Heavy jets bring transcontinental range and a large cabin, often with separate sleeping areas, a full galley, and a stand-up aisle throughout. Ten to sixteen seats, range typically 4,000 to 5,500 nautical miles. From Switzerland the category covers the US East Coast non-stop on the right airframe and most of Asia with one stop.
Typical Aircraft
The Bombardier Challenger 600, 601, 604, and 605, the Dassault Falcon 900 and Falcon 2000, the Gulfstream G3 (III) and G4 (IV/IV-SP), and the Global 5000 are the working heavy-jet platforms. The Challenger 605 and Global 5000 are the most frequently available on the European charter market.
When Heavy Fits the Switzerland Trip
Zurich or Geneva to New York non-stop on the larger heavy-jet airframes, Switzerland to most of the Gulf non-stop, and Switzerland to East Africa in a single leg all fit this category. For groups of ten or more passengers on medium-to-long legs, or for trips where passengers need to sleep en route, the heavy jet is typically the right size. It is also the first category with consistent stand-up headroom throughout the full cabin aisle.
Vetting Behind Every Trip
Every operator, aircraft, and crew goes through our internal due diligence before we present any options. Our internal standards meet or exceed what the FAA requires:
- FAR Part 135 charter operators for traditional private aircraft, or FAR Part 121 for airliner-size and group trips (or the foreign equivalent on international legs)
- Operator subscription to Wyvern and ARGUS reviewed where the operator participates; reports may be provided on request.
- Pilot experience and operator incident history reviewed before we recommend an aircraft.
- Fewer than 60 brokers worldwide hold Premium Wyvern Broker Member status, and Air Charter Advisors is one of them.
Switzerland-Specific Patterns We Plan Around
Ski season runs December through March and drives the sharpest demand spikes we see. Samedan airport (serving St. Moritz) and Bern-Belp (serving the Bernese Oberland, including Grindelwald) handle mountain transfers; book early for January and February. The World Economic Forum in Davos each January compresses Zurich-area availability significantly. Art Basel in June is the Basel demand window. For summer events such as the Locarno Film Festival and the Montreux Jazz Festival, advance notice on aircraft gives us more routing options.
Contact
For a quote on a Switzerland charter, head to our contact page. For the safety and vetting work behind every trip, see our safety page, and the full aircraft gallery for cross-category options. The National Business Aviation Association sets the broader operating standards we work within.