Airline

Swiss International Air Lines

Last approved July 26, 2026Revision 743ea2fa

Swiss International Air Lines

Swiss International Air Lines is a Swiss flag carrier based in Switzerland. Its network is centred on Zurich Airport. It forms part of Lufthansa Group and connects its home market with domestic or international destinations.[1]

The airline uses the IATA code LX, the ICAO code SWR, and the callsign SWISS.[2] It participates in Star Alliance.[1]

Overview

DetailInformation
CountryFlag of Switzerland Switzerland
StatusActive
IATA codeLX
ICAO codeSWR
CallsignSWISS
Founded31 March 2002
Operations began31 March 2002
Main hubZurich Airport
Frequent-flyer programmeMiles & More
AllianceStar Alliance
Parent companyLufthansa Group
HeadquartersObstgartenstrasse 25, Kloten, Switzerland
Official websiteswiss.com

History

The organisation developed through the following major stages. Dates describe the airline or operation covered by this article, including predecessor activity where relevant.[1]

DateDevelopment
31 March 2002Swiss International Air Lines started operations.
22 March 2005Lufthansa Group confirmed its plan to take over Swiss.
1 July 2007Lufthansa completed the takeover of Swiss.
1 April 2006Swiss joined Star Alliance and Miles & More frequent flyer program.
2008Swiss acquired Edelweiss Air.
2010Lufthansa and Swiss investigated for price-fixing but not fined.
1 January 2021Dieter Vranckx became CEO.
1 February 2025Swiss announced resumption of flights to Tel Aviv.
30 December 2024Announced a cabin crew member died after an emergency landing.

Corporate affairs

Swiss International Air Lines is based in Obstgartenstrasse 25, Kloten, Switzerland. It is owned by or organised within Lufthansa Group. Its commercial activities are managed around the network, fleet, and operating model described in its published corporate information.[1]

The official website provides current schedules, customer information, and company announcements.[3]

Operations

Swiss International Air Lines operates from its principal hub at Zurich Airport. The source page lists 120 destinations, although this figure changes with seasonal schedules.[1]

  • Scheduled services in Europe[1]

  • Flights to North America[1]

  • Flights to South America[1]

  • Flights to Africa[1]

  • Flights to Asia[1]

Partnerships

Swiss International Air Lines is associated with Star Alliance, extending reciprocal connections and passenger benefits across partner networks.[1]

  • Lufthansa Group[1]

  • Star Alliance[1]

Fleet

The fleet is built around aircraft selected for the airline's passenger or cargo network. The principal families identified by the source include:[1]

Aircraft familyTypical use
Airbus A220-100Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A220-300Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A320-200Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A320neoPassenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A321-100Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A321neoPassenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A330-300Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Airbus A350-900Passenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration
Boeing 777-300ERPassenger or cargo operations, depending on configuration

Aircraft counts and subtypes change as leases end, deliveries arrive, and older equipment is withdrawn.

Former fleet

Aircraft previously associated with the airline include:

  • Airbus A319[1]

  • Airbus A330-200[1]

  • Avro RJ85[1]

  • Avro RJ100[1]

  • Embraer ERJ-145[1]

  • McDonnell Douglas MD-11[1]

  • McDonnell Douglas MD-83[1]

  • Saab 2000[1]

Passenger services

The airline's passenger or customer-facing products include:

  • Miles & More[1]

  • Short-haul snacks and beverages[1]

  • Buy-on-board offered on some flights[1]

Branding

  • Swiss International Air Lines logo introduced in 2002[1]

  • Updated logo and branding in 2011[1]

Safety history

Notable events recorded in the source include:

  • 10 July 2002: Flight 850 crashed due to weather issues but all survived.[1]

  • 23 December 2024: Flight 1885 made an emergency landing due to smoke in the cabin.[1]

These entries are a selective historical summary and should not be interpreted as a complete safety record.

See also

Sources

  1. Swiss International Air Lines on Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Wikipedia. Accessed 7/26/2026Cited 29 times
  2. OpenFlights airline database. OpenFlights
  3. Swiss International Air Lines official website. Swiss International Air Lines. Accessed 7/26/2026