Courchevel Altiport takes no business jets — its runway is too short. Here is which airport to use instead, what it costs, and how the transfer is arranged.
Runway length available: 537 m. The middle column gives the length generally needed for take-off at maximum weight, at sea level.
| Category | Runway required | At Courchevel |
|---|---|---|
| Very Light JetCitation Mustang, Phenom 100 | 1,000 m | Runway too short |
| TurbopropPilatus PC-12, King Air 350 | 800 m | Runway too short |
| Light JetCitation CJ3, Phenom 300 | 1,100 m | Runway too short |
| Midsize JetCitation XLS+, Learjet 60 | 1,400 m | Runway too short |
| Super MidsizeChallenger 350, Longitude | 1,500 m | Runway too short |
| Large JetChallenger 605, Legacy 600 | 1,750 m | Runway too short |
| Long RangeGlobal 6000, Gulfstream G650 | 1,900 m | Runway too short |
Elevation has to be taken into account. At 2,006 m the air is thinner: the take-off distance lengthens appreciably compared with sea level, and more still in hot weather. The categories above may call for a reduction in payload or fuel, or may not be usable at maximum weight at all. The performance calculation is made case by case with the operator.
Bottom of the range for a one-way flight, on the most economical category able both to cover the distance and to land on this runway.
537 metres long, an 18.6% gradient and 2,008 metres of elevation. The smallest business jet in service needs around 950 metres at sea level, and considerably more at altitude. The gap is not a question of margin: it is a question of aircraft category.
The surrounding terrain makes it impossible to break off the landing once the approach has begun. There is no instrument procedure and the runway has no lighting: in fog or with a low cloud base, the airfield is unreachable, whatever the aircraft.
Short take-off and landing mountain aircraft, and helicopters. Public passenger transport is tightly controlled here by the French civil aviation authority and covers only a handful of types. A Pilatus PC-12 is technically capable of it, but operating one in public transport on this airfield falls under an exemption regime.
The flight — your jet lands at Chambéry Savoie (LFLB), which accepts very nearly the whole business fleet.
The transfer — about an hour by road, or some twenty minutes by helicopter from Geneva.
This is how every broker proceeds, the largest included. What makes the difference is not pretending otherwise, it is arranging the second segment in advance rather than on the day.
Sources
Data verified on 31 July 2026. The runway lengths required are indicative: the real distance depends on payload, temperature, elevation, wind and runway condition. The feasibility of a flight is always confirmed with the operator before any commitment.