Edelweiss Air

Leisure airline of Switzerland From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Edelweiss Air AG is a Swiss leisure airline and the sister company of Swiss International Air Lines and a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. It operates flights to European and intercontinental destinations from its base at Zurich Airport.[4]

Founded19 October 1995; 30 years ago (1995-10-19)
AOC#CH.AOC.1007[2]
Operating basesZurich Airport
Fleet size22
Quick facts IATA, ICAO ...
Edelweiss Air
An Edelweiss Air Airbus A340-300
IATA ICAO Call sign
WK[1] EDW EDELWEISS
Founded19 October 1995; 30 years ago (1995-10-19)
AOC #CH.AOC.1007[2]
Operating basesZurich Airport
Fleet size22
Destinations65
Parent companySwiss International Air Lines[3]
HeadquartersKloten, Zurich, Switzerland
Key peopleBernd Bauer (CEO)
FounderNick Grob
Employees1217 (December 2024)
Websitewww.flyedelweiss.com
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History

Early years

A former Edelweiss Air McDonnell Douglas MD-83 in 1997

The airline was founded on 19 October 1995 in Bassersdorf, Switzerland, with just one aircraft, a McDonnell Douglas MD-83. The company's name is derived from the Swiss unofficial national flower, the Edelweiss, which is also painted on its aircraft.

The fleet was subsequently expanded and renewed. In 1998, new Airbus A320-200s were introduced to replace the MD-83s, and in 1999, long-haul flights were commenced using the Airbus A330-200.

For seven consecutive years between 2001 and 2008, Edelweiss Air received the golden Travelstar Award for its achievements.[5]

Until November 2008, Edelweiss Air was wholly owned by Kuoni Travel and had 190 employees,[6] when the operating rights were sold to Swiss International Air Lines, in exchange for sale rights of hotel capacities via the Swiss sales network. Following Swiss International Air Lines being acquired by the German Lufthansa Group in 2005, Edelweiss Air also became a subsidiary of Europe's largest airline group at the same time it was acquired by Swiss.[7]

Developments since 2010

In March 2011, Edelweiss Air added the larger Airbus A330-300 to its fleet, with an order having been placed on 5 April 2010.[8] In July 2015, it was announced that Edelweiss would receive four Airbus A340-300s between 2017 and 2018, previously operated by its parent Swiss International Air Lines. The aircraft were used to expand the route network.[9]

In November 2015, Edelweiss introduced a revised livery on one of its Airbus A320-200s, which was subsequently applied to the rest of the airline's fleet.[10] In December 2016, Edelweiss Air phased out its sole Airbus A330-200, which was transferred to Brussels Airlines and replaced by Airbus A340-300s inherited from parent Swiss.[11] In 2021, Lufthansa moved Edelweiss Air's two Airbus A330-300s to Eurowings Discover.[12]

On 6 January 2025, Edelweiss Air, through a media release announced that the airline will discontinue flights to Havana, Cuba due to declining demand of passengers and the unexpected current conditions at Jose Marti International Airport. The last flight from Zurich to Havana and back to the Swiss city was on 27 February 2025.[13]

Destinations

As of August 2024, Edelweiss Air flies (or has flown) to the following destinations:[14]

More information Country, City ...
Country City Airport Notes Refs
ArgentinaBuenos AiresMinistro Pistarini International AirportTerminated[14][15]
BrazilRio de JaneiroRio de Janeiro/Galeão International AirportTerminated[14]
SalvadorSalvador Bahia AirportTerminated[14]
BulgariaVarnaVarna AirportSeasonal[14]
CanadaCalgaryCalgary International AirportSeasonal[14]
HalifaxHalifax Stanfield International Airport[16]
VancouverVancouver International AirportSeasonal[14]
WhitehorseErik Nielsen Whitehorse International AirportTerminated[14]
Cape VerdeBoa VistaAristides Pereira International AirportSeasonal[17]
PraiaNelson Mandela International Airport[18]
SalAmílcar Cabral International AirportSeasonal[14][19]
São VicenteCesária Évora Airport[18]
ColombiaBogotáEl Dorado International AirportSeasonal[20]
CartagenaRafael Núñez International AirportSeasonal[20]
Costa RicaLiberiaGuanacaste Airport[14]
San JoséJuan Santamaría International Airport[14]
CroatiaPulaPula AirportSeasonal[14]
SplitSplit AirportSeasonal[14]
ZadarZadar Airport[21]
CubaHavanaJosé Martí International Airport SeasonalTerminated[14][22]
VaraderoJuan Gualberto Gómez AirportTerminated[14][23]
CyprusLarnacaLarnaca International Airport[14]
PaphosPaphos International AirportTerminated[14][23]
Dominican RepublicPunta CanaPunta Cana International Airport[14]
Puerto PlataGregorio Luperón International AirportSeasonal[14][24]
EgyptGizaSphinx International Airport[25]
HurghadaHurghada International Airport[14]
LuxorLuxor International AirportSeasonal[17]
Marsa AlamMarsa Alam International Airport[14]
Sharm El SheikhSharm El Sheikh International Airport[14]
FinlandIvaloIvalo AirportSeasonal[26]
KittiläKittilä AirportSeasonal[26]
KuusamoKuusamo AirportSeasonal[26]
RovaniemiRovaniemi AirportSeasonal[26]
FranceBiarritzBiarritz Pays Basque Airport
FigariFigari–Sud Corse AirportSeasonal[14]
GeorgiaTbilisiTbilisi International Airport[27]
GreeceAraxosPatras Araxos AirportSeasonal
CorfuCorfu International AirportSeasonal[14]
ChaniaChania International AirportSeasonal[14][23]
HeraklionHeraklion International AirportSeasonal[14]
KalamataKalamata International AirportSeasonal[14]
KosKos International AirportSeasonal[14]
MykonosMykonos AirportSeasonal[14]
RhodesRhodes International AirportSeasonal[14]
SamosSamos International AirportSeasonal[14][23]
SantoriniSantorini International AirportSeasonal[14]
ZakynthosZakynthos International AirportSeasonal[14]
IcelandAkureyriAkureyri AirportSeasonal[14]
ReykjavíkKeflavík International AirportSeasonal[14]
IrelandCorkCork AirportSeasonal[28]
ItalyCagliariCagliari Elmas AirportSeasonal[14]
CataniaCatania–Fontanarossa Airport[14]
Lamezia TermeLamezia Terme International Airport[14]
PisaPisa International AirportSeasonal[28]
OlbiaOlbia Costa Smeralda AirportSeasonal[14]
JamaicaMontego BaySangster International AirportSeasonal[14]
JordanAmmanQueen Alia International Airport[29][30]
AqabaKing Hussein International Airport[29][30]
KosovoPristinaPristina International Airport[14]
MaldivesMaléVelana International AirportSeasonal[14]
MauritiusPort LouisSir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam International Airport[14]
MexicoCancúnCancún International Airport[14]
MoroccoAgadirAgadir–Al Massira AirportSeasonal[14]
MarrakeshMarrakesh Menara AirportSeasonal[14]
NamibiaWindhoekHosea Kutako International AirportSeasonal
Begins 1 June 2026		[31]
North MacedoniaOhridOhrid St. Paul the Apostle AirportSeasonal[14]
SkopjeSkopje International Airport[14]
NorwayBergenBergen Airport[14]
TromsøTromsø AirportSeasonal[17]
OmanMuscatMuscat International AirportSeasonal[14]
SalalahSalalah International Airport[25]
PortugalFaroFaro Airport[14]
FunchalMadeira Airport[14]
Ponta DelgadaJoão Paulo II AirportSeasonal[14]
SeychellesMahéSeychelles International AirportSeasonal[14][32]
South AfricaCape TownCape Town International AirportSeasonal[14]
SpainArrecifeLanzarote AirportSeasonal[14]
FuerteventuraFuerteventura Airport[14]
Jerez de la FronteraJerez AirportSeasonal[14]
IbizaIbiza AirportSeasonal[14]
Gran CanariaGran Canaria Airport[14]
La PalmaLa Palma AirportSeasonal[14][33]
MenorcaMenorca AirportSeasonal[14]
Palma de MallorcaPalma de Mallorca Airport[14]
Santiago de CompostelaSantiago–Rosalía de Castro AirportSeasonal[14]
SevilleSeville AirportSeasonal[14]
TenerifeTenerife South Airport[14]
Sri LankaColomboBandaranaike International AirportSeasonal[14][32]
SwedenLuleåLuleå Airport[18]
SwitzerlandZurichZurich AirportHub
TanzaniaKilimanjaroKilimanjaro International Airport[17]
ZanzibarAbeid Amani Karume International Airport[17]
ThailandPhuketPhuket International AirportSeasonal[14]
TunisiaDjerbaDjerba–Zarzis International AirportSeasonal[14]
TunisTunis–Carthage International AirportSeasonal[14][34]
TurkeyAntalyaAntalya AirportSeasonal[14]
BodrumMilas–Bodrum AirportSeasonal[14]
DalamanDalaman AirportSeasonal[14]
United Kingdom (England)BristolBristol Airport[35]
NewquayNewquay AirportSeasonal[36]
United Kingdom (Scotland)EdinburghEdinburgh Airport[17]
InvernessInverness AirportTerminated[17]
United StatesAnchorageTed Stevens Anchorage International AirportTerminated[14]
DenverDenver International AirportSeasonal[14][23]
Las VegasHarry Reid International AirportSeasonal[14]
San DiegoSan Diego International AirportTerminated[14]
OrlandoOrlando International AirportTerminated[14]
SeattleSeattle–Tacoma International Airport[16]
TampaTampa International Airport[14]
VietnamHo Chi Minh CityTan Son Nhat International AirportTerminated[14][32]
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Codeshare agreements

Fleet

Edelweiss Air Airbus A320-200
Edelweiss Air Airbus A340-300
New Edelweiss Air Airbus A350-900 at Tarbes–Lourdes–Pyrénées Airport

Current fleet

As of January 2026, Edelweiss Air operates the following aircraft:[39]

More information Aircraft, In service ...
Edelweiss Air fleet
Aircraft In service Orders Passengers Notes
J Y+ Y Total
Airbus A320-200 15[40] — 12 — 158 170
Airbus A320neo — 5 TBA To be transferred from Austrian Airlines from 2028.
Airbus A340-300 3[40] — 27 76 211 314 To be retired and replaced by Airbus A350-900.[41]
Airbus A350-900 4 2 30 63 246 339 Replacing Airbus A340-300.
Deliveries started from 2025.[41][42]
To be retrofitted.[43]
Total 22 7
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Former fleet

Edelweiss Air has previously operated the following aircraft:

More information Aircraft, Total ...
Edelweiss Air former fleet
Aircraft Total Introduced Retired Ref
Airbus A330-200 2 2000 2016 [11]
Airbus A330-300 2 2011 2021 [12]
Airbus A340-300 2 2016 2026 [44]
McDonnell Douglas MD-83 3 1996 1999 [citation needed]
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References

External links

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