Private Jet Courchevel to Lake Como

Few routes in the private aviation network are as short as the 122 nautical miles between Courchevel and Lake Como, a crossing of the Alps that takes a mere fifteen minutes in the air. Courchevel Altiport’s famously short, steeply pitched runway restricts operations to turboprops and very light jets capable of its demanding approach, making the Pilatus PC-12 the natural choice for this sector, prized in mountain aviation for its short-field performance and rugged undercarriage. The aircraft barely reaches its cruising altitude before beginning the descent toward Lombardy, the flight passing directly over some of the highest peaks in the Western Alps. Arrival is into Milan Malpensa Airport, from where the lake is a straightforward drive of under an hour into gentler, greener terrain than the one just departed. The contrast could hardly be more pronounced: Courchevel’s granite peaks and pine forests give way to Como’s terraced hillsides, lakeside villas and the mild microclimate that has made the area a retreat for the wealthy since Roman times. This route is built for the seasonal migration between two of Europe’s most established retreats, skiers closing out a week in the Trois Vallees before continuing to a lakeside property for the shoulder season, or property owners maintaining residences in both locations throughout the year. Because Courchevel’s altiport operates only with specific aircraft types and in daylight hours with favourable weather, timing matters more here than on most sectors, and operators experienced with the airfield are essential to a smooth transition between the two. For those who know it, the short hop remains one of the most scenic in Europe.