Edelweiss Announces First Airbus A350 Routes

DALLAS — Leading Swiss leisure airline Edelweiss (WK) will be the first airline in Switzerland to add the Airbus A350 to service next year.

Edelweiss is a sister company to Swiss International Air Lines (LX) and a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group of airlines. It operates flights to European and intercontinental destinations from its Zurich Airport (ZRH) base.

According to a press release, the airline will receive six aircraft over the next two years, with the first arriving in April next year. In the first few weeks, before the new aircraft is deployed on long-haul routes, it will fly to various short—and medium-haul destinations.

Las Vegas will be the first long-haul destination that WK will fly to with the Airbus A350. From mid-May 2025, the aircraft will be deployed three times a week on this route. The second route to be operated by the A350 will be WK’s route to Vancouver (YVR) in Canada. The YVR route will be served daily when the second Airbus A350 enters service with WK, beginning July 2025.

The third Airbus A350 is expected to join WK’s fleet at the beginning of October next year. The fourth model will be added to WK’s fleet in winter 2025, while the fifth and sixth aircraft should enter service in the second half of 2026.

Enhanced Sustainability with Airbus A350s  

These new Airbus A350 aircraft will help WK to improve its sustainability efforts. The design of the Airbus A350 sets new standards in efficiency with state-of-the-art technologies and outstanding aerodynamics. It is one of the most environmentally friendly long-haul aircraft in the world.

According to Airbus, the latest generation engines and lightweight materials make the twin-engine A350-900 one of the most fuel-efficient wide-body aircraft. It consumes 25% less fuel and produces 25% less CO2 than the four-engine Airbus A340-300, which it replaces. Noise emissions are also reduced by up to 50%.

Edelweiss will receive six highly efficient, low-emission A350-900 aircraft. These will replace five A340-300 aircraft used to operate long-haul routes. Ultimately, this will enable WK’s long-haul fleet to be restored to its pre-coronavirus level when six jets are in service.