Private Jet to Chambéry: CMF Airport and Winter Saturdays

Chambéry by private jet: four arrivals an hour on winter Saturdays

The field dates from 1934, built for joint military and civil use. The air base closed in 1985, and the runway was lengthened to 2,020 m in the early 1990s ahead of the Albertville Winter Olympics. A terminal set aside for business aviation has operated since 2006, and VINCI Airports runs the airport under a sixteen-year concession that took effect on 1 July 2013.

1,790 m to land, at the end of a 4.46° slope

Runway length alone does not settle the calculation. The French AIP declares 1,790 m usable for landing on runway 18, heading south, and 1,840 m on runway 36, with both thresholds displaced. The aircraft operator works out performance from those figures, corrected in winter for a wet or snow-covered surface.

The straight-in approach follows a 4.46° final slope, or 7.8%. On a westbound departure from runway 36, an aircraft unable to hold the minimum climb gradient is given a different route, the BELUS departure, subject to air traffic control approval and sometimes to a delay.

The terrain also triggers requirements written into the AIP, covering every commercial aeroplane flight, which means every charter. The operator drafts Chambéry-specific instructions on wind and turbulence, lake and mountain effects, energy management and approach workload. Each captain completes theoretical training, and night operations or conditions below a 3,500 ft ceiling and 5,000 m visibility add simulator or on-site training. Checking that paperwork before quoting is part of the added value of a charter broker.

12 December to 3 April: Saturdays counted at arrival

Chambéry is a schedule-facilitated airport. On set days between mid-December and mid-April, every instrument business flight goes through a request on MyHandling, the operator's booking platform, which issues a fourteen-character code starting with LFLB, registered with COHOR and entered in field 18 of the flight plan. The days concerned are published by NOTAM.

For winter 2026-2027, the parameters published by COHOR frame Saturdays from 12 December 2026 to 3 April 2027. The airspace Chambéry shares with Annecy takes no more than six arrivals an hour between 10:00 and 19:00, of which four at most at Chambéry, and only two between 07:00 and 08:00. Within five days of the flight, remaining arrivals are handed out first come, first served, up to five an hour depending on the time.

Sundays from 13 December to 4 April follow similar caps, as do Mondays 28 December 2026 and 4 January 2027 and three Fridays in February. Airline and private flights share these arrivals: in 2025, 186,782 of Chambéry's 190,829 passengers flew on international services, according to the French airports union (UAF), and British Airways and Jet2 both run scheduled routes there.

On the ground in winter, weekend parking is rationed

From 1 December to 30 April, the business terminal opens daily from 07:30 to 21:00, with extensions available on request at a charge. The operator grants each authorisation according to the slots and parking stands still free. On Friday to Sunday nights, parking is limited and each request is reviewed case by case.

An aircraft that cannot get an overnight stand flies back to base and returns for its passengers. Those repositioning legs are the ones we offer as empty leg flights when the timing fits.

Customs require 24 hours' notice for any flight arriving from or leaving for another country, Schengen included, with the identity and nationality of passengers and crew; the terminal files it for handled flights. In winter, customs officers work at the business terminal. From 1 May to 30 November they attend on request, prior permission is no longer mandatory, and the terminal closes at 18:30 on weekdays and 18:00 at weekends.

When Chambéry is full: Grenoble, Lyon and the ten-day rule

When it can grant neither a slot nor a stand, the operator passes the request to Grenoble Alpes Isère, Lyon-Bron or Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, three VINCI Airports sites. If space opens up later, the flight moves back to Chambéry with no penalty charged by the fallback airport.

Ten days before the arrival date, unused slots are released and offered to operators on the waiting list, where we register our requests. Geneva, an hour's drive from the airport according to the UAF, remains the other gateway: its own rules are set out on our Geneva Airport page.

From runway to resort, 1 h 00 to 1 h 35 by road

The UAF gives driving times from the airport: 1 h 00 to Moûtiers, 1 h 20 to Bourg-Saint-Maurice, 1 h 30 to Courchevel and 1 h 35 to La Plagne. Annecy is 25 minutes away, Albertville 45. To finish by helicopter to Courchevel and its altiport, our Geneva to Courchevel private jet article covers the transfer.

Five of the seven Alpine hotels holding Atout France's Palace distinction, on the list updated on 2 June 2026, are in Courchevel. The other two are in Megève and Évian.

Which private jet for Chambéry

Airliners land here every winter, so runway length does not rule out the heavier categories from the start. It does call for a careful weight calculation, above all with ski luggage on a snow-covered runway.

• PC-12: turboprop for 6 passengers with luggage, on a short sector from Lyon, Geneva or Nice.
• Phenom 300: 7-seat light jet, for a flight in from Paris, Luxembourg or Brussels.
• Citation XLS: 8-seat midsize, for a group flying in from London with skis.

Allow in the order of an hour from Paris-Le Bourget or Luxembourg and an hour and a half from London, to be confirmed with the aircraft and winds. Hourly rates start at €4,000 for a light jet, €4,800 for a midsize and €6,500 for a heavy jet; the full range is in our private jet charter prices.

Chartering to or from Chambéry with IBC Aviation

Before confirming a winter flight, our Geneva teams settle four points: the Saturday authorisation code, a weekend parking stand or a repositioning plan, crew training for the airport's procedures, and the customs notice. If Chambéry stays full, we compare Grenoble, Lyon and Geneva on driving time to the resort. See also our Geneva office page.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 92 372 4680
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

How many arrivals does Chambéry Airport accept on a winter Saturday?

Four an hour at most through most of the day, from 12 December 2026 to 3 April 2027, according to COHOR's parameters. The airspace shared with Annecy caps arrivals at six an hour. Within five days of the flight, remaining arrivals rise to as many as five an hour depending on the time.

How much runway is available for landing at Chambéry?

The runway measures 2,020 by 45 m, but the AIP declares 1,790 m usable for landing on runway 18 and 1,840 m on runway 36. The straight-in approach follows a 4.46° slope, and every commercial flight requires airport-specific instructions and crew training.

Can a private jet stay parked at Chambéry over a winter weekend?

Not always. From Friday to Sunday, the operator limits overnight parking and reviews each request case by case, and the airport has no hangar for visiting aircraft. Without a stand, the aircraft flies back to base and returns for its passengers on the day of the return flight.

What happens if Chambéry has no slot left?

The operator passes the request to Grenoble Alpes Isère, Lyon-Bron or Lyon-Saint-Exupéry, three VINCI Airports sites, and brings it back to Chambéry with no penalty if space opens up. Ten days before arrival, unused slots are offered to operators on the waiting list.

Do customs need notice for a flight to Chambéry?

Yes, 24 hours before arrival for any flight from or to another country, Schengen included, with the identity and nationality of passengers and crew. The terminal takes care of it for handled flights. In winter, customs officers are present at the business terminal; in summer, they attend on request.