Private Jet Charter to Switzerland
Switzerland is among the shortest private flights you can book out of London: about 1 h 20 min to Geneva or Bern, 1 h 25 min to Zurich, and under two hours even to the Engadin. The flying is the easy half. What decides a Swiss trip is the airfield: three big airports with strict timetables, and a string of mountain fields that test the crew, close at dusk or turn away anything larger than a light jet. Our customers have access to 6,500 jets of all types and configurations available for rent. We will help you choose the best option based on your needs and objectives. Our catalog contains the models from the largest manufacturers: Gulfstream, Dassault, Embraer, Airbus, Boeing, Bombardier, Learjet, Cessna, Beechcraft, Pilatus, HondaJet, etc. We have established partnerships with the world's largest airlines and VIP terminals, which means we can offer you favourable flight conditions and a high level of service. Our experts will manage the organization of your flight - starting with paperwork, agreements, etc., and ending with a transfer and meeting at the airport. Our company provides a full range of business aviation and concierge services. On Swiss bookings we start from the address at the far end rather than the name of an airport, and then look for a jet already positioned in Switzerland, which saves you paying for an empty positioning flight.
At your request, the aviation consultants of Private Jets UK will help you choose the jet with the suitable technical parameters (production year, flight hours, and home base). The cost of the private jet charter in Switzerland depends on many factors, such as the model of the business jet, the number of passengers, departure and destination airports, type of flight, duration of parking, additional services, etc. Therefore, we calculate the price of each order individually taking into account your wishes. You can use an online calculator to get an instant charter quote. Please indicate your real contact details to get the final calculation.
You can calculate the cost of your flight in several ways:
- using an online calculator on the website (however, it shows only the approximate price);
- via Messenger (WhatsApp or Telegram);
- by landline or cell phone;
- via e-mail (jets@private-jets.co.uk).
Please note that the above-mentioned price is indicative only. It is calculated on this basis: departure from London Biggin Hill Airport, a Citation CJ3+ light jet, landing at Geneva, two passengers. If you want to get a personal quote, just fill out the online booking form below. Our aviation consultant will make the calculation within 20 minutes, and then contact you to specify the details of the flight.
How long does it take to fly to Switzerland?
The whole country sits inside a band of twenty minutes of flying time from London, from 1 h 15 min to Basel at one end to 1 h 35 min at Lugano and Samedan at the other. Switzerland also runs one hour ahead of Britain all year, so a departure at 07:00 London time reaches Geneva at about 09:20 on a Swiss clock. These are the sectors from London Biggin Hill, gate to gate, on a Citation CJ3+:
383 nautical miles, the shortest Swiss sector, to an airport on French soil with a Swiss customs sectorabout 1 h 15 min
404 nautical miles, the lake, Lausanne and the western Alps, and our price anchorabout 1 h 20 min
411 nautical miles, the federal capital and the jet field for Interlaken and Gstaadabout 1 h 20 min
422 nautical miles, the financial centre and the airport for Davosabout 1 h 25 min
438 nautical miles, up the Rhone valley to Verbier, Crans-Montana and Zermattabout 1 h 25 min
494 nautical miles, over the Alps to Ticinoabout 1 h 35 min
502 nautical miles, the highest airport in the Alps, near St Moritzabout 1 h 35 min
Twenty minutes of difference, and none of it decides the booking
Twenty minutes separate the nearest Swiss airport from the farthest, so distance never settles a booking. Opening hours, runway length, approach rules and the village where you sleep do. From Manchester add about 20 minutes to any of these times, and from Edinburgh about 40.
The exact flight time depends on the model of the business jet, as well as the speed of the tail or head wind. Our consultant will make a detailed calculation of the flight time for the chosen business jet.
Prices for the private jet flights to Switzerland
Typical one-way prices from British airports into Switzerland, listed cheapest first. The departure point moves the figure more than the destination does, because every Swiss airport lies within twenty minutes of flying from every other: what you pay for is the distance from Britain and the size of the cabin.
| Route | Aircraft | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|
| London Biggin Hill - Geneva 404 nm / 748 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
from £6,400 |
| London Biggin Hill - Bern 411 nm / 761 km |
Citation CJ3+ up to 7 |
from £6,500 |
| Southampton - Geneva 426 nm / 789 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £6,750 |
| London Biggin Hill - Sion 438 nm / 811 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £6,900 |
| London Farnborough - Zurich 447 nm / 828 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £7,000 |
| London Luton - St Gallen-Altenrhein 485 nm / 898 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £7,400 |
| Birmingham - Geneva 502 nm / 930 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £7,600 |
| London Stansted - Lugano 511 nm / 946 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £7,700 |
| Bristol - Samedan 598 nm / 1,107 km |
Phenom 300E up to 8 |
from £8,750 |
| Manchester - Zurich 566 nm / 1,048 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
from £10,350 |
| Newcastle - Geneva 629 nm / 1,165 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 |
from £14,000 |
| Edinburgh - Zurich 701 nm / 1,298 km |
Challenger 350 up to 9 |
from £15,250 |
| Glasgow - Lugano 807 nm / 1,495 km |
Challenger 605 up to 12 |
from £18,650 |
Two things worth knowing about these figures
– A one-way price carries the cost of the aircraft flying home empty. That is why £6,400 from Biggin Hill to Geneva is not half of a return, and why the same jet booked there and back in one request costs less per direction than two separate one-way trips;
– Glasgow to Lugano at £18,650 is a different class of trip from Southampton to Geneva, and the gap is mostly kilometres. Event weeks leave fewer aircraft free, and the quote reflects it.
Private jet flights within Switzerland and to its neighbours
Switzerland is small, but mountains make the road distances long, and the country borders Germany, France and Italy. We quote most often a financial day that starts in Geneva and ends in Zurich, a transfer from a business arrival to a resort airfield, and a hop over the border to Milan or Nice.
| Route | Aircraft | Flight time | Price, one way |
|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva - Lausanne-Blécherette 29 nm / 54 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 25 min | from £3,100 |
| Zurich - Basel-Mulhouse 44 nm / 81 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 30 min | from £3,100 |
| Geneva - Sion 53 nm / 98 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 35 min | from £3,100 |
| Zurich - Samedan 81 nm / 150 km |
Pilatus PC-12 NGX up to 9 |
about 40 min | from £3,100 |
| Zurich - Lugano 92 nm / 170 km |
Citation CJ4 Gen2 up to 8 |
about 35 min | from £5,950 |
| Geneva - Zurich 129 nm / 239 km |
Citation CJ4 Gen2 up to 8 |
about 40 min | from £5,950 |
| Zurich - Milan Linate 130 nm / 241 km |
Citation CJ4 Gen2 up to 8 |
about 40 min | from £5,950 |
| Geneva - Samedan 164 nm / 304 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 45 min | from £6,800 |
| Geneva - Nice 168 nm / 311 km |
Citation XLS+ up to 9 |
about 45 min | from £6,800 |
Two things worth knowing about the internal sectors
– Short pairs share a price floor. Geneva to Lausanne at 29 nautical miles and Zurich to Samedan at 81 both come to £3,100 on a Pilatus PC-12, because a charter is billed with a minimum flying time however brief the hop. A car, a train or a helicopter often does the shortest pairs better, and we say so;
– A jet earns its fee on the awkward pairs: Geneva to Samedan, where the road crosses the whole country, or Zurich to Milan, where the border and two airport transfers eat the morning. Joining cities into one itinerary, say Geneva to Zurich to Lugano, usually costs less than separate bookings.
We can arrange the flights from any cities in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) and European countries. Due to a large database of available business jets, we can help you find an optimal jet and crew. If you have any questions about the departure or the flight itself, you can ask them using the form below:
Prices depending on the type of business jet
We can clearly show the high dependence of the cost of the flight, on the type of aircraft - we have collected approximate data, at the price of 1 flight hour, for various types of business jets:
Online Calculator
If you want to make an urgent calculation of the cost of a private plane flight, use our online calculator. Just fill in all the fields of the form with a note that you are interested in a specific model of the aircraft and get the final price. NB! - the figures are sent to you by email or messenger, please carefully fill in the contact details to get the calculation.
All our calculations are as transparent as possible for you. After receiving the request, we will prepare a beautiful offer - where the costs and the final price will be clearly described. The exact price is agreed in advance and is written in the contract, so you can be sure of the final cost.
Private jets are ready to take off
Turboprops
The cheapest way to hop between Swiss airports, and at home on short Alpine runways. On the run from Britain a turboprop is too slow to be worth quoting.
Light jets
The usual choice from the south of England to Geneva, Bern, Zurich and Sion, and accepted at Samedan and Lugano once the crew has passed the entry rules. Check the hold before the seats: four skiers and their boards fill a light cabin faster than the seat count suggests.
Super-midsize
Where a family of six with ski bags tends to settle, whichever airport the trip ends at, and the class for a working day in Zurich.
Heavy jets
For a larger party, a Scottish or Northern Irish departure, and a corporate group that wants a table. They belong at Geneva, Zurich and Basel; at Sion and Samedan we check the type with the airport first.
Ultra-long range
Common at Geneva and Zurich on intercontinental itineraries, rare on a London sector. The mountain airfields are not for them.
How to book a private jet?
You can book a private jet flight in Switzerland in 6 easy steps:
- Flight request - indicating the route and your preferences for the model of business jet and other points.
- Coordination of flight details - our consultant will contact you to offer the possible flight options and answer all your questions.
- Commercial offer - we will send you a final offer on a specific model taking into account all your wishes.
- Signing of the contract.
- Payment for the flight and booking a business jet.
- Departure at the agreed time and date. Assistance during the whole flight.
In addition to renting the private jets and arranging the flights, we provide concierge services, premium transfer, security, exclusive catering, etc. We have learned to solve problems of any complexity, offering the service of the European level. Our experts will be happy to answer your questions and help you arrange your flight.
How to rent a business jet with a crew
5 main stages:
-
Sending an application
-
Clarification of details and search for options
-
Preparation and coordination of optimal options
-
Registration of documents. Payment of the invoice.
-
Departure on the route.
Business aviation airports in Switzerland
Switzerland has three international airports that take anything, a federal-capital field with its own opening hours, and a ring of regional and mountain airfields set by their altitude. The table lists the fields our Swiss bookings use. Times in this section are Swiss local time, one hour ahead of London.
| Airport | Ground | How it operates |
|---|---|---|
| Zurich ZRH / LSZH |
9 km north of the city | Runways of 2,500, 3,300 and 3,700 metres. Every instrument-rules movement needs a slot, and handling must come from the agents in the Swiss AIP. Jet Aviation's general aviation centre in Kloten has lounges, crew rooms, customs and immigration; Cat Air Service also handles business flights |
| Geneva GVA / LSGG |
4 km north-west of the centre | One runway of 3,900 metres, the longest in Switzerland, and a business aviation terminal at the south-west end. Jet Aviation, Signature (Terminal C3) and Dassault Aviation Business Services are the FBOs. No slot for general aviation, but prior permission for every movement, and limited parking |
| Basel-Mulhouse BSL / LFSB |
3.5 km from Basel | A binational airport on French soil with a Swiss sector, where Swiss customs rules apply. Runways of 3,900 and 1,820 metres. Air Service Basel, Swissport Executive Aviation and Jet Aviation handle business flights |
| Bern-Belp BRN / LSZB |
30 min by bus to the centre | A 1,730 metre runway with an ILS, no slots, full handling, and customs and border control on site. Interlaken, Gstaad and Grindelwald are all under 90 minutes away, says the airport |
| Sion SIR / LSGS |
2.5 km south-west of Sion | A 2,000 metre runway shared with the Air Force, with arrestor cables at both ends. Handling is compulsory for visiting aircraft above 3 tonnes (TAG Aviation, Alpine Jet Service and the airport are listed agents), and crews must hold the airport's qualification for a steeper approach |
| Samedan (Engadin Airport) SMV / LSZS |
about 5 km from St Moritz | At 1,707 metres the highest airport in the Alps. A runway of 1,840 metres, RNAV approaches only, no night operations, and an online briefing and test for every crew. Fuel, catering, de-icing and customs are available in opening hours |
| Lugano LUG / LSZA |
4 km west of the city | A 1,415 metre runway and an approach at 6.65 degrees against the usual 3, so the aircraft must be approved for it and the crew briefed. The airport is its own handler, and prior permission is requested by e-mail at least 48 hours ahead |
| St Gallen-Altenrhein ACH / LSZR |
on Lake Constance, about an hour from Zurich by road | A 1,455 by 30 metre runway with an ILS/DME on runway 10. ExecuJet runs the FBO with a private terminal, a hangar, customs and immigration, and handling up to Global 7000 and G650 class aircraft |
| Lausanne-Blécherette LSGL |
about 10 min by car from the centre | A paved runway of 875 metres and a Rega helicopter base. Broker listings name turboprops and the lightest jets; customs on request, no VIP lounge. Bigger aircraft land at Geneva, 40 minutes away by road |
| Grenchen LSZG |
in the canton of Solothurn | One paved runway of about 1,000 metres beside grass strips, customs on site. For turboprops and the smallest jets |
| Buochs (Lucerne area) BXO / LSZC |
2 km west of Buochs | A reserve air force base with a 2,000 metre asphalt runway, used by Pilatus for test flights. Prior permission, limited handling, and 24 hours' notice for customs on flights from outside Schengen |
| La Chaux-de-Fonds Les Eplatures LSGC |
in the Jura, at 1,027 metres | A paved runway of a little over 1,000 metres, daylight hours, customs on request. For a light jet and a short factory visit |
| Saanen (Gstaad) LSGK |
5 min by car from Gstaad | An asphalt runway of 1,400 metres at 1,008 metres altitude, prior permission, customs available. Broker sources report that paid jet charters are not admitted and winter use is for private aircraft, a limit we could not find in the federal sheet, so we confirm it per flight and Gstaad parties normally land at Bern-Belp |
Four points settle most Swiss arrivals before a quote goes out:
Geneva: permission rather than a slot
Every general aviation flight needs prior permission, requested by the handler under the airport's published rules. It is not a slot, but it works like one: no permission, no landing. During the business aviation convention some general aviation parking goes to the static display.
Zurich: the slot is the ticket
Each instrument-rules movement, positioning flights included, needs a slot, and the handler gives you the number for the flight plan. The working day runs to 23:30, the last half hour being kept for recovering delays.
Basel: one airport, two customs sectors
The exit you take decides which administration you pass: a party for Basel city or Zurich clears in the Swiss sector, a party for Alsace or the Black Forest can take the French side. Regular departures are barred from 23:00 to midnight.
The mountain fields test the crew
Sion asks its pilots to hold a qualification, one level online and one through training or a simulator. Samedan wants an online briefing and test, and Lugano a briefing. We confirm the captain holds them before we quote.
Switzerland has no single night ban, and the edges are easy to misjudge
Each Swiss airport draws its own line. Zurich closes to ordinary traffic at half past eleven. Geneva is stricter than a first look suggests: departures are barred from midnight, arrivals from midnight to five, and between ten and midnight movements depend on the aircraft's noise index. The airport's own noise page gives 06:00 to 22:00 for non-commercial flights and up to 00:30 for commercial ones, and the handler confirms which line applies to a business charter. Basel bars scheduled departures from 23:00, and Bern shuts at seven for anything above 3.5 tonnes. Plan an evening return backwards from the closing time.
Arriving from Britain: passports, customs and what to carry
Switzerland belongs to Schengen but not to the European Union, and Britain belongs to neither. A private flight from London therefore arrives from outside the Schengen area, and the passport check takes place at the first Swiss airport you land at. Customs is a separate question with a separate authority.
British citizens may stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa; the passport must have been issued less than ten years before arrival and be valid for at least three months after departure. Officers may ask for proof of accommodation, insurance, a return ticket and fundsevery passenger, children included
border officers may ask you to register a photograph and fingerprints in the EU Entry/Exit System on a first visit, free of charge; children aged 11 or younger can be asked for a photograph onlyallow extra time
from the age of 17, 5 litres of drink up to 18 percent alcohol, 1 litre of stronger spirits, 250 pieces of tobacco and 1 kilogram of meat without duty; anything above that, and anything prohibited, is declared, and the QuickZoll app can be used for itper person, not shared
Zurich, Geneva, Bern, Sion, Lugano, Samedan, Altenrhein and Grenchen have customs at the airfield in opening hours; Buochs wants 24 hours notice for flights from outside Schengenin the terminal, not on the apron
a paid charter on an aircraft from outside the EU and EFTA needs a Swiss permit: up to three flights in three months on an individual permit requested 72 hours ahead, or a Swiss operating permit requested 30 days ahead for a series of more than four flights; operators report that private flights with no payment for carriage need no landing permithandled by the operator
Schengen governs people, not goods
A flight from Milan or Lyon into Zurich arrives without a passport check and still meets Swiss customs, because Switzerland is outside the customs union. The reverse holds too: a flight from Geneva to an EU airport is not checked for passports but is checked for goods. As the EuroAirport at Basel puts it, Schengen rules cover the control of persons and not customs. The handler therefore needs the passenger list, declarations and any animal paperwork before the aircraft leaves.
Which airport for which part of Switzerland
One address settles the airport on most Swiss bookings. These are the pairings behind most of our Swiss flights:
Lucerne is 67 km from the airport and Zug 41 km, about 50 minutes eachZurich
Lausanne is about 40 minutes by road and Montreux 91 km, about an hourGeneva
Verbier is 55 km and 50 minutes from the airport, Crans-Montana 30 km; Zermatt is 75 km up the valley, and cars stop at TäschSion
an hour by road to Gstaad and about 45 minutes to InterlakenBern-Belp
five to eight kilometres from the village, against about three hours by road from ZurichSamedan
no airfield of their own; Zurich is about two hours away by road, or half an hour by helicopterZurich
the Italian-speaking south, behind the Alps from every other airport hereLugano
the pharmaceutical companies and the art fair; Zurich is 88 km away by roadBasel-Mulhouse
Three things that shape a Swiss booking
– Name the village, not the canton. In the Valais one valley can be thirty minutes from Sion and two hours from anywhere else;
– Daylight runs the Alpine day. Samedan has no night operation, Lugano keeps its own opening hours, and a late Scottish departure can arrive after a mountain field has closed;
– A short flight can hide a long transfer. Zermatt is car-free beyond Täsch and St Moritz is about three hours from Zurich by road, so the helicopter is a normal part of the booking.
Ski season and forum week: when Swiss airports run out of apron
Winter shapes Swiss private flying, and the pressure lands on a few places: Geneva for the French-speaking Alps, Sion for the Valais, Samedan for the Engadin and Zurich for Davos.
parking at the business terminal is limited and permission is requested for every movement, so a peak weekend is booked early; Jet Aviation de-ices with Type 1 and Type 4 fluidspermission first
de-icing is offered from 1 November to 30 April, and a visiting aircraft can stay on the main apron for up to seven days; one broker listing reports slot coordination on peak winter weekendsstay of up to 7 days
local hours are 08:00 to 19:00 in summer and 08:00 to half an hour after sunset in winter; the runway is closed below 2,000 metres of visibility, and arrivals of faster aircraft below 5 kilometresdaylight only
Forum week rewrites the Zurich rules
The World Economic Forum fills Davos in the second half of January, and Davos has no airport. Operator reports and the federal notice for state flights describe the pattern. Zurich cannot guarantee parking, and an aircraft without a parking permit is expected to leave within two hours. Zurich and Geneva may not be named as alternates for Samedan, which itself needs prior permission. Dübendorf, the military field outside Zurich, is opened for forum participants only, and Altenrhein and Friedrichshafen take the overflow. Airspace within 25 nautical miles of Davos is restricted, foreign flights may not land at the Davos heliport without a federal permit, and every visitor from abroad must enter Switzerland through an airport with customs. Request the booking in the autumn, and accept that the aircraft that brings you will leave and come back.
On a peak winter weekend the jet that brings you may not be able to wait
Where the apron is short, the aircraft that flies you in drops you and leaves empty, and the weekend is quoted as two one-way sectors: from Biggin Hill to Geneva on a Citation CJ3+ that is £6,400 each way, £12,800 for the weekend. A stay from Sunday to Thursday can leave the aircraft on the ground and cost less, so we price it against a Saturday-to-Saturday one whenever the client has any flexibility.
The Swiss calendar: a ski winter, a watch week, an art fair and a festival summer
Switzerland has a calendar that repeats almost to the week, and each date falls on a different airport. Knowing which airport an event uses matters as much as knowing when it takes place:
What a festival evening does to a flight plan
Art Basel and the Geneva convention both fill a field that is already short of parking, and aircraft are sometimes sent to Bern, Friedrichshafen or Strasbourg until the owner is ready to leave. A Montreux night ends long after anyone could fly out of a mountain field, and a Locarno premiere ends after Lugano has shut. Plan a night in the city and a morning departure.
Flying to Switzerland with a dog or a cat
Switzerland is an easy country to take a pet into by private jet. The rules differ from those of the European Union, and the part that needs planning is the choice of entry airport.
The one fact to read before you book
Switzerland sets its own entry rules for pets. For a direct flight with an animal that travels with its owner, the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office names three entry airports: Basel, Geneva and Zurich, and the animal is presented in person at the red customs exit. A trip to Sion, Samedan or Bern is therefore planned with the entry airport confirmed in writing before the quote, or with a first landing at one of the three. Great Britain is on Switzerland's list of low-risk rabies countries, so no blood test is asked. Dogs coming home need a tapeworm treatment from a vet no less than 24 hours and no more than 5 days before they arrive in Great Britain: the appointment to book before you leave, not after you land.
- A microchip, fitted before the rabies vaccination rather than after;
- A rabies vaccination given from 12 weeks of age and at least 21 days old on the day you travel;
- A veterinary certificate issued by the British authorities for the trip, unless the animal already holds a Swiss or EU pet passport; we confirm which form Switzerland wants for your date;
- No dogs with docked ears or tails, which Switzerland does not admit, and no more than five animals travelling together.
Cats need the same list, and the tapeworm treatment applies to dogs only. There is no weight limit and no hold on a charter, so a large dog travels as a small one does.
accompanied animals on a direct flight enter through Basel, Geneva or Zurich; other airports are confirmed with the authorities before the quoteBasel, Geneva or Zurich
the 24-hour to 5-day window before arrival in Great Britain is booked with a practice near your hotel or the departure airport, together with the flightbooked with the flight
the certificate is valid for the return as stated on it, and we confirm the entry point and the paperwork in writing before the flightconfirmed in writing
Requirements for birds, rabbits and the less usual species, along with the countries where the timeline runs to months, are set out on our flying with pets guide.
Empty Legs
A jet that flies you to Switzerland has to get home, and the repositioning flight with nobody aboard is what we call an Empty Leg. It is sold at a fraction of the usual one-way price, with the same crew and the same cabin as a normal charter. Swiss routes produce them in three recurring places: the Saturday changeover in the Alps, the days after the forum in Davos, and the end of the big event weeks such as Art Basel, Montreux and Locarno.
These legs sit in operators' databases and are sold within hours, so a deposit and a flexible window work better than a fixed date. Our manager will watch the Swiss pair you want and call when one is released. The table shows what an empty leg on Swiss routes typically costs, at about two fifths of the fresh one-way price; real legs vary with the day, the operator and how late the flight is released, so read the figures as a level, not as an offer:
| Route | Aircraft | Capacity | Whole aircraft |
|---|---|---|---|
| Switzerland (Geneva) - UK (London Biggin Hill) | Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £2,700 |
| UK (London Biggin Hill) - Switzerland (Bern) | Cessna Citation CJ3+ | 7 seats | £2,750 |
| UK (London Farnborough) - Switzerland (Zurich) | Embraer Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £2,950 |
| Switzerland (Sion) - UK (Southampton) | Embraer Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £3,000 |
| Switzerland (Altenrhein) - UK (London Luton) | Embraer Phenom 300E | 8 seats | £3,100 |
| UK (Manchester) - Switzerland (Zurich) | Cessna Citation XLS+ | 9 seats | £4,350 |
| Switzerland (Geneva) - UK (Edinburgh) | Bombardier Challenger 350 | 9 seats | £6,450 |
| UK (Glasgow) - Switzerland (Lugano) | Bombardier Challenger 605 | 12 seats | £7,850 |
How to read those figures
– Each price is for the whole aircraft, not per seat. A Challenger 605 from Glasgow to Lugano at £7,850 with eight aboard works out at about £1,000 a head;
– Set each line beside the same route in the tables above. A Citation XLS+ from Manchester to Zurich at £4,350 against £10,350 for a fresh charter is the saving in plain terms;
– Saturday is the changeover day in the Alps, so empty legs tend to run against the crowd, towards Britain on Saturday and towards Switzerland on Sunday. A client who can fly on a Sunday evening or a Monday sees far more of them than one tied to a Saturday.
Helicopter charter
In Switzerland the helicopter is more often part of the journey than a luxury. A jet brings you to Sion, Bern, Geneva or Samedan in about an hour and a half, and the last stretch to a car-free village or a high chalet is where a rotary aircraft changes the day:
Air Zermatt quotes about 15 minutes, against 75 km and an hour and ten minutes by road to the valley and a shuttle train from Täschabout 15 minutes
Air Zermatt lists the transfer at about 45 minutes, which replaces a day of drivingabout 45 minutes
a broker guide quotes half an hour, against about an hour by road, and helicopters are not subject to the limits that apply to jets at Saanenabout 30 minutes
a broker guide quotes about half an hour against two hours by road, outside forum weekabout 30 minutes
about an hour for up to five passengers, as against about three hours by roadabout 1 hour
The machines that work these routes
– Airbus H125 (AS 350 B3), the single-engine workhorse of the Alps: five passenger seats and a large luggage compartment, the choice for a small party with ski bags;
– Bell 429, twin-engine, with up to six passenger seats depending on the layout, for a family or a small corporate group;
– Airbus H130 and H155, the larger cabins, the H155 with eight seats, with Leonardo AW109 and Airbus AS355 also flown by regional operators.
Three points on Swiss rotary legs
– Rega, the Swiss air-rescue foundation, is a non-profit rescue organisation and not a charter operator. Air Zermatt is a rescue operator that also sells transfer and sightseeing flights, and we book those with the operator, alongside Air-Glaciers and Alpine Helicopters at Sion and Heli Bernina and Swiss Helicopter at Samedan;
– Landing outside an airfield is governed by the federal ordinance on off-aerodrome landings, and mountain landing sites above 1,100 metres follow a separate regime, so a transfer runs between established landing sites;
– Operators fly by weather and daylight, and a pre-booking can be refunded if the weather cancels the flight. We plan a road transfer as the fallback, and leave a margin when a helicopter connects to a jet.
Flights from the UK to Switzerland
Geneva and Zurich take most of the Swiss enquiries from the London fields, with Bern, Sion and Basel behind them and the mountain airfields kept for their season; from Birmingham, Manchester and Scotland the same pairs run on larger aircraft, as the price table shows. Our clients have access to all airports of the UK and Europe. Due to the unique partnership conditions, we can offer our clients the best prices for business aviation services. Our experts will consult you on the availability of private jets in a particular city and help you choose the best option.
List of TOP 25 business aviation airports:
| Airport | Country | ICAO | IATA |
|---|---|---|---|
 London Heathrow Airport |
England | EGLL | LHR |
| Birmingham Airport |
England | EGBB | BHX |
| London Gatwick |
England | EGKK | LGW |
| London City Airport |
England | EGLC | LCY |
| London Luton |
England | EGGW | LTN |
| Edinburgh Airport |
Scotland | EGPH | EDI |
| Leeds Airport |
England | EGNM | LBA |
| Manchester Airport |
England | EGCC | MAN |
| London Stansted |
England | EGSS | STN |
| Liverpool John Lennon Airport |
England | EGGP | LPL |
| Newcastle Airport |
England | EGNT | NCL |
| Bristol Airport |
England | EGGD | BRS |
| Glasgow Airport |
Scotland | EGPF | GLA |
| East Midlands Airport |
England | EGNX | EMA |
| Southampton Airport |
England | EGHI | SOU |
| Jersey Airport |
Channel Islands | EGJJ | JER |
| Cardiff International Airport |
Wales | EGFF | CWL |
| Inverness Airport |
Scotland | EGPE | INV |
| Bournemouth Airport |
England | EGHH | BOH |
| London Farnborough Airport |
England | EGLF | FAB |
| Oxford Airport |
England | EGTK | OXF |
| London Biggin Hill |
England | EGKB | BQH |
| Belfast Airport |
Northern Ireland | EGAA | BFS |
| Gibraltar Airport |
Gibraltar | LXGB | GIB |
| Aberdeen Airport |
Scotland | EGPD | ABZ |
Swiss charters from the booking notes: six typical trips
Six typical Swiss jobs described without names, and with a few particulars altered.
VERBIER · THE ROAD DECIDED THE AIRPORT
A family of six, a chalet and a pile of ski bags
Biggin Hill - Sion, Citation XLS+, about 1 h 20 min · 6 pax
They had asked for Geneva because the name was familiar. We asked where the chalet was. Sion is 55 kilometres and about fifty minutes from Verbier, and the larger cabin took the boards without a second vehicle. Geneva would have added a much longer Saturday transfer.
ZURICH DAY RETURN
Two directors, a morning meeting and a late flight home
Biggin Hill - Zurich and return, Citation CJ3+, about 1 h 25 min each way · 2 pax
Wheels up at seven in London, which is eight in Zurich, and on the ground by about half past nine on a Swiss clock. The aircraft waited at the general aviation centre, with customs done in the building. The return was planned backwards from the half-past-eleven closing time, so dinner could run late.
FORUM WEEK · THE JET COULD NOT STAY
Five delegates and an apron that was rationed
Farnborough - Zurich + helicopter, Phenom 300E, about 1 h 25 min · 5 pax
The party was heading for Davos, which has no airfield. Parking at Zurich was not guaranteed for the week, so the aircraft dropped them and flew out empty, and the helicopter leg was booked with the jet so both ran to one timetable.
ST MORITZ · DAYLIGHT ONLY
Four guests, a snow polo weekend and an early limit
Biggin Hill - Samedan, Phenom 300E, about 1 h 30 min · 4 pax
The crew held the Samedan briefing, and the Sunday departure was set for early afternoon because the airport has no night operation and the winter day is short. The guests' long lunch on the lake moved to Saturday.
ART BASEL · TWO SECTORS OF ONE AIRPORT
Two collectors and a choice of exit
London City - Basel-Mulhouse, Phenom 300E, about 1 h 15 min · 2 pax
EuroAirport stands on French soil with a Swiss sector, and the party was staying in Basel. They cleared customs on the Swiss side and were at the fair within the hour. With the apron full in fair week, the aircraft waited at an alternate field.
DOG ON BOARD · GENEVA
A couple, a labrador and a tapeworm appointment
Biggin Hill - Geneva and return, Citation CJ3+, about 1 h 20 min each way · 2 pax + dog
Geneva is one of the three airports where an accompanied animal may enter, so the dog arrived directly and was shown at the red exit. The tapeworm treatment, which must fall between 24 hours and five days before the return, was booked in the city with the flight.
Frequently asked questions about flying to Switzerland
1How long does it take to fly to Switzerland by private jet?
About 1 h 15 min from London to Basel, 1 h 20 min to Geneva or Bern, 1 h 25 min to Zurich or Sion, and 1 h 35 min to Lugano or Samedan, gate to gate. Switzerland is one hour ahead of Britain all year.
2How much does a private jet to Switzerland cost?
From about £6,400 one way from Biggin Hill to Geneva on a light jet, £6,600 to Zurich and £7,550 to Samedan on the same aircraft. Larger jets from Scotland cost more, up to £18,650 from Glasgow to Lugano.
3Which airports do private jets use in Switzerland?
Zurich, Geneva and Basel-Mulhouse take every size of jet, and Bern-Belp suits light and midsize types. Sion, Lugano and Samedan serve the Alpine resorts and ask the crew to hold a briefing or qualification. St Gallen-Altenrhein serves the north-east, and the small fields at Lausanne, Grenchen, Saanen and Les Eplatures are for turboprops and the lightest jets.
4Are there night flying restrictions in Switzerland?
Yes, and each airport sets its own. Zurich runs from 06:00 to 23:30. Geneva bars departures from midnight to 06:00 and arrivals from midnight to 05:00, with conditions between ten and midnight. Bern takes aircraft above 3.5 tonnes only from 08:00 to 19:00, and Samedan has no night operation at all.
5Do I need a visa or a customs declaration to fly privately to Switzerland?
British citizens need no visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, but the passport must be less than ten years old and valid for three months after departure. Switzerland is in Schengen but outside the EU customs union, so customs is separate from the passport check and anything dutiable must be declared.
6Can I take my dog on a private jet to Switzerland?
Yes, with no weight limit and no hold. The dog needs a microchip, a rabies vaccination at least 21 days old and a veterinary certificate, and a direct flight with an accompanied animal enters through Basel, Geneva or Zurich, where the animal is shown at the red customs exit. Dogs need a tapeworm treatment from a vet 24 hours to 5 days before returning to Great Britain.