New Era at SWISS: Debut of Flagship Aircraft to Famous US City

The first Airbus A350 aircraft of SWISS took off this weekend from Zurich to Boston on flight LX52 at 18:37, marking a pivotal moment for Switzerland's national airline.

This is not just about introducing a new aircraft model to the fleet, but the official launch of a long-haul flight under the SWISS Senses experience, fully implemented for the first time across all service classes on an international route.

The flight to Boston is the airplane's first revenue-long-haul flight, registered as HB-IFA, offering passengers a tangible taste of SWISS's future: a quieter, more efficient aircraft, completely redesigned cabins, and a service experience that engages all five senses. Concurrently, the aircraft will continue operating shorter flights across Europe in the coming weeks to enable quick training for air and ground crews on the new model. The next intercontinental destination to receive the shiny airplane will be Montreal.

Business Class. Photo: Swiss

"Our new Airbus A350 marks the next step in our development, in technological, commercial, and guest experience terms," says SWISS CEO, Jens Fehlinger. "It’s quieter, more efficient and more comfortable than any other aircraft we have operated to date. Investments of this kind don’t just sharpen our own competitive edge: they consolidate Switzerland’s place, too, in the air travel world. A strong and viable SWISS is vital: for our customers, for our employees and for the whole Swiss economy."

He notes that every wide-body aircraft joining the fleet creates hundreds of jobs, from pilots and flight attendants to local suppliers providing raw materials for the onboard kitchen.

Ribbon Cutting on Inaugural Flight. Swiss CEO and Commercial Manager. Photo: Swiss

SWISS Senses : Where Switzerland Meets the Senses

Under the SWISS Senses brand, the company aims to offer a unified flight experience, well-identified with "Swissness": clean, warm design, high-quality materials, guest-focused service and small details that add up to a complete picture. Passengers are greeted at the beginning of the flight with a welcome drink accompanied by Swiss Sbrinz cheese. They enjoy an updated menu, including a signature alpine-style cocktail, new comfort products, and refreshed personal technology and entertainment systems.

"Today's flight turns our vision into tangible reality," says SWISS Commercial Manager, Heike Birlenbach. "Our new cabin interior and enhanced inflight service create an air travel experience that combines comfort, quality and core Swiss values. We have paid close attention to every individual detail – from the materials used to our menu options and our new comfort items – to ensure that SWISS Senses offers our customers genuine added value that appeals to all the senses. With this new inflight product package, we’re declaring what we want SWISS to be in the years ahead: reliable, consistently aligned to our guests and their needs, and with both ‘premium’ and ‘Swissness’ centerstage.”

New Cabins: From Personal Hosting in First Suite to USB Socket at Every Seat

A Swiss proudly states, the revolution begins already in first class: just three suites, each with a closing door, a personal wardrobe, and a large table, designed to turn the private space in "air living room" style into the focal point of the flight experience for those choosing the company's top product. The emphasis is on detachment, privacy, and maximum comfort, with a design that conveys quiet and elegance, not just luxury.

Photo: Swiss. Three Suites with Closing Door

In business class, the new aircraft features 45 seats, all with direct aisle access. Every seat converts into a flatbed up to 2.2 meters long, and SWISS offers several sub-products within the class, such as compact suites with increased privacy, single or couple configurations, and various options for business travelers or couples. The idea is to allow personalization within the same class, rather than settling for a uniform setup.

The premium economy class, which has become one of the fastest-growing market segments in recent years, receives increased visibility here: 38 seats more than any other aircraft in the fleet, with a width of approximately 48 centimeters and legroom of about a meter. This is a modern compromise between economy and business, aimed at travelers seeking quiet, space, and added comfort without moving to full business class.

Even the economy class isn't left behind. The 156 seats in the cabin have received a fresh design with more personal space, large 13.3-inch HD screens for each passenger, Bluetooth connectivity for personal headphone use, and combined USB-A and USB-C ports. For SWISS, this too is a statement: the basic experience shouldn't feel like a compromise.

Even Economy Class Isn't Left Behind. Photo: Swiss.

Five-Year Plan in the Long Air

The first A350 is just the leading wave, as noted by Switzerland's national airline. By 2031, nine more aircraft of the same model are expected to join the fleet, all with a full SWISS Senses cabin.

Concurrently, starting in the first half of 2026, the company will begin upgrading the Airbus A330 fleet, which will also receive the new design and concept, and later, SWISS’s Boeing 777 aircraft will enter a similar process. The declared goal is that, by 2030, SWISS's entire long-haul fleet will offer a unified, updated SWISS Senses experience.

For passengers boarding Thursday night's flight from Zurich to Boston, it was more than just another transatlantic connection. It was an early invitation to what SWISS aspires to be in the next decade: A European airline placing the long flight experience at its center, investing in quiet and efficient technology, but no less in texture, light, menu, and how one feels in the seat, long before looking at the airplane's fuel gauge.