A private flight to the Alps rarely ends where it lands. The jet touches down at a valley airport, in Geneva, Chambéry or Lyon; a helicopter or a car then takes over for the final leg, up to the altiports and the high villages. In between, a handful of rules decide everything: where to clear customs, when to fly, where to land. Here is how it really works, resort by resort, so that your arrival at the chalet goes to plan.
Private jet and helicopter at a glance
- Jets: Geneva, Chambéry, Lyon, Grenoble or Annecy for the French resorts, Sion for Verbier.
- Altiports: Courchevel takes only propeller aircraft of 5.7 tonnes or less, and helicopters; Méribel and Megève have nothing but short runways, of 406m and 548m. Jets land in the valley.
- Helicopter: twenty to forty minutes in the air from Geneva depending on the resort, in daylight and weather permitting.
- From outside Schengen: you clear customs at an airport before heading up into the mountains.
Where a private jet lands
Geneva serves Haute-Savoie and Savoie alike. Its business aviation terminal, T3, is close to the route de Meyrin; prior permission is required and ground handling is mandatory. Swiss law bans non-commercial take-offs and landings between 10pm and 6am, so a private aircraft has to be scheduled for the daytime or the evening. If you arrive on an international flight, customs and border police are Swiss. Russian travellers will find the visa process and the route through Geneva explained in our guide to the Schengen visa for Russian nationals.
Chambéry, 95km from Courchevel according to the tourist office, puts you closer to the Tarentaise. Its 2020m runway takes business jets, but winter needs planning: at weekends arrivals are capped at five an hour, parking spaces are limited and the airport has no hangar. Flights from abroad, even from within the Schengen area, must file customs notice 24h before arrival. Lyon-Saint-Exupéry has customs open day and night, with no particular advance notice, and Lyon-Bron is geared towards business aviation. Grenoble also handles business jets, and Annecy takes international flights with prior notice.
For Verbier, Sion airport is close at hand: the town is fifty minutes’ drive from the resort. Its 2000m runway is not for everyone, as pilots flying in on instruments must be trained for a very steep approach unique to this airport.
Altiports: short runways at altitude
At Courchevel, the altiport sits at 2007m, on a runway of just over 500m with a gradient of more than 18%. Only propeller aircraft of 5.7 tonnes or less and helicopters may use it, and aeroplane pilots must hold a mountain rating or an authorisation specific to the airfield. Flying is by day only, at most from 9am to 7pm. According to the town hall, nearly 70% of winter movements are helicopters. A free shuttle bus links it to Courchevel 1850 during the season. The history of the airfield, and what landing there involves, are covered on our page about the Courchevel altiport. At Megève, the Cote 2000 strip has a guide of its own: the Megève altiport.
At Méribel, the altiport, at around 1700m, has only a short 406m runway that is not cleared of snow in winter, and commercial air transport by aeroplane is banned there, apart from sightseeing flights; it does, however, have parking for helicopters. At Megève, the altiport opened in 1964 at 1470m keeps its runway groomed but not cleared after snowfall; two pads take helicopters, and a shuttle bus links it to the village in winter.
One rule matters for international guests: flights from a country outside the Schengen area are not allowed at Courchevel or Megève. An aircraft coming from London or the Gulf must therefore land first at an airport with customs, such as Geneva, Chambéry or Lyon. From Switzerland, a helicopter can fly to these altiports with 24h customs notice.
The final hop by helicopter
Once you are on the ground, the helicopter cuts out the long drive up. According to the operators who fly them, transfers from Geneva take twenty to forty minutes: about twenty for Megève, half an hour for Courchevel or Méribel, a little longer for Val d’Isère. They land at the Courchevel, Méribel and Megève altiports. At Val d’Isère, the La Daille heliport is reserved for the commune’s own needs and requires prior notification, so check before you plan on using it. Tignes and Chamonix have no published public heliport; for Verbier, confirm the landing site with the operator. For Courchevel, the journey from Geneva is set out step by step in our guide to the helicopter from Geneva to Courchevel.
Two things to bear in mind. These flights are flown visually and in daylight: if cloud covers the peaks, the car takes over, and you will want one booked in advance. And in the mountains, French law forbids dropping off or picking up passengers for leisure anywhere other than an aerodrome: the transfer ends at the altiport or heliport, and the car does the rest.
By road from the airport
- Courchevel: 176km and 2h from Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airport, 179km and 2h from Geneva airport; from the towns of Chambéry and Grenoble, 95km (1h15) and 125km (1h35).
- Méribel: about 2h from either Geneva or Lyon.
- Megève: about 1h15 from Geneva airport.
- Val d’Isère: 2h from Chambéry airport, 2h30 from Grenoble airport, 3h from either Geneva or Lyon.
- Verbier: 1h50 from Geneva airport, fifty minutes from Sion.
These are the times given by the tourist offices. Our guides to getting to Courchevel, Megève, Val d’Isère and Chamonix also cover trains and shuttle buses.
Entry formalities on arrival
Third-country nationals on a short stay now pass through the European Entry/Exit System, fully operational across the Schengen area since 10 April 2026: your face and fingerprints are recorded instead of your passport being stamped. Citizens of the European Union, Switzerland, Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein are exempt, as are holders of a residence permit from a Schengen country. The ETIAS travel authorisation is not yet in operation: the European Union will announce its launch date several months in advance. On a private flight, the operator and the ground handling service file the notices each airport requires; all you need to do is keep your documents to hand until the final transfer.
AEC tip. Let us know your airport and arrival time as soon as you book. If you are arriving by altiport, a chalet in Courchevel 1850 or near the Megève altiport shortens the journey further; for a late flight, Geneva and the road are the better choice, since the altiports close before nightfall.
Where to stay
Our chalets are grouped by resort: Courchevel 1850, Méribel, Megève and Val d’Isère. To compare the big resorts, see our guide to luxury ski resorts in France, and to choose a village, our guides to Courchevel and Megève.
The simplest thing is to write to us: send us your dates, your airport and the number of guests, and our agents will suggest a selection of chalets to suit your arrival.
And once the helicopter has lifted off from the altiport, the chalet is only a few minutes’ drive away.
Frequently asked questions
Can a private jet land in Courchevel?
No. The Courchevel altiport is restricted to propeller aircraft of 5.7 tonnes or less and helicopters. A jet lands at Chambéry, Geneva, Lyon or Grenoble, and a helicopter or car takes over from there.
Which airport is best for Courchevel by private jet?
Chambéry, 95km from the resort according to the Courchevel tourist office, makes for a shorter drive, but arrivals are limited there at weekends in winter. Geneva and Lyon-Saint-Exupéry airports are about 2h away by road.
How long is a helicopter flight from Geneva?
According to the operators, twenty to forty minutes: about twenty for Megève, half an hour for Courchevel or Méribel, a little longer for Val d’Isère. Flights operate in daylight and depend on the weather.
Can a helicopter land at my chalet?
Don’t count on it: in the mountains, the law forbids dropping off or picking up passengers for leisure outside an aerodrome. Transfers land at altiports or heliports, and a car completes the journey.
Can I fly from London straight to the altiport?
No: flights from countries outside the Schengen area are not allowed at Courchevel or Megève. The aircraft first lands at an airport with customs, such as Geneva, Chambéry or Lyon, before the transfer.
Are the Alpine altiports open at night?
No. Flying is by day only; at Courchevel the airfield is open at most from 9am to 7pm, and night flights are banned. For a late arrival, plan on driving from the airport.
How do I get to Verbier by private jet?
Through Sion airport, in a town fifty minutes’ drive from Verbier, or through Geneva airport, 1h50 away by road.
