Private jet to Sion

Sion, the capital of the canton of Valais, lies on the floor of the Rhône valley with some of the highest peaks of the Alps on both sides. Its airport sits on the south-western edge of town, about 2.5 km from the centre, and is the jet airport nearest to Verbier, Crans-Montana, Zermatt and Saas-Fee. From the aircraft it is about half an hour by car to Crans-Montana, 45-50 minutes to Verbier, or a few minutes by helicopter to almost any resort in the canton.

For skiers the alternative is usually Geneva and two hours or more of motorway. In return, Sion asks for more planning: it works in daytime only, the instrument approach into the valley is steep, and it may only be flown by pilots trained for it. Winter brings most of the traffic, but summer has its own guests, for the Verbier Festival, golf in Crans-Montana and the vineyards around the town. As a broker we choose the operator by its crews' local qualification and plan the transfer to the resort together with the flight.

Tell us the resort, the dates, the number of passengers and how many pairs of skis travel with you:

Why land in the Rhône valley

How long the flight takes

Flight times for a Phenom 300 from the price tables, including taxi, climb and descent:

Zurich is 0:43 h away, Frankfurt 1:05 h and Hamburg 1:38 h. From Scandinavia allow 1:59-2:40 h in a light jet. A bigger cabin hardly changes the time on these distances: from London a Challenger 350 needs 1:31 h, only four minutes less. The tighter limit is the airport's day: in winter it closes at dusk, so a departure from northern Europe after lunch can be too late, and we then plan Geneva instead.

Prices for private flights to Sion

Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus handling, de-icing, airport fees and passenger taxes, with an aircraft available near the departure airport. The flight time refers to the first aircraft in the row.

From the European hubs

A Phenom 300 costs EUR 12,000 from London and EUR 10,500 from Paris. The short Swiss sectors from Geneva and Zurich, at EUR 8,500 and EUR 9,000, are used by guests who arrive there on an airline and want to skip the road; as domestic flights they need an operator allowed to fly within Switzerland.

Short sectors from Italy and France

From Turin, Lyon and Marseille the distance is short enough for a turboprop, which keeps the price low for two to six passengers:

A PC-12 from Turin or Lyon costs EUR 6,500, the lowest price on this page. From Naples, 816 km away, a jet saves half an hour against the turboprop.

From the north and the UK regions

For a ski group from Scandinavia or Scotland the Praetor 500 and the G280 add hold space for skis and boot bags; from Oslo the G280 costs EUR 23,000 and needs 2:25 h.

Long-haul: via Geneva

The runway can take heavy and some long-range jets when the operator has qualified crews, but the daytime hours and the approach make Geneva the usual arrival for intercontinental flights. Prices to Geneva:

From Geneva a helicopter reaches the Valais resorts in about half an hour, or a light jet hops on to Sion. Prices also depend on the season: at Christmas, New Year and in February, aircraft with qualified crews are booked early and cost more. Arrivals in Switzerland pay no passenger tax. Departures from France pay about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet, from Germany a departure tax, and from the UK Air Passenger Duty at the standard rate of the distance band; the higher private-jet rate applies only to aircraft of 20 t or more, and a PC-12 under 5.7 t is exempt. Flights to or from Italy pay EUR 100 per passenger. Each of them appears as a line 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

Cost per seat

The whole aircraft is chartered, so the price per person falls with each extra passenger. The transfer to the resort comes on top:

Quick estimate

Enter the route, date and number of passengers in the calculator, and add the resort and the number of skis in the comments.

Sion airport and the business aviation terminal

Sion Airport (SIR, LSGS) sits at about 482 m on the valley floor and is used almost entirely by business jets, general aviation and helicopters. The runway is about 2,000 m by 40 m, enough for every class from a turboprop to a heavy jet, though operators still calculate performance for each flight's weight and temperature. Business aviation passengers use separate facilities with a lounge; customs and passport control are available during opening hours.

The constraints are crews and the clock. The instrument approach to runway 25 starts at a slope of 6 degrees and then continues at 4 degrees, against 3 degrees at most airports, and the final part is not in line with the runway. Only pilots trained and qualified for the local procedures may fly it, and lower weather minima require a flight with an airport instructor or simulator training. From April to September the airport is open from 07:00 until no later than 20:00, from October to March from 08:00 to dusk; outside these hours a special permission from the airport is needed. Aircraft over 3 t that are not based at Sion must use a handling agent, such as Signature Flight Support or the airport's own service, because self-handling is not allowed.

A night in a hangar can save de-icing before a morning departure in winter, so for stays of several days we compare the hangar fee with parking outside. The handler announces parking to the airport at least 24 hours before arrival.

Alternates and other airports

Sion is one of the driest and sunniest places in Switzerland, yet low cloud in the valley still happens, and every crew plans fuel for an alternate:

Choosing the aircraft

Skis and snowboards are rarely the problem, the number of bags is. Tell us how many pairs of skis, boards and boot bags you bring, and we match the hold to them. Avalanche airbag packs with gas canisters follow special rules and must be declared in advance. For groups of more than twelve, a heavy jet to Geneva and two helicopters is often the simpler plan.

Questions about the resort, the helicopter or the aircraft type? Leave your number and a consultant will call back.

Seasons in Valais

Winter brings the most flights, but Valais has a busy summer as well:

For Christmas, New Year and February, secure the aircraft, a qualified crew and the helicopter several weeks before. Arriving midweek gives more choice of aircraft and less traffic on the roads up to the resorts.

Transfers to Verbier, Crans-Montana and Zermatt

Verbier has a single access road from Le Châble, so Saturdays in the season take longer. Zermatt has no petrol cars: after the train from Täsch an electric taxi takes you to the hotel, and we book it in advance. Helicopters fly in daylight and in suitable mountain weather only, so for winter flights we always keep the road and the train as a fallback. From Milan the road comes over the Simplon Pass, from Turin and Aosta through the Great St Bernard tunnel.

Empty Legs to and from Valais

In the ski season many aircraft bring guests to Sion and leave empty, or arrive empty to collect the next group. These flights are sold well below the normal price. Typical directions:

An Empty Leg must also fit the airport's hours, and its time is set by the operator. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates, and we will send matching flights.

Bringing a dog or cat

Pets fly in the cabin with you, not in the hold. The operator must know the species, breed and weight before confirming the aircraft, especially when a helicopter follows. Switzerland applies rules close to those of the EU:

• Microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel when it is the first one, given from 12 weeks of age.
• EU pet passport, which Switzerland accepts.
• Up to five animals on a private trip; more only for competitions or shows.
• No tapeworm treatment needed for Switzerland.

Helicopter operators and resort hotels have their own pet rules; we check the helicopter and recommend asking the hotel directly. For a return to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway, dogs need tapeworm treatment 1-5 days before arrival, and the UK accepts pets only through approved routes and handlers. Salted roads are hard on paws, so paw protection is worth packing.

Passports, customs and taxes

Checklist

• Passport or ID card for every passenger, children included.
• Passenger list with names and document numbers, sent no later than the day before.
• Number of skis, snowboards and boot bags, plus any airbag packs.
• Resort and address, so the car or helicopter can be planned.
• For Zermatt: helicopter or car and train.
• Landing time inside the opening hours, with a margin before dusk in winter.
• Agreement on Geneva as plan B if the weather turns.
• Pet passport, chip and rabies vaccination.

Booking step by step

1. Send the departure airport, dates, passengers, skis and the resort or chalet address.
2. We ask only operators whose pilots hold the Sion qualification and check that the landing falls inside the opening hours.
3. You receive 2-4 options with the price for the whole aircraft, the car or helicopter to the resort and, if needed, parking or a hangar.
4. You sign the contract with the operator and pay; the handler announces parking and we book the transfer.
5. On arrival the car or helicopter waits at the aircraft; if the valley is closed by weather, the flight lands at Geneva with the car already arranged.

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

Frequently asked questions about Sion

• • What does a private jet to Sion cost?

  • For the whole aircraft, one way, a Phenom 300 costs EUR 10,500 from Paris and EUR 12,000 from London. A PC-12 from Turin or Lyon costs EUR 6,500. The transfer, de-icing and taxes are added in the quote.

• • Can a large jet land at Sion?

  • The runway of about 2,000 m takes heavy jets too, but the operator must confirm performance and have pilots qualified for the local approach. Otherwise the aircraft lands at Geneva.

• • When is the airport open?

  • From April to September from 07:00 until no later than 20:00, from October to March from 08:00 to dusk. Flights outside these hours need special permission, which cannot be counted on.

• • Is Sion or Geneva better for Verbier?

  • Sion saves more than an hour on the road each way. Geneva suits the largest aircraft, evening arrivals and days with uncertain weather in the valley.

• • How do I get to Zermatt?

  • By helicopter to the Zermatt heliport in 15-20 minutes, or by car to Täsch and the shuttle train for the last 5 km. We keep the car as a fallback when the helicopter cannot fly.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • About 1:35 h from Farnborough in a Phenom 300 and 1:31 h in a Challenger 350.

• • How many skis fit in a light jet?

  • Usually skis for four or five people, depending on the suitcases. For six skiers or more, a midsize jet such as the Citation XLS+ is the safer choice.

• • Is there a passport check?

  • Not from Schengen countries as a rule, but carry a passport or ID card. Flights from the UK and other non-Schengen countries are checked at Sion during opening hours.

• • Can my dog fly with us?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. Dogs with cropped ears or tails are generally not admitted to Switzerland.

• • Are there Empty Legs from Sion?

  • Yes, mostly on Saturdays and Sundays in the ski season towards London, Paris and northern Europe. Send your direction and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • Can the aircraft stay for the week?

  • Yes, if the handler confirms parking; a hangar avoids de-icing. For a week it is usually cheaper to book two one-way flights.