Private ski travel. Front door to first lift, in one plan.
The flight to the Alps is the easy part. The airports are small, the weather decides which ones are open, and the last fifty miles are up a mountain. That is where a single plan earns its keep.
How it fits together
Three legs, one itinerary
A ski trip has three parts: the car to a London private terminal, which is ours; the aircraft to the Alps; and the transfer up the mountain by car or helicopter. We arrange all three and hold them together, so that when fog closes Chambéry and the aircraft diverts to Geneva, the driver is already on his way there and the chalet knows you will be late.
In the Alps, cars and helicopters are arranged through operators we know, with winter tyres, chains and drivers who do the road every day.
Which airport?
Airports for the main resorts
| Resort | Closest airport for jets | Reliable alternative | Typical road transfer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Courchevel and Méribel | Chambéry | Geneva or Lyon | About 1 hour 30 from Chambéry, 2 hours 30 from Geneva |
| Val d'Isère | Chambéry | Geneva | About 2 hours from Chambéry, 3 hours from Geneva |
| Verbier | Sion | Geneva | About 50 minutes from Sion, 2 hours from Geneva |
| Zermatt | Sion | Geneva or Zurich | Car to Täsch then the shuttle train: Zermatt is car-free |
| Gstaad | Saanen, for smaller aircraft | Geneva or Bern | About 2 hours from Geneva |
| St Moritz | Samedan | Zurich | 10 minutes from Samedan, about 3 hours from Zurich |
Typical times in normal winter conditions. Mountain airfields have weather limits, short runways or special crew approvals, and can close at short notice. We always plan an alternative.
Planning it well
What experienced ski travellers do
- Avoid Saturdays if you can. The flights, the airports and the valley roads are all at their worst on changeover day
- Book the February half-term weeks and New Year months ahead. Slots at Chambéry, Sion and Samedan are limited
- Tell us how many sets of skis, boots and bags. It decides the aircraft and the number of vehicles
- Agree the fallback airport before you leave, and do not be surprised if it is used
- Consider a helicopter for the last leg. It turns a two-hour road transfer into twenty minutes, in daylight and good visibility
- Build in slack on the way home. Snow affects the descent as much as the ascent
The resorts
Where our clients ski
Request a quote
Tell us the week
Resort, dates, passengers and how many sets of skis. We reply with aircraft options and the transfer plan, including the fallback.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About ski travel
Can we fly directly into the resort?
Only by helicopter or, at a few resorts, in small aircraft with specially qualified pilots. Jets land at the valley airports and the last leg is by road or helicopter.
What happens if our airport is closed by weather?
The aircraft goes to the alternative we agreed beforehand, and the transfer is moved to meet it. You are told as soon as the crew decide.
Are your own cars in the Alps?
Our own cars and chauffeurs are in London and Manchester, and a trusted global network covers everywhere else. Alpine transfers are arranged through operators we know, and you deal with one contact at Odyssey throughout.
When should we book?
For peak weeks, in the autumn. For other weeks, a few weeks ahead is usually enough.
One contact, wherever you are