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Swiss and Edelweiss are planning numerous route innovations for summer 2026. Image: TN

The innovations from Swiss and Edelweiss in summer 2026

With new Swiss flights to Poland and Croatia, additional routes across Europe and North America, and an expanded long-haul offering with Edelweiss, the 2026 summer schedule is diverse — aligning with the excitement of the upcoming FIFA World Cup.

Starting March 29, 2026, Swiss will begin operating flights to Poznań, Poland, three times a week on Mondays, Thursdays, and Sundays. This university and trade fair city is considered a cultural center of western Poland and an insider tip for city travelers.

Rijeka, on Croatia’s Adriatic coast, joins the summer flight schedule as a new destination. The port city on Kvarner Bay will be served twice weekly — every Monday and Friday in July and August — complementing existing Croatian holiday routes to Split and Dubrovnik.

In addition, Alicante, Valencia, Manchester, Montpellier, Tirana, Budapest, and Venice will be served more frequently from Zurich – some with up to 28 (Budapest) and 29 (Venice) weekly flights. The airline is also expanding its services from Geneva, particularly to destinations in Greece and Portugal, which continue to be among the most popular summer destinations.

Swiss soars into summer 2026 with new destinations and World Cup flights

A highlight of the summer of 2026 will be the FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico — and Swiss will bring fans directly to the host cities. The airline will operate daily — and in some cases multiple daily — flights to New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Boston, and Miami. Toronto, another World Cup venue, will also be served with five weekly flights starting April 26.

Both Swiss and Swiss football fans will be hoping the national team qualifies for the tournament. The decisive qualifying matches against Sweden and Kosovo, scheduled for November 15 and 18 respectively, will determine whether demand for Swiss flights to the World Cup host countries will soar.

Expansion to Japan: Daily flights to Tokyo-Narita

Swiss is also expanding its long-haul service to Asia: In April, May, and October 2026, the connection to Tokyo-Narita will be offered daily. During the remaining summer months, it will continue with five weekly flights – a sign of continued demand for travel to Japan.

In total, Swiss's flight schedule for summer 2026 includes 112 destinations from Zurich and Geneva – 70 in Europe and 25 intercontinental destinations from Zurich, as well as 29 short-haul destinations plus New York from Geneva. The summer flight schedule runs from March 29 to October 24, 2026, and bookings are available starting today.

Edelweiss: New long-haul routes and extended seasons

The leisure airline Edelweiss is also significantly expanding its network for summer 2026. The highlight of the new schedule is Windhoek, Namibia, which will be added on June 1, 2026. Twice a week — on Mondays and Fridays — Edelweiss will fly from Zurich to the Namibian capital, a gateway to the natural wonders of southern Africa.

In addition, several frequency increases and seasonal extensions are planned:

  • Seattle: Three flights per week starting in June, in time for the World Cup taking place there.
  • Halifax: Season starts on May 7th – now from spring to fall.
  • Punta Cana: Additional flights during Easter, Pentecost and the summer holidays.
  • Tampa Bay: Up to three weekly connections during spring break.
  • Cape Town: Season extended until June 16 – the longest South African season to date.
  • Colombo: Non-stop flights until May 30, 2026.

All flights are available now. The full summer schedule, including short-haul connections, will be published in December 2025.

(TN)

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