Private jets at Sion Airport
Sion is a joint civil and military airport in the Rhône valley with a 2,000-metre runway, which the airport presents as a gateway to resorts such as Crans-Montana, Verbier and Zermatt. It keeps short daytime hours, a handling agent is mandatory for visiting aircraft over 3 tonnes, and only pilots holding a special Sion qualification may fly its instrument approaches.
- Longest runway
- 2,000 m
- Codes
- SIR · LSGS
- Business aviation handling
- 3 handlers
Business aviation handling
Signature describes its Sion facility as a private terminal with on-site customs. Alpine Jet Services offers a VIP reception area.
Signature
Private terminal at Chemin Lambien 12. On-site customs and immigration, 24-hour surveillance, hangar with overnight space. Hours 07:00-20:00 local in summer, 08:00 to nightfall in winter. Mandatory handler for helicopters on the Grély sector.
Alpine Jet Services
Swiss handling company at Sion, Route des Ronquoz 146. VIP reception, concierge and workspace. Hours 07:00-20:00 in summer, 08:00 to sunset in winter.
Aéroport de Sion
The airport itself is also a listed handling agent and runs a lounge.
Worth knowing before you fly
- Check the crew first: instrument approaches at Sion need a Sion type A or type B pilot qualification. Without type B, the approach is day only with high cloud and visibility minima, so weather can stop an arrival.
- The airport day is short. Even with a pre-booked extension, movements end at 20:00 UTC at the latest, and private (non-commercial) flights are banned by law from 22:00 local. Late-evening arrivals in winter need checking against the day/night limit.
- Transit parking for jets must be approved by the airport at least 24 hours in advance, and the north apron allows 7 days at most. Book parking as soon as the schedule is known, especially in the ski season.
- In winter we watch the weather closely and book a hangar where we can, which can save thousands against a de-icing bill.
Operating information
For business and private flights. Details change, so we check them again for your date.
Airport
| Opening hours | AIP Switzerland (Sion AD 2, AMDT 004 2025, 17 April 2025), times in UTC: aerodrome administration April-September 05:00 until the day/night limit, latest 18:00 UTC; October-March 07:00 until the day/night limit, latest 19:00 UTC. Customs, handling, fuel and de-icing follow these hours. Flights outside them need special permission: April-September 18:00-19:00 UTC with PPR by 10:00 UTC; October-March 06:00-07:00 UTC with PPR by 16:00 UTC the day before, and from the day/night limit to 20:00 UTC with PPR by 11:00 UTC. Signature and Alpine Jet Services give 07:00-20:00 local in summer and 08:00 to sunset in winter. Swiss federal law (OSIA art. 39, consolidated text of 1 July 2026) bans take-offs and landings of non-commercial flights 22:00-06:00 local at all Swiss aerodromes. |
|---|---|
| Prior permission | PPR is needed for movements outside the published hours (see hours). Transit parking for aircraft over 3 tonnes must be approved by the airport authority at least 24 hours in advance. A flight plan or flight notification is mandatory for every flight. |
| Customs and immigration | Customs and immigration are available during aerodrome hours (AIP). Signature states that customs and immigration are on site. The airport publishes a crew and passenger immigration declaration form. |
| Slots | No airport slot system is published in the AIP extract. Movements are controlled through opening hours, PPR for extensions and prior approval for transit parking. |
| Noise and night restrictions | Monday-Saturday 06:00-07:00, 11:00-12:00 and 17:00-19:00 UTC (05:00-06:00, 10:00-11:00 and 16:00-18:00 UTC in summer), and on Sundays and holidays, circuits by non-based, noise category A and B and multi-engine aircraft, technical flights and engine tests are prohibited. Reverse thrust should be limited and the full runway used where possible. APU use is limited to 15 minutes before departure and 10 minutes after arrival. Swiss federal law (OSIA art. 39, consolidated text of 1 July 2026) bans take-offs and landings of non-commercial flights 22:00-06:00 local at all Swiss aerodromes. Commercial flights at other Swiss airports are allowed 22:00-23:00 only with aircraft below a noise index of 87, and banned 23:00-06:00. |
| Aircraft parking | The north apron is for non-based aircraft and scheduled flights only, for 7 days at most. Transit parking is for aircraft over 3 tonnes and must be approved by the airport authority at least 24 hours in advance. The AIP lists hangar space for visiting aircraft up to 77,000 kg (A320 size). |
| De-icing | De-icing is assured 1 November to 30 April, on stand, by Sion Airport. Type I and Type II fluids are available. Aircraft are de-iced to SAE AS6285 under the clean-aircraft concept. |
| Other restrictions | IFR approaches and departures are limited to pilots holding a Sion type A or type B qualification. Type A is an online self-briefing and allows only a day approach with a decision altitude of 8,000 ft (visibility 8 km, ceiling 6,500 ft). Type B needs a flight or simulator programme with an approved organisation and is required for lower minima, night approaches and circling. The approach to runway 25 is at 6° initially and 4° on final. A handling agent is mandatory for non-based aircraft over 3 tonnes; self-handling is not allowed and the handler's name goes in item 18 of the flight plan. Fire cover is category 5 for charter traffic and category 3 for other traffic; higher categories (up to 7) on request 3 hours before. The runway has two retractable military arresting cables. |
Runways
| 07/25 | 2,000 m, asphalt |
|---|---|
| 07/25 grass | 660 m, grass (vfr only) |
Flying times
| To | Distance | Light or midsize jet |
|---|---|---|
| Nice | 154 nm | About 40 min |
| Paris | 257 nm | About 55 min |
| London | 441 nm | About 1h 20m |
| Ibiza | 513 nm | About 1h 30m |
| Manchester | 566 nm | About 1h 35m |
| Mykonos | 960 nm | About 2h 30m |
| Marrakech | 1,129 nm | About 2h 55m |
| Dubai | 2,607 nm | Long-range jet |
| New York | 3,398 nm | Long-range jet |
Nearby airports
Saanen
Sankt Stephan
Aosta Corrado Gex
Bern
More airport guides nearby: Geneva Airport, Zurich Airport, Milan Linate Airport, Genoa Airport, Venice Marco Polo Airport, Nuremberg Airport.
Questions
Is there a private terminal at Sion Airport?
Yes. Signature describes its Sion facility as a private terminal with on-site customs. Alpine Jet Services offers a VIP reception area.
What are Sion Airport's opening hours for private flights?
AIP Switzerland (Sion AD 2, AMDT 004 2025, 17 April 2025), times in UTC: aerodrome administration April-September 05:00 until the day/night limit, latest 18:00 UTC; October-March 07:00 until the day/night limit, latest 19:00 UTC. Customs, handling, fuel and de-icing follow these hours. Flights outside them need special permission: April-September 18:00-19:00 UTC with PPR by 10:00 UTC; October-March 06:00-07:00 UTC with PPR by 16:00 UTC the day before, and from the day/night limit to 20:00 UTC with PPR by 11:00 UTC. Signature and Alpine Jet Services give 07:00-20:00 local in summer and 08:00 to sunset in winter. Swiss federal law (OSIA art. 39, consolidated text of 1 July 2026) bans take-offs and landings of non-commercial flights 22:00-06:00 local at all Swiss aerodromes.
Can I clear customs at Sion Airport on a private flight?
Customs and immigration are available during aerodrome hours (AIP). Signature states that customs and immigration are on site. The airport publishes a crew and passenger immigration declaration form.
Checked 20 October 2026 from published airport, government and handler information (sionaeroport.ch, signatureaviation.com, alpinejet.ch, fedlex.data.admin.ch). Not for operational use; we confirm everything for your flight.
