In early 2027, SWISS will be opening new lounges at its Zurich Airport (ZRH) hub, which will be available exclusively to premium passengers. What’s unique is that these aren’t just new lounges in the existing terminal, but instead, they’ll be in a dedicated building, separate from the main terminal. We first learned about these plans in early 2025, but the airline has now formally revealed what we can expect.
SWISS gets creative with Zurich Airport construction project
Zurich Airport Dock A is undergoing a massive redevelopment project. This part of the terminal has 33 gates (17 connected to jet bridges, and 16 remote gates), and is the largest part of the airport, used for Schengen flights.
This terminal first opened back in 1986, and hasn’t undergone a full makeover since then. The expectation is that this project will only be complete by 2033.
While the long term implications of this are exciting, this is posing major issues for SWISS in the coming years, given that this is the carrier’s primary hub. With some other airport construction projects, you might see a new terminal built, and then an old terminal closed down, but instead, the entire terminal will be updated while remaining in operation.
Because of this work, SWISS will have to close much of its lounge space for an extended period of time. Fortunately the Lufthansa Group carrier has a solution. The airport is constructing a dedicated building for SWISS’ lounges, so almost think of it as a separate terminal space.
This will open in early 2027. While this is sort of a temporary solution, the reality is that this isn’t really that short term, since this project won’t be completed until 2033. Even when the project is complete, SWISS doesn’t plan to immediately shut down these lounges.
As I understand it, the new lounge setup will have easy access to check-in and dedicated security. Initially the expectation was that this space wouldn’t be connected to the main terminal, and as a result, passengers would have to be transported to their flights by car or bus. However, that’s not the case anymore, as they’ve found a way to connect the new building to the Dock B portion of the terminal.
Details of the new SWISS Senator & Business Lounge Zurich
The new SWISS Business Lounge and SWISS Senator Lounge will open in the first quarter of 2027, replacing the SWISS Business Lounge, SWISS Senator Lounge, and SWISS Alpine Lounge, in Dock A.
The two lounges together will cover around 2,600 square meters (28,000 square feet), and each will occupy an entire floor. The Business Lounge will be located on level two, and will be over 1,500 square meters, while the Senator Lounge will be on level three, and will be around 1,100 square meters.
The idea is that these lounges will offer guests around 20% more space compared to the old facilities. The lounges will also boast additional areas for working and relaxing (including 20 fully soundproofed workstations), and panoramic views of the apron and the Alps. There will even be a wine humidor and a dedicated maturation room for cheeses and cured meats.
As mentioned above, the lounges will be connected to the rest of the terminal. However, bus gates will be located immediately below the lounge building, shortening the distance to the boarding gates for some guests.
For those curious, here’s a picture on FlyerTalk with the current status of this building’s construction. When it comes to the SWISS First Lounge, that’s expected to be moved from Dock A to Dock B in 2028, though further details haven’t yet been announced.
Bottom line
SWISS is having to make some major changes to its lounge setup at Zurich Airport. The airport’s Dock A is undergoing a massive redevelopment, which will last all the way through 2033. This will greatly impact SWISS’ Schengen operations, so the airline is coming up with a creative solution.
In early 2027, we’ll see the airline open a new, dedicated building, which will have a SWISS Business Lounge and SWISS Senator Lounge. This should expand overall lounge capacity, and also offer an improved experience. Then in 2028 we can expect the SWISS First Lounge in Dock A to move as well.
I look forward to checking this facility out when it opens!
What do you make of SWISS’ lounge plans in Zurich?
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