Swiss will start flying its model new Airbus A350 jets to the U.S. two months sooner than deliberate because it begins a significant overhaul of its onboard providing.
The Star Alliance provider will debut the A350-900 with the new “Swiss Senses” onboard product on flights from Zurich Airport (ZRH) and Boston Logan Worldwide Airport (BOS) by the tip of November, Swiss CEO Jens Fehlinger stated in an unique interview in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.
Swiss beforehand deliberate to introduce the brand new aircraft and product to the U.S. on Jan. 1, 2026.
Swanky seats: Swiss unveils huge, new first class ‘Grand Suite’ experience
The Lufthansa Group-owned airline expects its first A350 from Airbus in early October, Fehlinger stated. It should initially fly on European routes for crew familiarization, earlier than its transatlantic debut.
Swiss’ new onboard providing on the A350 is the most recent volley within the pitched battle for premium vacationers. Because the COVID-19 pandemic, premium demand — particularly amongst leisure vacationers — has grown sooner and proved extra resilient than that for financial system journey. That has made it a extremely wanted phase for airways.
As business commerce group IATA famous in a 2024 report, “rising income from premium class journey is that tapping the premium phase is instrumental to spice up airways’ profitability.”
Air France, American Airlines, British Airways, Lufthansa, United Airlines — and shortly Swiss — are only a few of the worldwide carriers with new seats and different facilities within the pointy finish of the aircraft hoping to money in on the development.
‘Swiss Senses’
“Within the lifetime of an airline, should you’re fortunate you’ll expertise it as soon as that you simply get a brand new aircraft and a whole new product directly,” stated Fehlinger.
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“The A350 would not come bare. It comes with a whole new buyer expertise in all courses,” he continued.
Swiss Senses, because the airline calls its new onboard providing, is a whole nose-to-tail revamp. Based mostly on its sister provider Lufthansa’s new Allegris product, it consists of firstclass, enterprise class, premium financial system and financial system seats, up to date meals and beverage, and different improved facilities like a signature scent.
Swiss’ A350s can have as much as 4 personal firstclass suites, with the center part of the cabin capable of be booked by both one or two passengers. Transferring again via the plane, it should additionally embrace 45 enterprise class suites with privateness doorways; 38 Premium Economic system seats in a 2-3-2 format; and 156 financial system seats in a 3-3-3 format.
“We’re positioning [Swiss] on the higher finish of the premium market,” stated Fehlinger, including that the airline’s model stands for every part Swiss — from punctuality to reliability and high quality.
And Swiss’ monetary efficiency helps the 1 billion euro ($1.17 billion) funding in planes and product. The airline has lengthy been both the, or one of many, most worthwhile within the Lufthansa Group: it generated a 12.9% adjusted working margin within the second quarter of 2025, whereas the group solely turned in an 8.4% outcome.
Swiss plans to have 4 A350s with the Swiss Senses product in service by the tip of 2026. As soon as they’ve the requisite variety of planes, they’ll start flying to Montreal-Trudeau Worldwide Airport (YUL) from ZRH along with BOS.
The provider will start retrofits to its fleet of 14 Airbus A330s by the tip of the 12 months, with the fleet totally outfitted inside two years, Fehlinger additionally stated.
Swiss’ 12 Boeing 777s is not going to start receiving the Swiss Senses remedy till 2027. And the Airbus A340s is not going to be retrofit, as they’re scheduled for retirement and alternative with the A350s.
Restricted loyalty redemptions
Miles & More loyalty program members hoping to snag an award redemption within the new Swiss Senses firstclass could discover {that a} robust proposition.
“There might be shifts in availability as a result of variety of seats,” Fehlinger stated, including that the brand new firstclass might be “extra unique” than the airline’s present prime providing.
Each the A350s and A330s can have as much as 4 Swiss Senses firstclass seats, in comparison with eight right now on the latter aircraft.
Fehlinger, nevertheless, expects award availability in enterprise class to enhance with the onboard improve.
Normalizing transatlantic development
Swiss has no plans so as to add routes to the U.S. or North America subsequent 12 months. As an alternative, Fehlinger stated, the provider will give attention to “stabilizing” the growth it undertook in 2024 when it added Toronto’s Pearson Worldwide Airport (YYZ) and D.C.’s Dulles Worldwide Airport (IAD) to its map in North America, and Seoul’s Incheon Airport (ICN) in Asia.
IAD was Swiss’ first new U.S. vacation spot since San Francisco Worldwide Airport (SFO) in 2010, schedule information from aviation analytics agency Cirium reveals.
“We’ll search for extra development most likely in direction of the tip of the last decade — ’28, ’29 — with the following A350s coming in,” stated Fehlinger.
Swiss is “glad” with the efficiency of its North Atlantic enterprise over summer time regardless of “a little softening” in financial system journey demand, he stated. The airline expects demand to tick again up over the winter and in 2026 when the U.S., Canada and Mexico host the FIFA World Cup.
The variety of foreigners arriving within the U.S. from Switzerland was down roughly 7% from January via July in comparison with final 12 months, the most recent information from the U.S. Worldwide Commerce Administration reveals.
“On the North Atlantic, it was our spine, it’s our spine and it’ll stay our spine,” stated Fehlinger.
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