While it may still be some time away, families and individuals across Switzerland may already be dreaming about and planning their next great summer getaway. Now, SWISS, the flag-carrier airline of the country, has announced that holidaymakers from the alpine nation will be able to take direct flights to four new destinations from April 2024.
In a statement, SWISS confirmed that it would be expanding its route network to include four more international destinations in the summer of 2024. Two will be long-haul routes, while another two are set to focus on currently underserved routes in Eastern Europe.
First, the Lufthansa subsidiary will launch its own daily service from Zurich to Washington D.C. The flight to this “fascinating city of major historical and political importance” will be run using the latest Airbus A330 aircraft.
The international company will be competing with United Airlines on the route, which should - hopefully - make prices more competitive. The SWISS flights will depart from Zurich at 1pm every day between March 28 and October 26, 2024, and take off on the return leg from Dulles Airport at 9.45pm.
In what will be good news for the 20.000 Canadians who call Switzerland home, SWISS will also be launching a direct flight between Zurich and Toronto-Pearson Airport. “Toronto is a thriving multicultural metropolis of imposing skyscrapers on the banks of Lake Ontario. It’s also regarded as one of Canada’s most important arts and culture hubs”, the airline wrote in justifying the new route.
The flight is set to compete with Air Canada’s service on the same route and will leave every day except Mondays and Wednesdays from May 10. The flight will depart the Swiss metropolis at 9.55am and leave the capital of Ontario at 6.35pm.
Alongside the two new long-haul routes, SWISS will also be launching services to some brand-new destinations. First, the airline will be starting a thrice-weekly direct service from Zurich to Košice. According to the airline, the second city of Slovakia is known to offer "a lively art and music scene along with a host of historic sights” and is becoming a hit with entrepreneurs.
Finally, the airline is set to offer a three-times weekly flight to Romania’s second city: Cluj. Both routes are set to be offered from March 31 to October 26, 2024.
The airline confirmed that they will serve 113 different destinations next summer, with 91 routes from Zurich and 44 from Geneva. For more information about the plans, check out the official press release.
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