Zurich to Hamburg is a route I know well. Two years ago I wrote about it on the brand-new A320neo and called SWISS possibly the finest short-haul Business Class in Europe (read the 2024 review). Praise like that has to be earned again, every single time. So this SWISS A320 Business Class review is a re-test: same route, same cabin, a slightly older aircraft, and one question. Does SWISS still deserve the compliment? For the full picture of how other airlines fare, see our flight reviews.
The Lounge That Wasn’t
My flight left Zurich on a sunny Tuesday afternoon in early September. Normally this is where I would describe a glass of something cold, a quiet armchair and a look at the apron. Not this time.
- From
- Zurich (ZRH)
- To
- Hamburg (HAM)
- Distance
- 693 km
Great-circle distance between the airports.
The SWISS Business Lounge in the Airside Center was full. Not busy, not lively: full. There was not a single free seat, so after a short walk through the room I turned around and left. My fallback, the SWISS Alpine Lounge, was closed: according to SWISS, it was shut on exactly that day and the next for conversion work.
I understand that airports are building sites and lounges need renovating. But SWISS is the home carrier at Zurich, and a Business Class ticket includes lounge access for a reason. If one lounge closes, the other has to cope. On this afternoon, neither did. For me, a lounge without a seat is no lounge at all, which is why this criterion gets only three points.
Boarding and Seat
Once on board, things improved immediately. From my window seat I had the wing, the apron and an airBaltic A220 in view while the last passengers took their seats.
The seat itself is the familiar European Business Class formula: the same slimline seat as in Economy, in a 3-3 layout, but with the middle seat kept free. That is no lie-flat bed, and nobody expects one on a flight of well under two hours. What counts is space for elbows and laptop, and the free middle seat provides exactly that. Four points: fair for what it is.
Take-off from Runway 28
There are few departures in Europe I enjoy as much as a westbound take-off from Zurich on a clear day. We lined up on runway 28, and a few seconds later the whole city lay below the wing.
Forests, fields, the lake on the horizon, the rail tracks running into the city and finally the airport itself, seen from above. A better farewell from Switzerland is hard to imagine, and it costs nothing extra.
Catering: Still a Class Apart
This is where SWISS separates itself from most of Europe. Shortly after the seatbelt signs went off, the tray arrived, and it was a proper meal, not a snack in disguise.
The starter was smoked salmon, generously cut, with a crunchy topping, a little salad, a bright yellow sauce and a few deep red berries. On the side, two pieces of Swiss cheese, one soft and creamy, one firm and aromatic: the kind of detail that tells you which country the airline comes from. A rustic bread roll, and for dessert a glass jar with a creamy base under a layer of fruit coulis.
Well presented and generous for the distance. Half a point short of perfect, but on a flight of this length, nobody in Europe does much better. Four and a half points.
Crew and Entertainment
The crew did a professional job, friendly and correct, though without the extra spark that made my 2024 flight memorable. Four points.
As usual on SWISS European routes, there are no seatback screens. The entertainment is what you bring yourself, and, on a day like this, the view. That is enough for a short hop, but it is no more than average, hence three and a half points.
Arrival in Hamburg
The descent into northern Germany came with low sun, scattered clouds and lakes flashing gold below the wing. Hamburg had me back in less time than some people spend in the lounge I could not get into.
My verdict on the question I started with: on board, SWISS still deserves the compliment. On the ground in Zurich, on this day, it did not.
Recommended
In the air, SWISS still delivers what I expect from it in European Business Class: a free middle seat, a professional crew and a meal tray that puts most competitors to shame on a flight of well under two hours. On the ground, it was a different story. One lounge closed for works, the other so full that there was not a single seat left: a Business Class passenger at the airline's own hub deserves better. The flight saves the score; the lounge situation costs it a clear point.
Roger Hohl
Roger Hohl has been at the helm of Luxvisor since 2006. From his base in Switzerland he travels to test what the luxury travel industry promises, from the seat at 40,000 feet to the last course of a tasting menu, and writes about it with an independent eye.
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