No direct flights: popular destinations unreachable from Zurich

Zurich Airport offers direct flights to 206 destinations worldwide – from New York to Tokyo, from Cape Town to Bangkok. But some of the most popular dream destinations remain out of reach for Swiss travellers without a non-stop connection. A new analysis highlights popular destinations that are still not accessible via non-stop flights from Kloten.

According to an analysis by the flight search engine Skyscanner for the aviation portal «Aerotelegraph» destinations in Asia and Oceania are at the top of many Swiss people's wish lists. At the top of the list is Denpasar, Bali. This Indonesian dream island attracts hundreds of thousands of travelers each year, but flights from Zurich always require at least one layover.

Sydney is also a perennial favourite among the most popular long-haul destinations not directly served. The Australian metropolis has it all: iconic attractions, beautiful beaches and a vibrant city life. But there is no non-stop flight from Switzerland.

Currently, no passenger aircraft can reliably fly this route non-stop under real-world conditions. An Airbus A350-900 ULR would be able to make the journey in terms of range, but would have to fly with fewer passengers and less cargo.

Besides Bali and Sydney, the top six also includes Manila, the capital of the Philippines, Ho Chi Minh City, the Vietnamese metropolis, Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia, and the Thai holiday island of Koh Samui. Although the latter is extremely popular, it cannot be reached by large long-haul aircraft.