Summary
- The helicopter wins on time by roughly two hours each way.
- It loses on fog, strong wind and the last three hundred metres.
- The car wins on luggage, dogs and late evening returns.
- The right answer changes with the season and the day of the week.
It is the question we are asked most in June: is the helicopter worth it to the coast? The short answer is usually yes on a summer weekend and often no on a foggy Tuesday in November. Here is the math we actually use.
Time, door to door
From central Milan, a car to the heliport takes twenty minutes, the flight thirty five, and the transfer from the landing site to the hotel ten. Just over an hour. The same journey by car is two hours and a quarter on a good day and three and a half on a Saturday in July. The helicopter saves between one and two and a half hours each way.
Weather is the deciding vote
Transfers fly by visual rules. Sea fog on the Ligurian coast, low cloud over the Apennines and strong wind at the landing site all cancel flights, sometimes with an hour's notice. In summer this is rare. From November to March it happens often enough that we always hold a car as a fallback.
When the car wins
- Heavy luggage or sports equipment: helicopter baggage allowance is small
- Dogs, unless small and crated
- Late evening returns: most coastal sites close at sunset
- Four or more passengers with luggage, where a second car is still cheaper than a larger helicopter
The helicopter is not a luxury, it is a time purchase. Buy it when time is the scarce thing.
Questions on this guide? The flight desk answers within the hour.
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