Private jet to Grenoble

Grenoble brings two kinds of private traffic. All year round, delegations fly in for the research centres on the north-western edge of the city: the CEA, the ESRF synchrotron, the Institut Laue-Langevin, the EMBL outstation and the Minatec campus. From December to April, skiers head for the Oisans, where Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes are the largest of the resorts within reach of the city, with Chamrousse on the mountain directly above it.

The airport, Grenoble Alpes Isère, is not in the city. It lies on the Bièvre plain at Saint-Étienne-de-Saint-Geoirs, about 40 km to the west-north-west on the A48 motorway, so the drive to town takes about 40 minutes and to the Oisans resorts up to 1:45 h. In return it has a 3,050 m runway with an instrument landing system, low and clear of the mountains, that takes every business jet. As a broker we plan the flight and the road or helicopter transfer together, because the drive to the resorts takes longer than the flight from Paris.

Tell us if you are going to the city or to a resort, with the dates and the number of passengers, and we will reply with aircraft, transfer and price.

Why fly privately to Grenoble

Flight times to Grenoble Alpes Isère

Phenom 300 times taken from the tables below, taxi included:

Munich and Brussels are 1:17-1:20 h away, Rome 1:27 h, Amsterdam 1:32 h, Madrid and Vienna 1:42-1:43 h, and Hamburg and Berlin 1:48 h. From the UK regions a Pilatus PC-24 needs 1:45-1:57 h, from Dublin 2:12 h. On the long-haul side a Falcon 7X takes about 3:53 h from Tel Aviv, 6:13 h from Dubai and 7:37 h from New York. Then add 40 minutes for the city or about 1:45 h for the resorts.

What a jet to Grenoble costs

Figures are for the entire aircraft on a one-way flight, assuming one is based near your departure point; handling, any de-icing and passenger taxes are added. Flight times follow the left-hand aircraft of each row.

From the European hubs

Nice and Milan Linate are the cheapest at EUR 9,500 in a Phenom 300, followed by Zurich at EUR 10,000. From London the light jet costs EUR 12,000 and a Gulfstream G280 costs EUR 17,000. Geneva is left out: it is about 115 km away, and the road or a helicopter is the usual link.

Regional UK, Irish and northern departures

British and Irish skiers fill Grenoble on winter weekends, and research partners fly in from Germany, Scandinavia and Poland:

Long-haul flights

The runway takes long-range jets without a stop in Lyon. Standard fire cover is enough up to the size of a Gulfstream G450; for a Global, a G650 or an airliner, the higher category is requested in advance:

Prices follow the ski calendar: between Christmas and New Year, in February and at Easter fewer aircraft are free and Saturdays are busy. Landing in France is untaxed; leaving is not. Every departure from a French airport, the flight home from Grenoble and a domestic flight from Paris or Nice alike, carries about EUR 420 per passenger in a jet within Europe and about half in a turboprop. A flight from Italy pays EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km, as does the return there, and German departures carry a tax as well. On UK departures, Air Passenger Duty is waived for aircraft under 5.7 t, while the higher rate is reserved for aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats; other jets pay the standard rate. Everything is itemised in the quote.

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

Worked examples

Per head

Divided among the travellers, the whole-aircraft price becomes the amounts below, before the French return tax charged for each passenger:

Price calculator

Type in the route, date and passenger count, plus the resort or city address, and the calculator e-mails an estimate.

Grenoble Alpes Isère airport

Grenoble Alpes Isère (GNB, LFLS), also known as Saint-Geoirs, is run by Vinci Airports for the Isère department. The runway, 09/27, is 3,050 m long and 45 m wide, grooved asphalt with an ILS, at an elevation of about 397 m; a 900 m grass strip alongside serves light aircraft. In winter airliners bring skiers from the UK and Ireland, so private arrival times are agreed with the handling agent to avoid their peaks.

Private passengers use the business aviation terminal, not the seasonal main terminal. It opens Monday to Saturday from 07:00 to 21:00 and on Sundays and holidays from 08:00, with later departures by arrangement requested with the flight plan. Rescue and firefighting cover is held at category 5 as standard, which covers aircraft up to about 28 m long, for example a Gulfstream G450 or a Legacy 650. A higher category, up to 7, for a Global, a G650 or a converted airliner, is available on prior request. De-icing is offered from mid-November to mid-April, and Jet A-1 fuel is on site.

Other airports in the region

Distances are straight-line from Grenoble Alpes Isère:

When visibility along the runway is very low, take-offs and landings stop, and the operator diverts to Lyon; we then move the car there. On full winter Saturdays Chambéry also sends traffic to Grenoble, which is worth knowing when booking late.

Which aircraft for the city and the Oisans

A couple or a family with two children fits with skis in a very light jet, but with six people its hold is often too small. Give us the number of skis, snowboards or bike boxes with the request, and we will size the aircraft to the luggage. Light jets cover most trips to Grenoble; larger cabins make sense for groups.

Prefer to discuss the airport choice, the fire cover or the transfer by phone? Leave a number for a call from a consultant.

When to fly: seasons around Grenoble

Winter dominates at the airport, but business and summer traffic keep it working all year:

For Christmas and February, book the aircraft and the transfer together, several weeks ahead. Outside the ski season a flight to the city can usually be arranged within a day, with customs notice in advance for flights from outside Schengen.

Road and helicopter links to the city and the Oisans

The last 13.8 km to Alpe d'Huez climb from Le Bourg-d'Oisans through 21 numbered hairpins, and on a changeover Saturday or after heavy snow the drive can stretch to three hours or close for a while. The helicopter then keeps the next morning on the slopes, but it needs good visibility, so a car is always booked as the fallback. Alpe d'Huez also has an altiport used by helicopters and light aircraft, not by jets. For Courchevel and the Tarentaise, Chambéry shortens the trip by about half an hour.

One-way empty flights at Grenoble

Jets that bring skiers on a Saturday rarely wait a week, so many fly away empty, and these legs are sold at a discount. Typical directions:

Because the timing belongs to the original charter, these flights reward flexible travellers. Mail empty-legs@jets.flights with a direction and a range of days, and suitable offers will follow.

Your dog or cat on board

Pets travel in the cabin next to their owners once the operator has said yes. The French entry conditions are those of the EU:

• A microchip, fitted before the rabies vaccine is given.
• A wait of at least 21 days after a first rabies vaccination before the trip.
• From the EU a pet passport; from Great Britain an animal health certificate.
• A limit of five dogs, cats or ferrets per traveller.
• Entering France needs no tapeworm treatment.

The long, winding road to the Oisans is the hardest part for an animal, so we book a car with room for the carrier and plan a stop. In a helicopter the pet needs the operator's separate consent. Resort hotels differ in their pet rules, which we check before confirming. For the trip back, a dog bound for the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway has to see a vet for tapeworm treatment one to five days before landing; Britain also takes pets only on approved routes with approved handlers.

Passports, borders and taxes

Checklist before departure

• A passport or identity card for everyone on board, including children.
• Full names, birth dates and document numbers no later than the day before, earlier for non-Schengen arrivals outside winter.
• Resort or city address, so we can choose car, minibus or helicopter.
• Skis, snowboards, boot bags or bike boxes, with numbers.
• Aircraft type confirmed early if it needs the higher fire category.
• Return time before 21:00, or a later departure arranged in advance.
• Your pet's documents and the hotel's animal policy.
• Name and VAT number of the company to invoice.

From request to take-off

1. Send the dates, passengers, luggage and the final address: the research campus, a hotel in town or a chalet in the Oisans.
2. We check the terminal hours, customs notice and, for the largest jets, the fire cover for your date.
3. We send 2-4 aircraft with operator, model, cabin photos and whole-aircraft price, together with the car, minibus or helicopter.
4. With the operator's contract signed and paid, handling, de-icing and the transfer, road fallback included, are confirmed.
5. Your driver or pilot meets you outside the business terminal.

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

Grenoble flights: your questions answered

• • What does it cost to fly privately to Grenoble?

  • Nice and Milan Linate start at EUR 9,500 for a Phenom 300 one way, London at EUR 12,000, always for the whole aircraft. Handling, de-icing and any French departure tax are extra.

• • How far is the airport from the city?

  • About 40 km, around 40 minutes by car on the A48. The research institutes are on the side of the city you reach first.

• • Which airport is best for Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes?

  • Grenoble Alpes Isère: about 1:45 h and 1:35 h by car, or about 25 minutes by helicopter. From Geneva the drive is close to three hours.

• • Can large jets land at Grenoble?

  • Yes. The 3,050 m runway takes every business jet, and the higher fire category needed by a Global or a G650 is arranged on prior request.

• • Until what time can I land or leave?

  • Monday to Saturday 07:00-21:00 and Sundays and holidays from 08:00. Later departures are possible by arrangement.

• • What happens in fog?

  • Operations stop in very low visibility, and the flight diverts to Lyon Saint-Exupéry, about 40 minutes away by car. We move the transfer there.

• • Is there a helicopter transfer?

  • Yes, to Alpe d'Huez and Les Deux Alpes in about 25 minutes, to the city in about 12. A car is always kept ready in case of poor visibility.

• • Can I fly in for a day of meetings?

  • Yes. Land in the morning, drive 40 minutes to the city and leave before 21:00; the quote shows the waiting time instead of a second flight.

• • What do I pay in tax when flying home?

  • The French solidarity tax: about EUR 420 per passenger when a jet leaves for a European destination, about half for a turboprop. The inbound flight is not taxed in France.

• • Can my dog come?

  • It can, sitting in the cabin, if it has a chip, a rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. For the long road to the resorts we book a car with room for the carrier.

• • Do empty flights leave Grenoble?

  • Yes, mostly in winter, back to London, Paris and northern Europe after Saturday arrivals. Mail your direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.