The closest airports to the French Alps, Swiss Alps, Italian Alps and Austrian Alps
Ski holidays have become widely recognised for providing exhilarating yet laid back getaways. And nowhere more so than the Alps. People come from miles around to experience the allure of the Alps all year round. Most descend to the area to enjoy the snow and make the most of the wintery atmosphere, while others just prefer visiting these cooler, more authentic climates. Whatever the reason behind your Alpine trip, you’ll want to make sure you can make it to your destination in the fastest time possible – and with the least amount of stress.
With this in mind, we’ve made a list of the closest airports to the French, Swiss, Italian and Austrian Alps to help you on your way to your luxury ski chalet.
Beginning your adventure in the French Alps
The French Alps are some of the most accessible. Boasting a number of airports within easy reaching distance, tourists are able to fly to the area from all over the world.
Courchevel is one of the most famous resorts for skiing, and even has its own airport, bringing small winged planes and helicopters right to the heart of the slopes.
St Exupéry Airport in Lyon is located slightly west of the popular French ski resorts, with the closest resorts located about 100 kilometres from the airport itself. There are however excellent transport links to get you to your destination.
Aix Les Bains Airport in Chambery is around an hour and a half by road to Mont Blanc. Although this may seem like a long commute, the journey provides stunning scenery to really get your holiday off to a striking start.
Geneva International Airport is probably the most famous in Switzerland and offers a great way to kick off your luxury ski holiday in style – in the French Alps. Around 100 kilometres from the French Alps, it provides a great place to touch down for a French skiing holiday.
Photo courtesy of Courchevel Tourism, photograph: ©David Andre
How to get to the renowned Swiss Alps
Just like France, Switzerland’s world-famous Alps benefit from unrivalled access from all over the globe.
Zurich Airport is located to the north of the country and lies around 130 kilometres of the Alps. A simple, almost straight journey down to the resorts, you’ll be gearing up in no time.
Airport Lugano in Lugano is one of the closest; sitting less than an hour and a half away from the action. A relatively quick and easy transfer, you won’t even realise the time has passed.
Making your way to the striking Italian Alps
The Italian Alps are some of the least accessible from Italian airports themselves due to being located at the top of the country. The closest Italian airports are in Milan, with Malpensa Airport, Linate Airport and Airport Orio Al Serio (Bergamo) all in the city. However these do have long transfer times, reaching around four and a half hours.
Zurich Airport is a good choice for Italian skiing getaways, with a much shorter two hour commute time, while Lugano Airport in Switzerland is also a better bet than Italian airports, with a straight line commute to the Alps in under three hours.
Turin Airport is located north of the city of Turin and provides easy access to the snow-covered Alps. Less than two hours from the ever-popular destinations of Courmayeur and Sauze d’Oulx, the airport is popular with tourists.
Genova Airport is another popular choice, lying just one and a half hours from the closest resorts. The Italian ski haven of Courmayeur is just over two and a half hours away, while the airport is also a popular choice for those visiting France. It lies a three hour drive from Chamonix, while Megève is just 30 minutes further.
Getting to celebrated Austrian Alps
The Austrian Alps offer some of the best skiing in the world, as well as the scenery to match. And luckily, they are easy to access from all over.
Kranebitten Airport in Innsbruck is essentially next door to the Austrian Alps. Numerous quality ski resorts are located in the area, while many others are just an hour away by road.
Wolfgang A Mozart Airport is another great airport to get to the Austrian Alps in a hurry. Just under an hour away from key resorts, thousands of passengers choose the airport to start their chalet getaway.
If you’re looking for your next ski chalet holiday in Switzerland, France, Austria or Italy, browse our luxury chalets to rent
