Introduction of New Route
Flying from the West Coast to Switzerland is about to get easier with Edelweiss, a Switzerland-based airline owned by Lufthansa, announcing new twice-weekly flights from Seattle’s SeaTac Airport to Zurich Airport. These flights will operate every Monday and Saturday, departing Seattle at 4:25 p.m. and arriving in Zurich at 11:45 a.m. the next day. The return flights from Zurich to Seattle will also be on the same days.
Expanded Connectivity
The Seattle route is an addition to Edelweiss’s existing routes in Denver, Las Vegas, and Tampa Bay, Florida. Scheduled to begin on June 2, 2025, this new route will provide West Coast travelers an excellent opportunity to experience the hiking and scenic beauty of Switzerland and its surrounding areas during the summer. From Zurich, passengers can either stay in Switzerland’s largest city or connect to over 90 destinations that Edelweiss services, including Agadir, Morocco, Bari, Italy, and various destinations across Croatia, France, Greece, Ireland, Spain, and Turkey.
Airline Features and Experience
Edelweiss will operate the Seattle to Zurich flights on an Airbus A340-300, which has a passenger capacity of 214, including 27 lie-flat business class seats. The economy cabin is fitted with an 11.1-inch high-definition touchscreen entertainment system, offering over 250 pieces of content for passengers to enjoy. Edelweiss is described as Switzerland’s leisure airline, providing diverse in-flight experiences through its business class, Economy Max, and economy class.
Future Plans and CEO Statement
Aside from the Seattle route, Edelweiss will also launch a new Halifax, Nova Scotia to Zurich route on July 3, 2025. Tickets for both routes were not immediately available for purchase on the airline’s website. Edelweiss’s CEO, Bernd Bauer, stated that this nonstop service provides a convenient link to Zurich, which is at the heart of Europe, and it will also bring a significant number of Swiss travelers to Seattle and the Pacific Northwest.
Summary
Owned by Lufthansa Group and referred to as a sister airline of Swiss International Airlines, Edelweiss is expanding its international travel offerings as demand reaches new highs. The airline facilitated air travel for 2.7 million passengers in 2023, a significant increase from 2.2 million passengers in 2022. The new Seattle to Zurich route, starting in June 2025, further demonstrates Edelweiss’s commitment to expanding connectivity for leisure travelers.
