SWISS First Lounge Zurich Airport (ZRH) Terminal A Review: Impressive!

For the final portion of my Four Seasons Yacht via Turkmenistan and Saudi Arabia adventure, I flew SWISS’ Airbus A350 first class from Zurich (ZRH) to Boston (BOS). Prior to that, I had the chance to visit SWISS’ excellent first class lounges at its Zurich Airport hub.

There are two SWISS First Lounges in Zurich. In this installment, I’ll review the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A, which is the Schengen lounge, and then in the next installment, I’ll review the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E, which is the non-Schengen lounge

Admittedly the Terminal E lounge is the “flagship” SWISS First Lounge, and is pretty special. That being said, the Terminal A lounge is still excellent. It’s a gorgeous lounge with an identical food and drink selection to the other lounge, and it has pretty decor, friendly service, and some unique amenities you won’t find in the other lounge (like proper workstations and a smoking room).

SWISS First Lounge Zurich location & limousine service

The ease of accessing the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A depends on where you’re coming from. If you’re coming from within Terminal A, it’s not very easy to find, as the signage is limited, and I suspect that’s by design. Follow the signage in the direction of SWISS Lounges A, which is on the upper level of the terminal (that’s level three, one level above the SWISS Alpine Lounge, for example).

On this level you’ll see the entrance to the SWISS Business Lounge and SWISS Senator Lounge.

When you’re facing this, keep walking to the right a short distance, and then you’ll see a door for the SWISS First Lounge. This is quite easy to miss.

Note that if you’re originating in Zurich, the first class check-in area offers a dedicated security checkpoint that leads into this lounge. The SWISS First Lounge also offers a limousine service, which is worth discussing, as that leaves from the upper level of the lounge.

Who gets driven via limousine? It depends whether you have a Schengen or non-Schengen flight:

• On departure, you will get the limousine service either if you just need to get to Terminal E (where most non-Schengen flights depart from), as there’s a shuttle service every 10 minutes, where a representative will escort you all the way to the other lounge
• On departure, you’ll also get limousine service if you’re on a flight that departs from a remote stand, even if it’s a Schengen flight
• If you’re arriving on a non-Schengen flight and are connecting to a Schengen flight or ending your travels in Zurich, you’ll be picked up at your plane and dropped off here

For example, I took the limousine from the Terminal A to Terminal E SWISS First Lounge. Note that while the lounge doesn’t have a dedicated passport control check, there is a separate passport control counter they escort you to before getting in the car, which seems to be shared with the airport’s VIP service.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich hours

The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A is currently open daily from 5:30AM until 10PM, covering virtually all departures from the airport.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich entry requirements

Who gets access to the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A?

• Passengers traveling in SWISS first class same day can access the lounge whether arriving or departing; you can even use this as an arrivals lounge, without an onward boarding pass (assuming you can get through security, which is dependent on where your flight arrives from)
• Passengers traveling in Lufthansa first class same day can access the lounge, but not purely as an arrivals lounge, so there needs to still be a connecting segment
• Miles & More HON Circle members get access to the lounge whenever flying a Lufthansa Group flight same day; there’s no need to be in first class, and there are no route restrictions

In each case, travelers are allowed to bring two adults guests and/or children under the age of 18, and all guests must be traveling on the same flight.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich seating & layout

The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A is roughly 650 square meters (~7,000 square feet), with seating for 80 guests. As a point of comparison, the Terminal E lounge is 750 square meters, with the same capacity, so the lounges are roughly comparable in size.

The centerpiece of this lounge is a sort of V-shaped bar (it then curves further), where all the drinks in the lounge are served from, and which can seat up to 14 people (seven on each side).

The dining area is surrounding the bar. One side has six tables, while the other side of the bar has two tables. Since each table seats two people, this brings the dining area capacity to 16 guests at a time. As you can see, this is quite an elegant dining setup, and it feels like a restaurant quality experience.

Then off to the side of the lounge, you’ll find the area intended primarily for lounging around. This space consists of a variety of black leather chairs and couches, which have a bit of privacy thanks to the wooden panels separating them.

The very end of the lounge has some larger couches, ideal if you’re traveling with a larger group.

On the opposite side of the lounge from the above space is an area with four workstations.

While these workstations lack natural light, they’re very practical and private, as they have glass shields that can be closed, making it easy to make private phone calls, etc.

Lastly, near the entrance you’ll find an area with some magazines and newspapers.

This is a beautiful lounge that feels quite exclusive and intimate, and I found that it didn’t get too crowded. This has quite a few similarities to the SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal E. The main differences up until this point are that this lounge doesn’t have the same views and natural light as the other lounge, though on the plus side, it does have workstations, which you won’t find in the other lounge.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich relaxation area

The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A has a relaxation area, located right next to the workstations.

This essentially consists of one dark room that has two daybeds where you can relax.

If you’re just looking for some peace and quiet for a moment, this will do the trick. However, it’s a far cry from the private bedrooms you’ll find in the SWISS First Lounge Terminal E, so if you want serious sleep, be sure to head over there.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich smoking room & conference room

The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A is primarily on one level, with a few exceptions, as there’s a small staircase and elevator leading up a level.

One of the amenities here is a smoking lounge, which is quite civilized. Note that the other SWISS First Lounge doesn’t have a smoking area, so smokers may prefer this lounge. It features several leather chairs, and has a small outdoor area where you can stand. It’s not the nicest airport lounge smoking space that you’ll find in the world, but it’s better than what you’ll find in public areas of the airport.

The lounge offers cigars, which I believe are available for purchase.

There’s also some liquor on display here, which you can help yourself to. However, the lounge staff are also happy to bring you another drink up here.

Immediately next to the smoking room you’ll find a conference room, with a table that can accommodate up to eight people.

Also on this level is the door leading to the limousine service, which I talked about above.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich food & drinks

SWISS First Lounges have spectacular catering, and that’s true in both the Terminal A and Terminal E locations, which are nearly identical in that regard.

As far as the concept goes, servers roam the lounge and will offer you drinks anywhere. Then it’s generally recommended that you eat in the dining area, where the food is primarily a la carte, though there’s also a small buffet.

Near the entrance, this lounge has a table with all kinds of sweet and savory snacks, ranging from chocolates to nuts.

The lounge also has a small refrigerated display, where you can help yourself to whatever you’d like. One display has drinks, including water, soda, juice, beer, smoothies, and more.

The other display has snacks, ranging from muesli, to finger sandwiches, to pastries, to other small appetizers.

When I first arrived in the lounge, I ordered an americano and some still water.

Later on, I sat down in the dining area for a little breakfast (then I had lunch in the next lounge, which I’ll be reviewing, and the menu was identical). You can find the SWISS First Lounge breakfast menu below.

You can find the SWISS First Lounge lunch and dinner menu below.

You can find the SWISS First Lounge drink list below.

As mentioned above, I just had breakfast in this lounge, and I opted for the homemade granola with fresh berries and honey, and the avocado sourdough toast with a poached egg. It was nothing too exciting, but breakfast rarely is. However, my lunch (in the next lounge) was phenomenal.

SWISS First Lounge Zurich bathrooms & showers

The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A bathrooms are located in the very back left corner of the lounge.

The men’s room has three sinks, two stalls, and four urinals, and was spotlessly clean, with toiletries from Soeder.

The lounge also has four shower suites.

Each shower suite has a sink, a toilet, and a walk-in shower, with exceptional ventilation. Even after taking a hot shower, the room didn’t feel hot at all, which was awesome.

Bottom line

The SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A is an excellent facility, especially for a Schengen lounge. While the airline is primarily known for its non-Schengen lounge in Terminal E, this lounge has many of the same features.

This lounge has among the best dining you’ll find in any lounge, attentive service, areas for relaxing, workstations, and a smoking area. There are pros and cons to each of the two lounges for first class passengers at the airport, though I think this lounge offers the full experience, minus the bedrooms and terrace. What a lovely lounge!

What’s your take on SWISS First Lounge Zurich Terminal A?