 | 717 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
| Chalet MorelleCourchevel | 12 | 7 | 8 | 900 m² | Indoor Pool, Cinema Room, Wine Cellar, Hammam, Sauna |
Rates are on request and depend on dates and services. Your advisor confirms availability and the final details of every residence.
One team, from runway to chalet
What changes when the flight is arranged by the people who also prepare your stay.
Airport chosen for the chalet
We pick the runway from where you are staying and who is travelling, not from a list of famous airports.
Crew clearances checked
Samedan’s briefing, the altiport’s qualification, La Môle’s restrictions: we ask before you commit, not on the day.
A plan B on the ground
If weather moves your landing to another airport, the chauffeur and the chalet team are already told.
Residences we know
Every chalet and villa is visited by our team, so we know where a helicopter lands and how long the drive really takes.
Flying privately to the slopes, your questions
Anything else? Our team in Paris answers personally, usually within the day.
Ask our teamIs there an airport in St. Moritz?
Yes, in effect: Engadin Airport is in Samedan, in the same valley just outside St. Moritz. It sits at 1,707 m and describes itself as Europe’s highest-altitude airport. It handles private aircraft and helicopters, and every crew must complete the airport’s briefing and test before flying there. When the valley is closed by weather, the usual fallback is a lowland airport followed by a longer road transfer.
What is the closest airport to Verbier?
For private aircraft, Sion is the nearest airport, in the Rhône valley below the resort, and it presents Verbier among the resorts it serves. Geneva is the main alternative, about two to two and a half hours from Verbier by road according to the resort. From either, the last leg is by road, or by helicopter on request. Our Verbier chalets have chauffeurs on call, which simplifies the transfer once you land.
What is the nearest airport to the Matterhorn?
Zermatt has no airport and no cars. Sion is the closest airport for a private aircraft; for scheduled flights, Zurich and Geneva are three and a half and four hours away by train. Private cars stop at Täsch, where a shuttle train reaches Zermatt in 12 minutes. A helicopter transfer can also be arranged, as it can for Chalet Zeyr.
Can you fly a private jet into Courchevel?
Usually not straight to the resort. The Courchevel altiport, at 2,006 m, has a 537 m runway with a gradient of up to 18.66%, and only mountain-qualified pilots or those holding a site authorisation may use it. Jet travellers normally land at Geneva, Lyon or Chambéry and continue by road, or take a helicopter up to the altiport.
How do I know a private charter flight is legal?
Ask for the name of the operator, which by law you must be given, and check that it holds an Air Operator Certificate. The UK CAA warns never to accept a flight on trust: an illegal flight may leave you uninsured. When we arrange a charter, the operator is named in every option we send, and the contract is made directly with that certified operator.
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Tell us where you are skiing, we will find the runway
Send Nathalie Nguyen or Adam Haddad your dates, the number of passengers and the resort on WhatsApp at +33 7 80 98 05 43 or at contact@lutetia-group.com. We usually reply within the day with chalet options and a charter plan, fares on request.