The SWISS first-class lounge is considered one of the best in the world, at least if you believe the Skytrax ratings. Whether this reputation is truly deserved and what you can actually expect is something we’ll explore in this review of the SWISS First Class Lounge at Zurich Airport’s E-Gates.

This review is based on experiences from several lounge visits. The images and catering impressions largely reflect the situation as of October 2025, following the catering change in SWISS lounges.

Location & Transfer

The lounge is one of two SWISS lounges in Zurich available to First Class passengers and HON Circle Members. In addition to the lounge discussed here in the satellite terminal of Zurich Airport, there is another one located at the A-Gates in the main building. While the A-Gates lounge is within the Schengen area, Terminal E handles only non-Schengen flights.

In addition to the standard transfer between the terminals via the automated underground train, First Class guests have a second option to reach the satellite terminal. Every 20 minutes, a shuttle bus styled after the (old) SWISS First Class transports lounge guests under runway 10/28 to a dedicated entrance of the terminal.

This service can be arranged at check-in at the A-Gates lounge. There is a separate waiting area at the end of the upper floor of the Schengen First Class Lounge, where guests are collected by the transfer staff. From there, a lift takes them two floors down to a passport control checkpoint reserved exclusively for First Class guests. As a result, exit formalities can be completed within seconds, without any waiting.

The converted Mercedes Sprinter then stops at the satellite terminal directly in front of a lift that leads straight up to the lounge reception. When transferring from the A-Gates, there is no need to stop at the reception desk again, as guests are already checked into the system by the transfer staff and can proceed directly into the lounge.

Access Rules

The access rules correspond to those of other First Class lounges within the Lufthansa Group. Accordingly, access is limited to the following travellers:

• A ticket for a SWISS or Lufthansa First Class flight on the same day (+ 2 guests)
• HON Circle Members on any Star Alliance flight on the same day (+ 2 guests)

When flying with the Lufthansa Group, access is available not only on departure but also on arrival. If departing from Zurich with a Star Alliance partner airline, SWISS states on its website that only one guest may be brought along.

Facilities

Upon entering the SWISS First Class Lounge at the E-Gates, the first thing that stands out is the light-filled, fully glass-enclosed main area including the bar. Based on this perspective, let’s have a closer look at the lounge’s facilities and layout.

Restaurant Area

The lounge is roughly divided into four different areas. On the left-hand side is the restaurant area with a view of runway 32/14, featuring nine set tables. This is honestly my favourite area, as it is the brightest and, after all, this is where the food is served.

On the other side of the partition wall, there are four additional tables that can also be used for dining from the menu. Even if all these tables are occupied, this is not an issue. You can order and enjoy food anywhere throughout the lounge.

In front of the bar, there is a small selection of snacks and champagne. During my visits, however, these seemed purely decorative, as champagne was always served directly from the bar. The bar itself offers a wide range of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

To the right of the bar, there are various seating options, some of which are partially enclosed by wooden panels to create a sense of privacy. Architecturally, care has been taken to ensure plenty of natural light enters the lounge, resulting in excellent apron views from this area as well.

Behind the seating along the window front is a meeting room, which is allocated on a first-come, first-served basis. Unfortunately, it was permanently occupied during my last visit, so I have included a photo from a previous stay instead.

In addition to the views, there is another highlight common to all lounges in the satellite terminal: the terrace. In the case of the SWISS First Class Lounge, it is particularly spacious and offers a 180-degree view of the eastern part of the apron. Especially in summer, it is a wonderful place to spend time.

On the other side of the reception area are the restrooms, showers, and two bedrooms. The shower rooms are probably the least spectacular of all First Class lounges I have experienced and, in my opinion, do not differ much from those in the Business or Senator Lounges. The view from the restrooms (or rather, the washrooms), however, is quite fascinating.

Bedrooms

In addition to the two shower rooms, each of the two bedrooms also has its shower. Both rooms feature a queen-size bed, a (very) small television, a bathroom, a wardrobe, and a chair. One of the rooms also includes a barrier-free bathroom.

I found the bed very comfortable during previous stays, and no airport noise was audible. Unfortunately, the curtain must be kept closed while using the room to ensure privacy for both the guest and terrace visitors. A maximum usage time was not communicated to me at the time.

Food & Drinks

Since October 1, 2025, catering in the SWISS lounges in Zurich has been handled by the Austrian catering company DoN. Even though I, personally, saw little need for change in the previous offerings, part of the menu was replaced. In addition, there was a small service adjustment involving a warm, moist towel. More on that shortly.

Initially, these menu changes also affected what was probably the most iconic dish on the menu: cheese fondue. The fondue has since returned, hopefully for good this time. While this certainly improves the lounge’s aroma, I still find its temporary removal unfortunate, as few dishes represent Switzerland better. Fortunately, beef tartar is still available and can also be replaced with a vegetarian option.

In addition to the standard menu, there is a regularly changing seasonal menu. On my first round of dining, I actually ordered the beef fillet with truffle sauce, celeriac purée, and caramelized carrots. However, after the starter, I was served the regular beef fillet with autumn vegetables, rosemary potatoes, and Pinot Noir sauce.

I had my second meal in the restaurant area. Immediately after sitting down, bread was served and the warm towel at the table was heated (more on that in the service section). Along with the bread, I ordered a pumpkin and ginger soup, which was delicious.

For the main course, I chose a dish that was already on the previous menu: Zürcher Geschnetzeltes with rösti. This had always been one of my favourite dishes and was previously presented very elegantly. This time, however, I was disappointed by the presentation. Not only did the rösti appear relatively dark, but the overall plating was far removed from the refined style of a high-end restaurant. The taste was still good, but the presentation affected practicality, and with two plates, the table felt rather crowded.

For dessert, there was “Swiss chocolate mousse” made with Lindt chocolate, Alpine cream, and homemade raspberry sorbet. The clear star of this course was the sorbet, of which I promptly ordered an additional portion. The mousse itself was not bad, but once again appeared rather simply presented.

A brief note on the beverage selection: while it is extensive and varied, I believe there could be more emphasis on higher-quality options, especially when it comes to alcoholic beverages. Some non-European competitors offer significantly better (sparkling) wines.

Service

There is certainly nothing negative to say about the service in the SWISS First Class Lounges. During all of my visits so far, the service level has been very proactive and attentive. The only issue was the miscommunication during the first meal, which should not happen but was forgivable. Otherwise, it’s difficult to imagine the service being much better.

This is also where the new little dining feature comes into play: guests can pour the warm towel themselves or have it prepared by the staff.

Beyond that, no major differences in dining service were noticeable following the change in the gastronomic concept. Even previously, staff checked on guests’ well-being every 10–15 minutes during meals and refilled drinks as needed.

Extras

The SWISS First Class Lounge in the satellite terminal truly leaves little to be desired. If your flight departs from a remote stand, you even receive a chauffeur service. While most flights depart from gate positions, there are occasional departures that allow guests to enjoy this particularly special service.

Upon entering the lounge, a time is arranged for the exclusive transfer, usually aligned with the regular boarding time. Guests are then taken from the lounge via lift to a waiting BMW i7 sedan. Under an umbrella, of course, if it’s raining.

Alternatively, one could also list the hotel rooms or the terrace as extras. Both certainly not standard features, even in First Class lounges of Singapore Airlines, Lufthansa, or other carriers offering First Class.

Conclusion

In October 2025, my travel plans for the rest of the year changed. From that point on, it became possible to buy Miles&More status points through retroactive CO₂ compensation. This suddenly made it seem feasible to extend my Senator status by another year. However, that required a mileage/points run. One we had already promoted several times on our website: the Eurowings BIZClass offers to the Middle East.

Of the possible destinations, I chose the United Arab Emirates over Saudi Arabia. Entry is simpler and cheaper, as a trip to Jeddah would require a visa costing more than €100. In contrast, entering the UAE is straightforward. Anyone who has been to the UAE before can pass through border control at the airport using an automated gate. On your first visit, there is just a passport check, with no additional forms or visa fees.

Because of its proximity to my hometown, I chose to depart from Cologne. This also had the advantage of being able to book two daytime flights. I didn’t want to spend a whole or even half a night in Eurowings BIZClass, and I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone else either. The round-trip tickets cost a total of €599.98. This route earns 400 Points, Qualifying Points, and HON Circle Points each way with Miles & More. Exactly the amount I still needed.

The pricing and marketing of the product make it difficult to assess in some areas. On the one hand, this is sold as a business class and should be evaluated as such. On the other hand, you ultimately don’t pay more than for a premium economy product.

Numbers and Facts

In this report, I summarise my impressions from both the outbound and return flights:

• Flight 1: EW 1164 Cologne/Bonn (CGN) – Dubai (DWC)
  • Time: 07:00 – 16:40
  • Actual flight time: 6h 22min
  • Aircraft: Airbus A320neo D-AENG (delivered August 2022)
  • Seat: 6D
• Flight 2: EW 1165 Dubai (DWC) – Cologne/Bonn (CGN)
  • Time: 18:05 – 22:35
  • Actual flight time: 6h 46min
  • Aircraft: Airbus A320neo D-AENC (delivered May 2022)
  • Seat: 3D
• Travel date: December 2025

Check-In

Check-in for Dubai flights at Cologne Airport takes place directly next to the Eurowings group check-in in Terminal 1. Three counters are reserved for the Dubai flight, one of which is designated for status passengers and BIZClass passengers. We arrived at the terminal around 5:30 a.m. and were greeted by a long Economy Class queue. At the BizClass counter, there were only two groups ahead of us. One group consisted of two people, and the other of about ten, some of whom only emerged after a few minutes amidst the piles of their luggage.

Check-in would probably have taken a bit longer if a fourth counter hadn’t opened after ten minutes of waiting. First, the couple ahead of us, then us, were quickly directed there. Eurowings’ strong presence at Cologne Airport helps them react to congested counters. Also, four counters for an Airbus A320 are really generous, and something we also experienced in Dubai. 4 out of 5 points.

Lounge

Cologne: There are two lounges to choose from in Cologne. The first is the former Lufthansa Lounge in Terminal 1; the other is near the departure gates in the international section of Terminal 2. The two terminals are connected airside. The former Lufthansa Lounge is now called The Lounge and is hardly worth mentioning. The other lounge in Terminal 2 has the same creative name. I couldn’t review it, as Eurowings BIZClass passengers in Cologne apparently only get one lounge access on departure, regardless of status. When we tried to enter, we were turned away.

Dubai: From Hanover, Cologne, and partly Berlin, Eurowings does not fly to the larger Dubai International Airport (DXB), but to Al Maktoum Airport (DWC), located far southwest of the city. DWC stands for Dubai World Central, the modest ambition of a project intended to become the world’s largest airport once Emirates relocates its flights there.

That won’t happen for at least another ten years. Until then, the airport mainly serves as a cargo hub, handling barely more than 15 passenger aircraft per day. Accordingly, all areas of the passenger terminal are vast and empty. BIZClass passengers get access to the Merhaba Lounge, located above security. The lounge is small, but offers sufficient seating and a surprisingly good selection of food and drinks for its size. The chicken biryani on offer comes highly recommended. Flights are announced individually and without loudspeakers. All gates are reachable within a five-minute walk.

While The Lounge in Cologne meets the basic requirements (roof, walls, chairs, cold food, a decent drinks selection), it struggles with anything beyond that. The lounge in Dubai pleasantly surprised me, given its size and the (lack of) importance of the airport. Overall, 3 out of 5 points.

Boarding

In Cologne, our flight departed from Gate 60 at the far left end of the international section of Terminal 2. Boarding was conducted in groups and went smoothly. BIZClass passengers are allowed to board as part of Group 1, directly after families with children and passengers with disabilities. We didn’t make use of this privilege, as we didn’t want to spend more time than necessary on the aircraft and didn’t expect any other advantages from it.

In Dubai, there are only remote stands. No matter which gate you depart from, you’ll always be taken to the aircraft by bus. This nullifies all priority boarding advantages, if you wanted to use them at all. Boarding also doesn’t take place directly at the gate, but at the entrance to a waiting area, where the boarding pass and passport must be shown. You’re then led into a large room that offers nothing but seats and power outlets. No restrooms either (in the case of Gate A1). The only way out leads directly to the aircraft, so you should definitely take care of any needs before scanning your boarding pass.

Cologne has the upper hand here: boarding in Dubai is efficient, but highly impractical, and BIZClass passengers have no advantages whatsoever. 2 out of 5 points.

Seat & Cabin

For flights from Stuttgart, Hanover, Cologne, and partly Berlin, Eurowings uses its A320neo fleet, which operates short-haul flights in summer and also medium-haul routes in winter. There are 180 identical seats arranged in two sets of three per row. In the front section of the cabin up to the emergency exits, there is slightly more legroom than behind the overwing exits. The padding is what you’d expect from aircraft primarily used on short flights: designed to take up as little space and weight as possible.

The special feature of BIZClass is that the middle seat always remains empty. This creates a more pleasant sense of space and also improves privacy if you’re sharing a row with someone you know or a family member. Another bonus is that the overhead bins are less crowded and there’s always enough storage space, regardless of when you board.

That storage space is also necessary. Otherwise, you’re left with only the space under the seat in front (preferably the middle seat) and the seat cushion of the empty seat for storage. There are no seat pockets or other places to store personal items you want within easy reach. In addition, the seats have no power options whatsoever. No power outlets and no USB ports. The Airbus A320neo aircraft also lacks internet antennas, so there is no onboard internet. On the return flight to Cologne, there was an announcement after takeoff that “crossword booklets are available as entertainment upon request.”

The tray tables aren’t particularly large, but they’re sufficient for a small laptop. If necessary, the mouse can be used on the table of an empty seat. In addition to the cabin lighting, a reading light can be switched on and off at the touch of a button above the seat, just like on any other plane. On medium-haul flights, Eurowings also installs headrests in BIZClass that attach to the seat with Velcro. These are branded with the product and airline names and offer minimal comfort.

Apart from the empty middle seat, the headrest, and the slightly greater legroom, the hardware is identical to Economy Class. There is also no privacy curtain. The aircraft’s three lavatories are available to all passengers. However, in BIZClass, passengers are closer to the front lavatory, which is said to be somewhat larger than the two rear ones.

While the thin padding didn’t bother me much, I can imagine that taller or heavier people than me might experience back pain during the long flight. Sleeping comfortably would likely be almost impossible, which is why I wouldn’t recommend overnight flights with Eurowings to anyone.

Judging by the seat, selling this ticket as business class is a bad joke. Even if one focuses more on the price, which is more in line with premium economy, than on the label, it remains an uncomfortable short-haul seat without charging ports or screens. You know what you’re getting into, yet it still gets 0 out of 5 stars. However, the final rating compels me to award at least one star.

Entertainment

According to a flight attendant, 80 crossword puzzle books are loaded for each rotation on medium-haul flights (i.e., round-trip). To reiterate: This is necessary because there are no screens, charging ports, or internet access. 0 (1) out of 5 points.

Food & Drinks

The flight from Cologne began – somewhat surprisingly – with a welcome drink before takeoff. There was a choice of still water or orange juice in paper cups. After takeoff, breakfast was served, with a choice between sweet (semolina pudding with poffertjes and berries) or savoury (omelette with spinach and rösti). Both options were warm and average, although the semolina pudding, without any accompaniments, was unpalatable to me due to its artificial sweetness.

On the return flight, paper cups with water and orange juice were served as the first drink round after takeoff. This was followed by dinner, with a choice between chicken with rice and ravioli pasta with spinach and mushrooms. The chicken and rice were delicious. The best meal I’ve had on a Eurowings flight. The mushroom sauce for the pasta smelled good, the spinach was present, but the pasta itself was a tasteless mass of dough. For dessert, there was a choice between chocolate-cherry mousse and vanilla mousse. Both were fluffy and tasty.

The only entertainment system Eurowings offers is the WINGSbistro menu, from which you can order items free of charge as you like. We therefore tried all the hot dishes and several other items. Quality ranged from “surprisingly average” (the currywurst), to “predictably bad” (aeroplane fries), to “grotesque” (the pasta, where noodles and vegetables were indistinguishable in both taste and texture). The snack selection (cookies, mixed nuts, banana bread, savoury pastries with or without sausage, as well as hot and cold sandwiches) is quite comparable to other business-class offerings.

Drinks include water, tea, coffee, soft drinks, gin and tonic, and various wines, which would normally cost €10 if ordered. Aside from gin, no other spirits were available, and beer was limited to canned Krombacher.

With the option to order hot food at any time during the flight, Eurowings outshines the competition from many major airlines. Unfortunately, the quality and presentation don’t live up to the breadth of the offering. A wide selection with low food quality and a modest drinks selection result in 2.5 out of 5 points overall.

Service

In all the reviews I read before the flight, the crews were especially praised. I can only agree: without exception, all flight attendants were eager, friendly, and approachable. The cabin crew is well aware that passengers expecting a great seat (or at least a power outlet) will be disappointed, and they make up for it with commendable effort.

There are multiple drink rounds, and the availability of complimentary food and drinks is actively pointed out. Warm towels were also distributed after takeoff and before landing. A nice touch that somehow belongs in business class. While Eurowings crews lack the choreographed perfection of competitors like Etihad or Singapore Airlines, they also come across as less distant. Compared to the rest of the onboard product, the service stands out positively. 4 out of 5 points.

Conclusion

Translated by Ditmar

It used to be quite common for children to even visit pilots in the cockpit during flights. However, this changed radically, especially after 9/11. Since then, visiting the cockpit during a flight is out of the question.

It’s a different story when the plane is on the ground. If you ask politely during boarding or when leaving the aircraft, typically to a flight attendant (sometimes even the captain handles it), in my experience, it’s usually not a problem to take a peek into the cockpit or snap a few photos. Most of the time, you might even have a brief chat with the pilots. I’d estimate my success rate to be around 80-90% (mainly pre-COVID).

However, when asking, one should proceed with tact. If the flight is already delayed, or you’re one of the last passengers (both boarding and disembarking), it’s best to forego the request. Of course, always accept a “no” graciously and remain friendly.

The time spent in the cockpit should be kept as brief as possible. Often, the pilots continue working during these visits, but sometimes they also take a moment for the visit and may even offer to let you sit in the pilot’s seat for a photo. You can certainly ask for this afterward, but again, approach with tact and wait to be invited.

Children might find it harder to have such a request turned down compared to adults. However, even at over 30 years old, my request to take a few pictures of the cockpit is rarely denied. Asking doesn’t cost anything!

By the way, pilots are usually much more relaxed before or after a long-haul flight than in the middle of a short-haul rotation, where slot times must be adhered to and the entire crew is under extreme time pressure.

Have you ever been allowed to visit the cockpit? What are your experiences with it? Feel free to leave a comment!

Finally, here are a few pictures from my numerous visits to the cockpit (some even during flights, but those are absolute exceptions).

Translated by Ditmar

Bonus: Get Trading Cards from the Pilot on Delta Flights

If you’re going to head to the cockpit after a flight on Delta Air Lines, ask the pilot for a trading card. Since 2003, Delta pilots have carried trading cards of the different plane types on them, and will hand them to any passenger who asks for one. They’ve become a popular collector’s item since then, with over 3 million cards being given to passengers last year.

You plan a trip, fly to your destination full of anticipation, have all sorts of things planned, and suddenly you remember: uh-oh, jet lag. Sleepless nights and daytime fatigue – that’s not what you want on vacation. But if you adjust your sleep behaviour during the flight and on the day of arrival in a specific way, you can at least partially counteract jet lag. You can also take certain factors into account when choosing your flight. I’ve now managed to have hardly any jet lag problems. What did I do to achieve that? That’s what I’ll share with you in this article.

When to Sleep Depending on Flight Direction & Times

Depending on whether you’re flying west or east, there are different strategies that can help you maintain a normal sleep rhythm at your destination. Whether you’ve had a day flight or a night flight also plays a role. Here are my tips for various scenarios:

Day Flight to the West

If you’re flying, e.g. from Europe to North America, the flight usually departs in the morning or early afternoon and arrives in the afternoon after about 10 hours. A common mistake is staying awake the entire flight. You’re not really tired – it’s daytime both outside and according to your internal clock. But shortly after arrival, your internal clock says “it’s bedtime soon,” even though it’s still afternoon at your destination. Staying awake until nighttime becomes torture. By around 7 p.m., you’re exhausted, fall asleep, then you’re awake again at 3 a.m., and your rhythm is immediately off track.

My tip: Try to sleep for at least 2 hours during the flight. Some people find this easy; for others, it’s easier said than done. If you’re in the latter group, I recommend sleeping very little the night before your flight. That way, you’ll eventually fall asleep during the flight from sheer exhaustion. After arriving, try to stay awake as late as possible.

Night Flight to the West

Night flights heading west often go from Southeast Asia to Europe or from Europe to South America. These flights typically leave very late and arrive in the morning. If you didn’t get enough sleep on the plane, the arrival day can feel very long.

My tip: Sleep as much as possible on the plane to arrive well-rested and make it through the day. This usually isn’t a problem, since you’re already tired due to the late departure and likely fall asleep on board. If you still had a mostly sleepless night on the plane, a short nap on arrival day can be helpful.

Flight to the East with Early Arrival

This is a common scenario when flying to Asia or from America to Europe. Departure is usually in the afternoon when you’re not tired yet. Rarely do you get enough sleep, but you arrive the next morning and have a full day ahead of you. Often, you crash at some point and—bam—your rhythm is thrown off.

My tip: Sleeping as much as possible on the plane is ideal, but often difficult. You’re not tired when boarding, and the flight often isn’t long enough to get much sleep. So, plan to take a nap on the arrival day for about 1–2 hours. Close the curtains, make it completely dark, set an alarm (but don’t sleep longer than 2 hours!). That way, you’ll still be tired enough later to fall asleep at night.

Flight to the East with Afternoon Arrival

If you have a late departure heading east and arrive the next day in the afternoon, you’re usually very tired on the plane and fall asleep quickly. But if you sleep too long, you arrive full of energy, only to have half a day left. That can lead to problems falling asleep, especially on the first night.

My tip: Of course, you’ll sleep on the flight—and should. But ideally, don’t overdo it. About 5 hours should be enough. That way, you’re not too awake upon arrival and tired enough to sleep well at night.

Other Helpful Tips

Regardless of flight direction or time, here are a few other tips that can help, especially if you’re particularly prone to jet lag:

• Adjust sleep times before the trip: You probably won’t suddenly start sleeping 7 hours earlier or later than usual. But even shifting your schedule slightly helps. If flying west, try going to bed and waking up later in the days before departure (if your work schedule allows). When flying east, go to bed and wake up earlier.
• Sleep less before the flight: I often hear people say they can’t sleep on planes. One thing that can help: board the flight already exhausted. If you only sleep 4–5 hours per night for 1–2 nights before the flight, you’ll likely fall asleep on the plane. But be careful—some people never sleep on planes. In that case, they’ll just arrive completely overtired and risk weakening their immune system. As always, what works for one person might not work for another, and everyone knows their own body best.
• Walk to stay awake: If you notice you’re struggling to stay awake after arrival, go for a walk—preferably outdoors in fresh air. Who falls asleep while walking?
• Get up early, no naps: Once the day of arrival is finally done, set your alarm for a rather early time in the morning, and then stay awake without any naps for the entire next day. That forces you to be tired in the evening and get into the right rhythm better.
• A good bed for the first night: This tip isn’t free. But if your internal clock is already sabotaging your sleep, don’t let the mattress help. A good bed, at least for the first night, can make a real difference in sleeping through the night.
• Choose the right travel class: This tip involves higher costs and is sort of obvious. But still, if sleep is key for your flight, a business-class bed helps. On routes where sleeping a lot would be counterproductive, you might skip business class. Since this means spending four-figure sums, I’ll just leave this tip under: “I’ve mentioned it, but barely anyone will pay that much just to reduce jet lag.”
• Avoid caffeine and alcohol: I don’t drink coffee anyway, but this tip from my colleague Felix makes total sense. It’s confusing enough when your internal clock is off – you don’t need caffeine making it worse. The same goes for alcohol, which is dehydrating and tires you. Try skipping caffeine before and during the flight.
• Choose modern aircraft models: Newer aircraft like the Airbus A350 or Boeing 787 (Dreamliner) are quieter and have better air quality. That’s due to their carbon fuselage, which allows for higher humidity and more oxygen in the cabin. Altogether, this makes it easier to sleep on board. If you have multiple flight options, it’s something to consider.
• Pay attention to flight times: Not just aircraft models, but also the actual departure and arrival times can make a difference. If you have trouble sleeping on planes, later flights might be better, so you don’t have to stay up too long after arrival. If you’re someone who falls asleep for the entire flight as soon as you sit down, then earlier departure times are better.
• Choose a window seat: Last but not least, it helps with sleeping if you can lean against the wall. Plus, you won’t be constantly woken up by seatmates with weak bladders.

Conclusion

Jet lag is a problem on most long-haul trips and can be really annoying. But you can counter it with smart sleep habits and by paying attention to a few booking details. I’ve barely had any jet lag issues in years. And even if the plan doesn’t always go perfectly, these tips can at least help reduce the effects. It will at least be much better than unknowingly doing the exact opposite.

Do you have any other tips to avoid suffering from jet lag? Feel free to leave a comment.

While some of you are probably jetting around the world right now (maybe thanks to one of our deals), for many people Christmas often means staying at home or visiting relatives. If wanderlust hits you during that time, you might enjoy this tool. Drive & Listen is a 100% free website with lots of POV videos of walks, bike rides, car drives, and more. All of this is available for 875 (!) cities in 222 countries worldwide. On top of that, you can choose from several local radio stations to make the virtual immersion complete.

POV Car Drives

The first mode gave the website its name. You “drive” through a city of your choice by car. Unfortunately, you can’t actually steer the car. These are pre-recorded videos that are simply played back. It’s also not possible to select a specific spot in the city. Each time, it just starts from some random point.

So if you want to see a specific location from street level or decide the route yourself, tools like Google Street View are a better fit. This is more about getting a general feeling for what it’s like to drive through the city. Are the streets mostly empty, or is there traffic everywhere? Do people drive politely, or is there wild speeding and constant lane-changing? Do pedestrians keep jumping into the road, or is everything very orderly? What kind of cars are around: big SUVs, old beaters, or motorcycles buzzing past you everywhere?

POV Walks

In walk mode, the concept is basically the same as in car mode. However, on foot you often reach places a car can’t, like a beach, for example.

POV Bike Rides

Again, a very similar concept. Essentially something in between a car and a pedestrian perspective.

Vlogs

Now we come to the first mode that takes a different approach. Instead of moving through cities in first person, you watch a vlog by someone else. In other words, you follow another person as they explore the city and talk about what they’re experiencing along the way.

Drone Footage

The website also features a lot of drone footage showing cities from above. Unfortunately, here too, it’s not possible to choose a specific clip. It always just plays some random recording.

Food Exploration

Eating out is part of every trip, and you can do that virtually here as well. In this mode, you’ll find videos about specific restaurants as well as regional dishes and how they’re prepared. Sadly, even in 2025 it’s still not possible to taste the food through the screen. That feature will probably take a few more years.

Cinematic Mode

If you’re not too keen on sitting in front of a screen watching someone crawl through side streets at a snail’s pace, you can opt for Cinematic mode. This features professional footage of the city, with clean cuts and a focus on presenting the city’s highlights as impressively as possible.

Other Modes

The site also offers a few additional modes, though these are only available for a limited number of cities. One example is time-lapse mode, where you watch the city’s highlights while people on screen scurry back and forth like little ants and the sun races across the sky.

In very few cities, there’s also a window mode. This is probably the most boring of all modes. You simply look out of a window, and hardly anything happens.

Even rarer is train mode. Of course, the city needs to have a railway system to begin with, but even then the mode is only occasionally available. Still, it’s not uninteresting: you’re basically sitting with the train driver and watching the train roll along the tracks.

Conclusion

Drive & Listen is a really nice and extensive tool for doing a bit of virtual travelling and getting an authentic feel for how it is to move around a city. Very different from polished documentaries that teleport you from one highlight to the next. Of course, it can never replace a real trip, but for a short journey from the couch, it’s perfectly fine.

Where the tool can be especially helpful: it gives you a very good impression of a city’s infrastructure. If you’re still unsure during travel planning whether you want to visit City X, a look at Drive & Listen can give you clues about whether the city is actually quite nice beyond the tourist hotspots. Or maybe more chaotic or dirtier than you expected. Or you might discover that a destination is more beautiful than anticipated and add it to your travel list. All in all, it’s a pretty enjoyable tool that might let you indulge a bit in wanderlust over the holidays.

It has been almost exactly a year and a half since Lufthansa first introduced its Allegris cabin on long-haul routes. Now SWISS is following suit with its identical onboard product, the Senses cabin. There is, however, one small difference in the very front of the cabin: First Class.

With the Grand Suite, Lufthansa’s Swiss subsidiary is marketing a product it itself describes as a new chapter in commercial aviation. Reason enough to take a closer look at this special way of traveling and to answer the question of whether it’s worth it.

Flight details

Here are the obligatory flight details:

• Flight: LX 52 Zurich (ZRH) – Boston (BOS)
• Seat: 1A (+D+E)
• Aircraft: Airbus A350-900 HB-IFA (delivered October 2025)
• Scheduled departure: 17:30
• Scheduled arrival: 20:00
• Block time: 8h 30min
• Date of travel: November 28, 2025

Booking

Just over two weeks ago, Miles&More made headlines by announcing that SWISS Senses and Lufthansa Allegris First Class flights were now bookable with miles. While checking these claims, I was lucky enough to find one of the very rare award availabilities in SWISS Senses. From Oslo, the connection was available at the time of booking for 57,000 miles one way plus €530 in surcharges.

Combined with the return flight on Lufthansa, the total came to 114,000 miles and €1,030. The surcharges in particular are quite painful, but in my case still tolerable due to the relatively low mileage required. With the new Miles&More system, it’s also important, if possible, to book return flights. Ignoring for a moment the absurd surcharges of over €1,000 for one-way flights departing North America, even Business Class would have required 79,000 miles, and First Class as much as 153,000 miles.

On top of that, there were around 20,000 additional miles and €200 in surcharges for the flights to and from Oslo, which should also be mentioned. Compared to 93,000 miles one way from Berlin, this was still the better option.

The First Class booking consisted of the following flights:

• Oslo – Zurich in Helvetic Business Class (Embraer E195 E2)
• Zurich – Boston in SWISS Senses First Class (Airbus A350-900)
• Boston – Frankfurt in Lufthansa First Class (Airbus A340-600)
• Frankfurt – Oslo in Lufthansa Business Class (Airbus A320)

This review of the Senses First Class Grand Suite only covers the Zurich–Boston sector, though it’s worth briefly mentioning that the feeder flight with Helvetic was my best continental flight in years.

Check-in

Our journey begins in Zurich at Check-in Area 1, the exclusive check-in lounge for SWISS (and Lufthansa) First Class guests as well as HON Circle Members. If you’re traveling with checked baggage, it’s taken from you here, and after a document check you receive your boarding pass. Unlike Lufthansa, however, there are no special boarding pass folders for First Class travelers.

From there, it’s about 100 meters through the terminal to the escalator that leads to the security checkpoint for First Class and HON Circle Members. While it doesn’t feature CT scanners or other modern security technology, the small number of eligible guests means the process is still quick. It can’t quite compete with my experience in Munich on my Allegris First Class flight to New York, but the advantage in Zurich is that you end up directly in the First Class Lounge at the A gates.

Lounge in Zurich

In Zurich, as a First Class traveler (or HON Circle Member), you can choose between two different First Class Lounges. Arriving at the main terminal, you’re taken directly to the SWISS First Class Lounge at the A gates. Here you can order à la carte food and drinks, reserve a meeting room, work, or even smoke. Personally, however, I like the second First Class Lounge at the E gates much better, so I took the earliest possible transfer to the E gates and only enjoyed a double espresso at the A gates.

The option for First Class Lounge guests to be driven to Zurich Airport’s satellite terminal (E gates) is definitely the most pleasant way to change terminals, even if it’s “only” in a Sprinter van. Thanks to this transfer, you don’t even have to check in again upon arrival at the First Class Lounge at the E gates, as the transfer staff takes care of that. With only just under an hour until boarding, I was grateful for every extra minute in the lounge.

I headed straight to the restaurant area and was warmly welcomed. After a quick look at the menu, I ordered a tartare, beef fillet, and a chocolate soufflé. I also noticed that the cheese fondue had made its way back onto the menu. Apparently customer feedback is taken seriously here. Everything tasted very good (as always), though the soufflé was already cold when served due to the way the ice cream was plated on top.

Boarding

About 20 minutes later than planned, I made my way to the gate after receiving an email about a delayed departure. Unfortunately, there were no indications of this from the lounge staff. Even when asking at the counter about another topic, no information was provided. This was, however, my only criticism of an otherwise excellent lounge experience.

Boarding then proceeded in the usual groups, with First Class guests and HON Circle Members boarding in Group 1 right after pre-boarding. Apart from me, there was only one other First Class guest on the flight, plus a HON Circle Member in Business Class, so the process was quick and efficient. On board, you’re greeted directly at the door. Since boarding was via the second door, we passed through the first Business Class cabin to my First Class suite, where I was immediately welcomed with an amenity kit, champagne, and cheese straws.

As only two passengers including myself were booked in First Class, and the other passenger was seated in the opposite window suite, I was able to use the middle suite and thus the Grand Suite. This was proactively offered to me by the flight attendants.

Cabin

The SWISS Senses First Class on the Airbus A350-900 features up to four seats. There are two window suites (one on each side) and one double suite. The latter can accommodate two people, but since not every flight will have a couple traveling together, there are often only three seats in use. This results in the following layout: 1–(1/1)–1. SWISS also offers the option to book a Grand Suite, which combines window suite 1A and the double suite 1D/E for even more privacy.

The SWISS Senses First Class is separated from both the galley and Business Class by relatively thin curtains. From the first aisle, both the window suite (1A) and the Suite Plus (1D/1E) are accessible, while the second aisle only provides access to the window suite (1K). This makes the latter arguably the most private suite.

The First Class lavatory is located in the forward galley. While it’s not particularly spacious, it includes all the necessary amenities you might need during a flight. Although other airlines may offer a larger selection of items in the lavatory itself, some things are handed out at the seat after boarding, which I’ll cover later.

The Grand Suite

The Grand Suite combines the two types of suites, giving you access to both a window suite (1A) and the Suite Plus or double suite (1D/E). Since there’s only one row of First Class seats, the curtains separating it from Business Class and the forward galley effectively create a real suite with separate sleeping and working/dining areas and almost complete privacy.

Because I like to look out the window during takeoff, even in the dark, I decided to store my luggage in the middle suite and use it for sleeping, allowing me to sit by the window while dining. When traveling as a couple, it’s still perfectly possible to dine together in the window suite, which even allows two people to eat together thanks to a seatbelt on the ottoman.

Seat functions

The seat offers everything you’d expect from a modern First Class seat. It can be adjusted electrically in many ways, and both the ottoman and the windows are electrically operated as well. Typical of Allegris/Senses, there are also seat cooling and heating functions. With nearly 90 cm of seat width in the window suite and 2 × 60 cm in the middle suite, there’s more than enough space everywhere.

In addition to the large 27/43-inch 4K monitor (window/middle suite), each of the three possible seats has its own tablet. In the middle suite, each seat can even be controlled via the other seat’s tablet. For seat adjustments, there are also several quick-access buttons next to each seat, though these aren’t always ideally positioned.

In the window suite, the screen is at least touchscreen-enabled. Unfortunately, there’s still no separate small controller for operating the large screen in the middle suite, so you have to use your phone instead. This connects via Wi-Fi and an individual code and then allows control of the screens. You can also pair your own Bluetooth headphones wirelessly.

SWISS doesn’t yet seem to fully trust the system, as you’re (at least for now) still given wired headphones instead of wireless ones, unlike Lufthansa Allegris First. Given that most of the seat’s weaknesses are technical in nature, it’s all the more disappointing that these well-known issues haven’t been resolved after 1.5 years.

Storage & surfaces

When traveling alone, there’s naturally more than enough storage space for the maximum two carry-on suitcases and the personal item First Class guests are allowed to bring on board. However, if you’re only using the window suite or, as a couple, the Suite Plus, the situation is different. In that case, you can definitely only fit one carry-on trolley and possibly the personal item; the rest has to be stored elsewhere (often in Business Class). Unfortunately, this is now also the case with some other airlines’ onboard products.

Each of the two suites includes a wardrobe with two hangers for jackets and clothes, as well as a large mirror. There are also plenty of smaller storage compartments and surfaces in both parts of the Grand Suite. In each suite half, you can store items weighing up to 10 kg in a small compartment and charge them via USB-C.

All three seats also feature an international power outlet and at least a place to set down a drink. In the window suite and seat 1E, there’s also a long surface from which the large, sturdy table can be folded out. Wireless charging is also available here.

Privacy

The greatest strength of the new Senses First cabin, and especially the Grand Suite, is privacy. Even on its own, the 1.8-meter-high walls and felt doors are ideal for shielding you from others’ views. With the Grand Suite concept, this privacy extends even further to the aisle, which you don’t share with anyone else and which was only entered by flight attendants during service. The advertised “apartment-like” feel is surprisingly achieved.

For sleeping, however, I still closed the doors of the middle suite, partly to reduce noise. For safety reasons, the doors have fairly large handles that also serve as viewing windows into the suite. This hardly affected my sense of privacy at all.

Seat comfort

I had partially criticized seat comfort in my Allegris First Class window suite review. With SWISS, nothing has changed here either, although this time I managed better with the still somewhat awkward seatbelt for takeoff and landing. Thanks to the wide range of seat adjustments, long flights are still quite manageable, making the comfort limitation less dramatic.

Upon boarding, I found two pillows per suite and a fleece blanket for each seat. If you tend to get cold, you can easily snuggle up and get comfortable. Unlike when sleeping, I never found the seat too firm while sitting.

Sleeping comfort

The biggest weakness and disappointment was actually the sleeping comfort in the middle suite of my Grand Suite. The suite is practically designed for sleeping in a double bed above the clouds. However, the gap between the two seat cushions, generously referred to as mattresses, was bothersome, and they were unfortunately far too firm for me. Sleeping on my return flight in Lufthansa’s old First Class was significantly more comfortable.

In addition, when using the double bed, you can’t fasten a seatbelt, as there are only belts for the individual seats, not for both together. Especially since the window suite manages to offer both a regular belt and a second, wider belt, this would have been desirable here as well. As a result, if you want to sleep in compliance with regulations, you actually have less space in the Suite Plus than in the window suite, effectively negating the entire purpose of the Grand Suite for solo travelers.

Ultimately, if traveling alone, you can simply have the bed made up in the window suite anyway, since you can’t eat/work and sleep at the same time. Switching the use of the two suites also makes little sense, as the middle suite lacks a large table and the larger screen isn’t more practical due to missing connections and the cumbersome smartphone control.

Food & drinks

Unlike on previous SWISS flights, albeit with longer flight times, there was enough food this time. Nevertheless, the meal service was strictly divided into two parts, with the options for the second meal only presented about two hours before landing via an extra menu. This meant there weren’t ten hours between meal services as on flights from Japan. Still, a preview in advance, as offered by Lufthansa and others, would be desirable, especially when the second service is labeled as anytime dining.

At the time of my flight, SWISS was running its truffle weeks, so alongside the regular options you could choose a truffle-based dish in every course. I didn’t miss this opportunity, and it’s likely a pleasant change for frequent SWISS First customers, at least during the first service.

Lunch

Calling it lunch on a 5 p.m. departure might be a stretch, but since a second meal service was offered around 6 p.m. local time (in Boston) before landing, this categorization still seemed sensible. It began with a selection of breads and rolls served with truffle cream, butter, and olive oil. I chose the signature appetizer: Balik salmon with crème fraîche and blinis. This was followed by a somewhat too-thick carpaccio with truffle, unfortunately lacking a sauce or even oil, as well as a tasty fresh salad.

As an intermediate course, there was a very good truffle artichoke soup, along with an avocado sorbet (not pictured) that was pleasantly refreshing and cleansed the palate.

For the main course, I had a chicken breast with morel cream sauce, tagliatelle, green beans, and sweet potatoes. As a SWISS First Class guest, you can preselect your main course. Curious about how pasta would taste in the air, I chose this dish in advance. While you don’t know which of the preselectable mains would be loaded anyway, you definitely get a wider selection.

The pasta was surprisingly satisfying, though certainly not at the level of a restaurant on the ground. Unfortunately, the chicken was a bit dry, though still within acceptable limits. Some might argue that at these prices and with modern technology, near perfection should be expected, so I ultimately wasn’t completely thrilled and went for a small digestive nap.

Snacks

Shortly before going to sleep, there were a few pralines and a final glass of champagne. I declined the offered espresso to at least get some rest. Had I not gone to sleep or still felt hungry, I could have requested more pralines, chips, cookies, or fresh fruit at any time.

Toward the end of the flight, there were again a few pralines, along with two rather meager little chocolate bars; the kind usually handed out on short-haul European economy flights. A large bar, like the one I was given as a nice gesture on my feeder flight from Oslo, would have been far more appropriate. Alternatively, a small box of pralines, as Lufthansa offers, would also be a good option.

Dinner

Dinner, or the second meal service, started with a veal saltimbocca with wild broccoli and risotto, which unfortunately wasn’t very creamy. The veal was also quite tough, likely due to the thickness of the meat combined with overly dry reheating.

The final truffle dessert from the first menu was definitely tasty, though a bit too truffle-forward for my liking. Ultimately, the pronounced truffle flavor is something I personally associate more with savory dishes. Combined with the ice cream and fruit, however, it was still refreshing and enjoyable.

Drinks

While the drink selection onboard SWISS Senses First Class isn’t bad, it could be a bit more exclusive in my opinion. I personally liked the champagne very much, though the red wine I tried wasn’t quite to my taste, which can, of course, be attributed to personal preference. One thing I’d love to see is SWISS serving Rivella onboard as well, not just in the lounges. That would nicely complement the overall local selection of food and drinks.

Service

The service was definitely one of the highlights of the flight. One of the two flight attendants responsible for First Class was especially proactive and communicative. As in January, they weren’t yet fully familiar with all the seat functions, but we had a lot of fun testing them together. Throughout the entire flight, my glasses were never less than half full unless I politely declined a refill.

This highlights another advantage of the SWISS First Grand Suite. Since three-quarters of the seats were occupied, even with just one flight attendant assigned to First Class, there was essentially always someone available to fulfill the next request. Among the four SWISS First Class flights I’ve taken this year, this one was by far the best in terms of service.

In-flight entertainment

The best feature of the entertainment system in SWISS Senses First is also the 4K camera overview. During my flight (or taxi phases), this worked flawlessly and without stuttering. Unfortunately, due to darkness, its usefulness during the flight itself was limited. As with Allegris, you can choose from five different perspectives.

Even when the camera isn’t usable because it’s too dark or cloudy, the SWISS entertainment system still offers plenty of options. While the movie selection is quite large, it’s a shame that for series only selected episodes are available rather than entire seasons. Once you’ve watched the available episodes, however, you can always switch to the 3D flight map, which for me is often the more appealing option anyway.

Wi-Fi

As a SWISS First Class passenger, Wi-Fi is free. Otherwise, there are three options ranging from free (messaging) to €27 (for 4 hours) and up to €37 (for the entire flight). It’s not particularly cheap, especially given the speeds, which don’t allow video streaming. Personally, I’d probably stick with the free option. Interestingly, as a First Class guest you don’t need a voucher code for full Wi-Fi access. Logging in with your Miles&More Travel ID linked to the booking is sufficient. If you don’t have a Miles&More account, you simply receive a standard voucher code.

Extras

Under “Extras,” I’d like to address the provided amenities. You receive an amenity kit that unfortunately isn’t particularly special or distinctive, especially when compared to what Lufthansa offered during the first months of Allegris First Class. The contents themselves (earplugs, sleep mask, toothbrush, and Sisley creams), as well as additional items like high-quality reusable socks, Ricola, mouthwash, or a glasses-cleaning cloth, are solid, though.

What is truly excellent is the Zimmerli pajama, which I also like to use privately and which, unlike other sleep shirts or pajamas, still looks like new after repeated use. However, at the regular price of €200 listed on the Zimmerli website, it’s not really worth it. All the better that you receive one of your choice (short- or long-sleeved) as a gift.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning the disappointment of the ground Personal Assistant service in Boston. While at some destinations the staff waiting at the end of the jet bridge can help speed up immigration or at least provide tips and information, here they couldn’t even tell me where the buses to the ferry pier depart. Faster immigration is probably legally impossible, but in that case SWISS/Lufthansa could save themselves this expense altogether.

Conclusion

This flight will definitely stay in my memory for a long time. You don’t experience something like this every day, which makes it all the more enjoyable. I would fly Senses First Class again anytime if the (mileage) price is right. However, I wouldn’t spend extra miles or money on the Grand Suite. In my opinion, you can get nearly the same level of comfort in just one of the window suites.

For clarity, here’s a brief list of the pros and cons of the SWISS Senses Grand Suite, though it doesn’t cover every detail:

Translated by Ditmar

Planning a trip to China and want to use your smartphone to surf the internet without exorbitant roaming fees? Simply get yourself a suitable eSIM, and right after landing in China, you can continue surfing normally – getting uncensored access to the internet without even needing a VPN!

The change to the award booking system at Miles&More in June 2025 has made some extremely attractive prices possible. However, the fact that each individual flight segment is now priced separately also means things can quickly become confusing. Changing the departure airport can easily double the mileage price, meaning that the departure point now plays a decisive role in whether an award flight is worthwhile or not.

In this article, we’ll have a look at the cheapest First Class routes with Lufthansa (and for Senators/HON Circle Members also Swiss) First Class.

Unless otherwise indicated, all prices shown below are for one-way flights. These are generally flights in the Saver fare. They are non-refundable and can be rebooked for €410 (plus fare difference), so you should only book at these prices if you truly intend to fly. All tickets also include 3 × 32 kg of baggage.

Riyadh: from Belgrade for 49,005 miles + €290

The cheapest First Class flight you can book with Miles&More is the roughly six-hour flight from Frankfurt to Riyadh, with a feeder flight from Belgrade. This route is operated by an Airbus A340-600 with a total of 8 seats across two rows. Keep in mind, however, that travelling to Saudi Arabia requires a visa costing around €100.

• One-way: 49,005 miles + €290
• Roundtrip: 98,010 miles + €529
• Cash roundtrip price: €3,700 (3.3 cpm)
• Flex surcharge: approx. 5,000 miles per direction
• Example dates: December 24 – January 2

Delhi: from Kosice for 56,665 miles + €341

Kosice in eastern Slovakia is a rather unknown departure point. However, the trip can be worthwhile if you want to visit Delhi and do so in First Class. The surcharges remain reasonable, and the minimum mileage price of 56,665 miles per direction is quite attractive. Since Kosice is not served directly from Munich, you can even try out an additional First Class/HON Circle lounge.

• One-way: 56,665 miles + €341
• Roundtrip: 113,330 miles + €626
• Cash roundtrip price: €3,900 (2.9 cpm)
• Flex surcharge: approx. 10,500 miles per direction
• Example dates: September 8-15

Mumbai: from Kosice for 61,966 miles + €340

This is basically the same deal as to Delhi, just roughly 5,000 miles more expensive. Instead of to Delhi, you’d be flying to Mumbai, again with two feeder flights as the flight departs from Munich and there are no direct flights from Kosice to Munich. Just like to Delhi, the flight is operated with an Airbus A380.

• One-way: 61,996 miles + €340
• Roundtrip: 123,932 miles + €624
• Cash roundtrip price: €4,200 (2.9 cpm)
• Flex surcharge: approx. 10,500 miles per direction
• Example dates: August 7 – 17

Chicago: from Dublin for 69,998 miles + €533

In theory, the cheapest destination in the US is not Chicago but San Francisco, starting at only 67,725 miles. However, I wish you good luck finding any availability. The next-best option in the US is Chicago, costing just under 70,000 miles – with halfway decent availability, especially last-minute. Sadly, Miles&More has very high surcharges to North America, reaching roughly €1,000 for a round-trip.

• One-way: 61,998 miles + €533
• Roundtrip: 139,996 miles + €997
• Cash roundtrip price: €5,000 (2.9 cpm)
• Flex surcharge: approx. 21,000 miles per direction
• Example dates: December 28 – January 13

São Paulo: from Helsinki for 98,268 miles + €356

Flights to South America have become some of the most expensive First Class routes since dynamic pricing was introduced. You should budget nearly 100,000 miles per direction for what is at least a 13-hour First Class flight aboard Lufthansa’s Boeing 747-8. Considering the length of the flight, the price is quite attractive. Sadly, availability is terrible. We couldn’t find any availability for the inbound flight.

• One-way: 98,268 miles + €358
• Roundtrip: 196,536 miles + €670
• Cash roundtrip price: €7,100 (3.3 cpm)
• Flex surcharge: approx. 50,000 miles per direction
• Example dates: March 11

Tokyo: from Budapest for 115,567 miles + HUF 117,400 (~€303)

When reading an article about the cheapest first class award flights, one probably wouldn’t expect a flight for over 115,000 miles to be listed. However, the flight from Tokyo to Germany takes roughly 14 hours, making this a much more complete first class experience than e.g. the 6-hour flight to Riyadh or the 8-hour flight from Chicago. Also, it’s worth noting that there’s quite good availability.

• One-way: 115,567 miles + HUF 117,400 (~€303)
• Roundtrip: 231,134 miles + HUF 233,300 (~€603)
• Cash roundtrip price: €7,100 (2.9 cpm)
• Flex surcharge: approx. 10,500 miles per direction
• Example dates: August 2 – 20

Conclusion

The variation in mileage prices that we found while researching this article were astonishing. The same flight could cost twice as much when departing from one city in Europe or another. Now you should have a good idea, where the cheapest departure cities are for each destination, and which destinations show availability. So the next time Miles&More starts selling its points with a nice bonus again, you’ll know where to spend them to reach that dream of flying first class.

Flying Blue is an attractive alternative frequent flyer program. In this article, we take a look at the sweet spots offered by the program of Air France and KLM.

Unless stated otherwise, the values listed in this article refer to one-way flights. It’s also important to note that Flying Blue prices award flights with its own airlines and selected partners on selected routes (e.g., Delta to North America) dynamically. Although award availability is almost unlimited, these flights can cost up to half a million miles, making such options unappealing and one of the reasons why most sweet spots relate to partner airlines.

Flying Blue Sweet Spots with Air France/KLM

First, let’s start with the sweet spots offered by the program’s main operating airlines: Air France and KLM.

Economy Class: Flights within Europe from 10,000 miles + €50

The cheapest redemptions for Air France/KLM flights are within Europe. These start from 10,000 miles depending on the route, and surprisingly, this mileage amount covers almost all of Europe. Whether heading to the Arctic Circle or the Mediterranean, you can explore various European destinations for 10,000 miles plus roughly €50–60 per direction. Comparable cash tickets with Air France/KLM including checked baggage often cost over €200.

Economy & Business Class: Flying Blue Promo Awards

The Flying Blue Promo Awards are comparable to the “Meilenschnäppchen” from Miles&More. The routes change monthly. Discounts are usually around 25%, although long-haul business class deals are not always available. When they are, the Promo Awards can be excellent value. Like regular Flying Blue awards, these can be cancelled or changed for €70.

Round trips across the Atlantic in economy class start at 37,500 Flying Blue miles. Surcharges are generally lower than with Miles&More, starting at just under €310 for flights to Canada. This can make economy awards worthwhile, especially for last-minute bookings.

Occasionally, there are also long-haul business class offers, starting at 45,000 miles to North America. Due to dynamic pricing, the price may vary slightly when including a feeder flight from elsewhere in Europe.

Business Class: North America from 60,000 miles + €350

Another competitively priced option is business class flights to North America with Air France and KLM. Including feeder flights, these start from 60,000 miles plus €350 in surcharges. Various aircraft are used, including Air France’s Business Suite on some Boeing 777-300ER and Airbus A350-900 aircraft.

Both airlines serve a wide range of US destinations, though availability can vary significantly. Flights from the US back to Europe can be even cheaper, with surcharges starting at just €200.

Flying Blue Sweet Spots with Partner Airlines

Now we turn the page and look at what options you have thanks to other SkyTeam airlines.

Business Class: Air Europa transatlantic from 43,000 miles + €60

A real insider tip is award flights with Air Europa. The Madrid-based airline does not levy fuel surcharges, resulting in extremely low fees. A business class transatlantic flight from Madrid costs from 43,000 Flying Blue miles and only €60 in taxes and fees.

Flights to South America start at 60,000 miles and €39 one-way from Madrid.

These flights are even cheaper than those with Air France and KLM, both in mileage and surcharges. However, you must book your own positioning flight to Madrid. As flight time increases, mileage prices rise accordingly, but surcharges remain around €30 per direction.

Business Class: Vietnam Airlines from Germany from 64,000 miles + €316

Another sweet spot is Vietnam Airlines business class flights. These start from just 64,000 miles + €316 in taxes and fees from Germany. From Vietnam, flights start at 64,000 miles + €201. While the airline may not compete with top Asian carriers, the price is attractive enough to offset potential shortcomings.

Business Class: China Airlines to Taiwan from 57,500 miles + €210

Even more attractive in terms of miles are business class flights with China Airlines between Europe and Taiwan from 57,500 miles per direction. Flights from Europe start at around €210 in fees, and flights to Europe at €194.

Availability to Taipei is limited, though slightly better in the direction of Europe; but still not plentiful. Currently, availability seems limited to routes from/to Prague and Vienna. Other China Airlines destinations like London, Amsterdam, Rome, or Frankfurt appear too demand-heavy.

Economy Class: Flights within Africa from 5,000 miles + €110

There are also interesting options within Africa. Short Kenya Airways flights start at 5,000 Flying Blue miles. For example, Nairobi–Zanzibar costs 5,000 miles plus around €110 including 2×23 kg checked baggage. Although the surcharges look high at first glance, cash fares on this route often cost €220 per direction, giving you excellent value per mile.

Another attractive economy redemption is between Nairobi and Mahé in the Seychelles. These flights cost 12,500 miles with €85 in surcharges for a longer route.

Economy/Business: Flights within Asia from 6,000/15,000 miles + €15

Asia covers huge distances, and several SkyTeam airlines (Korean Air, Vietnam Airlines, China Airlines, China Eastern, Xiamen Air, and Garuda Indonesia) offer surprisingly attractive routes. The cheapest options start at 6,000 miles in economy class with around €15 in surcharges including checked baggage.

Longer routes are also excellent value. Examples include:

• 13,500 miles + €15 for Saigon–Seoul in economy
• 17,000 miles + €52 for Seoul–Bali
• Business class surcharges are often only €15 more than economy

Checked baggage is always included.

Economy Class: SAS flights in Europe from 5,000 miles + €35

Another sweet spot is short European routes with SAS. One-way flights start at 5,000 miles + €35 in taxes and fees, including 23 kg checked baggage. Prices rise with distance. Zurich–Copenhagen costs 5,300 miles; Zurich–Stockholm, 8,300 miles. Still cheaper than Air France/KLM flights, which start at 10,000 miles.

Business Class: Asia to Oceania from 35,500 miles + €85

Flying Blue also offers relatively cheap business class flights from Asia to Oceania. For example: Jakarta–Sydney costs 35,500 miles + €85. Not bad for a 7-hour flight.

Other SkyTeam partners also offer good value. For example: Taipei–Brisbane–Auckland with China Airlines for 57,500 miles + €85. About 12 hours of lie-flat business class time after subtracting the short Brisbane layover.

How to Find Availability

Finding Air France and KLM availability is not difficult, unless you want low prices. For that, the “best price search” on the Air France/KLM website is recommended: search for an award flight with flexible dates, and you’ll see a month-long calendar with the cheapest dates highlighted in green.

This also works for partner airlines, though partner awards are not always cheaper than Air France/KLM flights. For systematic searches, tools such as Seats.aero are very helpful, letting you filter by airline and route (with the Pro plan offering 12 months of availability instead of 60 days). While it often shows availability from partner programs like SkyMiles, Virgin Flying Club, or Etihad Guest, these usually match what Flying Blue also offers.

How to Earn Flying Blue Miles

Apart from flying, Revolut’s RevPoints offer another option, especially if you don’t have enough Flying Blue miles.

Conclusion

Despite ongoing devaluations and dynamic pricing, Flying Blue still has several worthwhile sweet spots. However, these increasingly concentrate on partner airline redemptions. It’s nice to see that there are also valuable economy options, since not everyone has hundreds of thousands of miles to spare.

A year ago, Oneworld member Cathay Pacific unveiled its new Business Class. This “Aria Suite” can now be found on more and more aircraft.

On my way back from Sydney to London, I had a total of 23 hours to get familiar with the new product. In this review, you’ll read what the new seat offers, where there’s still room for improvement, and whether the other aspects justify Skytrax’s 5-star rating.

To keep things somewhat chronological, the focus of the review is on the daytime flight from Sydney to Hong Kong. I’ll occasionally add impressions from the overnight flight from Hong Kong to London.

• Flight 1: CX 162 Sydney SYD – Hong Kong HKG
  • Time: 11:10 – 17:15
  • Block time: 9h 40m
  • Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER B-KPO (delivered January 2010)
  • Seat: 14A
• Flight 2: CX 255 Hong Kong HKG – London LHR
  • Time: 23:15 – 06:20 (+1)
  • Block time: 14h 05m
  • Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER B-KPF (delivered January 2008)
  • Seat: 19K
• Travel period: October 2025

Booking

Originally, I had planned a three-week trip across Australia: flying into Perth (Vietnam Airlines Business Class booked with Delta SkyMiles), visiting Rottnest Island, then heading over to the East Coast and travelling from Port Douglas (Cairns) down to Sydney by bus and train. The first half of the trip ended up falling through because I “had to” fly around the world with Turkish Airlines instead. But luckily, the return flight remained unaffected.

I had booked a mileage ticket from Sydney to London through Cathay AsiaMiles. Sydney and London were among the first two routes on which Cathay operated the new Business Class, so I was expecting to have plenty of time to test the new product thoroughly. Seat selection was free of charge.

The one-way ticket cost 110,000 AsiaMiles and €249 in surcharges (as of March 2025). €89 of that was actual taxes and €160 were airline-imposed fuel surcharges.

I already had most of the miles in my account because I would occasionally transfer Amex points to Cathay during promotions. Otherwise, at the time of booking, it would have required 137,500 Membership Rewards points.

By now, the same booking would unfortunately be more expensive. The mileage price only increased moderately from 110,000 to 115,000 miles. But since August, the transfer ratio has changed from 5:4 to just 2 AsiaMiles for every 3 MR points. That means you’d now need a hefty 172,500 MR points for the same booking. Given that, if paying with MR points, a Qatar Airways flight would now generally be the better choice (from 90,000 Avios + approx. €300).

Check-in

Business Class passengers can reserve seats free of charge at any time, even before (online) check-in opens. In Sydney, I arrived at the check-in desk around two and a half hours before departure. There are separate lines for Economy, Business, and First Class, even if no First Class is offered on the flight. The First Class lane is then used for Emerald status holders. Ruby, Sapphire, and the rest can use the Business lane.

Both counters were quiet, and even the Economy line was fairly short. Within just a few minutes, my two checked bags were gone and I had my boarding passes in hand.

For London, I had booked a separate onward ticket to Berlin with British Airways. The Cathay staff were able to tag my bags through to Berlin and also issued a boarding pass for the BA flight. According to Cathay’s website, this should be possible, and indeed it was. Thumbs up to Cathay, because even within Oneworld, this is far from guaranteed.

I found Sydney’s security and passport control to be very efficient. There is a dedicated fast track for status holders and Business passengers. The longest part was simply the walk from the check-in counters to the entrance of the checkpoint. Then it was just quickly placing the hand luggage on the belt (nothing needs to be taken out), walking through the body scanner, and heading to the eGate for passport control. Altogether, the process took only two minutes. Even the regular queue would have taken no more than five minutes.

Lounge in Sydney (Qantas First Lounge)

Next stop: the lounge. Thanks to my Oneworld Emerald status, I had access to the Qantas First Class Lounge in Sydney. It’s considered one of the best lounges in the world, and I finally had the chance to visit it. Without status, my ticket would only have granted me access to the Qantas Business Lounge.

The lounge impresses with unique design and lots of space. A nice retro touch is the split-flap display showing upcoming departures. From almost everywhere, you get a fantastic view of the airport apron. During my visit, not only were several Qantas Airbus A380s parked outside, but an Asiana A380 also taxied past. If you like, you can even get a complimentary massage (subject to availability).

There are only a few dedicated workstations, but a large area for à la carte dining. Many of the tables there have power outlets, so you can work while being served. The food is the main reason to visit this lounge. I was familiar with the Qantas First Lounge in Los Angeles, but the selection in Sydney is even larger. Even at breakfast time, there’s a wide range of dishes that go far beyond typical breakfast items:

I opted for the Eggs Benedict with smoked salmon (= Eggs Royale) and the corn fritters with bacon. Both dishes were excellent and could easily be served in a restaurant. The only shame was that I arrived too early to try the famous Salt and Pepper Squid.

There are certainly lounges around the world that feel more exclusive (due to stricter entry rules). But there’s no doubt that this is one of the very best Oneworld Emerald lounges anywhere. Since the lounge is operated by Qantas and not Cathay, it does not count toward the overall rating.

Boarding

Boarding was scheduled to begin 40 minutes before departure. Wanting to take good photos of the cabin, I was at the gate right on time, only to notice that even the crew hadn’t boarded yet. Shortly afterwards, I received an email informing me of a 30-minute delay. The aircraft had arrived late in Sydney due to some holding patterns. Still, once the aircraft reached the gate (about an hour before boarding), they could have informed passengers earlier. Communication definitely has room for improvement.

The gate in Sydney is designed so that the entrance for Economy passengers is far away from the priority lanes for Business, Premium Economy, and status customers. This helps disperse the crowd a bit.

Being a rule-abiding German, I naturally lined up first, long before anyone called for boarding. Boarding eventually started about 40 minutes late. First, around 30 passengers with strollers, wheelchairs, crutches, etc., boarded with their companions. Then came First Class (which doesn’t exist on this flight, so only Oneworld Emerald), followed by Business passengers and other status holders.

Overall, boarding was very efficient. In under 30 minutes, a full Boeing 777 was ready to depart, while other airlines start an hour earlier. And there was still enough time for a hot towel and welcome drink.

With the 30-minute delay, we still could have arrived in Hong Kong roughly on time. But we ended up waiting almost another half hour on the tarmac because an aircraft ahead of us had technical issues. Fortunately, I had plenty of buffer time for my connection in Hong Kong.

Cabin

The Boeing 777 in this configuration has a total of 361 seats: 45 in Business Class, 48 in Premium Economy, and 268 in Economy Class. The Business Class seats are split into two cabins, with the rear cabin being slightly smaller. The front cabin has the advantage that not all Economy passengers walk past (especially since boarding in Sydney was done through a single jet bridge).

What looks quite monotonous on the seat map is much more impressive in real life. Despite the heavy use of grey tones, the cabin feels visually inviting. And you would never guess that the aircraft is more than 15 years old.

When boarding, the sense of space is somewhat limited by the open overhead bins, but this allows plenty of room for all kinds of carry-on luggage. Unlike some airlines, Cathay only allows one carry-on bag plus one personal item in Business Class. All Business seats face forward and offer direct aisle access without needing to climb over a neighbour.

Best Seat?

The seats are almost identical across the cabin. There aren’t really “good” or “bad” ones. The exact opposite of Lufthansa’s Allegris Class. The manufacturer describes it like this:

Bringing greater consistency to the passenger experience also guided the design of the suite geometry. The team focused on standardizing the layout so passengers enjoy the same setting, no matter where in the cabin they are seated. Gone is the need for passengers to research which seats in the cabin are best to reserve (sorry, SeatGuru). 

Elements Premier Class Seating | Collins Aerospace

Cathay doesn’t even offer extra foot space at the bulkhead seats anymore, so it really doesn’t matter much where you sit. The center seats in rows 11 and 19 do have one small advantage: there are additional storage areas in front of the seat where you can place things like a laptop or pillow. The same applies to the window seats (11A, 11K, 19A, 19K), but the space there is noticeably smaller.

If you’re traveling as a couple, you’ll likely prefer the seats in the middle section. However, even there it’s not very easy to talk to each other because your heads are quite far apart. For solo travelers, the window seats are the best choice, as they offer a bit more privacy. But even there, you can’t look out very well. The window is quite far away.

Seat

The Cathay Aria Suite is based on a new generation of business-class seats from Collins. It follows the reverse herringbone layout again and is the direct successor to the Super Diamond seat, which is used by Air Canada, British Airways (Club Suite), and many others.

This seat platform is called Collins Aerospace Elements. It’s highly customizable, meaning it can look completely different depending on the airline. Starlux Airlines from Taiwan also uses this seat but utilizes the extra space in the first row to offer a first-class product. Another customer is Etihad, with their new business class on the Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

So much for the basics. You can find your assigned seat via the labeling on the seat shell, the overhead bin, or by checking the screen. The only thing missing would be a little projector displaying the seat number on the floor, like with Iberia.

Passengers are greeted at their seat as follows:

At first glance, it’s a typical reverse herringbone seat: angled slightly away from the aisle, difficult (but not impossible) to look out the window, and a large table on the window side (in faux marble).

The first wow moment comes once you’re seated. The monitor measures a massive 24 inches and is truly huge. Because you sit quite close to the screen (unlike in, say, the Allegris Suite), it looks even bigger.

Under the monitor, you can see the table, which slides smoothly forward and backward. You can pull it close to you, and it’s generously sized. Even a 17-inch laptop would fit comfortably. There’s also a small holder for a tablet or smartphone. However, on my flight, the table was already pretty worn out. It was so slanted that my mouse kept sliding off by itself.

In the photo above, you can see that the gap on the right is larger than the one on the left (i.e., the table is crooked). That shouldn’t happen after just one year in service. It also wobbled with every bit of turbulence, and even slightly when the person in front of me moved.

Looking left, there’s a large sliding shelf that reveals a small storage compartment for items like a phone. Sounds practical, but isn’t very convincing. On my first flight, the mechanism was already broken and wouldn’t close fully, even though there was a clear “Close immediately when not in use” label. On the second flight, it did close, but the button required a lot of force to press. Apparently that’s normal.

Next is the typical storage compartment containing headphones and a water bottle. There isn’t much space, but you can at least fit the amenity kit and maybe a charger. Next to it is a touchscreen remote (detachable), and in the door, a small mirror. A subtle marking in the faux marble indicates wireless charging, but it’s barely noticeable.

Toward the aisle, there’s an armrest with an interesting adjustment mechanism. Height adjustment isn’t new, but here the armrest also slides forward, increasing the bed surface and closing the gap to the door.

Speaking of the door: every seat has a lightly adjustable sliding door. At the bulkhead seats, it closes perfectly with the wall, offering a high degree of privacy thanks to the tall partitions. At the other seats, rounded edges leave a small gap, but this didn’t bother me.

Finally, there’s the footwell and the area around it. The footwell itself is rather compact, but it doesn’t restrict your feet. There’s plenty of space in all directions.

Nearby is a triangular storage compartment meant to maximize the space. Unfortunately, it’s almost useless. It’s too small for laptops larger than 12 inches, and shoes don’t fit at all. So my laptop stayed on the table, and my shoes ended up somewhere between the seat and the aisle. The charging situation is better: two USB-C ports (up to 60W), one USB-A port, and an international 110V outlet for power-hungry devices.

Seat Comfort & Adjustability

Sooner or later, you’ll want to adjust the seat. In this regard, there are two pieces of good news. First: yes, the seat is adjustable (insert your Finnair joke here). Even better: there are four ways to do it. You can control it via the 24” screen, the small touchscreen remote, a secondary screen under the side table that displays flight time and seat controls, and finally, three buttons accessible only from the lie-flat position: two for adjustments, one for turning the lights on and off. You don’t have to twist yourself once you’re comfortable. Great! And you only need to tap the button once, not hold it. I’ll generously overlook the visible wear and tear.

The headrest is not adjustable, but I actually prefer it this way. Every seat manufacturer has to make compromises: either the headrest is fixed to create a flat bed, or it’s adjustable but can be uncomfortable when lying down, like on Iberia. I prefer Cathay’s solution and use a pillow if needed. Though a second, smaller pillow would help.

Overall, I can give the seat comfort excellent marks. Even after many hours in lounge mode (writing this trip report), it remained comfortable and I never felt the need to get up. And when I did, it was only to (unsuccessfully) search for snacks in the galley, not because the seat was uncomfortable. Even fully upright for takeoff and landing, it’s comfortable despite the three-point belt. The only odd thing was that the belt strap was twisted once. Was it installed incorrectly?

Sleeping Comfort

The seat converts into a 198 cm long bed at the push of a button. Although I nearly max it out at 197 cm, the length isn’t the most important factor in my opinion. Much more important is having enough space to bend your legs, since as a side sleeper, that’s how I sleep at home too. Reverse herringbone seats usually perform well here, and the Cathay Aria Suite does not disappoint. I had plenty of space around my knees (visible in the photo between the screen and the window):

This only works in one direction. Toward the aisle there’s less knee room. But I don’t really need to toss and turn if I’m lying comfortably. And thankfully, I was. I slept very well, and with a 14-hour flight, there was plenty of time for it.

If you’re looking for negatives, you’ll find them:

• The shoulder area is relatively narrow, but not too narrow.
• Even with a mattress topper, the bed is still fairly firm. No aircraft seat can fully match a good hotel bed.
• The head lies slightly higher than the legs. It’s more 179° than 180°.
• Cathay unfortunately doesn’t provide pajamas. Just a pair of slippers.

Food & Drinks

The service began (as mentioned above) with a welcome drink and hot towel.

Shortly afterward, meal and drink orders were taken. I had already made up my mind in advance, since Cathay allows digital pre-ordering of your preferred meal on both flight segments. The selection departing Hong Kong was noticeably larger than departing Sydney. Below are the respective menus:

I actually found it quite difficult to choose between all the dishes, as many of them sounded very good. But first things first: the appetizer from Sydney:

They apparently forgot the nuts. Other passengers received them together with the salmon, but I only got them after asking. The next course consisted of three marinated prawns with some greens and bread.

On the flight from Sydney to Hong Kong, I continued with my pre-ordered duck confit. Visually rather mediocre, but taste-wise a solid 4.5/5:

Desserts are served from a trolley. Personally, I like that, since you can directly see what looks tempting. And you can pick exactly the fruits or cheese you want.

Four hours before landing in Hong Kong, I headed to the galley in search of some light snacks. What I found was… nothing. Upon request, the crew managed to locate some nuts, and five minutes later they came by with a box of chocolates. On a nearly 10-hour flight, I would’ve expected at least chips, crackers, small sandwiches, or something similar. Not every passenger has already had breakfast in the lounge. They also couldn’t offer me the signature mocktail “Cathay Delight” anymore, so I had to settle for a Coke.

As for food, I had to wait until two hours before landing when regular service resumed. The burger was okay (4/5), and the panna cotta was excellent.

If you follow social media closely, you’ve probably heard about the trend of eating pudding with a fork. Not only did it get its own Wikipedia article, it also made its way onto Cathay Pacific flights. So instead of a spoon, I was served a fork with the panna cotta (despite the deep bowl). At least I like this explanation more than a catering mishap.

On the connecting flight to London, the mid-flight snack situation was better, and you could order small bites at any time.

However, the catering on this flight was disappointing. I had pre-ordered the dumpling noodle soup; a dish that has never disappointed me in the Cathay lounge. Since the departure was around midnight (3 a.m. Sydney time), I needed to catch up on sleep and requested it be served mid-flight.

What I received didn’t look very appetizing. More importantly, it tasted more like an instant cup noodle than something worthy of 5 Skytrax stars:

I’m not sure whether this was the noodle soup from the snack menu and the dinner version should have looked different. The pre-order photo at least showed some pak choi. But that doesn’t change much about the disappointing taste. So I ordered an apple crumble and a Häagen-Dazs ice cream to make up for it.

Breakfast didn’t go much better. I requested my breakfast choice three hours before landing (the “Wellness Breakfast”, after all those calories). When it was served, I was told that only Chinese or English breakfast options were left. So I went with the Chinese breakfast, since I can still have a British breakfast in the lounge later. The chicken congee was at least much better than the noodle soup.

Now on to the drinks. Aside from the “Cloud Nine” cocktail and the “Cathay Delight” mocktail (with kiwi juice and coconut milk), there are plenty of other options. The champagne choice was a Charles Heidsieck Brut Réserve, retailing for about €50 a bottle:

Service

The service was friendly but not particularly warm. It’s hard to tell whether the smiles were genuine or just part of the routine. But procedures were carried out efficiently and there wasn’t much to criticize, apart from the forgotten nuts.

Overall, the service concept felt a bit more restrained. Some airlines never let your drink run empty and show up immediately with a fresh glass of Coke. With some airlines, the crew takes the tray away the moment they notice you’re done. At Cathay, I had to wait so long that I eventually placed the tray on the bulkhead so I could continue working. That might just be company culture: doing the job by the book, not necessarily going the extra mile, but giving passengers their space.

Lufthansa’s service varies widely. With some flight attendants, you can instantly tell they’d rather be anywhere else. With others, I feel so well cared for that I don’t want to leave the plane. So service can range from 2 to 5+ stars. Every flight is a surprise bag.

With Cathay, I could barely tell the flight attendants apart. Not only because they look similar to a European eye, but because every interaction was carried out exactly the same way. No small talk, no jokes, not even a “Could I get you another…?”. But (almost) all my requests were fulfilled promptly.

One flight attendant on the connecting flight to London, however, showed that things can be different. I barely interacted with her because she was assigned to another aisle, but her smile during boarding already conveyed: I love my job. And that highlighted the contrast with the others.

In-Flight Entertainment

The huge 24″ 4K screen is definitely a highlight of the Aria Suite. On paper, it’s a bit smaller than the 27″ screens in Lufthansa’s Allegris Business Class suites. In practice, it feels noticeably larger because you sit quite close to it. Some Flyertalk users find the screen too big, but I love it. At home, I also sit happily in front of my 80″ screen and enjoy the cinema feeling.

Because the screen is so close to your hand, it can easily be operated by touch. Alternatively, you can remove the touchscreen remote from the side panel. The only odd thing is that the remote must be removed. If it stays in the panel, the screen won’t respond, even though that would be enough for adjusting the volume.

The selection is also impressive. I tried counting again but stopped after 1,000. If you want an overview beforehand, you can check the online catalog. Before starting a movie, there are two self-promo videos, but both can be skipped immediately.

There were also numerous complete seasons of full TV series (not just two or three episodes like on many other airlines) and 30 games including Angry Birds. Plus a comprehensive music selection, including enough jazz albums to keep me entertained for 20 hours. A glance at the flight map and good music, what more could you want?

You can zoom so far into airports and major cities that individual buildings can be identified thanks to OpenStreetMap. Even the gates at the airport. The only downside is that your exact location isn’t shown during taxiing on the ground, but that’s nitpicking at a very high level. Just like the lack of an HDMI input to connect your laptop; so far, I’ve only seen that in the Qatar QSuite.

The provided headphones look pretty cheap, but offer decent sound quality and active noise cancellation. Alternatively, you can pair your own headphones via Bluetooth.

Wi-Fi

Business Class passengers can use the Wi-Fi for the entire flight free of charge. All that’s required is entering your name and seat number. No frequent flyer account needed.

The internet becomes available after takeoff at around 10,000 feet and works until a few minutes before landing. I didn’t notice any significant outages, except for a single three-minute interruption over China.

Speeds were around 15 to 20 Mbit/s downstream. Not quite as fast as some aircraft equipped with Starlink, but more than sufficient for work, and video streaming is also possible. Unlike mainland Chinese airlines, Cathay does not route internet access through the Great Firewall.

Normally, access for the whole flight would have cost around US$20 (~€17) on Sydney–Hong Kong and US$22 (~€19) on Hong Kong–London. Still acceptable prices, even if some airlines now offer free Wi-Fi for everyone.

Extras / Miscellaneous

This section covers everything that didn’t fit into the other categories. First, there’s the amenity kit. The eye mask feels slightly more premium than usual, and it also includes a toothbrush, earplugs, mouthwash, and various cosmetics from Bamford. The bag itself can easily be reused as a cable pouch or toiletry bag (if you don’t already have a hundred of them at home).

Unfortunately, individual air vents are missing. The cabin tended to be on the cooler side. Wearing only a T-shirt, I was quite cold; under the blanket it was comfortable.

For a maximum of 45 Business Class passengers, three lavatories are available. An average ratio. There were no significant queues. The lavatories have also been refurbished and now feature touchless flushing and a foot pedal for the trash bin. Each one had a grey washcloth placed on the floor, apparently on purpose. Why, I couldn’t tell you. A nice detail: you can check on your screen at any time which lavatories are currently free:

Another detail is the artwork in the galley area, which makes the space look much more inviting than on many other airlines.

Cathay did not fly through Russian airspace on either of my flights. However, they don’t avoid it entirely. Flights from New York to Hong Kong, for example, still cross Siberia.

Transfer & Lounge in Hong Kong

In Hong Kong, every transfer apparently requires going through security again, no matter where you arrive from. After a long walk and some brief confusion caused by a misleading arrow, I was through in just a few minutes.

Afterward, I made a quick stop at the Qantas Lounge and then continued to the excellent First Class Lounge The Pier. I reviewed it last year. Little has changed:

Beyond the food and general atmosphere, the showers are also superb. No boarding pass check, no putting your name on a list, no buzzer with a two-hour wait like at Turkish. Just a warm, “Of course, please come with me.”

Conclusion

First, a brief summary of the pros and cons from my two flights:

* The rating refers to The Pier First Class Lounge in Hong Kong for Emerald status guests. The Business Lounge next door (included with a Business Class ticket) would only earn four stars.

Translated by Ditmar

A guest post by René

Founded in 1956, the Mongolian flag carrier MIAT is still largely unknown in Europe. Besides domestic routes within Mongolia, it operates many flights to Asia, especially Japan and South Korea. In Europe, only Frankfurt and Istanbul are currently served. Until recently, MIAT relied on Boeing 737s and, for long-haul flights, on an ageing 767 with a very unusual layout. Since 2023, MIAT has taken over two Dreamliners from Suparna Airlines, both registered in Ireland. The 787-9s were adopted with their original configuration and offer a competitive hard product. One important note: MIAT flies over Russian airspace, something to keep in mind when booking.

First, the facts:

• Flight: OM 138 Frankfurt FRA – Ulaanbaatar UBN
• Seats: 12A, 12D & 12G
• Aircraft: Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner EI-MGL (5 years old)
• Scheduled Departure: 14:20 (actual 14:46)
• Scheduled Arrival: 05:10 +1 (actual 04:06)
• Block Time: 8h 50m
• Travel Period: October 2025

Booking

I booked directly with MIAT. Our routing was FRA – UBN – ICN – UBN – FRA. The website is simple, fairly clear, and the menu is in English and self-explanatory.

Stopovers of up to 72 hours in Ulaanbaatar are officially allowed, but cannot be booked directly on the website. Two options: book the flight via an OTA, or book the flight normally with MIAT and then request the stopover by email. That worked very well for me; my return flight to Frankfurt was rescheduled for the next day, allowing me a 40-hour stopover. No extra charge. Whether this always works that smoothly, I don’t know.

There were two business-class fares available: a flex fare about €100 more expensive, or the regular fare, which allows cancellations for a €100 fee. Basically, a bit of a gimmick. I chose the regular fare. I booked approximately 10 months in advance during a Travel-Dealz deal for this routing: €1,432.97 per person in business class, including a stopover in Ulaanbaatar on the return, with a 14-hour layover already scheduled.

All four segments were originally scheduled to be operated by the Dreamliner. About a month before departure, one segment (ICN – UBN) was swapped to a 737-800 with recliner seats only. For a 3-hour daytime flight, that was fine. Included were the usual 2×32 kg checked bags and 1×12 kg carry-on.

Check-in

Using MIAT’s clean, well-designed BAGTAG app, I always had access to all information and changes, and later also to boarding passes. However, I checked in online via the website.

Check-in is at Terminal 2 at Frankfurt Airport. It opens exactly 3 hours before departure. There are three economy counters and one for business passengers. Bags are checked through to the final destination, and all boarding passes are issued.

Lounge(s)

The boarding pass includes access to the Primeclass Lounge. It’s located in the E-area and is rather small and compact, but at our time it was nearly empty. It offers a well-stocked self-service bar and a surprisingly decent selection of hot and cold food. We were positively surprised. Showers exist, but we didn’t use them.

In Ulaanbaatar, there is MIAT’s own Blue Sky Lounge. Space is limited, and during the morning rush, it’s always packed. The food selection is heavily tailored to Asian passengers (lots of instant noodles) and overall quite disappointing, except for the large vodka selection. There are no restrooms inside; you must use the crowded public airport toilets.

For completeness: in Seoul, you may use the excellent and almost empty Korean Air Lounge near Gate 28 in Terminal 1.

Boarding

Boarding begins about 50 minutes before departure. First, there is a boarding pass check to enter the gate’s holding area, which has no toilets. After that, business-class passengers board, followed by wheelchair users and families with children.

Boarding is through a single door located behind the business cabin. This is nice, as economy passengers don’t walk through the business cabin, making the arrival much calmer. Four flight attendants welcome passengers in the cabin.

Cabin & Seat

MIAT’s Dreamliners have 292 seats in three classes. Economy class has 226 seats in a 3-3-3 layout with 81 cm pitch. Premium Economy has 4 rows for 36 passengers, also 3-3-3 with 91 cm pitch, but no difference in width or features.

The business class is arranged in a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone layout with 30 seats over 8 rows (the last row has only two centre seats). Installed are Cirrus III seats (formerly Zodiac, now Safran), the same type used by Air France or Thai on the 787-9, SriLankan on the A330, and Cathay Pacific on the A350-1000.

The seat turns into a fully flat 1.98 m bed, with 106 cm pitch and 56 cm width. The belt includes an airbag, so no three-point belt is needed.

The cabin occupies the entire forward section and feels open and tidy, but lacks any colour accents, making it visually a bit dull.

Centre seats offer strong privacy, good for solo travellers, but inconvenient for couples or families. Because of the reverse-herringbone layout, you sit next to but not facing each other, and have to lean forward to communicate. There’s no divider between the two centre seats.

At the windows, looking out or taking photos is also slightly challenging because you sit fairly far from the window. Still, these are the more private seats.

There’s a small storage compartment with a mirror, IFE remote, and reading light. At the window seats, the compartment is open and has no mirror. Next to the aisle, each seat has a small storage area. Under the armrest, there’s space for a water bottle (already provided). Under the foot well, there’s enough room for shoes or a small backpack. A USB-A port and universal socket are also available.

Amenities at the seat include a very thick blanket and a mattress pad, which significantly improve sleep quality. The footwell is wide and comfortable, suitable for both back and side sleepers. Only the pillow was somewhat small.

There are three toilets. Two in the forward galley are small with only spray and soap. The third, in the aft galley, is larger and shared with Premium Economy. A staff member strictly enforces access. Economy passengers are sent to the rear. This toilet also has a “loo with a view,” offering a great engine view.

Amenity Kit

The amenity kit, shaped like a toiletry bag, was simple and unspectacular: good earplugs, a tight sleep mask, a comb, a toothbrush with Colgate toothpaste, slippers, lip balm, and a hand cream with a surprisingly interesting scent. I missed a pair of socks. MIAT does not provide pyjamas or sleepwear.

Service

Shortly after settling in, a welcome drink is served. Besides champagne and orange juice, you can order any other beverage, and it will be brought immediately. Before each of the two meals, a hot towel is offered; a large, thick, high-quality cotton towel.

The flight attendants are always very courteous and polite. However, their English is limited to memorised, rehearsed phrases. More complex questions are therefore not well understood, and small talk is almost impossible. Service is also very slow. Not ideal if you’re trying to maximise sleep. The first meal service lasted almost two hours. Still, they proactively checked several times whether you wanted anything else to eat.

I also noticed that there were no announcements from the cockpit during any of the four segments. This may be normal for Asian carriers, but as a European, I do like hearing at least something from the pilots.

Food & Drinks

After the hot towel came the first drink round, served with very tasty pine nuts.

Then there was a small amuse-bouche (tomato and mozzarella), and afterwards the main courses were taken. There was no printed menu, but the crew were able to list and explain everything very well. The options were:

• Tender beef with potato gratin, vegetables, and caramelised onions
• Lamb with tagliatelle and stewed vegetables
• Salmon with mashed potatoes, mushrooms, and vegetables

All three dishes were delicious, though the lamb was a bit tough. The meal came with bread (garlic bread was also available) and a cheese plate, plus salt and pepper. A small cake was served as dessert.

The second meal service began exactly two hours before landing. The lights were turned on, and everyone was inevitably woken up. Breakfast consisted of a filled omelette with fairly crispy bacon, porridge, and some fruit.

The quality of the food was excellent in all four segments. Consistently very tasty.

Entertainment & (No) Wi-Fi

Good noise-cancelling headphones were provided at the seat. The touchscreen monitor could also be operated via the remote control. Contrary to many older reports, about 40 English-language films are available. Not the very newest, but at least from the past year. As always, I stuck to the flight map.

Wi-Fi is not offered on MIAT flights.

Conclusion

Translated by Ditmar

December is right around the corner, and there are plenty of reasons to travel next month. Some will want to have beautiful Christmas holidays, some will need to travel to visit their families, some will want to escape the cold winter weather, and some will be looking to get the few missing status miles together. Whichever group you belong to, we’ve got you covered. First, we’ll take care of those still planning their Christmas Holidays, then we’ll focus on other deals that you can enjoy before Christmas.

Deals Available in the Christmas Holidays

Still planning your Christmas holidays? Well, it’s not too late, and while there aren’t super many options, we’ve found a few things that can help you save some money on your vacation.

Flights

First, let’s see which destinations you can fly to if you still don’t have anything planned for Christmas:

New York & Miami: €2,975 Oneworld First Class Tickets from Stockholm & Lisbon

If you’ve just won the lottery and want to have the best Christmas vacation ever, then this might be a nice idea. Fly first class to Christmas-City, New York! Flights from Stockholm cost SEK 32,693 (~€3,057) with British Airways, which is a great price for that route and travel period. You can depart on the day before Christmas Eve and fly back daily between December 28 and January 1 – even allowing you to spend New Year’s Eve at Times Square before flying back.

You can also depart from Lisbon. While the tickets are around €75 more expensive, the availability is higher.

Bangkok & Singapore: €1,332 Biman Bangladesh Business Class from Rome

If you’d like to spend New Year’s Eve in Singapore, this Biman Bangladesh deal could be a good way to get there. You’d depart from Rome on either December 25 or 28, spend 24 hours in Bangladesh, and then arrive in Singapore. The 8-hour flights to Dhaka are in lie-flat business class, while the 4-hour flights to Singapore are in Recliners. The earliest flight back after New Year’s Eve is on January 5. Using this deal to Bangkok is more complicated, as the latest departure date at this price is already December 9.

Wizz Air Flights between Poland & Norway for €33 r/t (€170 with Luggage)

Dreaming of a white Christmas? It doesn’t get much snowier than spending it in Trondheim (as I did in 2010, with -30°C and waist-high snow). Wizz Air is selling tickets from Poland to Norway – even on some dates during the Christmas holidays – for as little as PLN 138 (~€33) r/t. And if you’re a Norwegian wanting to get away from the snow piles for a couple of days, the deal works in the other direction, too.

Cruises

Want to spend Christmas on a cruise ship? There are some options:

MSC Musica Islands Cruise from Tenerife, incl. Tips (Outside Cabin)

If you book this 7-night MSC cruise for dates outside the Christmas holidays (e.g. December 7-14), you’ll merely pay €437 per person for an outside cabin, including tips and meals. While the Christmas dates cannot match that price, paying €749 per person for the Christmas cruise (December 21-28) is still a very fair price. There’s also an option in between, costing €557 between December 14-21.

Ruby Princess: 16-Night Hawaii & Mexico Cruise from San Francisco in an Oceanview Cabin

Looking to spend your Christmas holidays on board the Ruby Princess, cruising both to Hawaii and Mexico? Then this 16-night cruise from San Francisco is a “cheap” option. An oceanview cabin for dates including Christmas and New Year’s Eve (December 17 – January 2) costs €1,139 per person. If you’re looking to save some money, you can take the cruise before that (December 1 – 17) for €855 per person.

Celestyal Cruises from Dubai & Abu Dhabi, Starting at €369 pp (incl. Tips & Mealtime Drinks)

If you want to spend the Christmas holidays in the Middle East, you could add these Orient cruises for as little as €369 per person, including tips, drinks during meals, and wi-fi for messaging. The cruises are 3 to 7 nights long – whichever you prefer.

Hotels

There are too many hotels worldwide for us to make specific recommendations. However, we can still remind you of the current hotel promos and our best hotel deals that are available in this travel period:

IHG One Rewards: Up to 3x Points for Stays (Registration Required)

Before we dive into specific options, here’s something that you can apply to your Christmas holidays overall. IHG is still offering triple points on stays through the end of the year, as long as you register. Now, not everyone will be spending their holidays at IHG hotels, but those who do should definitely remember to register for this promo.

Hilton Honors: 2,500 Bonus Points per Stay (Registration Required)

Same story as above. This won’t be the main factor in your holiday plans, but if you’re staying at a Hilton, don’t forget to sign up for this promo, which gives you 2,500 extra points per stay.

Marriott Bonvoy: 2,025 Bonus Points per Stay (Max. Three Stays, Registration Required)

Marriott also has a similar promotion for its members, valid for up to three stays before January 10. This one also requires you to sign up first.

Wyndham Rewards: 7,500 Bonus Points Every 2 Nights (Registration Required)

While not very popular amongst our readers, it’s worth mentioning that Wyndham also has a points promo for this travel period. And objectively speaking, it’s the most generous, as it gets you a free night (at their low-class hotels) after only 2 nights.

Vancouver: Free Prepaid Mastercard for Hotel Stays = Hotels with up to 49% Discount

If you’re going to spend the Christmas holidays in Vancouver, make sure to book your hotel on stayvancouverhotels.com, as, in simplified terms, it will get you a discount of up to CA$250 (~€155).

Roomers Munich, Autograph Collection: €187/Night Incl. Breakfast & $100 Credit (Min. 3 Nights)

If you’re spending Christmas in Southern Germany, then you may want to consider staying 3 nights at the 5-star Roomers hotel in Munich. Through our partner Classictravel, you’d pay only €178 per night, including breakfast, and US$100 (~€86) to spend at the hotel.

Deals Available in December, Before Christmas

Want to relax a bit before the family comes over on Christmas? Or want to earn some status miles while escaping the cold European temperatures? Well, we have plenty of ideas:

Flights

Looking for a spontaneous escape, leaving Europe behind you in December, before the Christmas rush begins? We have a lot of options ready for you:

Xi’an, China: €1,448 Non-Stop Shanghai Airlines Business Class from Budapest

If you’re looking for a last-minute business class flight, you could fly non-stop from Budapest to Xi’an with Shanghai Airlines. The latest outbound date at this price before the Christmas holidays is December 13. You can fly back on December 20, 27, or January 10.

Business Class to 20 Chinese Cities for €1,329 with Lufthansa & Air China from Norway

If Xi’an is not for you, and you prefer flying to other cities in China, you can also fly with Air China from Norway. The price is even €100 cheaper, though Air China’s business class is not as fancy, still flying a 2-2-2 seat alignment. The latest departure date before Christmas is December 10, with flights back to Norway at that price being available on December 17, 20, 21, 22, 23, and 26.

Southeast Asia, China & More: €422 Shenzhen Airlines Flights from Barcelona (With 2×23 Kg)

If you’re looking to explore Asia in December, last-minute and as cheaply as possible, you could fly with Star Alliance member Shenzhen Airlines from Barcelona for as little as €422, including 2 x 23 kg of luggage. Sadly, the latest departure date at that price is December 5. Flights back, however, are in abundance – almost daily until December 30.

China, Thailand, Vietnam & More Asia: China Southern Flights from Madrid Starting at €368

Flights from the other Spanish metropolis, Madrid, are even cheaper. There, you’d be flying with China Southern for only €368. However, with only 1 x 23 kg of luggage. The latest departure date at that price is December 11. You can fly back on any Monday, Wednesday, or Friday up to December 31.

China: €664 Shanghai Airlines Non-Stop Premium Economy Flights from Budapest

If business class is too expensive and economy class too uncomfortable, there’s premium economy in between. Non-stop flights from Budapest to China start at only €664 with Shanghai Airlines. The latest departure date before Christmas is on December 6, with flights back available on December 13, 14, 20, and 27.

Indonesia, Vietnam, Cambodia & More: Etihad Business Class from Europe, Starting at €1,585

Etihad is very popular amongst our readers, so this business-class deal might raise more than a few eyebrows. However, the latest available date in December is already December 3. In other words, this is very last-minute and not really a Christmas deal, unless you’re planning on a very long Christmas holiday. Flights back are available on every Tuesday and Sunday until December 28.

Bangkok: €993 ITA Airways Premium Economy from Italy, Spain, France & Greece

Another last-minute deal. This one has you flying to Bangkok in premium economy with ITA Airways. The price of €993 is attractive, but the last possible departure date in December is on December 4, and the last return date is also only 1 week later.

Kigali, Entebbe, Johannesburg & Maputo: €501 Ethiopian Airlines Flights from London

Looking to escape the cold winter and spend some time in Africa? Ethiopian has some options, with €500 tickets that include 2x 23 kg of luggage. Sadly, the latest departure date is on December 4, and you’ll have to fly back before December 24. So plan on spending Christmas back home.

Johannesburg, South Africa: €408 Air France/KLM Flights from Norway (€522 with Luggage)

Looking to escape the Norwegian cold before Christmas? Then Air France and KLM will gladly fly you to South Africa for as little as €408. The last departure date before Christmas is on December 7, and you have to fly back by December 25.

Bangkok: €675 Non-Stop Norse Premium Economy from Oslo & Stockholm (€769 with 23 Kg)

If you want to fly premium economy to Bangkok, paying €675 for the round-trip is an insanely cheap price – especially for a non-stop connection. This price is available for departures before December 7 and returns before December 25.

Bangkok: €506 Hainan Airlines Flights from Brussels (With Luggage)

If you’re in Brussels, you can fly to Bangkok for €506, including luggage. The flights are offered by the 5-star airline Hainan Airlines, with short layovers in China. The last departure date before Christmas is on December 8. Flying back is more flexible, with almost daily availability until December 30.

Tokyo Haneda: €1,030 ITA Airways Premium Economy from Italy, Spain, France & Brussels

ITA Airways is selling cheap premium economy tickets to Tokyo. The latest departure date for the €1,030 price is December 12. The flight back has to take place by December 24.

Shanghai, China: €1,512 Turkish Airlines Business Class from Bucharest

If you can get to Bucharest before December 11, Turkish Airlines will fly you business class to Shanghai for only €1,512. You can fly back almost daily until January 1. In theory, you could spend both Christmas and New Year’s Eve in China.

Cruises

Looking for a cheap last-minute cruise? Look no further:

Costa Pacifica: 15 Nights from Italy → Dominican Republic in an Oceanview Cabin for €599 pp

Looking to spend two weeks in December on board a cruise ship and Christmas in the Dominican Republic? Then this deal is just what you’re looking for. Departing from Savona, Italy, on December 6, you’ll only pay €599 per person in an outside cabin, including meals and tips. You’ll reach La Romana on December 21.

MSC Splendida: 7 Nights in a Balcony Cabin from Barcelona for €668 pp, incl. Tips & Credit

If you liked the idea of a December cruise but want to stay in Europe, you can book the MSC Splendida. The 7-night cruise starts and ends in Barcelona, and a balcony cabin merely costs €668. The two possible dates are December 6-13 or 13-20.

Royal Princess Cruise in Balcony Cabin from Los Angeles for $935/€672 pp

If you’d like to spend the majority of December on board a cruise ship, you can head to Los Angeles and embark on a 14-night cruise. A balcony cabin on the Royal Princess currently costs merely €601 per person. The cruise departs on December 6 and returns on December 20.

Brand New Ships: 7-Night Caribbean Cruises for €418 pp (Oceanview Cabin)

The Sun Princess and Star Princess are beautiful new cruise ships offering a range of modern amenities. This December, you have a couple of options (before Christmas) to spend 7 nights on either ship, departing from and returning to Fort Lauderdale, for as little as €418 per person in an outside cabin.

Caribbean Princess Cruise from Fort Lauderdale for €588 pp (Outside Cabin)

Retired and have loads of time on your hands? How about heading to Fort Lauderdale and getting on board the Caribbean Princess in Fort Lauderdale on December 11? Then, after 12 nights, you disembark in Fort Lauderdale again, on December 23, right in time to enjoy Christmas on the mainland. The cruise only costs €588 per person in an outside cabin.

Hotels

Last but not least, here are some of the best hotel deals available in December:

Hotel Stripes Kuala Lumpur (Autograph Collection): €86 per Night incl. Breakfast

If you’re going to Kuala Lumpur in December, we’ve got a good hotel for you. Through ASMALLWORLD, you can book Marriott’s 5-star Hotel Stripes for merely €86 per night, including breakfast, an upgrade, and a couple of extras. There isn’t even a minimum stay requirement. Sadly, the price doubles during the Christmas holidays.

Bangkok: €152/Night at the Banyan Tree Hotel in a 48m² Room Incl. Breakfast, Lounge Access

Staying at the Banyan Tree Hotel in Bangkok, with breakfast and lounge access for only €152 per night, is a great deal. Sadly, it’s not available during peak Christmas holidays, but you can take advantage of the 2-night offer on December 7-9, as well as on a couple of other nights in December for a slightly higher price. The latest available dates in December, however, are December 21-23. Remember to use code dealz8 to get the cheapest price.

Regent Hong Kong: 3-for-2 Deal, Starting at €346/Night with Breakfast & $100 Credit (Flex)

The Regent Hong Kong is currently offering a 3-for-2 deal, and while the hotel is very expensive during the Christmas holidays, you can get a price of around €350 on most December dates before Christmas Eve. Considering that this is one of the best hotels in an expensive city like Hong Kong, that’s a good deal. So, how about beginning your Christmas holidays in Hong Kong, e.g. paying €359 per night from December 21 – 24:

Playa del Carmen: Mahekal Beach Resort for €207/Night, with Breakfast, Dinner (min. 4 Nights)

Looking to enjoy some time on the beach before the Christmas holidays? Then head to Playa del Carmen, where the beautiful Mahekal Beach Resort is offering a great deal. A rate with breakfast and dinner only costs €207 per night, as long as you stay at least 4 nights. The latest check-out date, however, is December 23.

The Canary Islands have always been a popular destination for cruises, especially in the winter. This season, there are even more ships than usual cruising the Canaries. Because of safety issues in the Red Sea and the Arabian Gulf, many cruise lines have decided to offer Canary Islands itineraries instead. As a result, the islands will host seven mainstream cruise lines with eight ships offering one-week itineraries, in addition to the ships visiting from other parts of Europe.

Perhaps you have been planning a cruise in this region for a long time but have not yet decided on a specific cruise line or a particular ship. In this article, we would like to give you an overview of which ships will be operating in the Canary Islands in the upcoming winter season.

As a native of the Canary Islands and a travel journalist, I have prepared some insider information for each island that many of the passengers on your cruise ship may be unaware of.

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Canary Islands Cruises

This winter, cruise tourism has experienced an explosion of ships in the islands. There will be five different mainstream cruises for the German market, two for the British market, and two for the European market, in addition to luxury cruise lines and cruises departing from the European mainland to visit the Canary Islands and return. We have reviewed all the options so that you can make an informed decision about which cruise might be ideal for you to escape the European cold and enjoy the Canary Islands.

AIDA

The German market leader AIDA, part of the Carnival group, will be operating in the Canary Islands during the winter of 2025/2026 with the ships AIDAcosma, AIDAbella, and AIDAluna. This year, they have added a third cruise that was originally scheduled to be in the Arabian Emirates.

The AIDAcosma will primarily offer one-week cruises from November 2025 to March 2026. You can start or end your journey in either Gran Canaria or Tenerife. On the 7-night tours, the ship also calls at Fuerteventura, Lanzarote, Madeira, and La Palma. At the end of the season, there will be a one-off repositioning cruise to the Mediterranean in March 2026, where you can disembark in either Barcelona (9 nights) or Palma de Mallorca (10 nights). The AIDAcosma is a sister ship to the Costa Smeralda and Costa Toscana, so you can expect a similar experience.

f you prefer to travel on a smaller cruise, AIDA will have the two sister ships, AIDAbella and AIDAluna, from the Sphinx class, which are typically sent by the German cruise line to the islands every winter. With these cruises, you can depart from Fuerteventura or Tenerife for some sailings, but the majority of departures are from Gran Canaria. The itineraries vary, with some sailings visiting continental Africa and the standard itinerary visiting the Canary Islands and Madeira.

TUI Cruises

Mein Schiff is a joint venture between the German tour operator TUI and Royal Caribbean, positioned slightly more premium than AIDA. This winter, due to the situation in the Middle East, it is deploying its two most newest ships, the Mein Schiff 7 and the Mein Schiff Relax, in the Canary Islands. Like AIDA, Mein Schiff primarily operates in German, although the staff usually speaks English; however, you should keep in mind that it is an experience designed for the German market. One of the positive aspects of traveling with this cruise line is the all-inclusive package, which includes over a hundred brands of alcohol and tips included in the price.

The Mein Schiff 7 will be based in the port of Las Palmas in Gran Canaria for the upcoming winter season. The program includes various cruises lasting from 7 to 14 nights. In addition to the Canary Islands, the ship will, depending on the route, either stop in Madeira or Agadir. It is possible to combine both routes.

Furthermore, you can also opt for a cruise on the newest fleet member, Mein Schiff Relax. Here, embarkation is possible not only in Gran Canaria but also in Tenerife. This ship offers one-week trips. In April 2026, there will be a one-off repositioning cruise lasting 9 nights from Tenerife to Mallorca.

MSC Cruises

If you prefer a less German atmosphere during your cruise vacation, both MSC and Costa Cruises will be operating in the islands. In the case of MSC, it will operate with the MSC Musica, one of the smaller ships in the fleet, but ideal for a relaxing vacation.

To ensure maximum flexibility for arrival and departure, MSC allows embarkation in Lanzarote, Gran Canaria, and Tenerife. The trips last for one week, and the ship calls at destinations including Madeira and Fuerteventura. Departures are available until April 2026.

Costa Cruises

Additionally, the Italian cruise line Costa will also be present in the Canary Islands this winter with the Costa Fortuna. If you are nostalgic for the old Costa Cruises, this is one of your last opportunities to travel on this classic ship, as it will be sold to Margaritaville at Sea in 2026 to offer cruises in the Bahamas.

The Costa Fortuna will offer one-week cruises with embarkation in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria or Santa Cruz de Tenerife from December 2025 to April 2026. You can also book the positioning cruises from Europe to the Canaries in December, returning in April.

Additionally, due to the cancellation of Emirates cruises for the Costa Toscana, there will be a trip in November from Europe to the Canary Islands with Costa’s flagship.

P&O Cruises

If you don’t want to be listening to German during your vacation or feel like you’re in the European Parliament in Brussels hearing announcements in five languages, you have two British options for visiting the islands, departing from the Canary Islands.

On one hand, you have the P&O Azura with one-week itineraries from Tenerife. Although it is a ship from 2010, it will be refurbished in April 2026. On the other hand, Marella (TUI UK) will have one of its cruises with weekly departures in the Canary Islands.

Luxury Cruise Lines

For those seeking a more intimate cruising experience without the large crowds and with a more flexible budget, there are two alternatives to consider:

MS La Belle des Océans: This ship, operated by CroisiEurope, has a maximum capacity of 130 passengers and operates open jaw itineraries starting or ending in Lanzarote or Tenerife.

Windstar: The American luxury cruise line Windstar is launching 10 night itineraries this season for the first time departing from Tenerife with stops in La Gomera, La Palma, Madeira (with an overnight stay), Lanzarote, and Gran Canaria.

Cruises to the Canary Islands from Europe

If health issues or fears prevent you from traveling by plane but you want to visit the Canary Islands without spending almost two days on a passenger ferry, there are options available for the winter season.

From Barcelona: The Celebrity Infinity will have 10-11 day routes to the Canary Islands and Morocco during the months of December and January.

From the United Kingdom: P&O Cruises will offer several cruises on this route from Southampton this winter. We recommend doing it with Iona, as it is the newest ship. If you are looking for a premium experience, Cunard will have several trips this winter with the brand new Queen Anne and Queen Victoria. Although it is not the cheapest cruise of the season, this sailing of the Queen Victoria coincides with Carnival week.

Tips for the Ports in the Canary Islands

As a local of the Canary Islands, I would like to provide some information that I hope will help you during your cruise in the Canary Islands. You will need to choose whether your cruise departs from Santa Cruz de Tenerife or Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. If you purchase your cruise with flights, you don’t need to worry, but if you’re traveling independently, you should be aware that Tenerife has two airports (North and South), and only the South has direct flights outside of Spain. You can fly into Tenerife North, but you will typically need to connect through Madrid or Barcelona.

If it is up to you where your cruise starts, either of the two islands is a good starting point for your cruise. However, my personal recommendation, whether you decide to take just the cruise or stay longer, is to start from Gran Canaria. That said, if the combination of flight prices plus the cruise is more economical from Tenerife, it is also a good option.

How to Get to The Canary Islands

Unless you are coming to the islands on a passenger ferry from Huelva or a repositioning cruise, you will take to take a plane to get to your cruise. Fortunely the Canary Islands has an outstanding connectivity and you can find all sort of options from the cheapest low cost flight with extras to fly on business class on a lie flat seat with Finnair or EDELWEISS with their Airbus A350.

Low Cost Carriers

The Canary Islands welcome more than fifteen million tourists, and most fly on low-cost airlines. Practically every regional airport, even the smallest in Europe, offers flights to the Canary Islands in winter. Keep in mind which airline you choose based on how convenient it is for you, and if you have several airlines with the same price, compare the cost of extras (seats, checked baggage) to make your decision.

Flag Carriers

Slowly but surely, flag carriers are starting to have more connections with the islands. The Lufthansa Group offers the most options, both via Zurich with EDELWEISS and with Lufthansa or Discover Airlines in Germany, as well as Brussels Airlines or Austrian Airlines. In Northern Europe, you can fly with SAS or Finnair to the Canary Islands on the Airbus A350, with plenty of connections, while Aer Lingus and British Airways also offer flights to the islands. The downside is that all international flights arrive at Tenerife South.

The other option is to fly via mainland Spain, particularly if your cruise departs from Tenerife, because most flights from mainland Spain arrive at Tenerife North. In this case, the best choice would be Iberia due to its number of connections and hand luggage policy. If you have status with SkyTeam, Air Europa is another option to consider, which allows a free bag for SkyTeam Elite holders. My personal recommendation is to avoid Vueling, unless the price of extras and connections works in your favor.

How to get from the airport to the port

If you fly to Gran Canaria: If you want to go directly to Las Palmas, you will need to take the local bus (guagua) 60 to Santa Catalina for €2.95, and it will drop you off near the cruise terminal. A taxi will cost between €30 and €40; if you go directly to the cruise, ask the driver to leave you at “centro comercial el muelle,” which is next to the cruise terminal, and you won’t have to pay the extra fee.

If you fly to Tenerife: Fom Tenerife South, you will need to take bus 111 for around €10 or pay €80 to €100 for a taxi for a 45 minute ride to get to Santa Cruz. If you choose to fly to Tenerife Norte, the taxi ride will take 10 to 30 minutes, depending on traffic, and it will cost around €30. Alternatively, you can take bus line 20 to the capital for €2.65.

Public transport in the Canaries is not designed for tourists, and although it is technically possible to do sightseeing this way, I personally do not recommend it. A good hack is to reserve a rental car at the airport with return at the port. In January, you can book a car with Cicar for three days from Tenerife South to the port of Santa Cruz for €100. This might be the first time you hear about this rental agency, but it is a staple in the Canary Islands. For €25 to €40 a day, you can rent a car with a second driver included, no credit card needed for the reservation, zero deductible, and even pay with cash.

Cicar is the largest car rental company in the islands, but you can also check TopCar, AutoReisen, or Plus Car, although the latter is a budget option. At the cruise terminals of all the islands, you can rent cars for €80, which, while not the cheapest price, will be less than a taxi. The current price of 95-octane gasoline in Tenerife is €1.10 per liter.

Both ports have accommodation options for all budgets, although if you plan to stay one night in Tenerife before your cruise, I recommend staying in La Laguna instead of Santa Cruz de Tenerife.

What to Do During Your Cruise Stop

Tenerife: If you don’t want to complicate things, you can visit La Laguna by taking the tram (45 minutes, €1.35), which is a UNESCO World Heritage site where you can enjoy its historic center and gastronomy. If the weather is nice, you can go to Playa de Las Teresitas, which is just a few kilometers away.

Personally, I would take advantage of the layover time and rent a car. If you’re traveling with kids, you should head to the South to Siam Park, one of the best water parks in Europe, and eat in Tajao, a fishing village very close to Tenerife South airport. Another option is to visit the north of the island, reaching Garachico and the area known as “isla baja.” Along the way, you can try a “guachinche,” which are restaurants that only sell their own harvested wine and homemade food.

Gran Canaria: Las Palmas de Gran Canaria has plenty to offer for your day stop. You can visit the historic old town in Vegueta or enjoy Playa de Las Canteras. That said, if you feel up for it, I would rent a car to visit the village of Teror, the Cruz de Tejeda, the village of Artenara, and the dunes of Maspalomas.

Fuerteventura: Locals refer to the island’s capital as “Muerto del Rosario” (Dead of the Rosary) due to the limited activities. If you don’t want to rent a car, the excursion I would recommend is to the north of the island to Corralejo on line 6. To visit the dunes, you will need to get off at “los hoteles” (the hotels). The bus runs every half hour during the week.

Lanzarote: If you don’t want to go too far, you can stay in Arrecife and visit Charco de San Ginés, Castillo de San José, and, if the weather is good, take a swim in the urban Playa del Reducto. Like in the other islands, I recommend renting a car to make the most of the day and visit some works by the local artist César Manrique, such as the Cueva de los Verdes, the Jardín de Cactus, or the Jameos del Agua. If you want to eat, search for “teleclub” on Google Maps; these places used to be social clubs 50 years ago where people went to watch television, but nowadays they are run by locals with very affordable prices and typically good quality.

La Palma: If you don’t want to rent a car, you can visit the historic center of Santa Cruz de La Palma. If you want to go hiking, you have the Cubo de la Galga, which is less than half an hour away by bus from the capital. After the hike, you can eat at Casa Asterio, which is right in front of the bus stop to return to Santa Cruz de La Palma. If you rent a car and the weather is nice, I recommend driving up to Roque de los Muchachos and returning through Garafía to explore the northwest region. If you don’t have much time on your stop, you can return to Santa Cruz.

La Gomera: This stop is not typically on most cruise itineraries. If you are in Tenerife, you can book an excursion for €100, which includes the bus, ferry to La Gomera, and a tour. The roads in La Gomera are narrower than on other islands, so it may not be very comfortable to visit by car; you can always book an excursion.

On all the islands, you will find taxi drivers offering routes, which can be a more comfortable option but more expensive; however, if you have a group of 6 to 8 people, this is ideal. To get an idea of local prices in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the flag fall during the week is €3, the kilometer costs €0.85, and the hourly waiting rate is €17. Therefore, if you research the route before negotiating, you’ll know whether you’re being offered a good or bad price.

One last recommendation is for shopping. Although the Canaries are no longer a free port, there are still items where prices will be better than in Europe. Perfumes are usually cheaper, so check their prices before purchasing, and you might find a good deal. Photography equipment in stores run by the Hindu community often has better prices; I recommend checking the websites of Orly or Duke Fotografia to compare prices with those in your area. Everything you purchase will have a 3-year warranty in Spain. Lastly, my recommendation is to buy local wines if you are checking in luggage, or local rum (Ron Aldea 8 Barricas for around €18) if you are shopping at the Duty Free store at the airport.

Conclusion

If you’ve been dreaming of a Canary Islands cruise, this winter is a truly great opportunity. A shift in global itineraries has turned the region into a buzzing hub for ships, which means more choice in styles and experiences than we’ve ever seen. Whether you’re looking for the high energy of a mega-ship or the quiet elegance of a smaller luxury vessel, a perfect sunny escape is waiting for you.

If you have any specific questions, feel free to leave them in the comments, and I will try to answer as soon as possible.

LuxuryEscapes is one of our favourite sites to search for great hotel deals. Not every deal on their site is good, but some of them are really great. And if you combine them with our exclusive 8% coupon, you’ll often save quite a lot on these 5-star hotels and resorts. We’ve decided to give you an overview of the LuxuryEscapes deals we’ve posted recently, the ones that you can expect to see in more detail in the near future, and an honourable mention.

LuxuryEscapes Promo Code

Let’s begin with the star of this show. Our 8% LuxuryEscapes not only makes their already good offers even more attractive – it can also save you money on offers we don’t list below. No matter if you are interested in one of our featured deals or eyeing something completely different: When spending at least €200, you can save up to €400 when entering dealz8 during checkout.

Our Best LuxuryEscapes Deals

Daily Travel-Dealz readers will be familiar with the deals in this section, but who knows, maybe you missed one:

Bangkok: Banyan Tree for €152/night with breakfast & lounge access

Bangkok is a very popular destination amongst our readers, and so this deal did very well. And it’s really a good one, offering you a large room, breakfast, and lounge access for only €152 at the Banyan Tree hotel with it’s iconic Vertigo rooftop bar.

Bali: Six Senses Uluwatu for €506/night, with breakfast, dinner, & extras

This deal clearly puts an emphasis on the Luxury in LuxuryEscapes, as Six Senses is one of the most luxurious hotel chains. Currently, you can book the Six Senses uluwatu on Bali for €506 per night, including breakfast, dinner, and some extras.

London: Marble Arch for €170/night, with breakfast

Fancy hotels in London are usually very expensive, so this deal for the well-located Marble Arch Hotel for €170/night with breakfast may be quite attractive for many readers visiting the British capital between January and April, or after September 2026.

Florence: Relais Uffizi for €156/night, with breakfast

Florence is another destination where hotels are expensive if you want a good location. Thanks to this deal, however, you can spend 3 nights there for only €469 (i.e. €156/night), including (a very good) breakfast. Sadly, the price is only available until February.

Singapore: Sofitel Sentosa Island for €257/night, with breakfast, dinner, & extras

Speaking of expensive destinations, Singapore is also one of them. And the island of Sentosa even more so. Now, Sentosa is not for everyone. If you’re going to Singapore for shopping, Marina Bay, and the Supertrees, then you should maybe stay somewhere else. But if you’re planning to relax at the beach or take your kids to Universal Studios and other highlights of Sentosa, then this Sofitel is a good choice. You’ll pay €257 per night, including breakfast and dinner, plus a few extras.

Playa del Carmen: Mahekal Beach Resort for €207/night with breakfast, dinner, & extras

This one’s more for our American readers, looking to spend some time at a Mexican beach next summer. The Mahekal Beach Resort in Playa del Carmen is a beautiful resort, and you’d currently pay €207 per night, including breakfast, dinner, and some extras. You can also bring 2 kids for free.

London: The Clermont, Victoria for €234/night with Breakfast

While not as cheap as the Marble Arch hotel, this boutique hotel right next to Victoria station is also quite an attractive deal. Usually charging over €300 per night, you can currently get it for only €234 through LuxuryEscapes. The minimum stay is only 2 nights.

Other Good Deals on LuxuryEscapes

There are also a couple of LuxuryEscapes deals that we have an eye on. While we cannot promise that we’ll present them in more detail, these are definitely worth a closer look:

Kuala Lumpur: EQ for €144/night, with breakfast

Other than most cities on this list, Kuala Lumpur is actually a rather cheap destination, with 5-star hotels often charging 2-digit prices. Nevertheless, this deal for the EQ Kuala Lumpur is still worth taking a look at, as the rooms are really large and the hotel offers beautiful views of the Petronas Towers. The hotel is located exactly in the middle between the Petronas Towers, the KL Tower, and the Golden Triangle with all of its shopping malls, so the location is quite ideal for any type of traveller.

Bali: RIMBA for €186/night, with breakfast, dinner, and many extras

You’d be staying in a 42 m² resort view room, get daily buffet breakfast and dinner, unlimited rounds of putting golf, access to three beach clubs, and much more. You have to stay at least 5 nights, and it’s available year-round.

The new Swiss Senses cabin on board the new Swiss Airbus A350 is currently touring around Europe. That’s ideal not only for Swiss cabin crew to get familiar with the procedures, but also for aviation enthusiasts, and therefore also for us, to take a look at the cabin away from big press events.

In this article, we’ll take you along on two flights across Europe aboard Swiss’s newest fleet member: one evening flight from Zurich to Prague and then the return flight the next morning. So please excuse the differences in lighting conditions in the photos.

The Cabin

Familiar, yet quite different. That describes the cabin pretty accurately. The seat layout is identical to Lufthansa’s Allegris cabin down to the details. Swiss only offers two additional rows in Business and Premium Economy in their Airbus A350-900.

In Zurich, they’ve also chosen a different colour concept, which is implemented differently across the travel classes. Everywhere you can find subtle references to the existing Swiss onboard product, especially in Premium Economy, which in this form has already been used on the long-haul fleet since 2022.

Swiss manages to give a well-known cabin concept a distinct twist and a clear recognition factor. Each of the 243 seats reflects the previously known design language, now complemented by a Bordeaux red colour accent. The cabin layout per class is as follows:

• 156 seats in Economy Class
• 38 seats in Premium Economy Class
• 45 seats in Business Class
• 3–4 seats in First Class

Economy Class

This is the travel class in which most passengers will continue to sit in the future, and compared to older Swiss seats still flying around, it has finally arrived in the present day. That means adjustable headrests, a proper entertainment system, and, unfortunately, still rather narrow armrests.

The design hasn’t changed much. You still get the beige checked pattern seat, likely without the white cloth headrest, in the future. The side padding should increase comfort on longer flights.

The screen now measures 13 inches, offers 4K resolution, and responds quickly via touch. It’s available in four languages and has USB-C, USB-A, and a headphone jack. Bluetooth pairing for headphones is finally possible.

The tray table is no longer foldable in the middle, meaning if you want to place something down without fully opening the table, you’re limited to the cupholder. The table also pulls forward and has a perforation for drinks. Whether this open lock is a good long-term idea, though, is questionable. Crumbs and grains of rice will likely end up in there sooner or later.

Currently, the first Economy row behind Premium Economy is blocked (as was the case for a long time at Lufthansa) because airbags are missing. These would prevent the head from hitting the hard plastic partition. Apparently, there wasn’t enough time to install Lufthansa’s solution before delivery.

What are the best Economy seats in the new Senses cabin?

Assuming the seats directly behind Premium Economy become usable soon, these seats are probably the best choice, thanks to their extra legroom. With only two rows there, it’s relatively private and calm.

Otherwise, I’d recommend seats in row 28 or row 43 on the right-hand side. The first still has decent legroom, the latter is a row of 2 seats by the window, and thus more relaxed than the typical triple rows.

Premium Economy

Most frequent flyers already know these seats, as they are more or less identical since 2022. Due to the hard shell, the seat moves forward inside the shell when you recline, so the person behind you isn’t affected. Tall passengers may find this uncomfortable at the knees, though.

Swiss chose a slightly updated version of this seat. Like in Business and First, you can now wirelessly charge devices under the armrest. Probably only on brand new aircraft, retrofitting the existing fleet would be too much effort.

Another shared feature with Business/First is the three-point belt, which must only be worn during takeoff and landing. The little divider at head level gives a slight sense of privacy.

Under the centre armrest, you’ll find wireless charging, a headphone jack, and USB-A. Two mechanical buttons adjust the seat; however, these are placed awkwardly. On night flights, I’ve accidentally pressed them in my sleep, which then reset the seat position and woke me up. The same happened to colleague Felix, according to his review.

What are the best Premium Economy seats?

There are hardly any differences between seats here. I’d prefer the window pairs, maybe the first row, but comfort differences are minimal.

Business Class

In the previous Swiss Business, you still had a bit of a “choice” between pairs or single seats. Now every seat has direct aisle access, but in return, there are fewer seats ideal for couples. Seat materials are in deep Bordeaux red with black accents and light wood surfaces.

Pros and cons are identical to Lufthansa Allegris Business, and I’m including my Allegris long-haul experience as well regarding space, seating comfort, and sleep comfort (these parameters translate 1:1 to Senses due to identical seat platform).

All Swiss Senses Business seats have:

• seat heating/cooling
• 4K monitor
• wireless charging
• 60W USB-C + USB-A + universal power outlet
• “sink-in” padding for side sleepers
• closing compartment for an amenity kit, etc.

One major drawback across all seats: you still can’t use the tablet and main screen simultaneously. If you open the tablet (e.g. to change seat mode), the main screen switches off.

Extra Privacy Seat (Window)

Probably the most interesting seat type. There are 12 of them, and the two in row 7 offer extra space. Swiss doesn’t charge extra for them.

What’s a slight negative: the fixed armrest on the window side restricts sleeping position somewhat, though shoulder space remains fine. Storage and having two windows are big advantages.

Classic Seat/Extra Long Bed Seat

This is the weakest seat type in the new Swiss Senses Business. Most exposed and less foot space. There are 15 of them, so most passengers will end up here.

Rows C and H have a bit more storage than D and G. You can sit closer together here with a travel partner (which is otherwise only possible in Business suites, which are even more expensive).

The Extra Long Bed version adds 20cm more footwell length. There are 5 of them. Unfortunately, it doesn’t really increase usable foot space. Tall people may still struggle sleeping sideways.

Business Suite

My favourite seat in the Allegris/Senses cabin is still the Business Suite, more specifically, the window suites in rows 2 and 8 (A/K). These offer by far the most space and privacy. You also benefit from a larger screen than you get in most Business Class seats. There’s also the most legroom here, as your feet don’t extend under a seat in front.

The middle suites, unfortunately, offer noticeably less space than the window suites. However, you can sit together here and lower the divider across the full length of the seats. All suites have extra high walls and closing doors so you can fully retreat. With reservation fees of up to CHF 690 (~€742) though, the pricing is quite steep, almost outrageous.

Extra Space Seat

The 5 Extra Space Seats will probably be most interesting for business travellers who need to work during the flight. Besides the suites, this is the only Business Class seat type that costs extra. Depending on the route, up to CHF 265 (~€285) can be charged here. After the window suites, these offer the most storage space.

Like in the suites, you also benefit from a 24-inch screen. The footwell, however, is much more restricted, as it disappears into the fairly narrow centre console of the seats in front. Still, thanks to its location, this seat offers a higher level of privacy on its own, even without extra high walls.

Which are the best Business Class seats in the new Senses cabin?

This depends on two scenarios. If the reservation fee doesn’t matter, then the window suites are my clear recommendation.

If you want/need to choose among the three free seat types, the Extra Privacy seats are the best choice, especially the two seats at the back of the first cabin in row 7, which have a bit of extra space. If only Classic Seats are left, then I would choose one of the window seats in row 15.

First Class

The Swiss Senses First Class is structurally identical to the Allegris First Class. Again, there are two types of seats/suites, which I have already tested: the window suite on the way to New York and the Suite Plus on the way back. Swiss actually offers a third seat type: the Grand Suite. This combines the window suite 1A with the double suite 1D/E into a single suite, providing the same setup I had on my way to New York as the only passenger in First Class.

The seats follow the style of Swiss’s previous First and Business Class design, complemented by beige surroundings with black and white accents. I personally prefer the colour scheme in Allegris First, but the rest of the parameters remain very impressive: almost complete privacy, a large 4K screen and plenty of storage space. A second person can sit and buckle up on the ottoman to dine together. The large table absolutely supports this.

Compared to my Swiss First flights on the Boeing 777, the screen in the window suites surprisingly didn’t feel much bigger, but it is noticeably sharper and more responsive now. Again, you have the tablet, and again you can’t use the main screen while adjusting the seat on the tablet. The screen in the double suite is still not touch-sensitive, meaning you can’t even bring up the camera on the large monitor unless you pair your phone.

Whether you want to book the Suite Plus for two people is a personal choice. Like many other passengers on these flights, I still don’t fully understand the added value compared to just booking two separate seats with a discount. But if you have the double suite to yourself, you’ll enjoy a huge amount of space.

Where the Senses cabin will fly next

Currently, Swiss Senses is still operating short-haul within Europe until the end of the year. Destinations served from Zurich include Düsseldorf, Geneva, Hanover, Palma de Mallorca and Prague. All travel classes can be booked, except First Class. To sit in Premium Economy, you must book an Economy ticket and then select/reserve the corresponding seats.

From 20 November, Swiss will also fly the Senses cabin to Boston, its first long-haul destination. This route will operate until 27 March, the end of the winter schedule. Not every Zurich–Boston flight will be operated by the A350, though. Until early January, only flights from Thursday to Monday will feature the new cabin. After two weeks of daily Senses service, the Senses flights will be reduced to four weekly flights (Friday to Monday).

From 23 February, Swiss will also fly to Montreal from Zurich. This route will be operated continuously until the end of the winter schedule. With the low number of Senses aircraft currently available, a last-minute aircraft change to an older product is always possible.

Conclusion

In the end, reviews are always subjective. However, it’s fair to say that Swiss has successfully modernised all four of its travel classes. Still, it’s unfortunate that they didn’t learn from the feedback and issues with the Allegris cabin. Some of the simplest things have not been improved. I personally don’t like the Senses colour scheme as much, but that’s a matter of taste.

What I do see as a clear positive: Swiss in parts avoids the pricing madness of Allegris. Currently, non-status passengers can still select three different seat types, so around 80% of the seats, for free. Senator and HON Circle members can select all seats except the suites at no extra charge. That is something Lufthansa missed, and it makes it easier for me to choose Swiss.

For many years, almost every frequent flyer knew the website SeatGuru.com. If you had a flight planned, you could look up the seat map there and especially see which seats were good or bad.

Unfortunately, the site has been heavily neglected in recent years. Ever since the app was shut down five years ago, the website has also stopped being maintained, e.g. no new seat maps have been added. The usefulness of the website steadily declined. Still, it could occasionally be helpful when looking up details about specific seats.

That’s over now. The website has officially been shut down. Only a short message appears now, before users are automatically redirected to Tripadvisor.com (SeatGuru was acquired by Tripadvisor in 2007):

For those who never knew the site, or want to indulge in nostalgia, here is an old screenshot from our archive:

Alternatives to SeatGuru

There are several websites that can theoretically replace SeatGuru. Unfortunately none of them offer such a large collection of user reviews and user photos.

AeroLopa

AeroLopa.com is still a fairly new site, and the best source for detailed and, above all, current seat maps. Even small details are usually accurately drawn, like window positions or how far the emergency exit door extends into the cabin. We’ve already introduced this site in detail.

Scrolling below the graphical seat map, you will often find info such as seat pitch, seat manufacturer and model, power outlet availability, in-flight entertainment, etc. However, AeroLopa is not a direct one-to-one replacement for SeatGuru. You cannot directly see if a seat is considered “good” or “bad”, for example, because the recline is limited. And there are no individual seat reviews.

SeatMaps.com

SeatMaps.com functions closer to what SeatGuru used to offer. The seat maps themselves are fairly simple, often just coloured rectangles. On the other hand, they are usually kept up-to-date, information like seat pitch, etc., is clearly listed, and often reviews from well-known blogs and YouTubers are linked. You can also enter a route or flight number, and you will be directed straight to the correct seat map.

The colour scale of each seat indicates whether a seat is considered positive or negative. Clicking on a seat will show more information. However, these indications often rely on assumptions, and you’ll see statements like “Recline might be limited.”

In theory, there is a SeatGuru-style review function that allows you to rate individual seats. But reviews are usually very sparse because the platform is not widely used yet.

SeatMaestro

SeatMaestro.com launched in 2004 and is almost as old as SeatGuru. The feature set is very similar, but both platforms share the same major weakness: outdated data. For example, you won’t find any configuration of Lufthansa’s new Allegris cabins.

It can still be worth a look if you are specifically interested in seat reviews. The database in this regard is larger than SeatMaps.com.

Google

You’re looking for experiences on a very specific seat and couldn’t find anything on the platforms above? Often, a Google search is worth it. If you want to know whether row 31 on Finnair’s A330 (bulkhead) is any good, search something like: finnair a330 “row 31” or finnair a330 “31L”. You’ll frequently find posts on Flyertalk or flight review sites where specific seats are mentioned in passing.

Translated by Ditmar

Earning and redeeming miles on Edelweiss flights is not only possible with Miles&More, but also with Aeroplan and United MileagePlus. In this article, we’ll have a look at the various options for earning and redeeming miles with Edelweiss, as well as the status benefits you can enjoy.

Miles&More

The most obvious option for earning miles is, of course, Miles&More, the frequent flyer program of the Lufthansa Group. However, not every Edelweiss flight automatically earns you miles!

Award Miles

Unfortunately, award miles for Edelweiss flights can only be earned if the flight is booked under a Swiss flight number. These are codeshare flights numbered LX 8000–8499. For these flight numbers, the regular Swiss mileage credit applies.

As a result, award miles for Edelweiss flights are credited based on spending. As long as the ticket price information is available, Miles&More members without status earn 4 miles per euro, while status holders (FTL, SEN & HON) earn 6 miles per euro.

If Miles&More does not have fare data, the following distance-based rates apply:

Qualifying Points and HON Circle Points

Since the Miles&More status program overhaul in 2024, status credit is awarded in the form of Points, Qualifying Points (QP), and HON Circle Points (HP), depending on travel class.

Even as a Lufthansa Group member airline, Edelweiss flights only earn Points and Qualifying Points when booked via Swiss’ website and operated under the code share flight numbers LX 8000–8499.

Redeeming Miles for Edelweiss Flights

Even if booked under an Edelweiss (WK) flight number instead of Swiss (LX), Edelweiss flights have been dynamically priced since June 2025. This means there are no fixed award “sweet spots.”

Some flights to North America start at 26,000 miles one-way in Business Class, but surcharges are very high (over €500 per direction). Award availability is generally limited, though good value redemptions can still be found with some searching.

Status Benefits with a Miles&More Status

These are the benefits for Miles&More status holders:

• HON Circle Members and Senators receive lounge access regardless of fare, as long as Edelweiss has a partner lounge at that airport.
• They can also access Lufthansa Group lounges after arrival (if layout permits).
• Frequent Travellers get access to Lufthansa Group Business Lounges in all fare types.

United Airlines MileagePlus

In addition to Miles&More, you can also credit Edelweiss flights to United MileagePlus. Important: The flight must be booked as an LX codeshare (LX8000–8499).

Award Miles

If the ticket was booked directly through United Airlines, you earn 5–11 miles per USD, depending on your status. If booked elsewhere, you earn distance-based credit:

Premier Qualifying Points

As a Preferred Partner Airline, Edelweiss flights earn one-fifth of the award mile credit as Premier Qualifying Points:

Redeeming Miles for Edelweiss Flights

You can also redeem MileagePlus miles for Edelweiss flights through United’s award search. However, long-haul availability is limited, and up to 90,000 miles one-way in Business Class to North America make these redemptions relatively unattractive, even with low surcharges.

Status Benefits

MileagePlus status members enjoy most standard benefits, such as extra baggage, lounge access (with a guest), and priority services at many airports.

Air Canada Aeroplan

The last frequent flyer program that credits Edelweiss flights is Air Canada Aeroplan, though it’s a bit more complex.

Award Miles

Miles can be earned either on Air Canada–coded flights or on Swiss codeshares (LX8000–8999). For Air Canada codeshares, accrual depends on fare type; for Swiss codeshares, Swiss earning rates apply.

Since Edelweiss has no Premium Economy, booking classes E and G count as Economy on Edelweiss, so accrual in those cases is unclear. Otherwise, these rates apply:

Status Qualifying Credit (SQC)

According to Air Canada’s website, Edelweiss flights don’t earn Status Qualifying Miles, though reports in forums suggest otherwise. From 2026, Status Qualifying Credits will replace them, and the same rules will likely still apply.

Redeeming Aeroplan Miles for Edelweiss Flights

Edelweiss award availability via Aeroplan is limited, but when available, pricing follows the Aeroplan partner award chart. Typical one-way rates:

• North America: 60,000–90,000 miles
• South America & Phuket: 80,000 miles
• Other long-hauls: ~60,000 miles

Given the low surcharges, Aeroplan redemptions are often competitive or even attractive.

Status Benefits

Aeroplan status holders enjoy the same benefits as with MileagePlus: extra baggage, lounge access (with a guest), and priority services depending on status level.

Conclusion

The simplest and often most rewarding way to credit and redeem Edelweiss flights remains through Miles&More, thanks to better availability and solid status earning.

However, since the June 2025 dynamic pricing change and high surcharges on North American routes, Aeroplan can sometimes be a more worthwhile alternative.

Program	Air Canada Aeroplan	Miles&More	United Airlines Mileage Plan
Award Miles
Status Miles
Award Flights
Lounge Access	All lounges1	All lounges1	All lounges1
Miles Expiry	12 months	36 months	none

¹As long as Edelweiss operates a partner lounge at the airport.

Have you already booked an Edelweiss flight and want to know how many miles you’ll earn? Use our mileage calculator! Just enter your route and booking class to estimate your miles.

You can also check your status credit for upcoming Edelweiss flights with our dedicated tool, showing all three crediting options and your maximum potential earnings.

Translated by Ditmar

Do you want to use your smartphone on your trip to Australia and not be dependent on Wi-Fi in the hotel and cafés? Then a suitable eSIM plan is the perfect solution for being back online with your smartphone as soon as you land.

Planning a trip to Japan and don’t feel like surfing the internet with your smartphone only in the hotel, restaurants, etc.? Then a suitable eSIM is the cheapest way to surf on your iPhone or Android immediately after landing, just like at home.

When planning a trip to Japan, one of the first things that comes to mind is visiting Mount Fuji. Many people are happy to see it from the plane or from the Shinkansen window, but if you have time during your trip to Japan, it is worth dedicating a day to visiting it. In this post, we will explain how you can do it with a stress-free guided tour or how you can do it on your own. Despite being relatively close to Tokyo, it is a trip that can take all day.

The Klook Tour

Klook offers several tours to Mount Fuji, but the most popular is the “Instagrammable Spots” tour at JP¥7,200 (~€39). One of its advantages is the free cancellation policy up to one day in advance, so if you’ve booked ahead and the weather isn’t cooperating, you can cancel without penalty.

The tour departs from either Tokyo Station or Shinjuku Station. For an additional fee, hotel pickup is available. The tour starts early in the morning and involves a two-hour drive to the first stop, Arakurayama Sengen Park, where you’ll have an hour to explore (which is not much, as queues for the famous selfie spot can take 30-60 minutes, depending on the season). Next, it’s on to the Hirawa Clock Tower for a twenty-minute stop, followed by some time exploring the streets of Iyashi no Sato Nenba. The third stop is Oshino Hakkai, with an hour and a half allocated for this location. The fourth stop is a somewhat controversial twenty-minute break at the Fujikawaguchiko Lawson convenience store, which has become associated with over-tourism. In this stop, you will get a free drink. The fifth and final stop varies depending on the season: most of the year, it’s Oishi Park, but during the autumn leaf season, the tour stops at the Maple Corridor.

Around 5:00 PM, you’ll head back to Tokyo, leaving you free to enjoy a delicious ramen dinner after a long day of sightseeing around Mount Fuji.

Can you do this tour on your own?

The tour has a guide present to ensure nobody gets lost at the stops and to provide some basic information. For those who don’t need a guide and don’t want anyone telling them how long to stay at each point, we decided to calculate the cost of doing this tour independently.

Recreating the Klook Tour

To get from Shinjuku to Arakurayama Sengen Park, you’d take a 1h30 express highway bus for JP¥2,150 (~€12) to Chuodo Shimo Yoshida and then walk fifteen minutes to the park.

From Arakurayama Sengen Park to the Hirawa Clock Tower is a half-hour walk.

Getting from the Hirawa Clock Tower to Oshino Hakkai is more complicated. It’s a seven-kilometre walk with a 180-meter elevation gain, or a 45-minute combination of walking and bus travel for JP¥450 (~€2), while the same trip by car takes only 15 minutes.

From Oshino Hakkai to the Lawson near Fujikawaguchiko Town Hall is an 11-kilometre journey. By public transport, it takes almost an hour and costs JP¥800 (~€4), including walking time.

From the Lawson to Kawaguchiko Oishi Park, you have a 25-minute bus ride for JP¥510 (~€3) or a 6-kilometre walk along the shore of Lake Kawaguchiko.

To return to Tokyo, you’d take a half-hour bus to Kawaguchiko Station and then another highway bus to Shinjuku. These two trips would cost JP¥2,770 (~€15).

In total, transportation would cost around JP¥6,680 (~€36), assuming all connections are on time and you don’t miss any buses.

A More Flexible Option

If you want the whole experience to be more flexible and relaxed, you could also take the train from Tokyo to Otsuki (JP¥1,003 (~€5)) and then use the 2-day Mt.Fuji & Fuji Five Lakes Passport pass, which lets you use all trains between Otsuki and Kawaguchiko, incl. stops along the way (e.g. the Arakurayama Sengen Park), as well as all Fujikyu buses in the Fuji Five Lakes Area for two full days. That pass costs JP¥4,700 (~€25).

This option gives you a lot more flexibility, even lets you make a 2-day trip out of this.

Conclusion

Here’s the overview of the costs of the proposed itineraries:

• Klook tour: JP¥7,200 (~€39)
• Recreated Klook tour: JP¥6,680 (~€36)
• Two-day flexible tour: JP¥6,706 (~€36)

We wouldn’t recommend recreating the Klook tour. If you’re interested in seeing exactly those things and having a care-free day with a guide getting you from sight to sight, then just book the Klook tour.

If, however, you’re not a fan of tours and prefer a more flexible and personalised experience, we think that organising your own trip can make a lot of sense. And spending a night in Kawaguchiko is definitely not a bad idea.

Personal Experience

I (Ditmar) did a self-organised tour with my colleague Peer earlier this year. Personally, I would recommend this to most people. Just go with the flow and explore the region at your own pace. And if you miss out on one or two things from the Klook tour, so what? That also gives you time to see other attractions, such as the Kawaguchiko Music Forest Museum, which I found fascinating. You’ll see the Fuji, you’ll see the lake, you’ll see the Lawson, and all at your own pace.