Four airports handle most international traffic into the Alps: Munich, Zurich, Geneva and Milan, which has two airports worth treating separately, Malpensa and Bergamo. Below: the closest resorts to each, the biggest ski areas within 250 km, and links to the full rankings.
All distances are straight-line distances between airport and resort coordinates, calculated for the 237 of our 251 resorts that we have mapped. Road distance is typically 20 to 50% longer and transfer time depends on the valley: 100 km on a motorway is an hour, 100 km up a side valley in Saturday traffic can be three. Use the figures as a first filter.
The five airports compared
| Airport | Resorts within 100 km | Within 150 km | Within 250 km | Nearest resort |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Geneva (GVA) | 25 | 49 | 67 | Les Gets and La Clusaz, 44 km |
| Zurich (ZRH) | 7 | 29 | 73 | Feldberg, 62 km |
| Munich (MUC) | 3 | 25 | 77 | Reit im Winkl, 90 km |
| Milan Malpensa (MXP) | 5 | 37 | 96 | Saas Fee, 81 km |
| Milan Bergamo (BGY) | 4 | 23 | 101 | Aprica, 63 km |
Geneva is in a class of its own for short transfers, with 25 resorts inside 100 km. Munich has the fewest resorts close by but the most in the 150 to 250 km ring, where most of Tyrol and Salzburgerland sits. The Milan airports reach the most resorts overall, but almost all are over 80 km away.
Geneva (GVA)
| Resort | Straight-line km | Ski area (km of piste) | Top (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Les Gets | 44 | Portes du Soleil (600) | 2,002 |
| La Clusaz | 44 | Massif des Aravis (132) | 2,616 |
| Morzine | 47 | Portes du Soleil (650) | 2,466 |
| Morillon | 47 | Le Grand Massif (265) | 2,500 |
| Samoëns | 51 | Le Grand Massif (265) | 2,500 |
| Avoriaz | 51 | Portes du Soleil (600) | 2,466 |
| Flaine | 52 | Le Grand Massif (265) | 2,500 |
| Châtel | 56 | Portes du Soleil (600) | 2,200 |
Just behind them come Megève (58 km, Evasion Mont-Blanc, 445 km), Champéry (59 km, the Swiss side of the Portes du Soleil) and Chamonix (68 km, top 3,842 m). The biggest areas are all close: the Portes du Soleil villages at 44 to 59 km, Verbier and the 4 Vallées (410 km) at 87 km, Paradiski’s Les Arcs and La Plagne (425 km) at 92 to 93 km, the 3 Vallées villages (600 km) at 100 to 111 km, and Tignes and Val d’Isère (Espace Killy, 300 km) at 106 to 111 km. The highest in range are Cervinia (122 km) and Zermatt (128 km) at 3,883 m.
Geneva is the obvious choice for Haute-Savoie, the Tarentaise and the Swiss Valais, with Lyon as the alternative for the Tarentaise (resorts near Lyon). Saturday changeover is the busiest transfer day; a Sunday or midweek arrival avoids the worst of it. Full list: ski resorts near Geneva airport.
Zurich (ZRH)
| Resort | Straight-line km | Ski area (km of piste) | Top (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Feldberg (Germany) | 62 | Liftverbund Feldberg (30) | 1,450 |
| Braunwald | 68 | Braunwald (30) | 1,904 |
| Engelberg | 72 | Titlis (82) | 3,020 |
| Disentis | 88 | Disentis 3000 (60) | 2,833 |
| Sedrun | 88 | SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun (180) | 2,963 |
| Laax | 91 | Flims Laax Falera (224) | 3,018 |
| Andermatt | 94 | SkiArena (180) | 2,963 |
| Grindelwald | 101 | Jungfrau Region (206) | 2,970 |
The next ring holds the big Swiss names: Wengen (106 km), Lenzerheide (111 km) and Arosa (114 km), Klosters (119 km) and Davos (121 km, 300 km of piste). Western Austria is closer to Zurich than to Munich: Lech Zürs is 123 km and St. Anton 135 km (Ski Arlberg, 305 km) against 177 and 178 km from Munich, and Ischgl is 140 km. The biggest areas within 250 km are the Portes du Soleil (186 to 203 km) and the 4 Vallées (168 to 182 km); the highest is Zermatt at 172 km.
Zurich’s natural territory is central and eastern Switzerland plus the Arlberg. Full list: ski resorts near Zurich airport.
Munich (MUC)
| Resort | Straight-line km | Ski area (km of piste) | Top (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Reit im Winkl (Germany) | 90 | Winklmoosalm-Steinplatte (44) | 1,860 |
| Söll | 99 | SkiWelt (284) | 1,957 |
| Scheffau | 99 | SkiWelt (284) | 1,957 |
| Ellmau | 101 | SkiWelt (284) | 1,957 |
| Going am Wilden Kaiser | 101 | SkiWelt (284) | 1,957 |
| Niederau | 102 | Wildschönau (109) | 2,100 |
| St Johann in Tirol | 103 | St. Johann in Tirol (43) | 1,604 |
| Alpbach | 106 | Ski Juwel (113) | 2,025 |
Then come Garmisch-Partenkirchen (108 km), Kitzbühel (110 km, 234 km of piste), Saalbach (125 km) in the 270 km Skicircus, the Zillertal (Zell am Ziller 124 km, Mayrhofen 132 km, Hintertux glacier 133 km) and Zell am See-Kaprun (137 to 140 km). The biggest area genuinely close to Munich is the SkiWelt at 99 to 110 km; within 250 km the largest figures are pass networks, Dolomiti Superski via Canazei (208 km) and Ski Amadé via Flachau (164 km). The highest are Hintertux (133 km) and Sölden (165 km), both with glacier lifts reaching 3,250 m.
Munich is the intercontinental gateway for Austria but not the closest airport to most Austrian resorts: in our data Salzburg is nearest for 28 resorts and Innsbruck for 18; compare the Salzburg and Innsbruck lists if flights allow. Full list: ski resorts near Munich airport.
Milan Malpensa (MXP)
| Resort | Straight-line km | Ski area (km of piste) | Top (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Saas Fee (Switzerland) | 81 | Saas Fee (100) | 3,573 |
| Zermatt (Switzerland) | 87 | Zermatt-Cervinia (322) | 3,883 |
| Cervinia | 91 | Cervinia-Zermatt (322) | 3,883 |
| Bettmeralp (Switzerland) | 97 | Aletsch Arena (104) | 2,869 |
| Zinal (Switzerland) | 102 | Val d’Anniviers (115) | 2,895 |
| Andermatt (Switzerland) | 110 | SkiArena (180) | 2,963 |
| Pila | 112 | Pila (70) | 2,700 |
| Sedrun (Switzerland) | 117 | SkiArena Andermatt-Sedrun (180) | 2,963 |
Most of Malpensa’s nearest resorts are Swiss, and the Valais giants are closer to it than to any other airport here: Zermatt is 87 km against 128 km from Geneva and 172 km from Zurich, and Cervinia 91 km against 122 km from Geneva. The 4 Vallées villages sit 121 to 128 km away, Crans-Montana 122 km and St. Moritz 129 km. On the Italian side, Courmayeur is 137 km, La Thuile 138 km and the Via Lattea (400 km) 160 to 175 km (Turin is nearer: resorts near Turin). The biggest areas within 250 km are the Portes du Soleil (155 to 169 km) and the 3 Vallées (164 to 175 km).
For Zermatt, Cervinia, Saas Fee and the Aosta valley, Malpensa is the shortest route on paper; mountain roads and Zermatt’s car-free village mean a longer transfer than the distance suggests. Full list: ski resorts near Milan Malpensa airport.
Milan Bergamo (BGY)
| Resort | Straight-line km | Ski area (km of piste) | Top (m) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aprica | 63 | Aprica (50) | 2,300 |
| St. Moritz (Switzerland) | 93 | St. Moritz (155) | 3,303 |
| Passo Tonale | 94 | Passo Tonale (100) | 3,016 |
| Pinzolo | 99 | Skirama Dolomiti (70) | 2,100 |
| Livigno | 102 | Livigno (115) | 2,798 |
| Bormio | 103 | Bormio (50) | 3,012 |
| Madonna di Campiglio | 107 | Skirama Dolomiti (150) | 2,504 |
| Val di Sole | 110 | Dolomiti Superski (150) | 2,846 |
Bergamo is the airport for Lombardy, western Trentino and the Engadin. Beyond the table come Folgarida (116 km), Lenzerheide (118 km), Arosa (124 km), Davos (127 km) and Laax (130 km). The Dolomiti Superski heartland is 181 to 183 km away via Campitello di Fassa and Canazei, slightly closer than from Munich (208 km), though Bolzano is the nearest airport in our data for 23 resorts in that region. The highest close by is St. Moritz (3,303 m) at 93 km.
Bergamo suits Livigno, Bormio, Passo Tonale and Madonna di Campiglio, and it is closer to St. Moritz than Zurich (145 km) or Malpensa (129 km). Full list: ski resorts near Milan Bergamo airport. All airport rankings are collected on the rankings page, and the resort finder can filter by nearest airport.
Quick answers
Which ski resort is closest to Geneva airport?
Les Gets and La Clusaz, both about 44 km in a straight line, then Morzine and Morillon at 47 km. Geneva has 25 resorts within 100 km.
Which ski resorts are closest to Zurich airport?
Feldberg in Germany at 62 km; in Switzerland, Braunwald (68 km), Engelberg (72 km), Disentis and Sedrun (88 km), Laax (91 km) and Andermatt (94 km).
What is the closest ski resort to Munich airport?
Reit im Winkl in Germany at 90 km, then the SkiWelt villages of Söll and Scheffau at 99 km and Kitzbühel at 110 km, all straight-line distances.
Which Milan airport is better for skiing?
Malpensa for the Valais and Aosta valley (Saas Fee 81 km, Zermatt 87 km, Cervinia 91 km); Bergamo for Lombardy, Trentino and the Engadin (Aprica 63 km, St. Moritz 93 km, Passo Tonale 94 km, Livigno 102 km).
