As part of our travel back from a Safari trip to Africa and the fact that I was booked in First Class for our flight from Zurich to the States, we had the ability to visit SWISS’ new First Class Lounge in Terminal E at Zurich. Typically lounge access is restricted only to SWISS First Class passengers and Miles & More HON Circle members and since the lounge is located in Terminal E which serves only International long-haul flights, its even more exclusive than most First Class Lounges.
Just as I had the good fortune to have the entire First Class cabin to myself for the flight from Zurich, we were also the only visitors to the First Class Lounge during our 3 hour layover in ZRH. This gave us the opportunity to explore the entire lounge without the risk of violating the privacy of other passengers and since we were the only ones in the lounge our attendant, Bjorn, was extremely happy to give us a tour of the entire facility.
The lounge opened to passengers in February of this year and offers a few unique features not found in most First Class Lounges. For example, the lounge is almost entirely wrapped by an outdoor terrace that provides an OUTSTANDING view of the airport, making it nirvana for ‘avgeeks’. I spent most of my time on the terrace taking photos of aircraft while nursing a 20-year old Scotch….not a bad way to pass a lay over.
The lounge also offers private rooms that remind me of a high quality hotel accommodations instead of just a room with a cot in it thats designed for short naps.
Additionally, the lounge of course offers a 5-star al-a-carte dining experience along with a wine selection that can be measured in hundreds of bottles.
What struck me most about the lounge is simply how spotless and perfect it is. Nothing is out of place, not even the cocktail napkins at the bar. Magazines and newspapers were piled perfectly, even the flowers seemed to be set into a template. Really impressive.
Being the only passengers gave us a great opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies, and I hope that the photos below give you a sense of how special this lounge is.
You know you’re in for a treat when you see signage like this!
This is the first impression that you get when entering the lounge. As I mentioned, see how everything is absolutely perfect??
Several Champagne choices……
Magazines and Newspapers in several languages
Hundreds of bottles of wine will satisfy any palette…..
Several seating areas fill the lounge, each with their own large flat-screen TV.
Another example of a seating area
A Leica Spotting Scope is available to zoom in on the aircraft. Another nice touch is the placement of several pairs of Leica binoculars on the terrace.
The Bar offers nothing but top-shelf beverages…..
The Dining Room overlooks the terrace, providing wonderful views of the airport….
The Dining Room offers a 5-star culinary experience, but unfortunately neither one of us had an appetite to eat at 7am!
But I did have room for a dram of 20 year old Scotch while plane spotting…..
A private conference room is available and thanks to the modular design of the lounge can be adjusted to accommodate small or large groups, as well as being tied directly to one of the ‘Hotel Rooms’.
A look inside the ‘Hotel Room’, notice the proximity to the observation terrace. Privacy can be an issue but light blocking shades and draperies take care of any concerns.
The private bath in the ‘Hotel Room’
So as you can hopefully tell, this lounge is quite the place and should be on the list to visit for anyone that enjoys experiencing a premium product. Though its not necessarily easy to create the strategy to gain entry, I promise you that the effort is worth it!
So what’s the most expedient and effective strategy for gaining access to not only the Swiss lounge, but the seats up front as well?
The best way aside from buying the ticket is to be a Miles & More member. SWISS typically blocks their First Class inventory from any other Star Alliance frequent flyer program (but once in a while you’ll get lucky and find SWISS business seats available). As a Miles & More member, the inventory for F seats is fairly generous for mileage redemption, or to apply E-Vouchers that you earn when you hit Senator/HON Status or renewal of the status levels.
Ticket price on first class is approx. 6k euros, is it really worth it ?
It’s better to spend the money on 5 star hotel while on vacation…
Maybe not just for the lounge, but if it’s incidental to the travel, it’s certainly a nice perk. Miles&More members do have an advantage when it comes to this particular lounge.
I feel a lounge should have some buzz in it and interest of other passengers. Having low foot traffic is nice sometimes but it can feel like being home alone.