Just a few days after their winter schedules took off, the two largest airlines in Switzerland have announced a bevvy of new routes to choose from for 2025. SWISS and Edelweiss Air will both launch new services between Swiss airports and some of Europe’s top destinations.

SWISS to launch four new direct services from Zurich

Starting with the flag carrier, SWISS wrote in a statement that new direct routes would be established between Zurich and four European cities in the summer of 2025. These routes are all bookable now, with services rolling out gradually as the season progresses.

Chief Commercial Officer Heike Birlenbach explained that the routes “were chosen based on the demands and requests of customers.” This ranges from catering to those who wish to visit certain destinations on holiday, to expats who want to visit friends and family in Switzerland or abroad.

Niš, Heringsdorf, Montpellier and Dubrovnik added to SWISS route network

First, in July and August, SWISS will operate flights between Zurich and the Serbian city of Niš on Mondays and Thursdays. The “major historic and cultural centre” featuring castles and museums is well worth a visit in its own right, but the airline explained that the service is mainly to cater to the large Serbian community in Switzerland.

On Saturdays, SWISS will fly to the northern German seaside resort of Heringsdorf, right on the border of Poland on the Baltic Sea coast. Situated on the island of Usedom, the destination offers “fine sandy beaches and a picturesque promenade” alongside plenty of places to hike and cycle.

From July, the stunning French city of Montpellier, famous for its university and “medieval charm” will be serviced by flights to and from Zurich on Mondays and Fridays. Finally, the enchanting UNESCO World Heritage Site and city of Dubrovnik will benefit from a direct service from SWISS, with the flag carrier taking over the route from Edelweiss.

Also in the summer, services between Zurich and Manchester, Krakow, Košice and Copenhagen will be increased, and SWISS’ new Geneva to Berlin route will run throughout the year rather than end in March. Long-haul flights to Washington DC, Toronto and Seoul will also continue into summer.

Edelweiss Air to launch five new services from summer 2025

Next, Switzerland’s top holiday airline Edelweiss Air will launch five new flights in the summer of 2025. This will begin with a service from Zurich to the lively, arty, maritime city of Bristol, which also serves as the gateway to Wales, Bath and the Cornish coast. Edelweiss will take over the service from SWISS, flying on Mondays and Fridays from June to September.

Dreaming of a Mediterranean adventure? Edelweiss will add a new flight from Zurich to the Corsican city of Calvi every Sunday from July to September. Calvi’s old town was described by the airline as a perfect mixture of “French savoir-vivre and Corsican authenticity.” 

Every Wednesday from June to September, travellers from Zurich will be able to visit the “third island” of the Azores, thanks to a direct flight to Teceirca. The destination is said to be perfect for fans of swimming and outdoor adventures. The Croatian “coastal pearl” of Zadar will also be accessible from Zurich on Tuesdays and Saturdays from June to August.

Fans of good and affordable wine will be happy to hear that Edelweiss will also fly from Zurich to the melting pot capital of Georgia, Tbilisi (Tuesdays and Saturdays, April to October). Finally, travellers will be able to enjoy the midnight sun in the Finnish Lapland destination of Kittilä, with flights taking off every Saturday from June to September.

Thumb image credit: Michael Derrer Fuchs / Shutterstock.com