Private Jet to Aspen, St. Barts or Cabo for Christmas and New Year's 2026

Every year the same three places fill up our holiday calendar: Aspen for Christmas, St. Barts for New Year's, and Cabo for anyone who wants sun instead of snow. They're three totally different trips, and each one has its own catch when you're flying private. Aspen has strict airport rules and mountain weather. St. Barts doesn't take jets at all. Cabo is easy, as long as you pick the right airport and get the Mexico paperwork right.

We've been booking these trips for alot of holiday seasons, so here's the stuff we actually tell people: how to get in, what to watch out for, and what to do once you land. If you're still deciding whether to book at all, read our guide on why you should book your holiday jet now first. Short version: the good aircraft are already going.

Christmas and New Year's 2026 at a Glance

• Christmas Day is Friday, Dec. 25, and New Year's Day is Friday, Jan. 1, 2027.

• The busiest days to fly out are usually the weekend before Christmas (Dec. 19–20) through Dec. 23. The return crush hits Jan. 2–4.

• Expect higher prices and minimum daily charges over the holidays, plus repositioning costs, since so many aircraft are flying one direction.

• Ramp space at the popular airports is just as limited as the jets. Book the plane and the parking together.

Private Jet to Aspen for Christmas

Christmas week in Aspen is about as busy as private aviation gets in the U.S. The town is magic that week, but the airport is small, high and picky, so the details matter more here than anywhere else on this list.

Aspen airport rules you need to know

• Wingspan and weight limits. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) limits aircraft to a 95-foot wingspan and 100,000 pounds. That rules out some of the biggest long-range jets, like the Gulfstream G650, G700 and Global 7500. A Challenger 350, Citation Latitude or Gulfstream G450 is the usual sweet spot.

• Curfew. The airport is closed from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m. Departures after dark come with extra noise rules, so don't plan a late-night exit.

• Altitude. ASE sits at about 7,820 feet in a narrow valley. Plenty of operators require extra training for their crews to fly in, and some aircraft carry less weight on takeoff, especially with a full load of ski bags.

• Get there in daylight if you can. Morning and early afternoon arrivals give you the most room if weather moves in.

When the weather doesn't cooperate

Snow and low clouds close Aspen more than people expect. When that happens, flights divert to Eagle County (EGE), near Vail, or Rifle (RIL), west of Glenwood Springs. Both are about an hour and a half by car in good conditions, longer if the roads are snowy. We always plan the backup airport and the car service before the trip, so a diversion is an inconvenience and not a ruined day.

Ramp space and parking

This is the real bottleneck over Christmas. Aspen's ramp fills up fast, and some days you'll need a reservation just to land. If parking is full, the jet can drop you off and reposition to Eagle, Rifle or Denver, then come back for you. It adds flight time, so ask your broker to price it both ways. Book Aspen as early as you can, ideally right when you lock in the house.

What to do in Aspen over the holidays

• The tree lighting at The Little Nell kicks off the season in early December, with carols, hot chocolate and Santa.

• Wintersköl has been running since 1951, usually in mid-December, with torchlight descents, bonfires and fireworks on the mountains.

• New Year's Eve brings fireworks over Aspen Mountain, bonfires and marshmallows on the Hyman and Cooper walking malls, and big parties all over town. The Audi Ajax Cup race on Little Nell Hill is usually Dec. 30.

• Ski all four mountains: Aspen Mountain, Aspen Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass. Lunch at Cloud Nine on Highlands is a tradition, just book way ahead.

• Book dinner early. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year's Eve tables at the top restaurants go weeks in advance.

Thinking about Sun Valley or Deer Valley instead? Same rules apply: book early, plan the backup airport, and watch the weather. This winter's El Niño forecast changes the snow picture alot, so check out our El Niño ski season guide before you pick a mountain.

St. Barts for New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve in St. Barts is one of the most famous parties in the world. Gustavia harbor fills with superyachts, the restaurants book out months ahead, and the whole island counts down together. Getting there by private jet takes one extra step, though, and that step is where we come in.

Why you can't land a jet in St. Barts

• The runway is tiny. Gustaf III Airport (SBH) has one of the shortest commercial runways in the world, only about 2,100 feet, with a steep approach over a hill and a beach at the far end.

• No jets, period. Only small propeller aircraft can land there, and pilots need a special local certification to do it.

• Daylight only. There are no runway lights. The airport closes about 15 minutes after sunset, so you have to make your connection in the afternoon.

How the trip actually works

• Fly the jet into St. Maarten (SXM). Princess Juliana is the main gateway, about 15 minutes away by air. From Miami it's roughly three hours on a midsize or super midsize jet, and around four from New York.

• Then take the short hop. A turboprop like the Pilatus PC-12 gets you from St. Maarten to St. Barts in about 15 minutes. This is the part we set up so you walk off the jet, through the terminal and onto the next plane.

• San Juan is the other option. From San Juan, Puerto Rico, it's about 50 minutes to St. Barts on a PC-12, and since Puerto Rico is U.S. soil there's no immigration when you land there from the mainland.

• Helicopter or ferry. A helicopter from St. Maarten takes about 10 minutes. The ferry takes about 45 minutes, but the water can be rough in winter.

• Land at the gateway by early afternoon. Because of the daylight rule, a late jet can mean a night in St. Maarten. We build in a buffer.

• Bring passports. St. Barts is French and St. Maarten's main airport is on the Dutch side, so you're clearing in on the way.

What to do in St. Barts for New Year's

• Watch the midnight fireworks. They go off from the harbor, the yachts and the hills. Shell Beach and the hill above Gustavia are the classic spots to watch, or charter a boat and be right in the harbor.

• Book dinner months ahead. La Guérite, Eden Rock, Le Gaïac and Do Brazil all book out early for New Year's Eve, and special menus often run €200–€500 per person.

• Beach days: Saline and Gouverneur are the most beautiful beaches on the island, and St. Jean is the lively one, right by the airport. Nikki Beach is the place for a long lunch that turns into a party.

• Walk Gustavia. The harbor is lined with boutiques and cafés, and it's a scene all week with the yachts in.

• Plan your return early. Jan. 1 and 2 are just as packed as the trip in, both for the island hop and for jets out of St. Maarten.

Private Jet to Cabo for Christmas

For alot of our West Coast clients, Christmas means Cabo. It's close, it's warm, and from Southern California you can be on the beach before lunch. It's also the easiest of the three trips, as long as you get two things right: the airport and the Mexico paperwork.

Which Cabo airport should you use?

• Cabo San Lucas International (CSL) is a smaller airport built around private aviation, with a 7,000-foot runway and its own FBOs. It's close to town and Médano Beach, and it's far less congested than the main airport, which matters on a holiday weekend.

• Los Cabos International (SJD) is the big international airport near San José del Cabo, with full private terminals. It's the better pick for the Corridor resorts and San José, but it's busy over the holidays.

• Flight time: about two and a half hours from Los Angeles on a light or midsize jet. No fuel stop needed.

• Paperwork: passports for everyone, and the charter operator needs its Mexican permit for the flight. Your broker should handle it. We covered more on Mexico rules in our Austin to Mexico City F1 guide.

What to do in Cabo over Christmas

• Whale season starts. Humpback whales show up from about December through April, and a whale-watching boat in the morning is a great family outing.

• See El Arco up close. Take a boat out to Land's End and Lover's Beach, it's the picture everyone wants.

• Las Posadas. Mexico's Christmas tradition runs Dec. 16–24, with processions, music and piñatas in the towns.

• Eat at Flora Farms in San José, or drive an hour up to the art town of Todos Santos for the day.

• Golf. Diamante, Quivira and Cabo del Sol are some of the best courses in Mexico. Book tee times early for holiday week.

• Stay on the Corridor. One&Only Palmilla, Las Ventanas al Paraíso and the Waldorf Astoria Los Cabos Pedregal are the ones our clients come back to.

• New Year's Eve brings fireworks over the marina and Médano Bay.

Holiday Private Jet Costs and How Far Ahead to Book

• Light jet (Phenom 300, Citation CJ4): about $6,000–$7,000 per flight hour. Perfect for LA to Cabo. See light jets.

• Midsize and super midsize (Citation Latitude, Challenger 350): about $7,000–$9,000 per hour. Our go-to for Aspen and for Florida or the Northeast to St. Maarten. See super midsize jets.

• Heavy jet: about $8,000–$11,000 per hour, for big families and long nonstops. Just remember the Aspen wingspan limit. See heavy jets.

• Turboprop (King Air, PC-12): about $6,000–$8,000 per hour, and the right tool for the St. Barts hop. See turboprops.

• When to book: for Christmas and New Year's, 6–10 weeks out is ideal, and Aspen and St. Barts should be booked as early as possible. Last-minute trips happen, but you get less choice and pay more.

• Flexible? Watch for empty legs on the days after Christmas and after New Year's, when alot of jets fly home empty.

Holiday Private Jet FAQs

Can you fly a private jet to Aspen for Christmas?

Yes. Aspen-Pitkin County Airport (ASE) takes private jets with a wingspan up to 95 feet and a weight up to 100,000 pounds. It's closed from 11 p.m. to 7 a.m., ramp space fills up over the holidays, and Eagle County (EGE) and Rifle (RIL) are the usual weather backups.

Which private jets can't land in Aspen?

Jets with a wingspan over 95 feet, like the Gulfstream G650, G700 and Bombardier Global 7500, can't use Aspen. A Challenger 350, Citation Latitude or Gulfstream G450 is the usual choice.

Can a private jet land in St. Barts?

No. St. Barts' runway is only about 2,100 feet long, so no jets can land there. You fly your jet into St. Maarten (SXM) or San Juan (SJU), then take a turboprop like a PC-12 for the last hop. The flight from St. Maarten takes about 15 minutes.

What time does the St. Barts airport close?

The St. Barts airport has no runway lights and closes about 15 minutes after sunset, so plan to land at St. Maarten or San Juan by early afternoon.

Which airport is best for a private jet to Cabo?

Cabo San Lucas International (CSL) is built around private aviation, close to town and less congested. Los Cabos International (SJD) is better for the Corridor resorts and San José del Cabo. From Los Angeles it's about two and a half hours.

How far ahead should I book a private jet for Christmas and New Year's?

Ideally 6–10 weeks out. Aspen and St. Barts should be booked as early as possible, because aircraft and ramp space sell out first.

Let's Get Your Holiday Trip Locked In

Snow in Aspen, yachts in St. Barts or a beach in Cabo, the trick is the same: book early and plan around the quirks. Send us your dates, how many people are going and where you're headed. We'll line up the right aircraft, the parking or the St. Barts connection, and give you an all-in price.

Get a private jet quote or call +1 (949) 969-3423, 24/7.

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