To finish off the return portion of my exotic journey to Bangkok via Paris, I flew SWISS’ Airbus A350-900 business class on the 7hr55min flight from Zurich (ZRH) to Boston (BOS). I was particularly looking forward to this flight, since it was operated by the carrier’s brand new A350, featuring its new SWISS Senses cabins.
Big picture, I knew what to expect going into this flight, given that Lufthansa’s A350 Allegris business class is basically the same product that SWISS now has, except the airlines have their respective finishes. I do think SWISS’ soft product has the edge, and that its cabins also look a bit nicer. I’d argue that this is a very competitive product across the Atlantic. Still, I’m not actually convinced that it’s anything cutting edge, given that it’s just in the very early stages of being rolled out.
How I booked my SWISS business class ticket
I booked the entire return portion of my journey as one ticket. Specifically, I redeemed 87,500 Air Canada Aeroplan points and paid $138.02 in taxes & fees to book the following (I separately reviewed Thai’s 787 business class):
11/22 TG940 Bangkok to Milan departing 12:35AM arriving 7:10AM
11/22 LX1613 Milan to Zurich departing 10:30AM arriving 11:35AM
11/22 LX52 Zurich to Boston departing 5:30PM arriving 8:00PM
You really can’t beat the value of Aeroplan awards from Asia to the United States via Europe, and it’s potentially even better of a value if you want a stopover in Europe, as that costs just 5,000 extra points, and basically gives you two trips for the price of one.
Fortunately Aeroplan points are easy to come by, as the program partners with most major transferable points currencies.
SWISS business class lounge & boarding
I ended up having a short layover in Zurich, as my initial flight from Milan had been canceled. So upon landing on my inbound flight, I proceeded straight to my departure gate.
My flight was departing from gate E56, with boarding scheduled for 4:45PM, 45 minutes before departure (sorry for the picture quality, the way the windows are positioned in the terminal makes it hard to get good pictures). Boarding ended up starting around 10 minutes late, with first and business class passengers being invited to board first.
While I didn’t visit any of them this time around, note that I’ve reviewed the SWISS First Lounge, SWISS Senator Lounge, and SWISS Business Lounge, in the terminal.
SWISS A350 business class cabin & seats
The SWISS Senses business class cabin on the Airbus A350 consists of 45 seats, and that’s spread across two cabins.
The forward cabin is located between the first and second set of doors, and consists of 20 business class seats (that’s because you’ll also find the first class cabin in the very front, which has three to four seats), spread across six rows.
The rear cabin is located between the second and third set of doors, and consists of 25 business class seats, spread across seven rows.
Lufthansa and SWISS are proud of how much much flexibility this product provides, as there are five different types of seats. To better illustrate the product, below is the seat map, so that you can get a sense of how the various seats are configured.
The idea is that there are also charges to select two of the five types of business class seats. Below is the pricing chart (in three currencies) for seats on a flight between Switzerland and the East Coast of the United States
Anyway, the best seats in the house are no doubt the business class suites — there are eight of these, and they’re the four bulkhead seats in each of the two business class cabins. These seats really are exceptional, as they have a privacy door, a massive amount of personal space, and even have higher partitions. This is definitely one of the better “business class plus” products out there.
If you’re traveling alone, the four solo window seats are of course awesome.
Meanwhile if you’re traveling with someone, the pairs of center business class suites are the way to go. Ironically, these are also the only seats in the cabin where you can actually be properly seated next to someone else. So as much as the SWISS Senses concept is all about customization, that doesn’t apply to those who actually want to sit next to travel companions.
Based on the pricing chart, the next most premium seats are the solo center seats, which are marketed as extra space seats. There’s certainly a novelty to these center “throne” seats, and you do get a lot of counter space. However, I can’t say that I’d be willing to pay a premium to sit here, because the seat does feel a bit tight and claustrophobic, given the angle of the walls around it.
In every other row you’ll find two seats in the center (on each side of the throne seats), and in general those are the seats that I’d most avoid. That’s because the seats are further from one another, so they’re not useful if you’re traveling with someone. Meanwhile you also don’t have the benefit of being able to look out the windows.
Those seats are marketed as extra long bed seats and classic seats. The former simply refers to the bed surface being very long, due to the location behind the throne seats. But the added spaciousness comes purely in terms of bed length, so that won’t be useful for the average person.
Along the windows, you’ll then find seats that alternate between being closer to the windows (the “private seat”) and being closer to the aisle (the “classic seat”).
The seats that are further from the window would be my less preferred option, simply because you’re quite close to the aisle, so can easily be bumped. It can also be harder to look out the window, due to the consoles to the side of the seat.
Meanwhile I’d argue that the “true” window seats in this configuration are probably the sweet spot in terms of comfort and privacy, without an extra charge to assign a seat. While the window seats are largely similar, seats 7A and 7K are kind of special, and I ended up booking myself seat 7A.
These seats are in theory for those who may need a bassinet, but can also be assigned by others. Thanks to them being in the back of the forward cabin, they have a bunch of extra space to the side. So let’s take a closer look…
Think of this as essentially being a very spacious direct forward facing seat in a staggered configuration. The amount of space to the side of the seat really was next-level.
To the side of the seat is an enclosed storage compartment (which can hold headphones and a bottle of water), an exposed storage space, reading lights, a tablet for controlling all the seat functions, and more.
The seat has two USB-A outlets, one AC power outlet, and wireless charging, and all the charging options are conveniently located.
Thanks to this seat being in the last row, it also has an extra storage compartment underneath the seat and to the side, so that comes in handy.
The armrest on the window-side of the seat is easy to use, and has some pre-set options for fully reclining the seat, changing padding, etc.
The tray table folds out from in front of the seat, and is incredibly long. It’s folded over a bit when stored, and when you pull it out, it’s probably a few feet long.
The ottoman is huge, which is helpful, since it means the seat is very comfortable in bed mode.
When it comes to the overhead console, it has the typical modern A350 setup, but sadly no individual air nozzles.
All-in-all, I’d say the SWISS Senses business class hard product impresses. Admittedly your experience will differ massively based on which seat you end up in, though the window seats in row seven are totally awesome, if you ask me, and offer a ton of space.
Now, is SWISS Senses and Lufthansa Allegris so good that it was worth waiting so many years for, and is it worth the reduced cabin density? I’d argue maybe not…
SWISS A350 business class entertainment & Wi-Fi
The size of the 4K OLED entertainment monitor in SWISS Senses business class varies based on which seat you’re in — the business class suites and extra space suites have 24″ monitors, while the other seats have 17.3″ monitors.
I found the entertainment interface and selection to be significantly better than in the past, so that’s a very nice upgrade. While still not among the biggest selections out there, the variety of movies, TV shows, audio, and games, was more than sufficient.
As you’d expect, SWISS also has bluetooth audio pairing on the A350, so that you can use your own headphones for the entertainment, if you’d like.
My favorite entertainment option was the highly customizable map feature, plus the tail camera, which kept me entertained for much of the flight.
The seat also has the huge tablet along the side, which can be used to control the entertainment, seat positions, lighting, etc. In my opinion this sounds better than it actually is, and there were some issues with this actually working to control the seat. It’s clear they’re still working out some kinks.
In theory, the seat also has a cooling or heating feature, though I find the value to be marginal at best. It’s supposed to be like something similar to what you’d find in a car, but I found that the actual difference in temperature was almost unnoticeable.
When it comes to Wi-Fi, SWISS currently offers a paid service.
As far as pricing goes, the options were either a free messaging pass, 25 CHF (32 USD) for four hours of Wi-Fi, or 35 CHF (45 USD) for Wi-Fi for the entire flight.
Pricing is obviously very steep, but I ended up going for the premium plan, given that this was a daytime flight, and I planned to work a good bit. I also found speeds to be excellent, so at least the high price came with good bandwidth.
The good news is that SWISS plans to soon introduce free Starlink Wi-Fi, so not only will speeds be even better, but it won’t even cost anything.
SWISS business class amenities
When it comes to SWISS business class amenities, waiting at each seat upon boarding was a pillow and blanket. The bedding was perfectly fine, but nothing special or out of the ordinary.
There was also an amenity kit at each seat, which was a case with socks, earplugs, and a toothbrush. Is this the world’s most basic amenity kit in terms of contents, or what’s going on here, exactly? There aren’t even slippers, so it really does feel like SWISS skimps a bit on amenities in business class.
Headphones were also placed at each seat, and weren’t terribly high quality. Fortunately with bluetooth audio, it wasn’t at all an issue to just use my own headphones.
Lastly, a bottle of water was also placed at each seat.
During boarding, the crew passed through the cabin with pre-departure drinks, and the options included champagne, the signature SWISS Alpine Essence cocktail, juice, and water. I opted for champagne, with Jacquart Mosaique Brut being on offer.
Warm towels were also distributed to all passengers.
At the end of the boarding process, the menu and drink list were also passed out.
When it comes to amenities, I can’t say that SWISS business class impresses, between the very basic amenity kits, plus the lack of slippers.
SWISS A350 departure from Zurich
The boarding process wrapped up by 5:35PM, at which point the main cabin door immediately closed. Around the same time, the captain announced that we’d be pushing back shortly, and would need to deice prior to departure. He also informed us of our flight time of 7hr55min.
At 5:40PM we began our pushback, and then at 5:45PM we began our taxi, at which point the safety video was screened.
Within around five minutes we were at the deicing pad, and then that process took around 15 minutes. By 6:05PM we were done deicing, and at 6:15PM we were cleared for takeoff on runway 28. We had a fast takeoff roll, and a smooth climb out, and the seatbelt sign was turned off around five minutes after takeoff.
SWISS business class dinner service
On this flight, dinner was served soon after takeoff, and you can find the SWISS business class menu below. I should mention that SWISS recently overhauled its business class catering, and this was my first flight experiencing the new service concept.
Then you can find the SWISS business class drink list below.
After takeoff, the crew sprung into action, starting with serving the first round of drinks, which were served to me around 30 minutes after takeoff. These were accompanied by the option of either mixed nuts or parmesan cheese, and I chose the latter. To drink, I had another glass of champagne, plus some sparkling water.
It then took some time for service to continue. Around 1hr15min minutes after takeoff, the crew started the appetizer service. SWISS has updated its service concept so that meals are now served directly onto the tray table, rather than on a tray.
Of the two appetizer options, I opted for the marinated balik salmon with sweet potato and ginger relish, with ponzu gel, passion fruit, and sweet potato puree. This was served with a simple side salad, plus a selection of bread. The dish honestly tasted fine, but I can’t say it was anything amazing, or that the presentation blew me away.
As a recent addition to the service flow, SWISS added a new soup course in business class, and on this flight that was a cream of celeriac soup with truffles. I do have to say, the service was definitely on the slow side, as this was only served 1hr45min after takeoff. It was pretty tasty.
Then around 2hr5min after takeoff, main courses were served. Of the four options, I selected the cod with olive oil emulsion, with rice and vegetable linguine. Honestly, I thought it was okay, but nothing amazing, in terms of taste or presentation.
A full 2hr40min after takeoff, the crew passed through the cabin with the dessert trolley. I selected the cheese course, which was served with crackers, plus the lychee, black tea, and rose slice. Both were very good, and I paired those with a dessert wine.
At the conclusion of the meal, the crew passed through the cabin with a box of chocolates, which passengers could help themselves to.
All-in-all, I thought the meal service was reasonably good, but nothing special. In terms of catering, I’d say SWISS’ experience is maybe a little above average. I will say, with SWISS having recently overhauled its business class catering, I do think it’s a slight improvement, but I’d consider the updates to be minor in the scheme of things.
The main thing that stood out to me was the slow pace of service, as it was around three hours after takeoff before tray tables were cleared.
SWISS A350 business class lavatories
SWISS has two lavatories in business class on its A350s, which honestly isn’t a great ratio, when you consider there are 45 passengers, plus crew members. The lavatories are located behind the center galley that’s between the two cabins, and they’re pretty typical A350 lavatories, and not particularly spacious.
The lavatories do have special amenities from Soeder, which is at least a nice premium touch (though I’m not sure it makes up for the lack of products in the amenity kit?).
My one complaint about the lavatory situation is that they weren’t at all clean, especially later in the flight. Unfortunately aside from Asian and Middle Eastern carriers, that’s typically the norm rather than the exception.
SWISS A350 business class bed
It had been a very long couple of days, so after the meal I reclined my seat into bed mode, and tried to get some rest. I was impressed by the seat comfort, as I found it easy to get comfortable. The footwell was large, and the bed was sufficiently wide (though ideally it would be a bit wider).
I ended up falling asleep with just under five hours remaining to Boston, while over the Atlantic…
…and I woke up just under three hours later, with around two hours remaining to Boston, just north of Newfoundland.
That was the perfect nap, and oh-so-needed!
SWISS business class pre-landing snack
Just under two hours before landing, the crew turned on the lights in the cabin for the pre-landing service. You can find the SWISS business class movie snack menu (which I didn’t order anything from) and pre-landing snack menu below.
The pre-landing service consisted of a single tray, and of the two options, I chose the dumplings with beef, chicken, and mushroom in broth, with spinach, spicy radish salad, and pickled pumpkin. That was served with a side of fruit and a choice of drinks (I asked for a Diet Coke). It was a small but good dish (not that a big meal was needed only a few hours after the previous meal wrapped up).
Before landing, I also ordered a cappuccino, as crews are able to prepare those in business class, which is a nice touch.
SWISS business class service
I fly SWISS a fair bit, and find crews to be a mixed bag. Sometimes they’re hospitable and professional, sometimes they’re cold and stand off-ish, etc. Perhaps that also reflects my overall impressions of service in Switzerland.
On this flight, I’d say the crew was pretty average. The flight attendant who was primarily working my aisle was quite friendly, while I couldn’t help but notice that the flight attendant working the other aisle maybe didn’t seem to have so good of an attitude.
With 45 seats in the cabin and a new(ish) service concept, it does feel like crews are very busy during the main services, to the point of almost seeming stressed. So service does feel very “busy” and assembly line-esque, rather than feeling leisurely and calm. Hopefully that improves as crews get more used to the new planes and new service concepts.
SWISS A350 arrival in Boston
Before I knew it, our quick hop across the Atlantic was coming to an end. At 7:25PM Boston time, the captain was on the PA to announce that we’d be landing in around 35-40minutes, and would be arriving a few minutes behind schedule.
About 10 minutes after that we began our descent, and 15 minutes after that the seatbelt sign was turned on. Our descent to Boston was smooth, and we ended up landing at 8:05PM on runway 27.
Boston can be a bit of a mess in terms of congestion on the ramp, and this evening was no exception. It ended up taking us around 15 minutes to get to our arrival gate, where we pulled in at 8:20PM, around 20 minutes behind schedule.
From there I checked into the Hyatt Regency Boston Harbor for the evening, prior to flying back home the following morning, wrapping up another fun trip!
Bottom line
I’m delighted I had the chance to check out the new SWISS Senses business class on the carrier’s brand new A350. This is SWISS’ version of Lufthansa Allegris. It’s no doubt a huge upgrade for SWISS, and it’s also the carrier’s first “latest generation” wide body plane.
I’d say that this is a really competitive experience across the Atlantic. However, even so, there are areas where the experience falls short, ranging from the disappointing amenities to the very drawn out meal service. I’d gladly fly SWISS Senses again if the schedule and/or price were right, and I’d choose it over any of SWISS’ other planes. However, competitively I wouldn’t really choose this over Air France business class, for example.
What’s your take on SWISS’ A350 business class?
