Skiing without Waiting

When you’re eager to hit the slopes, you don’t want to have to first spend hours in a car or on an airliner. Here are a few top ski-in, ski-out destinations that offer easy access via private jet:

Zermatt, Switzerland. Featuring 200 miles of marked trails and the highest ski runs in the Alps at an elevation of 5,310 feet, this huge resort is covered with snow for most of the year. If you fly into Sion Airport (longest runway, 6,562 feet), you can be here by helicopter 20 minutes later. Stay at Chalet Pollux, which is accessed through a tunnel near the end of the ski runs beneath the Matterhorn Express lift station, or at the top-rated 36-room, six-chalet Hotel Cervo.

Telluride, Colorado. This historic town offers great no-wait runs by day and a charming après-ski scene come cocktail hour. You can fly into Telluride Regional Airport (longest runway, 7,111 feet). Many of the town’s hotels and chalets are ski-in, ski-out. Element 52-Auberge Residences downtown and Lumière in Mountain Village offer luxury accommodations with heated pool and concierge services.

Lech Zurs, Austria. Set along the banks of the river Lech in some of western Austria’s most scenic Alpine countryside, Lech am Arlberg is marketed with nearby Zürs and offers on- and off-piste skiing and open slopes that run between 4,750 and 9,280 feet above sea level, including the White Ring—the clockwise circular route known as the world’s longest ski run. You can fly into Innsbruck Airport (longest runway, 6,562 feet) and be here less than 30 minutes later with Wucher helicopter taxi. Most Oberlech properties are ski-in, ski-out, and the seven-suite Chalet N is one of the most hotly coveted addresses during the season.

Tahoe, California. With luck, you can drive here from San Francisco in about three and a half hours, but the trip can take twice as long in bad weather or traffic. If you fly into Lake Tahoe Airport (longest runway, 8,541 feet), however, you can be at Heavenly Mountain Resort 15 minutes later; Northstar, Squaw Valley, Kirkwood, and Diamond Peak are all within 60 minutes by car or a few minutes by helicopter. The Ritz Carlton Lake Tahoe, at the foot of Northstar’s most scenic runs, offers two outdoor pools and a spectacular spa. If you’d prefer a private rental home, consider Home Run, Slopeside, and Après Ski Lodge, which offer accommodations for 10 to 12 guests, right on the mountain.