Private Jet Charter Chicago to Aspen

The region's dedicated business-aviation field, 18 miles north-west of the city, with a 5,001 ft main runway and three national FBOs on site. A CBP facility opened here in October 2021, so the field also handles international arrivals. Runway length is the practical constraint for heavy aircraft departing at full fuel.

Closer for the south and south-west side, with airline-length runways that remove any takeoff-weight compromise for a fully loaded super-midsize or heavy jet. Private movements use a separate general-aviation ramp rather than the airline terminal.

Used mainly when passengers are connecting from a long-haul airline arrival. Runways up to 13,000 ft impose no performance limit, but taxi times against airline banks and handling costs make it the exception rather than the default.

Three miles north-west of central Aspen, at 7,820 ft elevation with a single 8,006 ft runway, a 95 ft wingspan limit and a 100,000 lb weight limit. Aircraft normally land to the south on runway 15 and depart to the north on runway 33 because of the ridge line south of the field. Atlantic Aviation is the sole fixed-base operator.

A 9,000 ft runway at 6,547 ft elevation, roughly 60 km from Vail and about a 90 minute drive to Aspen over Independence Pass or via Glenwood Springs in winter. The usual fallback when an aircraft cannot meet ASE performance or size limits, or when ASE is weather-bound. General aviation typically flies the LDA approach rather than an ILS.

Lower elevation and simpler terrain than either ASE or EGE, at the cost of a longer road transfer up the Roaring Fork valley. Kept in the plan as the second alternate for heavy aircraft and for days when mountain weather closes the Aspen approach.