Swiss First Class is one the world’s most exclusive First Class experiences, typically far out of the reach of most Miles & Points enthusiasts. On the other hand, its more-accessible business class product is showing signs of age on many aircraft, and is in need of a refresh.
Today, Swiss released details of its new First Class and business class products, which are to be known as “Swiss Senses”. The upcoming refresh will also apply to premium economy and economy cabins.
In many ways, the cabins are quite similar to the new Lufthansa Allegris seats that were unveiled earlier this week, albeit with Swiss branding. The Zurich-based airline will debut the new products on its upcoming deliveries of Airbus A350-900 aircraft, and will also retrofit its Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 700-300ER aircraft in the coming years.
New Swiss First Class Cabin
Swiss has released details of its new First Class product, which is set to debut on new Airbus A350-900 aircraft in 2025. Its existing Airbus A330-300 and Boeing 777-300ER aircraft will also be refurbished with the new cabins in the coming years.
Similar to Lufthansa’s Allegris First Class, the new Swiss First Class cabin will have a 1-2-1 configuration, with single suites at the windows and a double suite for two in the middle.
The renderings of the Senses First Class suites show floor-to-ceiling walls, a lockable sliding door, spacious wardrobes, and plenty of privacy.
For a comparison, here is a rendering of Lufthansa’s Allegris First Class, which looks to be remarkably similar, aside from branding and some minor tweaks.
The new Swiss Senses First Class suites will feature 27-inch entertainment screens on the window suites, and a 43-inch screen in the centre suite, with all having 4k resolution.
The window suites will have seats that are 77cm wide with heating and cooling controls, as well as a two-metre-long bed. The centre suite will feature a 117cm-wide seat, alongside a two-metre-long double bed, as well as heating and cooling controls.
In both suites, the walls measure 1.8 metres tall, and with a lockable door, provide the utmost privacy.
Additionally, guests flying in Swiss Senses First Class will enjoy inflight entertainment tablets, a haptic seat control panel, ambient lighting, and plenty of room to stow luggage.
Many factors of Swiss branding remain in the refreshed cabin, including dark seats with wood panelling, as well as cream and burgundy accents throughout the cabin.
The new Senses First Class cabin looks fantastic, and we can only hope that it will become more accessible with various airline loyalty programs, such as Aeroplan.
Currently, aside from cash bookings, Swiss First Class is only available through Swiss’s Miles & More program, or alternatively on a fifth freedom flight from São Paulo to Buenos Aires through United MileagePlus.
New Swiss Business Class Cabin
Swiss is also planning to revitalize its business class cabin as part of the introduction of the Senses product.
The new cabin will feature a 1-2-1 and 1-1-1 configuration, with “throne seats” available in some rows and extra space in the front of the cabin.
All seats in Swiss’s Senses business class product will have direct aisle access, along with a 17-inch entertainment screen, 80–82cm seat widths, cooling and heating controls, tablets, wireless charging, and plenty of storage space. The beds measure at least two-metres long, which should be spacious enough for most passengers.
In total, there will be five different business class seat types to choose from, with options that provide more privacy, a longer bed, a double seat for couples, and a seat with extra space, alongside standard seats.
Indeed, this type of “First Class business class” concept has been growing in popularity, as we’ve seen similar products launched by JetBlue and Virgin Atlantic in recent years. You can expect to pay more for a seat with more space or privacy, and it will be interesting to see the pricing structure as the product launches in 2025.
New Swiss Premium Economy and Economy Class Cabins
Swiss’s new Senses generation of airline seats also includes changes to premium economy and economy class.
In premium economy, Swiss will be continuing with its hard-shell seats with an almost one-metre pitch, a product that has been recently introduced as part of aircraft refurbishment. The cabin will feature a 2-3-2 configuration across three rows, with a total of 21 seats.
Passengers flying in premium economy will enjoy a 15.6″ entertainment screen with 4k resolution, a seat with a width of 48cm, wireless charging, and a cocktail table.
In economy class, the Swiss Senses product will feature a 2-4-2 configuration, which is great for passengers travelling as a couple of as a group of four.
Passengers travelling in economy will enjoy a 13.4-inch 4k entertainment screen, an additional amenity storage space, and a USB charger available.
Conclusion
Swiss will launch a new generation of Senses seats in 2025, the most exciting of which are the new First Class suites and business class seats. These products larger mirror those of the Lufthansa Allegris product, and it’s a very welcome refresh for the airline.
Swiss Senses First Class will feature lockable sliding doors, a personal wardrobe, plenty of storage space, and the option to book into a double suite.
Swiss Senses business class will also launch in 2025 on the new Airbus A350-900 aircraft, featuring direct aisle access for every seat and a range of seating options for passengers. Some middle seats will be “throne” seats with two side tables, and the first-row seats will feature additional amenities and space for passengers.
While it’s not yet known if Swiss will release First Class award space to partners, such as Aeroplan, we can only hope that this exclusive product will become more accessible upon its launch.
A suggestion – either use inches or centimetres but not both. It’s hard to read when the units jump back and forth. Being consistent will also make it easier to catch mistakes such as the premium economy seat which is apparently almost 4 feet wide.