Top five ski destinations 2008

Ever flown to a ski destination and found you’re miles away from where you need to go? Cheapflights.co.uk takes you right to the doorstep of your preferred slope.

Cheapflights.co.uk, the UK’s leading flight price comparison site, has devised a skiing airport guide for the site’s top five ski destinations as searched for by Cheapflights' users.

Skiing holidays are often the most difficult to organise - with airports not always in close proximity to your final destination, planning this kind of journey can be a logistical nightmare. Thankfully, Cheapflights.co.uk’s airport transportation guides will get you from A to B without confusion. For a full list of details regarding transportation and resort listings, visit Cheapflights.co.uk/travel-tips/skiing-airports.html

1. Geneva
This famous Swiss airport is the crème de la crème of its skiing counterparts. With easy access to most of the top ski destinations in both the Swiss and French Alps, a ski route via Geneva airport will open a gateway to resorts like Verbier, Megève, Chamonix, Courchevel, and Val d’Isère to name but a few.

Onward transport from Geneva includes trains to the Swiss ski stations or the Aero-skibus to the French ski stations which can either be booked in advance or on arrival at the Acceuil-France desk or Geneva coach station. The bus will take you directly to your chosen resort. Prices and times vary depending on the end destination. For example, a single to Courchevel costs approximately £45, while a single to Val d’Isere costs about £36.

For those with a more exclusive transportation palette, it is also possible to share minibuses, hire taxis or even limousines for the more popular resorts via transportation services such as Go Routair and Alpha Taxi.

2. Vancouver
Vancouver airport is positioned next to British Columbia’s charming Whistler ski resort, home to the slopes of Whistler Mountain and Blackcomb. Whistler’s pedestrian village is an easy walk quite literally from one end to the other even with heavy ski gear in hand. Its beautifully sunlit architecture allows for very scenic views of the mountains while skiers shop or stroll.

Onward transportation from Vancouver airport is via coach, train or limousine. The Perimeters Whistler Express Shuttle Bus will get you to your hotel in two and a half hours for just £17 one way, the train from Vancouver Station travels direct to Whistler for approximately £50 one way. For a taste of the celebrity lifestyle, limousine services can take up to six people from £175 one way.

3. Grenoble
Grenoble is within easy reach of the three main French ski regions – Isere, Savoie, and Haute Savoie. These include several of the most popular ski resorts such as Alpe d’Huez, Notre Dame de Bellecombe, Les Deux Alpes, Chamonix, and Meribel.

This is a smaller regional airport, and with such close proximity to the different resorts skiers will easily find information regarding hassle-free taxi and coach services operated by the local Airport Transfer Service.

4. Turin
This is the most well positioned airport for Italy’s main ski regions and played host to the 2006 winter Olympics. To its west lies Valle di Susa which is conveniently situated on the Turin-Paris train line, while to the north lies Valle d’Oasta, and in the northeast are the Dolomites.

Resorts within the different regions include Courmayeur, Sauze d’Oulx, Madonna di Campiglio, Cortina, and Sestriere. Transportation services comprise of trains, buses and taxis. Trains, buses and taxis run regularly from both Turin airport and Oulx station and take approximately one hour.

5. Aspen
The infamous ski region of Aspen, Colorado is known as a celeb hotspot. Unlike most of its ski counterparts, Aspen is a logistically hassle free destination. Moreover, for those who like to mix a bit of snow sport with a bit of glamour, it is the perfect location. Comprising four main ski areas including Snowmass, Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, and Buttermilk, resort accommodation in the area includes Independence Square Lodge, Aspen Square Hotel, The Grant Aspen, Hotel Jerome, and Boomerang Village.

Onward transport from Aspen Pitkin County Airport is quick and easy. During ski season, free buses run from Highway 82 next to the terminal building located just three miles from any of the top resorts. Most hotels also offer free shuttle services and for more private service, taxis are available at the airport.

Francesca Ecsery, General Manager of Cheapflights.co.uk comments “As an avid skier, I’ve been in the situation of arriving at the airport only to discover that I need to travel another three hours via another mode of transport while carrying my luggage and skis! We hope the Cheapflights.co.uk ski airport guide will save travelling skiers time, money, and stress. The guides are comprehensive, even including information on which airlines allow skis on board.”

• Flights to Geneva start from £76 return including tax
Cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Geneva/London-Area/

• Cheap flights to Vancouver start from £350 return including tax
Cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Vancouver/London-Area/

• Flights to Grenoble start from £54 return including tax
Cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Grenoble/London-Area/

• Flights to Turin start from £79 return including tax
Cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Turin/London-Area/

• Flights to Aspen start from £393 return including tax
Cheapflights.co.uk/flights/Aspen/London-Area/