The annual World Economic Forum may preach sustainability, but its participants continue to arrive in carbon-intensive style. Flight-tracking data analysed by Business Insider show more than 150 private jets landing in Switzerland on 17–18 January, many owned or chartered by billionaires, tech CEOs and heads of state. Zurich Airport—Switzerland’s main long-runway gateway—expects around 1 000 extra movements during the week, having secured temporary extensions to its night-curfew exemptions. Engadin Airport, the closest runway to Davos, imposes weight and slot limits, prompting the heaviest aircraft to divert to Zurich or Friedrichshafen in neighbouring Germany.
Operators report that the most common equipment this year is the Gulfstream G650, followed by Bombardier’s Global 7500, both prized for non-stop range from North America and the Gulf. Popular origin points include Palm Beach, Dubai, Doha and Paris-Le Bourget. Helicopter transfers from Zurich to Davos—priced at roughly CHF 9 500 for a six-seat twin-engine—are booking out days in advance, with wait-list demand spilling over to limousine services on the A13 motorway.
If the influx of executives and support staff also means wrangling passports from multiple jurisdictions, VisaHQ can simplify the process. The agency’s Switzerland page (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers quick, guided applications for Schengen visas, diplomatic clearances and even same-day courier options, helping event planners eliminate visa bottlenecks long before wheels-up.
![Private-jet traffic soars as global elite converge on Davos for WEF 2026]()
For corporate sustainability teams the optics are awkward. An estimated 2 300 t of CO₂ will be emitted by WEF-related business-aviation movements, roughly equivalent to the annual footprint of 290 Swiss residents. Several multinationals, including Nestlé and UBS, have responded by encouraging senior executives to travel commercially and offset unavoidable emissions via Swiss-based Myclimate.
Security protocols are also tighter: the Swiss Air Force has issued a restricted zone (LS-R13) over Davos, while the Federal Office of Civil Aviation is vetting all general-aviation flight plans filed between 17 and 25 January. Charter brokers advise corporate flight departments to submit any last-minute slot requests no later than 48 hours before departure.
From a mobility perspective the influx underscores Davos’s unique logistics: a two-hour alpine transfer from Zurich and restrictions on overnight aircraft parking put pressure on both air-crew duty limits and ground-transport capacity. Travel managers planning executive attendance at next year’s forum might want to secure landing slots as early as July, when the International Air Transport Association (IATA) opens the winter-season scheduling window.
Operators report that the most common equipment this year is the Gulfstream G650, followed by Bombardier’s Global 7500, both prized for non-stop range from North America and the Gulf. Popular origin points include Palm Beach, Dubai, Doha and Paris-Le Bourget. Helicopter transfers from Zurich to Davos—priced at roughly CHF 9 500 for a six-seat twin-engine—are booking out days in advance, with wait-list demand spilling over to limousine services on the A13 motorway.
If the influx of executives and support staff also means wrangling passports from multiple jurisdictions, VisaHQ can simplify the process. The agency’s Switzerland page (https://www.visahq.com/switzerland/) offers quick, guided applications for Schengen visas, diplomatic clearances and even same-day courier options, helping event planners eliminate visa bottlenecks long before wheels-up.
For corporate sustainability teams the optics are awkward. An estimated 2 300 t of CO₂ will be emitted by WEF-related business-aviation movements, roughly equivalent to the annual footprint of 290 Swiss residents. Several multinationals, including Nestlé and UBS, have responded by encouraging senior executives to travel commercially and offset unavoidable emissions via Swiss-based Myclimate.
Security protocols are also tighter: the Swiss Air Force has issued a restricted zone (LS-R13) over Davos, while the Federal Office of Civil Aviation is vetting all general-aviation flight plans filed between 17 and 25 January. Charter brokers advise corporate flight departments to submit any last-minute slot requests no later than 48 hours before departure.
From a mobility perspective the influx underscores Davos’s unique logistics: a two-hour alpine transfer from Zurich and restrictions on overnight aircraft parking put pressure on both air-crew duty limits and ground-transport capacity. Travel managers planning executive attendance at next year’s forum might want to secure landing slots as early as July, when the International Air Transport Association (IATA) opens the winter-season scheduling window.
