SWISS leisure subsidiary Edelweiss Air is in the process of overhauling its long haul fleet, as the airline replaces its Airbus A340-300s with Airbus A350-900s. The airline acquired these A350s from LATAM, and has initially maintained the same interiors, with plans to retrofit the aircraft at a later point.
There’s now an interesting update, as the Zurich-based airline has announced details of its new A350 cabins, plus the timeline with which this work will be done.
In this post:
Edelweiss unveils all-new Airbus A350 cabin interiors
Edelweiss has just unveiled the details of the cabins we can expect onboard all of the carrier’s A350s. The new cabins have the motto “More room to feel good,” with the idea being to “combine a modern cabin design with high-quality materials, a calming color palette, and state-of-the-art technology.” Here’s how the design inspiration is described:
The elegant and modern design of the new aircraft livery, featuring darker shades of red and blue and the characteristic red wave pattern, is reflected in the interior. Inspired by comfortable, inviting sofas, the interior exudes a sense of calm while simultaneously conveying a high-quality and contemporary feel. This inspiration is complemented by elements of contemporary Swiss architecture. Reduced forms, clean lines, and selectively used patterns define the cabin’s appearance. Fine details and high-quality workmanship underscore the premium standard in all travel classes.
Compared to the previous cabin, the color scheme has been deliberately reduced. This conscious reduction creates a sense of calm and harmony. Shades of blue, in their various forms, characterize the overall appearance.
So, what can we expect onboard? Let’s start from the back of the plane, and work our way forward.
As you’d expect, there’s not all that much to say about economy, other than Edelweiss emphasizing that seats offer approximately three centimeters more legroom compared to the previous cabin, as well as a greater seat tilt angle, intended to increase comfort. As is standard on the A350, the cabin will be in a 3-3-3 layout.
Premium economy will consist of 28 seats, in a 2-3-2 configuration. Edelweiss will offer a hard-shell seat, similar to those used by other Lufthansa Group airlines. In terms of soft product, premium economy will offer a welcome drink, an expanded meal service served on china and a tablecloth, alcoholic drinks, noise canceling headphones, and more.
Business class will be in a 1-2-1 configuration, with the airline finally offering direct aisle access from all seats. It would appear that the airline has opted for the Thompson Aero Vantage XL product, but without a door. This is similar to what you’ll find on ITA Airways, Virgin Atlantic, etc.
The airline will also be introducing a “business class plus” product, in the form of the Edelweiss Business Suite. This will be in the first row of the cabin, with these seats also featuring privacy doors. These business class suites will feature larger 32″ entertainment monitors, plus a larger footwell for placing your feet during the flight.
The updated A350s will also feature improved technology throughout, including free Starlink Wi-Fi (a Lufthansa Group initiative), 4K screens with bluetooth audio connectivity, an updated inflight entertainment system with over 400 movies and TV shows, a 3D flight map, and an external camera. The airline will also offer wireless charging in premium economy and business class, as well as USB-A and USB-C ports with 60 watts of power throughout the cabin.
When will Edelweiss’ Airbus A350s be retrofitted?
Edelweiss has a fleet of five Airbus A350-900s, so when will they be getting new cabin interiors?
- The first aircraft with new cabins will enter service in December 2026, with flights bookable as of the summer of 2026
- Further converted A350s will follow gradually in January through July 2027, with all planes being equipped with the new cabins by the summer of 2027
One of the nice things about having a small fleet is how quickly you can reconfigure all planes, so it sounds like the entire fleet should go from the old cabins to the new cabins in a period of around seven months. That’s awesome!
Bottom line
Edelweiss Air plans to introduce all-new Airbus A350 cabins, with the rollout expected between late 2026 and the middle of 2027. We’ll see new products across the plane, with the most exciting addition being a new business class seat, plus a new business class suite concept. On top of that, technology will be hugely improved across cabins, ranging from bluetooth audio to Starlink Wi-Fi.
What do you make of these Edelweiss A350 cabin updates?
AeroLOPA has the seat map for the new A350. It shows that Economy Max will be retained, but only in the 1st 2 rows of economy (rows 20-21). Based on economy on the new A350s having 1” more pitch than the current ones inherited from LATAM, I’ll assume that Economy Max on the new A350 cabins will also have 1” more pitch over their pitch on the current layout (at least 35” on the current...
AeroLOPA has the seat map for the new A350. It shows that Economy Max will be retained, but only in the 1st 2 rows of economy (rows 20-21). Based on economy on the new A350s having 1” more pitch than the current ones inherited from LATAM, I’ll assume that Economy Max on the new A350 cabins will also have 1” more pitch over their pitch on the current layout (at least 35” on the current A350s); take this with a grain of salt cause it’s just my estimate. It’s also coincidental that all Lufthansa group airlines getting long haul cabin overhauls are using the same seat type and dimensions for premium economy; must be a popular seat model.
Wow, so this means that a low-cost subsidiary will have a better business class product than its parent (which is installing the senseless cabin).
I am really happy with this new development and they are going with the Condor track, along with real premium economy seats. Condor really needs to step up too. I have a feeling that those former LATAM seats also need some refurbishment soon too. Edelweiss is always a premium brand and I am glad that they keep this track, and unlike their parent company, Lufthansa, the Swiss knows what they are doing!
Looks very nice.
Looks nice. Their a340 still makes long journeys to unique leisure destinations like Costa Rica. These a350s would be a major upgrade.
Better than Luftcaca.
This shows the LH leaders how you can implement a great new product in no time and - importantly - certified, i.e. able to sell it ...
À super underrated airline in the LH group and globally. Ok, doors would be great for biz but this is a leisure airline and they are able to whip it together faster than either of the two parents! I flew them once in biz about 15 years ago…I have never seen so much champagne served on a flight! Of course it was leisure so 99% of the flight was on vacation somewhere, but honestly being...
À super underrated airline in the LH group and globally. Ok, doors would be great for biz but this is a leisure airline and they are able to whip it together faster than either of the two parents! I flew them once in biz about 15 years ago…I have never seen so much champagne served on a flight! Of course it was leisure so 99% of the flight was on vacation somewhere, but honestly being able to remember a great flight after so many years, hats off. It was FUN! Mr. Spohr, anyone listening??
It's bewildering to me that any airline would install seats without doors in 2026. Actively avoiding all such products now.
I think its worth distinguishing between LHG's leisure airlines and the group's full service airlines.
That being said, I do think LHG would benefit from some greater similarities between brands.
I realize there's a difference in terms of revenue management but this distinction is frustrating. I don't want a worse product when I travel for leisure (with my money) than when I travel for work, not to mention people traveling on business routes for leisure or business travelers on a leisure route.
In any case, LHG's Allegris concept has two decent suites and then a selection of subpar and inconsistent seats in business class. Developing...
I realize there's a difference in terms of revenue management but this distinction is frustrating. I don't want a worse product when I travel for leisure (with my money) than when I travel for work, not to mention people traveling on business routes for leisure or business travelers on a leisure route.
In any case, LHG's Allegris concept has two decent suites and then a selection of subpar and inconsistent seats in business class. Developing that instead of using an off-the-shelf product is simply mismanagement.
I likely am in the minority but not a huge fan of doors on J class especially shorter flights.
Doors would add additional weight and complexity aside from an additional expense. And upon looking at their destinations, they don't really have a "true" long-haul destination. So in this case, privacy shields would make up for the lack of a door.
I would love to see them restore service to MCO, which was dropped due to Covid! We’d gladly welcome them back to central Florida. With Norwegian’s collapse we lost service to both Swiss cities!
Norwegian never flew long haul To Switzerland.
You know Sweden is an entirely different country, right?
Just like CX, those "wings" or privacy shields in Business are perfect for their average flight time as you don't really need the added weight and complexity of a door.
Ben, another A350 post? Those Boeing fanboys will be out in force later, spitting venom and crying into their beer …. :-)
How is it possible that Edelweiss have a much better product compared to Swiss, in what is supposedly a full service legacy carrier...just wow!
This was my though as well. In my view their new J is much better than Allergis. Also their Y product seems to be better, at least in terms of legspace. Possibly also the PY product is better.
Because Edelweiss doesn't have to distinguish between a business and first class. Biz class is always better on airlines without first.
I wish Swiss upgraded to this J class.
@Likes-to-fly
Lufthansa put Swiss in a mess.
This would actually look great with the SWISS colour palette from the Senses cabins. I like the fact that there are no doors in J. Also, Edelweiss has ZRH-YVR, ZRH-LAS and such flights, so they clearly operate long-haul flights.