If you’re bored tagging along with the rest of the herd then chartering your own private aircraft is a pretty emphatic declaration of independence. Fly when you want, where you want and with whom you choose is a reliable formula, you might think, for a holiday that’s a reflection of your unique individual preferences.
So it can be a little deflating to find that there are herds in the sky too. Not just the low-cost hordes and their ski-boots squeezed into 737s but even quite a number of your fellow private-jet individualists, each in their own chartered, airborne mini-kingdom. Very often both sets of travellers arrive at the same airports, heading for the same resorts. The resulting mix of winter-sport enthusiasts, their families, ski kit and luggage – not to mention the resulting demand on local services from chauffeurs to chalets – can add an unwelcome extra frostiness to the fresh Alpine air.
But with a moment’s thought you can avoid the risk of any such disappointment. What’s more, with the same thought, you can emphasise your individuality and your enviable traveller’s savoir faire as well. By choosing to fly to the small but perfect Swiss town of Sion you arrive in the heart of the Valais Alps, just a short drive – or an even shorter helicopter hop – to the most prestigious ski destinations in Europe. Typically, you can expect to save up to 2 ½ hours on your surface travel compared to larger airports.
You might even decide to enhance the holiday mood with some preliminary shopping, sightseeing, wine appreciation or thermal spa treatments. Sion has all those and more – plus a local climate that practically guarantees good flying weather.
So if destinations like Verbier, Zermatt. Crans-Montana or Saas-fee are on your winter holiday list, take the Sion option and avoid the herd. After all, there’ll be plenty of time to stand in line when you get to the ski-lift…
Request a callback
