Zürich.
Zurich is Switzerland's principal business aviation gateway — a 3,700 m runway that takes anything up to BBJ size, three established FBOs, and on-site customs in a country that is Schengen but not the EU customs union. It is also one of Europe's most tightly regulated fields, which rewards planning over improvisation.
Chartering from Zurich
Every IFR movement needs an airport slot — including empty positioning legs and maintenance ferries — and the slot comes through the mandated handling agent, not directly from the coordinator. Zurich enforces near-zero tolerance between the filed flight plan and the allocated slot: the slot ID goes in Item 18, and any flight-plan change means re-adjusting the slot. We build that discipline into every booking here.
The night rules are equally firm. Take-offs and landings are planned until 23:00; only movements already delayed are tolerated to 23:30, then the airport is closed until 06:00 with no extensions granted. Noise surcharges start at 22:00 and climb in half-hourly steps, so a 21:30 departure can be materially cheaper than a 22:45 one. On price: London–Zurich from €8,300 all-in on a light jet, and Zurich–Palma from €13,000.
Noise charges and WEF week
Zurich sets fees by noise category — from CHF 0 for the quietest class to CHF 2,000 per movement for the loudest — so a modern quiet jet is genuinely cheaper to operate here. And each January the airport becomes the gateway to Davos: roughly 1,000 extra movements in WEF week, prior parking permission required, and much of the GA ramp limited to a three-hour drop-and-go. For WEF we plan weeks ahead; for a normal Zurich departure a few days’ lead time is comfortable, with evening returns booked against the 23:00 door rather than close to it.
Facilities and access
Jet Aviation, ExecuJet and Cat Aviation share the GA sector, with customs and immigration on site until roughly 23:30. The city is 13 km away — 20 to 30 minutes by car, or about 10 minutes to Zurich HB by train.
Also from this airport: Zürich to Palma de Mallorca
Questions.
Can you depart Zurich at night?
No — the curfew runs 23:00 to 06:00 and is strictly enforced; only already-delayed movements are tolerated to 23:30. We plan evening departures with buffer.
How much is a private jet to Zurich?
London–Zurich from €8,300 all-in on a light jet; Zurich–Palma from €13,000 — indicative from-prices on our block-hour model.