Intro
This Swiss leisure carrier, tucked away as part of the Lufthansa Group and sister to SWISS, operates an impressive network from Zurich to holiday hotspots across Europe and beyond.
When I finally boarded my flight from Zurich to Palma de Mallorca, I was expecting the usual leisure airline experience: cramped seats, aggressive buy-on-board sales pitches, and maybe a stale croissant if I was lucky.
Instead, I discovered something increasingly rare in European aviationโan airline still believes feeding passengers is part of the ticket price.
Edelweiss reminded me that Swiss hospitality isn’t just a tourism marketing slogan.
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Inflight
Let’s start with the elephant in the cabin: free food on European short-haul is becoming rare as empty middle seats.
While parent company Lufthansa has fully embraced the buy-on-board concept (along with almost every other European carrier), Edelweiss continues offering complimentary catering even on shorter flights.
Three cabin crew worked efficiently through the economy section with separate carts for beverages and food.
Yes, you’ll still pay for alcohol and premium snacks from their inflight magazine, but the basic meal service comes with your ticketโa concept that feels almost revolutionary in 2025.
When offered a choice between chicken or vegetarian options, I selected chicken without much enthusiasm.
European airline sandwiches typically range from forgettable to actively disappointing, so my expectations were appropriately low.
The sandwich featured bread from Bertschi bakery, a Swiss supplier that takes pride in its craft.
This wasn’t the compressed, flavourless white bread plagues most airline catering. The bread had that perfect balance of crust and chew that rarely achieved at altitude.
Generously buttered and filled with quality chicken and a tangy pickle, it was leagues above the dry, forgettable sandwiches that define European short-haul dining.
When I thought service was complete, the crew made another pass with Edelweiss’s signature sweet treatโtraditional Swiss biberli.
These honey-filled gingerbread confections have been an Edelweiss trademark for years, offering passengers a genuine taste of Swiss culinary heritage.
I always appreciate airlines showcasing their cultural identity through food rather than offering generic international fare.
Why offer something bland and universal when you can share something distinctly yours?
The biberli were properly spiced with gingerbread warmth, the honey filling adding sweetness without cloying.
Family Friendly
I don’t typically focus on family amenities, but Edelweiss’s approach deserves recognition.
The crew distributed age-appropriate activity kits throughout the cabinโred drawstring bags with coloured pencils, activity books for children, and soft yellow toys for infants.
When I asked to examine them more closely, the crew was happy to oblige, explaining their contents with genuine enthusiasm.
Seeing this level of attention to younger travellers on a short European flight felt refreshing in an era where many airlines count every penny and charge for seat selection.
These were thoughtfully curated items that showed real consideration for family travel needs.
Premium Touches
Sometimes, it’s the details you almost miss that reveal an airline’s true priorities. The lavatory featured hand soap from Soeder, the same upscale Swiss brand used by SWISS in its premium cabins.
Most leisure carriers would install generic soap dispensers and call it adequate.
On a short flight, a premium-branded product was in an economy bathroom. It’s the kind of detail most passengers might overlook, but it speaks volumes about Edelweiss’s commitment to consistent quality standards.
Conclusion
What struck me most was how Edelweiss embodies genuine Swiss hospitality principlesโattention to detail, quality over quantity, and making guests feel welcomed rather than processed.
The quality bread, heritage sweets, and premium amenities reflect a consistent philosophy about passenger care.
In today’s European aviation landscape, most carriers are either full-service with premium pricing or ultra-low-cost with endless add-ons.
Edelweiss occupies an interesting middle groundโcompetitive leisure pricing without stripping away fundamental comforts. That’s not easy math in an industry obsessed with unbundling every possible service.
On a continent where buy-on-board has become standard, finding an airline that still values properly feeding its customers feels almost subversive.
Edelweiss proves that leisure flying economics don’t have to come at the expense of hospitality.
Sometimes, the best discoveries happen when you least expect them, and this flight was a pleasant surprise.
