Flying SWISS A220 Business Class from London turned out to be one of those quirky short-haul wins – a last-minute break to Spain where business on SWISS came in cheaper than a British Airways economy ticket. For the price of a no-frills hop, I found myself in a quieter cabin with Champagne, extra space, and a seat that, while hardly revolutionary, was a definite step up from being wedged into the back of the plane
In this review:
Flight Details
Date: 21/8/25
Time: 17:10
Flight number: LX325
From/To: London Heathrow (LHR) to Zurich (ZRH)
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 1 hour
Frequent Flyer Points: 500 (Miles+Bonus)
Status Points: 500
Aircraft reg: HB-JCR
Aircraft type: Airbus A220-300
Number of classes: 2
Number of seats in flying class: Flexible (up to 21 seats in 7 rows)
Seat: 2F
Position: Window
Airport Experience
The journey started at Heathrow’s Terminal 2. Fast Track security was genuinely fast and surprisingly quiet for late afternoon. With some time to spare, I headed for the Singapore Airlines lounge at the B gates. It’s usually quieter than the Lufthansa lounge at this time of day and has enclosed booth seating – a godsend if you need to jump on a work call or just hide from the terminal bustle.
Boarding & Welcome
The gate area looked like organised chaos. People bunched together, no one really sure where to stand. Boarding calls didn’t help either – group 3 was called right after group 1, but the gate staff forgot to open their lane. Naturally, the entire group 3 crowd piled into the priority lane, meaning boarding was a scrum. Once onboard though, the crew were warm and welcoming, making up for the disorder outside.
I found a bottle of water waiting at my seat – a small but useful detail that saved me from dipping into the one I’d filled in the lounge, expecting the usual hour-long wait between boarding and the first drinks service.
Seat
Business class on the A220 is the classic Euro-style setup. It’s a 2-3 configuration in economy, transformed into 2-2 by keeping the middle seat free. My seat, 2F, was a leather recliner with plenty of legroom and two big windows – a treat for a short flight. The middle seat space is handy for tucking a bag under, while overhead bins easily swallowed cabin cases.
There’s a catch, though: no USB ports or power sockets at all. For an aircraft delivered in 2021, that’s a glaring omission. The seat itself was fine for an hour, but if you’re hoping to catch up on work mid-air, you’ll be rationing your laptop battery and working offline.
What is the best seat on SWISS A220 Business from London?
If you’re flying solo, 2C is the sweet spot. It’s an aisle on the two-seat side, so you avoid climbing over anyone while keeping that extra space next to you. For couples, the pair of 2D and 2F on the right-hand side works well – you get privacy and a window, without feeling crammed.
See the seating plan on SeatGuru.
Onboard Experience
The cabin felt modern, clean and well looked after – exactly what you’d expect given SWISS only started flying the A220 in 2016. Seven rows of business meant up to 21 passengers in theory, though the curtain divider makes it flexible.
Surprisingly, for a new-generation aircraft, the A220 wasn’t exactly whisper-quiet. The geared turbofan engines still produced a noticeable hum throughout.
With only one lavatory for the whole cabin up front, queues can build if the cabin is full.
Food & Drink
About 25 minutes after leaving Heathrow, trolleys rolled down the aisle. The tray came with prawns on chopped avocado and gem lettuce, finished with a token slice of lemon.
A bread roll with butter, a passionfruit panna cotta, and a small cheese plate rounded out the meal. It was light, fresh and very “SWISS” in presentation.
Jacquard Champagne flowed freely, with glasses topped up without fuss. Service was swift and efficient – no hanging about, but no rush either. For a one-hour hop, it felt generous.
In-flight Entertainment
Don’t expect much here. The A220 has no Wi-Fi and no seatback screens. Tiny overhead panels flicked between flight map views, and there was an inflight shopping catalogue but no magazine. It’s a bring-your-own-entertainment situation – a downloaded Netflix episode or a book will be your best friend.
BG1 Verdict
Flying SWISS A220 Business from London was a reminder of how polished short-haul business can be when priced right. The seat is essentially economy with the middle blocked, but the cabin feels modern, the catering is solid, and the crew efficient. Still, the lack of power and Wi-Fi stands out – even for a one-hour flight.
BG1 Tip
If you’re travelling alone, pick a seat on the left-hand side where it’s just two across and you’ll be seated alone – no neighbours and a quicker path to the aisle.
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