Short answer: Chambery is the closest and cheapest, Geneva is the balanced choice for most US travelers, Lyon is your solid backup, and Nice only makes sense if you're pairing the Alps with the Riviera. I drive these routes every winter, so here's how they compare door to door. From Chambery, it's 110 km and about 1h45 to Courchevel, with a private transfer at EUR 220 (roughly $242). Geneva is 150 km and around 2h15, from EUR 320 (about $350). Lyon runs 200 km and 2h30, at EUR 330–360 ($363–396). Nice is the long haul: 515 km, roughly 5h45, for EUR 490 (about $539). Your choice usually comes down to which airport your flights reach most easily, so compare connections first, then let the drive time decide. Pick Chambery if a convenient flight lands there, Geneva or Lyon when that's where your schedule works, and Nice for a two-destination trip. And whichever you choose, book a fixed price: taxis typically run 30–50% more.
Private transfer vs train and shuttle from Geneva
Every winter I watch the same scene at Geneva Airport: a family wrestling ski bags, boot bags, and suitcases toward the train platform, facing a four-to-five-hour journey to Courchevel with two connections. By train you'll ride to Geneva's station, then transfer to a bus or shuttle, hauling everything on and off at each change, and you still won't be at your chalet door. When I drive the same route, it's 150 km, roughly 93 miles, and about 2 hours 15 minutes door-to-door. That's roughly two hours of your vacation back. My fixed price starts at EUR 320, around USD 350, and that number doesn't change on the day, unlike a taxi without a fixed price, which typically runs 30 to 50 percent more. For families, I bring a V-Class that seats six, so the kids can nap while I handle the skis and luggage. You step out at your chalet rested, not exhausted, and genuinely ready to hit the slopes.
“The right airport depends on your flight, not on the distance.
— Bechir Lachiheb, founder of Posh Transport
Chambéry wins on time and price when a flight fits; Geneva wins on availability; Lyon and Nice work for combined trips. Whatever you choose, book a fixed-price transfer and the last leg is the easy part.