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The San Francisco to Aspen corridor is Silicon Valley's premier ski escape, connecting Bay Area tech executives with Colorado's most exclusive mountain town in just 2 hours. This short but scenic route crosses the Sierra Nevada and Rockies, requiring pilots experienced in mountain operations. Aspen's challenging airport—with its 95-foot wingspan limit, strict curfew, and weather-dependent approaches—demands careful planning.
Commercial options to Aspen are limited and often involve connections through Denver or Los Angeles, turning a 2-hour flight into an all-day affair. Flying private from SFO—or even faster from Oakland (OAK)—puts you on the slopes by lunchtime. Land at ASE just 3 miles from downtown Aspen, avoiding the 4-hour drive from Denver that commercial travelers face.
At just 848 miles, this route works well for all jet categories. A Light Jet like the Phenom 300 offers the best value with excellent mountain performance. Midsize Jets like the Learjet 60 climb aggressively to clear weather quickly. For maximum reliability landing at ASE, the Super Midsize Citation Sovereign—known as the "Mountain King"—handles Aspen's short runway and steep approaches with ease.
Winter peak runs December 15 through March 31, with prices 30-50% higher than summer. Christmas, New Year's, and Presidents' Day weekend see the highest demand—book 4-6 weeks ahead. Summer brings mini-peaks for Aspen Ideas Festival (June) and Food & Wine Classic (June), when parking slots at ASE sell out weeks in advance.
Click any section below for insider tips on flying this route
Located 13 miles south of downtown San Francisco, SFO is the commercial powerhouse of the Bay Area. Private aviation operates from a dedicated terminal but shares runways with heavy commercial traffic.
FBO at SFO:
Many experienced private flyers prefer Oakland International (OAK) or Hayward Executive (HWD) over SFO. Oakland is often 15-20 minutes faster for "wheels up" because you avoid SFO's notorious taxi delays and fog holds. If you're in the East Bay or willing to cross the bridge, OAK can save significant time.
Located just 3 miles from downtown Aspen, ASE is one of the most challenging and exclusive airports in North America. High altitude (7,820 feet), short runway, and surrounding mountain terrain require experienced pilots.
The Only FBO at ASE:
If weather closes ASE (common in winter) or your aircraft exceeds the wingspan limit, you'll divert to:
Aspen's defining restriction. ASE has a strict 95-foot wingspan limit that prohibits many popular large-cabin jets:
Price Impact: This creates a shortage of "Aspen-legal" heavy jets, driving their prices up significantly during ski season.
Aspen has NO hangars for transient (visiting) aircraft. If it snows while your jet is parked, it must be de-iced before departure.
This cost is billed after the flight and rarely included in initial quotes.
Winter Peak (Dec 15 – March 31): Core ski season with prices 30-50% higher than summer. Christmas week and Presidents' Day weekend are the most expensive.
Summer Mini-Peaks (June-August): Aspen Ideas Festival (late June) and Food & Wine Classic (mid-June) create intense but brief demand spikes. Parking slots at ASE sell out weeks in advance during these events.
Shoulder Seasons (April-May, Sept-Nov): Best value with lower prices and good availability.
Bay Area-based operators know their clientele. Tech executives expect premium service and have the budgets to match. Some operators price Bay Area departures 10-15% higher than equivalent routes from other cities.
At just 848 miles, this is a short route that works well for all jet categories. The key consideration is Aspen's challenging airport, not range. All jets listed below can make the trip nonstop with ease.
Phenom 300: The most economical option with excellent hot-and-high performance. The Phenom 300's powerful engines handle Aspen's altitude and short runway confidently.
Learjet 60 or Citation Excel/XLS: Excellent performance for this 2-hour hop. The Learjet 60 climbs like a rocket, which is useful for clearing mountain weather quickly after takeoff.
Citation Sovereign or Challenger 350: The "Mountain King." The Citation Sovereign is famous for its ability to handle Aspen's short runway and steep approach angles while carrying a full load of passengers and skis.
San Francisco to Aspen is shorter than East Coast runs, so empty legs appear more often but move fast. Understanding the "Silicon Valley Shuttle" pattern is key to finding deals.
There's a predictable weekly flow during ski season:
This creates opportunities if you can fly against the crowd.
Sunday (The "Reverse Commute"): Most travelers fly home from Aspen on Sunday. To pick them up, Bay Area-based operators fly empty from SFO to ASE on Sunday morning. This positioning flight creates your best opportunity for a discounted eastbound trip.
Monday-Wednesday: Midweek flights have more empty leg availability than the Thursday-Friday rush. If your schedule allows, flying out Monday or Tuesday offers the best chance at deals.
Sunday Afternoon/Evening: After dropping off the weekend crowd, planes that arrived Thursday return to California empty. Look for Aspen → SFO empty legs on Sunday for discounted return flights.
Thursday-Friday: Peak outbound demand. Everyone is flying SFO → ASE. Forget about finding empty legs these days during ski season.
Christmas Week and New Year's: Every plane is booked solid at maximum prices.
A standard one-way charter runs ~$18,000-$25,000. When you find a true empty leg:
Aspen requires specific visibility minimums to land. If it's snowing hard or the cloud ceiling is low, it's illegal to attempt the approach. Rifle is at a lower elevation with better instrument approach systems, making it the standard "safe haven" when ASE is closed. It's frustrating, but it's the safest option.
No. The G650's wingspan is 99 feet, 7 inches—too wide for Aspen's 95-foot limit. If you charter a G650, you'll land at Rifle (RIL) and take a 60-80 minute limo transfer to Aspen. The same applies to Global 7500, Global 6000, and other ultra-long-range jets.
Yes. Aspen strictly forbids landings from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM. Additionally, most charter operators self-impose a "daylight only" rule due to dangerous mountain terrain, meaning your cutoff might be as early as 4:30 PM in December. Plan your departure time accordingly.
On a Super Midsize jet with 8 passengers, you can bring skis and boot bags for everyone—no problem. On a Light Jet, it's tighter. Soft-sided luggage is highly recommended to maximize space in the baggage hold. Tell your broker exactly how much gear you're bringing.
No. At just 848 miles, this is a short hop. Even light jets can fly San Francisco to Aspen nonstop easily, provided there are no extreme delays holding over the airport due to weather or traffic.
Usually. Most Super Midsize jets have Wi-Fi standard, and many Midsize jets offer it. However, connectivity can be spotty over the Rocky Mountains because terrain blocks ground-based cellular towers. If you have a critical Zoom call, schedule it for before takeoff or after landing.
Understanding private jet charter costs to Aspen is critical because this route has more hidden costs than typical routes. Here's exactly what you're paying for:
Light Jet (Phenom 300, Citation CJ3): $6,500/hour
Midsize Jet (Learjet 60, Citation Excel): $9,000/hour
Super Midsize (Challenger 350, Sovereign): $10,500/hour
Our estimates include a 15% markup that covers:
Monopoly FBO: Atlantic Aviation is the only option at ASE. They set prices with no competition.
Limited aircraft supply: The 95-foot wingspan limit means fewer jets can operate here, increasing demand.
Weather risk: Operators price in the possibility of diverts, delays, and de-icing costs.
Seasonal premiums: Winter ski season pricing is 30-50% higher than summer rates.
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