Private jet to Bern

Bern is the seat of the Swiss government and parliament, and most people who fly here privately come for meetings: with the federal administration, an embassy, an industry association or one of the organisations based in the capital. The second group is on its way to the Bernese Oberland, where Interlaken, Grindelwald and Wengen lie within an hour's drive. The old town, a UNESCO World Heritage site, fills a peninsula in a loop of the Aare, with the Federal Palace on its southern edge above the river.

Private aircraft use Bern Airport at Belp, a small airfield in the Aare valley about 6 km south-east of the centre. There are no slots for business aviation, customs and border police work on site, and the car can drive up to the aircraft. The limit that shapes every plan is the clock: aircraft over 3.5 t may take off and land only from 08:00 to 19:00. We collect offers from several operators and build the timetable around that window.

Tell us the route, the date, the number of passengers and the time of your last meeting, and a consultant will propose aircraft and a timetable that fits the window.

What brings private flyers to the Swiss capital

Flight times to Belp

Times in a Pilatus PC-24 from the tables below, including taxi, climb and descent:

• Geneva: 0:41 h, 130 km
• Milan Linate: 0:48 h, Luxembourg: 0:56 h
• Munich, Frankfurt and Nice: 1:00 h
• Paris Le Bourget: 1:07 h, Brussels: 1:11 h
• Amsterdam: 1:23 h, Vienna: 1:28 h, Berlin: 1:32 h
• London Farnborough and Hamburg: 1:34 h
• Copenhagen: 1:56 h, Madrid: 2:05 h, Larnaca: 4:03 h

The PC-24 is a light jet designed for short runways, which makes it a good match for Belp. Larger jets save only a few minutes: from London the Challenger 350 takes 1:28 h. A turboprop is slower but cheaper for a small group with time to spare, for example 1:55 h from Rome in a Pilatus PC-12. Zurich is not in the tables: the two airports are 100 km apart and linked by motorway; it appears only as the landing airport for long-haul jets.

Prices for a business jet to Bern

Fares are for the whole aircraft, one way, with handling, airport charges and passenger taxes added in the quote, and assume an aircraft available near the departure airport. The flight time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

Main European departure points

The cheapest jet sector is Geneva at EUR 9,000 in the PC-24, followed by Milan at EUR 9,500 and Munich, Frankfurt, Nice and Luxembourg at EUR 10,000. From London and Hamburg the PC-24 costs EUR 12,000. The Challenger 350 can land on the 1,730 m runway, but on a hot day or with a full cabin the operator checks its weight first, so we confirm it case by case.

From further afield in Europe

From the UK regions, Ireland, Scandinavia and southern Europe the table compares a turboprop, a light jet and a midsize jet. The Pilatus PC-12 is the cheapest option but takes longer; the Phenom 300 and Praetor 500 are faster and carry more luggage:

Long-haul arrivals via Zurich

Heavy and long-range jets usually land at Zurich, which takes every aircraft size and accepts charter departures until 21:45, and the party continues by car on the motorway to Bern or by helicopter to the mountains. Typical fares to Zurich:

Fares rise with flight time; bringing the aircraft and crew to the departure airport adds a fixed amount. Switzerland adds no per-passenger departure tax, but airport and handling charges at Belp are in the quote, and de-icing in winter is billed by the litre of fluid. The departure country may tax passengers: about EUR 420 each on a jet leaving France; on flights to or from Italy EUR 100 up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond; from Austria EUR 12. Germany charges a departure tax, and the UK charges Air Passenger Duty (aircraft under 5.7 t such as the PC-12 are exempt, the higher private-jet rate applies only to aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats, other jets pay the standard rate for the distance).

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three trips costed out

Splitting the fare

You hire the whole aircraft, so the cost per person falls as more people travel. Passenger taxes are added per head:

Calculator

For your own route and group size, the calculator e-mails you an estimate within minutes.

Bern-Belp: a small airport with a 19:00 limit

Bern Airport (BRN, LSZB) lies in the municipality of Belp, on the flat flood plain of the Aare at about 510 m above sea level. It has one paved runway, 14/32, 1,730 m long, with an ILS approach to runway 14 and a satellite RNP approach to runway 32. The aircraft of the Federal Air Transport Service, which flies members of the Swiss government, are based here.

There are no slots for business aviation, and the airport provides ground handling itself, with catering and de-icing. Customs and border police are on site, so formalities take a few minutes, and the car can be driven to the aircraft. Aircraft and helicopters over 3.5 t may use the airport daily from 08:00 to 19:00; only scheduled flights and light aircraft operate outside those hours. In winter, fog over the Swiss plateau can prevent a landing, and the flight then diverts to Zurich, Basel or Geneva.

Fallback airports

When the return falls after 19:00, the aircraft is too heavy for the runway or fog closes Belp, one of these airports takes over. Distances are straight-line from Belp:

The right aircraft for a 1,730 m runway

For a group of more than nine, two smaller aircraft into Belp often work better than one large jet into Zurich: both land near the meeting and the drive from Zurich is saved. For skis and a week's luggage, a midsize jet is a safer choice than a light jet.

Questions about the runway, the 19:00 limit or the aircraft? Leave your number and we will call you back.

Parliament sessions, ski races and the onion market

Political and business traffic follows the parliamentary calendar, leisure traffic the seasons in the Oberland:

In winter, short days and de-icing reduce the time left for meetings before the 19:00 limit. Late spring and November outside the market day are the quietest periods.

From Belp to the old town and the Bernese Oberland

Empty Legs to and from Belp

An Empty Leg is a flight without passengers, for example when an aircraft drops its party at Belp and returns to base instead of waiting. Typical directions:

The operator sets the date and time, and at Belp the landing must also fall before 19:00. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we will tell you when a suitable flight comes up.

Animals in the cabin

A dog or cat flies in the cabin beside you, never in the hold, and the operator must approve it in advance. Switzerland applies rules equivalent to the EU's and recognises the EU pet passport:

• Microchip implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• First rabies vaccination at 12 weeks or older and at least 21 days before entry.
• EU pet passport; animals from Great Britain need an animal health certificate.
• Up to five pets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• Dogs with docked ears or tails are generally banned; check the exceptions with the Federal Food Safety and Veterinary Office (BLV).

Small jets have little floor space, so for a large dog we ask where it will lie during take-off and landing and choose the cabin accordingly.

Papers, customs and taxes on the way to Bern

Checklist for the day

• Return take-off planned before 19:00, or a hotel night or Zurich departure agreed.
• Passport or ID card for every passenger.
• Passenger list sent the day before.
• Samples, valuables or cash to declare at customs.
• Skis, boots and suitcases counted, so the hold is checked.
• Pet documents, if travelling with an animal.
• Car, train or helicopter to the Oberland booked.

Booking, payment and cancellation

1. Send the route, the date, the number of passengers and luggage, the meeting time or hotel address, and the time you want to fly back.
2. We check the window at Belp; if the return could fall after 19:00, the quote shows a hotel night or a Zurich departure alongside.
3. You receive 2-4 options with operator, aircraft, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we arrange handling, the car to the aircraft and any helicopter.
5. On the day, arrive 20-30 minutes before departure; at Belp the car pulls up at the aircraft.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Your questions about private flights to Bern

• • What does a private jet to Bern cost?

  • A Pilatus PC-24 costs from EUR 9,000 one way from Geneva and EUR 12,000 from London, for the whole aircraft. A Pilatus PC-12 from Prague or Rome costs from EUR 8,500.

• • Can I fly to Bern and back on the same day?

  • Yes, if the return takes off before 19:00. Leaving Paris at 08:00, you land at Belp after 09:00 and have most of the day for meetings.

• • What if the meeting runs late?

  • The car takes you to Zurich, where charter departures are possible until 21:45, or you stay overnight and fly the next morning. Both options can be in the quote from the start.

• • Can a large jet land at Belp?

  • The runway is 1,730 m, enough for light and midsize jets. For larger aircraft weight, temperature and the operator's rules decide, and heavy jets usually land at Zurich.

• • How far is the airport from the centre?

  • About 12 km by road, 15-20 minutes by car, or about 35 minutes by train and bus.

• • Is a slot needed at Bern?

  • No, business aviation needs no slot at Belp, and the airport handles the aircraft itself.

• • Is there customs on arrival?

  • Yes. There is no passport check from Schengen airports, but Switzerland is outside the EU customs union and customs officers work at the airport.

• • Which airport is best for Grindelwald or Wengen?

  • Belp, about 55 minutes by car from Grindelwald. For Wengen the car goes to Lauterbrunnen and the cog railway takes over.

• • Can I take my dog?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. Dogs with docked ears or tails generally cannot enter Switzerland.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Bern?

  • Yes, mainly from Geneva, Zurich, London and Milan. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your dates.

• • When are hotels and roads busiest?

  • In the ski season, above all at weekends and during the Lauberhorn races in January, and in the weeks of the parliamentary sessions, when hotels near the old town fill quickly. Book the aircraft and the hotel together.