Booking choice: The airplane jump, from $513 per person. Check dates Compare the options below
Interlaken sits in a valley between two lakes, which is lovely from the air and also means cloud and fog behave in ways a coastal visitor does not expect.
These are the official climate normals for the Interlaken station, and what they mean for a jump booked on a given month.
The quick answer
September is the best month, then August and early October. August and September both get 53 per cent of their possible sunshine, and September adds far fewer wet days than midsummer. December is the worst at 36 per cent, with valley fog through the cool half of the year. The jump operates all year with departures at 08:30 and 12:00, and the morning slot beats the afternoon because alpine cloud builds through the day.
Which month is best?
September, on the numbers and on the shape of the weather.
August and September tie on sunshine, at 53 per cent of the possible total. September breaks the tie on rainfall: 9.5 wet days against August's 12.8, and less afternoon convection than midsummer. Early October holds up well at 50 per cent, with the first snow catching the peaks.
| Month | Mean temp | Rainfall | Wet days | Possible sunshine |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June | 16.9 C | 127 mm | 13.2 | 46% |
| July | 18.6 C | 146 mm | 12.8 | 52% |
| August | 18.1 C | 146 mm | 12.8 | 53% |
| September | 14.1 C | 94 mm | 9.5 | 53% |
| October | 9.6 C | 80 mm | 9.3 | 50% |
| November | 4.2 C | 80 mm | 9.6 | 42% |
| December | 0.8 C | 91 mm | 10.0 | 36% |
| February | 1.0 C | 67 mm | 8.5 | 49% |
Which month is worst?
December, then November and January.
December gets barely a third of its possible sunshine and has the shortest days of the year. MeteoSwiss also notes that fog concentrates in the cooler months in low-lying areas north of the Alps, which is exactly the Kander valley floor where the airfield sits. February is an interesting outlier: the fewest wet days of any month at 8.5, but only 49 per cent sunshine and a valley hovering around freezing.
Jumping in the clear months? Secure the morning slot.
Check dates for the airplane jumpWhat weather actually cancels a jump?
Wind above all, then rain, snow, fog and foehn.
The operator names all of those and calls wind the critical factor, adding that rain is painful at freefall speed. What nobody publishes is a number: no Interlaken operator states a wind speed limit, a minimum cloud base or a visibility minimum. We have looked, and we would rather say that than invent a threshold.
How often are jumps cancelled?
Nobody publishes a figure, and we are not going to estimate one.
No operator, airfield or association in this region publishes a cancellation or reschedule rate. The practical advice does not depend on the number: book the jump for the first morning of your stay rather than the last, so that a cancellation leaves you a second chance. What happens on the day covers the rest.
Morning or afternoon?
Morning, in almost every month.
Departures are at 08:30 and 12:00. Alpine cumulus builds through the day on warm afternoons, which is both a visibility problem and a turbulence one, so the earlier slot gives you the better odds of seeing the three peaks and the better odds of flying at all.
Departures at 08:30 and 12:00 all year. The early one is the one to take.
Explore the airplane jumpIs winter jumping worth it?
It is bookable and it is clear-aired, but the light is short and the odds are worse.
The jump runs year round and a crisp winter day over snow-covered peaks is spectacular. The honest caveat is that December and January give you the fewest usable hours and the most valley fog of the year. If the trip is already booked for winter, keep the Jungfraujoch railway on the list as the fallback.
Frequently asked questions
Does it ever close for the season?
No. Both the summer and winter programmes list the airplane jump, with departures at 08:30 and 12:00 all year.
Is it colder at 4,000 m?
Considerably. Dress for the valley and expect the air at altitude to be far colder; the operator asks for weather-appropriate clothing.
Will I definitely see the Eiger, Moench and Jungfrau?
No. One operator says plainly that the dynamic mountain weather is a challenge and there may be cloud or rain during the jump itself. Flying is not the same as a clear view.
Ready to book
Pick the jump, or the thing that is not a jump
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Airplane Skydive over the Swiss Alps
- Safety briefing, all equipment and one tandem master per jumper
- Shuttle from Interlaken to the airfield at Reichenbach
- About 15 minutes of scenic climb to 4,000 m, then a 45-second freefall
From Zurich: Skydive and Scenic Flight
- Return coach from Zurich with a driver guide
- 15-minute scenic flight and the skydive from 4,000 m
- All skydiving equipment and a professional tandem master
