In September 2023, SWISS’ leisure subsidiary, Edelweiss Air, announced plans to completely overhaul its long haul fleet. With just over a year left until these planes enter service, the airline has now announced more entry into service details.
In this post:
Edelweiss acquiring six A350-900s as of 2025
Zurich-based Edelweiss Air currently has a fleet of 18 aircraft, including 13 Airbus A320s and five Airbus A340-300s. The carrier has an average fleet age of around 20 years, and plans to modernize its fleet. Edelweiss Air will acquire six Airbus A350-900s, which will replace the carrier’s five Airbus A340-300s:
- The first A350-900 will join Edelweiss’ fleet in 2025
- By 2027, all existing A340-300s will be retired
- With this fleet renewal, Edelweiss’ long haul fleet size will be restored to pre-coronavirus levels
- Edelweiss is acquiring some A350-900s that used to fly for LATAM, as the airline retired these aircraft during the pandemic; Delta also flies some ex-LATAM A350-900s
- These A350s aren’t part of the Lufthansa Group’s overall A350 order, as the airline has dozens of those jets on order
Here’s how Edelweiss Air CEO Bernd Bauer describes this fleet renewal:
“The modernisation of the long-haul fleet is a milestone in Edelweiss’ almost 30-year history. Edelweiss will thus operate one of the youngest long-haul fleets in Europe from 2026.”
“The design of the Airbus A350-900 sets new standards in efficiency with state-of-the-art technologies and outstanding aerodynamics. It is one of the most environmentally friendly long-haul aircraft in the world. Latest generation engines and the use of lightweight materials make the twin-engine Airbus A350-900 one of the most fuel-efficient wide-body aircraft. It consumes 25 per cent less fuel and produces 25 per cent less CO2 than the four-engine Airbus A340-300, and noise emissions are up to 50 per cent lower.”
I’ve gotta say, I’ve always been a fan of Edelweiss’ livery, and I think it looks absolutely gorgeous on the Airbus A350!
Edelweiss Airbus A350 cabins & interiors
What should we expect from the interiors of Edelweiss’ Airbus A350s? For the first four aircraft, Edelweiss will initially just offer the same product that LATAM used to offer on these planes, with slight modifications to the branding. That means the plane will feature 339 seats, including:
- 30 fully flat business class seats, in a 2-2-2 configuration
- 63 extra legroom economy seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration
- 246 economy class seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration
All seats will have personal entertainment, plus USB outlets. Unfortunately the aircraft won’t feature Wi-Fi, though, at least initially.
Eventually Edelweiss plans to introduce new cabins on its A350s, representing an investment that’s “a three-digit million sum.” Edelweiss is claiming not to be initially reconfiguring these aircraft “due to worldwide material shortages and reduced maintenance & engineering capacities.”
For what it’s worth, Edelweiss’ A340-300s currently have a staggered configuration in business class, almost identical to what you’ll find on SWISS’ A340-300s. For a leisure airline, it’s also noteworthy that Edelweiss doesn’t have a premium economy cabin. I can’t help but think that this will be added in the future when new interiors are introduced.
I’m kind of going to miss Edelweiss’ very unusual A340-300 configuration. The airline puts business class between extra legroom economy and economy, which you don’t often see.
Edelweiss Airbus A350 routes & entry into service
Edelweiss has now revealed plans for how these new Airbus A350s will enter into service. The first A350 should join Edelweiss’ fleet at the beginning of April 2025. The plane will initially operate some short and medium haul routes for crew familiarization, prior to starting long haul service:
- From mid-May 2025, Edelweiss will fly the plane 3x weekly between Zurich (ZRH) and Las Vegas (LAS)
- From early July 2025, Edelweiss will fly the plane daily between Zurich (ZRH) and Las Vegas (LAS), coinciding with the delivery of the second jet
- The third A350 will join Edelweiss’ fleet at the beginning of October 2025, the fourth A350 will be added in winter 2025, and the fifth and sixth will be added in the second half of 2026
In mid-May 2024, we can expect long haul flights with Edelweiss’ A350s to go on sale, for routes to Las Vegas and Vancouver.
Bottom line
Edelweiss Air is refreshing and growing its long haul fleet, as the airline is replacing its five Airbus A340-300s with six Airbus A350-900s. You can expect the aircraft to join Edelweiss’ fleet in 2025 and 2026, and for all A340s to be retired by 2027.
These A350s will initially feature former LATAM interiors, and at some point in the future the airline claims to be investing in new cabins. Edelweiss’ first A350 destinations from Zurich will be Las Vegas and Vancouver.
What do you make of Edelweiss acquiring Airbus A350s?
Terrible livery looks like it was designed by a child, and not one with much talent.
This news doesn't really move the needle for me, given that Edelweiss awards are nearly impossible to book in J. Which stings even more being a Tampa based flyer.
This means that there should be a regularly scheduled A350 flying to Tampa in the coming years!!! (If we don't count the temporary wet-leased Finnair A350 operating on behalf of Discover/Lufthansa to FRA not too long ago).
Also, I wonder where Edelweiss will fly the additional widebody. Maybe Orlando? There currently isn't a nonstop flight between MCO and Zurich. Meanwhile, Edelweiss flies to Tampa, so I think MCO would definetly work for them.
It's a mixed-bag blessing for cattle class passengers. The seat pitch will go up from current and dreadful 30" to 31/32", but in a 3-3-3 configuration...
A huge improvement in terms of the plane (cabin air, emissions) and a slight improvement in terms of their hard product (seats), but not really 2025 state-of-the-art. Soft product (food, drinks, crew) has always been slightly better than LX (and a lot better than LH).
However, most critical for Edelweiss is IRROPS. They are really poor in handling such situations and that has called for some media attention in Switzerland, recently.
Most passengers don’t give a f about 2-4-2 or anything else in coach, they book solely based on price.
The edelweiss livery on the a350 looks strange to me. The livery itself looks to be of an older vintage, which contrasts starkly with the ultra-modern lines of the a350.
To me, the livery looks much more “at home” on an a340. But maybe that’s just me.
I flew Edelweiss business a year and a half ago, am avoiding them since. The service (attitude, quality of food, cabin management etc.) was lower than that of Swiss.
The service standards on a low cost carrier are less than that of a full service.
Now there's a revelation, if ever there was one......
I totally agree. That`s why I am surprised by many comments here praising Edelweiss service compared to LX...
Spohr's greatest gift to LH's strikers?
“due to worldwide material shortages and reduced maintenance & engineering capacities.”
You sure this article isn't written in 2022?
I think Edelweiss needs an update in their colour scheme. Looks pretty nice, but it's giving some serious 1990s-2000s vibes.
LATAM A350s have JAMCO Journey business class seats in 2-2-2 (quite similar to the Safran Aura seats - the seats you'd find on Air China A330s and Turkish Airlines A330s/777s), so while the aircraft itself is a step-up from A340s, the hardware wouldn't be getting a lot better (at least the legroom and foot...
I think Edelweiss needs an update in their colour scheme. Looks pretty nice, but it's giving some serious 1990s-2000s vibes.
LATAM A350s have JAMCO Journey business class seats in 2-2-2 (quite similar to the Safran Aura seats - the seats you'd find on Air China A330s and Turkish Airlines A330s/777s), so while the aircraft itself is a step-up from A340s, the hardware wouldn't be getting a lot better (at least the legroom and foot space would be way better than A340s, I guess). Hopefully Edelweiss isn't following the path of Lufthansa in terms of new cabin launch...
Speaking of Edelweiss (and SWISS)... how is the SWISS first class trip report going?
Edelweiss Please bring back Zurich to Rio!
KINDLY START FLYING DIRECTLY TO AMRITSAR INDIA ON DAILY BASIS .
Why does Lufthansa care more about its leisure airlines than it does Brussels, a national flag carrier that (as far as I know) is operating profitably? Will they just end up with Lufthansa group hand me downs, or are they waiting for SN to just run out of airworthy planes so they can shut them down?
SN finally returned to profit in 2023. SN CEO recently said the airline would expand in Africa and pursue fleet renewal only if it could stay profitable. Still, SN is the unloved stepchild of the Lufthansa group.
Maybe they are anticipating Belgium’s partition into Flanders and Wallonia. Maybe they might let SN starve and replace that airline with an Air Flanders or revive the VLM brand
Great... so Edelweiss gets new A350s while Brussels Airlines flies on with its aging fleet. #NotFair
Well their A340s are even older then what SN currently has, and WK has been a very profitable airline for years...
Bummer. Seems like a logical strategy, but was really hoping they'd become an A330NEO customer, to replace their A340s.
Not an impossibility still, though seems somewhat more unlikely.
I will miss the throne seat on the A 340
I flew Edelweiss Biz award (through AC, good availability) for the very first time recently, from YVR. Pretty solid overall experience. Yes, hard product is so so, but service was very good. Much better than LH and LX in my mind, very friendly and attentive. I have no idea what the LATAM seats will be like, but I am definitely looking forward to flying them again.
So economy will be 3-3-3, so a downgrade for the majority of passengers who are in economy. 2-4-2 was perfect for couples and families. It is one of the reasons for family travel we seek out airlines such as virgin with the a330s (I think taking noisy kids in premium cabins is selfish). As so few this now, hope more a330s are ordered by other airlines too.
It's so funny that everyone thinks that they weren't such "misbehaving kids" when they were younger.
Those who take their kids to the premium (er) cabin deserves it, if they paid for it. Suck it up.
seems like a downgrade for the customer experience...
Several of these are ex-Latam aircraft and early production run copies so less capable but that is all Edelweiss needs for most of its routes. There are a couple in the complete package - some of which were built for Hainan - that are 280 tonne models, the first w/ the enhanced wing technologies and what is now the medium group of A350-900s in terms of performance.
The comments about being unable to retrofit the...
Several of these are ex-Latam aircraft and early production run copies so less capable but that is all Edelweiss needs for most of its routes. There are a couple in the complete package - some of which were built for Hainan - that are 280 tonne models, the first w/ the enhanced wing technologies and what is now the medium group of A350-900s in terms of performance.
The comments about being unable to retrofit the cabins is exactly what other airlines are facing w/ buying used aircraft as well as placing orders for new aircraft; the pipeline for parts is not shut off but picking up used aircraft fall behind manufacturer orders since supplier capacity is based on manufacturer production plans.
This also highlights that nearly all of the used A350s that are not in service will be - which is a testament to both how good the A350 is but also the need for high quality used aircraft. There are some used B787s but access to used aircraft will shift to older, less capable aircraft or new aircraft.
LH group also has older A350s, so I’m sure they can take in more older A350s with no problem.
Are these A350s coming from the LH Group's mass A350 order or not? Just wanted to confirm as post mentions the A350s coming from LATAM.
As a coach traveler, I'm saddened by the die-off in the a330/a340 and the 767. 2-4-2/2-3-2 is very pax friendly in coach. 3-3-3 not so much. Sure there's the a330neo as a last glimmer of hope, but it's not seeing the uptake by airlines that the dreamliners and 350's are. No help on the way when the 777x finally gets certified, either.
Totally agree. We're usually in economy on most flights, with an every once in a while premium economy or business flight. We are not ever going to have the money or play the miles game to the point where we have the entire First Class cabin of a Lufthansa 747 to ourselves. So, we look for comfort. Right now, I am looking at a round trip to get me from Bavaria to South Florida in...
Totally agree. We're usually in economy on most flights, with an every once in a while premium economy or business flight. We are not ever going to have the money or play the miles game to the point where we have the entire First Class cabin of a Lufthansa 747 to ourselves. So, we look for comfort. Right now, I am looking at a round trip to get me from Bavaria to South Florida in October and I will do anything to avoid one of those horridly uncomfortable seats on a LH A350.
My two favorite aircraft still flying for coach are the 767 and A340. I will go out of my way and take a Delta 767 to Detroit to avoid the newer, much more uncomfortable and higher density aircraft. Losing these is truly sad. But at least they are going to around on some airlines (United) for many years to come.
Couldn’t agree more. A330/340 and 767 offer a much more comfortable coach experience compared to the A350 and 787. Premium Economy on United’s 767 have no middle seat. Will miss them when they are eventually gone.
Not that this'll make you feel any better, but count your blessings for now:
...because Airbus, like Boeing on the 777X, is thinning the walls+insulation on future A350s, with the objective of offering mainstream airlines a more realistic avenue for squeezing in 3x4x3 for main-cabin economy.
The aircraft is already certified for it, and has been for a while, but only French/Caribbean charter operators have taken them up on it. That may now change.