Arguably the world’s best first class lounge, the Swiss first class lounge in Zurich Airport (E concourse) is an elegant space with unique amenities, excellent service, and a fantastic a la carte restaurant.
How to Access
Access to the Swiss lounge is limited to Lufthansa Group HON Circle Members, as well as same day Lufthansa or Swiss first class passengers. I was arriving from a Lufthansa first class flight and continuing on in Swiss business class which gave me access.
The Lounge
First class passengers coming from other concourses are able to get a free car transfer to E gates where the Swiss first class lounge is located. I was arriving from Frankfurt and Swiss kindly arranged a private transfer to the E concourse for me.
Swiss’ exclusive first class lounge is located one level above the main concourse. The first thing you’ll notice upon entering the lounge is the beautiful bar with an incredible wine display along the wall and amazing views straight ahead.
Directly behind the bar is the main dining area with over a dozen tables, occupying a large part of the lounge.
To the right is the lounge area with a range of seating options as well as a wraparound terrace which is so enjoyable on a warm day. With clear skies you can see out to snow-capped mountains in the distance.
Lounge Amenities
The Swiss first class lounge offers two private suites which feature double beds, work area, and your own bathroom. These are available on a first come first served basis and unfortunately I wasn’t able to snag one during my stay. The lounge also offers nice shower suites and bathrooms with a view!
Lounge Dining
What impressed me the most with the Swiss first class lounge was the complexity and variety of its menu. Even first class lounges tend to have offer standard dishes on their menus, however Swiss offers a seasonal menu with interesting and beautiful dishes which I thoroughly enjoyed! The staff were more than happy to explain the dishes, make recommendations, offer off menu items, and advise on wine pairings for each dish.
The all day dining menu during my stay read as follows:
I spent about 6 hours in the first class lounge and sampled dishes throughout my stay including seared tuna, spare ribs, beef tartar, char fillet, smoked salmon with avocado, bread beer and lemon sorbet, and a bowl of ice cream to finish it all off.
In addition to the a la carte menu, there is a small non alcoholic self service drink area with some interesting options.
Bottom Line
Swiss operates one of the best first class lounges in the world out of their hub in Zurich. For me, first class lounges are distinguished by offering superior service, unique amenities, and elevated dining compared to a business class lounge. Swiss does just that and even takes it a step further.
I would gladly book a full day layover in order to enjoy the Swiss first class lounge again!
