Swiss rethinks long-haul travel with new cabins (and suites)

(Image credit: Courtesy of Swiss)

published 31 July 2025

Swiss International Air Lines (Swiss) is shaking up its long-haul experience with a full cabin redesign set to debut on its upcoming Airbus A350-900s. First stop: Boston, starting this winter. From there, the new look will gradually make its way onto the rest of the airline’s A330 and Boeing 777 fleets.

Swiss rethinks long-haul travel with new cabins

Called Swiss Senses, the overhaul brings four revamped cabin classes – Economy, Premium Economy, Business, and First – each reimagined with a more considered use of space and design language. Expect warm tones of beige, anthracite, and bordeaux throughout, alongside ambient lighting meant to help soften the edges of long-haul travel (and maybe, just maybe, keep jet lag at bay).

‘As a premium airline, we aim to continue to deliver on our quality promise through our Swiss Senses concept,’ said Heike Birlenbach, chief commercial officer at Swiss, during a presentation held at Zurich Airport’s Operation Centre. ‘All in all, Swiss Senses represents the biggest product investment in the history of our company, and a further major milestone for Swiss aviation.’

Economy and Premium Economy now offer a bit more breathing room, with wider seats and extra legroom. Premium also adds privacy screens, so you’re not eye-to-eye with your neighbour the entire flight. In-flight entertainment has been upgraded, too, with crisp 4K OLED screens and Bluetooth built-in. That means, no more crackly plastic earphones.

Meanwhile, the Business cabin has gone modular, offering five seat types to suit different travel styles. Every seat gets direct aisle access, heating and cooling, and turns into a flat bed at least two metres long – though one seat stretches to 2.2 metres, ideal for taller travellers. If you value solitude (or storage), there’s an Extra Space Seat with extra compartments, or the Business Suite, which comes with closing doors and adjustable dividers.

At the top of the range is the redesigned First Class: a pair of enclosed suites, the Single Suite (2.4 sq m) and the Suite Plus (3.7 sq m). The latter includes a double bed and its own wardrobe. On paper, Swiss Senses is built for flights over six hours long, though, all things considered, you might not want to get off.

All of Swiss’s new Airbus A350-900s will include the new Swiss Senses cabins. Flights from 1 January 2026 onwards are already bookable.

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Sofia de la Cruz is the Travel Editor at Wallpaper*. A self-declared flâneuse, she feels most inspired when taking the role of a cultural observer – chronicling the essence of cities and remote corners through their nuances, rituals, and people. Her work lives at the intersection of art, design, and culture, often shaped by conversations with the photographers who capture these worlds through their lens.