SWISS is the only major airline in the world to offer first class on all of its wide body aircraft, which includes Airbus A330s, Airbus A340s, Boeing 777s, and as of recently, Airbus A350s. The airline offers a solid first class, which I rank among the 10 best first class experiences in the world. The airline also has excellent first class lounges in Zurich (ZRH), including both the Schengen and non-Schengen locations.
One question that often comes up is whether it’s possible to redeem miles for SWISS first class. I’d like to address that in this post, as the answer is (sort of) nuanced.
You can’t redeem partner miles for SWISS first class
Unfortunately SWISS doesn’t allow redemptions in first class when redeeming through partner airline frequent flyer programs. So if you have miles with a program like Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca Lifemiles, United MileagePlus, etc., SWISS first class is off limits.
This applies both in advance and close to departure, so it’s not like Lufthansa first class redemptions, where they open up to partner programs in the days leading up to departure. Going back a couple of years, it was possible to redeem select partner miles for SWISS first class on the short fifth freedom flight between Buenos Aires (EZE) and Sao Paulo (GRU), but even that isn’t possible anymore.
Just to take a brief trip down memory lane, back in the day SWISS first class was wide open using partner airline miles, and it was one of the easiest first class awards to snag. Ah, the good old days of roundtrip first class awards from the United States to Asia via Europe with Aeroplan, including two stopovers, for just 120,000 miles. Unfortunately that policy changed in 2014, and it’s one of the many ways that the world of miles & points has changed over time.
Select Miles & More members can redeem for SWISS first class
While most of us can’t redeem miles for SWISS first class, that’s not the case across the board. SWISS is part of Lufthansa Group, and Miles & More HON Circle and Senator members (the top and mid-tier status levels in the program) are allowed to redeem miles for SWISS first class.
Admittedly these are pretty exclusive elite tiers, and on top of that, Miles & More miles can be tough to rack up. However, if you do have that status and a sizable balance of miles, you can redeem for SWISS first class. Pricing is dynamic nowadays, and availability can be tough to come by, but it’s possible.
How you can score a SWISS first class deal
Given the size of SWISS’ first class network, the airline does often have attractive first class pricing. You’ll generally get the best deal when originating in Europe outside of a Lufthansa Group hub or focus city.
Totally randomly, I pulled up Budapest to Dubai via Zurich in SWISS first class, and that came out to 3,665 USD roundtrip. That’s not bad for an international first class itinerary, and I’m sure there are better deals out there with some effort. The EUR is strong right now, but in the past, I’ve even seen fares of well under 3,000 USD.
Another way to potentially score a SWISS first class seat is by upgrading a business class ticket. SWISS does release a fair amount of business class award availability, so you could redeem partner miles for SWISS business class. Then at check-in (either online or at the airport), the airline will often sell upgrades to first class on a space available basis.
You can expect these upgrades to typically cost in the range of $1,000-2,000 one-way, give or take. In the United States, pricing is generally lower from the Northeast (Boston, New York, Washington, etc.), and more expensive from California and Florida (Los Angeles, Miami, and San Francisco). In particular, I’ve heard that the New York to Geneva route often has the most attractive pricing.
I’m not suggesting that’s some amazing value, but it’s the most economical way to fly SWISS first class, aside from finding a great fare sale.
Bottom line
Nowadays it’s not possible to redeem partner airline miles for SWISS first class. The only consistent option to redeem for SWISS first class is that Miles & More HON Circle and Senator members can redeem this way.
Your best bet for scoring a decent deal on SWISS first class is to find a fare sale, or to upgrade at check-in, when discounted upgrades are available.
If you’ve flown SWISS first class, how did you go about booking it?
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