[Note: SWISS Lurker confirmed that Arrival Lounge access policies were revised in the summer of 2013. I have edited the original post to add the latest policies but will leave the original rules for information at the end of the post. The Lurker also confirmed a change in access rules for United Global First and Business First customers.]
Question posted in the SWISS Lurker thread - February 2014 (
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Based on recent reports in this forum it seems that some rules may have changed. I would be grateful if you could confirm (or otherwise) the following so I can update
this post.
- All Miles&More status customers (FTL, SEN, HON), irrespective of the logo or branding of their Miles&More status card, have access to the SWISS Arrival Lounge, also irrespective of where they are arriving from (both EU and IC flights), when arriving on any Star Alliance flight.
(Previously HON could access the lounge when arriving on any carrier.)
- First and Business Class passengers arriving on United flights have access to the SWISS Arrival Lounge.
(Previously passengers arriving in First and Business on Star Alliance flights other than LX and LH could not access the lounge unless they were Miles&More status customers.)
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Response from the SWISS Lurker - February 2014 (
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According to our Ground Services department, the rules have been changed last year such that HON, SEN and FTL (as usual regardless of the branding of their card, and regardless of class of travel) have access to the arrival lounge if arriving on an LX operated or marketing (LX flight number) flight, or if arriving form a LH Intercontinental flight.
For codeshare situations, that means:
- LX aircraft: Access always granted
- Other airline's aircraft: Access only granted if LX is the carrier on the ticket (irrespective of whether Star Alliance or not)
Similarly, other airlines' (incl. UA) First and Business Class guests only have access if their ticket is issued with LX as marketing carrier.
[It was confirmed that a M&M status customer arriving in ZRH on a LH flight connecting from an intercontinental LH flight would have access to the Arrival Lounge.]
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Question posted in the SWISS Lurker thread by Waldofriend - September 2014 (
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According to the United website (under United Global First Lounges and Arrival Facilities) it states:
"An Arrivals facility is a retreat where United Global First and United BusinessFirst customers arriving by noon on a same-day ticket may freshen up with a shower. Guests can enjoy a breakfast and use complimentary Wi-Fi at some locations. Start your day refreshed at an Arrivals facility. Before their departing international flight, United Global First and United BusinessFirst customers must ask a United representative at the airport to access the Arrivals facility. Access is subject to availability. Customers cannot bring guests into the Arrivals facilities."
And then under Airports, for 'Zurich' it lists "Swiss Airlines Arrivals Lounge" as the United arrivals lounge facility for ZRH.
This would imply (unless I'm missing something) that if you are flying United Global First or Business First, access to the arrivals lounge at ZRH is granted "subject to availability" if requested prior to boarding your ex-US flight. Has United now made arrangements with Swiss to allow this access?
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Response from the SWISS Lurker - September 2014 (
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I received confirmation from my colleague that United Global First and Business First customers do indeed have access to the arrival lounge.
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SWISS Lurker also responded to a question about guest access in post #17.
The companion access policies are the same as for departing passengers in SWISS' own lounges. Please note that the companions need to be passengers as well (holding a boarding card), and that, obviously, the guest himself/herself needs to be eligible for access according to the previous posts:
- First Class, no status: 1 companion arriving on a Star Alliance flight, plus own family (spouse/partner and children younger than 18 years) arriving on the same flight
- Business Class, no status: no companion
- HON Circle: 1 companion, plus own family (spouse/partner and children younger than 18 years), all arriving on any flight
- Senator: 1 companion, plus own children younger than 18 years, all arriving on a Star Alliance flight
- Frequent Traveller: no companion
Access is dependent on the flight/class the passenger is arriving on, not on any connecting flights.
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The original question from April 2012
I wonder if you could clarify the access rules for the new ZRH Arrival Lounge. According to swiss.com the Arrival Lounge may be used by LX/LH First & Business Class passengers and HON Circle members, and by "only SWISS Senators" and "only SWISS Frequent Flyers" (flying in Economy).
Does it mean SENs and FTLs arriving on LX only (but not on LH) can access the lounge when flying in Economy, or only SENs and FTLs with the SWISS logo on their M&M card can access the lounge when flying in Economy? The wording is not very clear.
Also the access rules do not mention anything about eligible flights. Is access to the Arrival Lounge limited to passengers arriving on longhaul flights or can those arriving on shorthaul flights also use the lounge?
This question has been answered by SWISS Lurker in posts #5 and #9 as follows:
- All Miles&More status customers (FTL, SEN, HON), irrespective of the logo or branding of their Miles&More status card, have access to the SWISS Arrivals Lounge, also irrespective of where they are arriving from (both EU and IC flights), and irrespective of whether arriving on LX or on LH (FTL/SEN: Star Alliance flights; HON: any carrier).
- Star Gold status customers are not eligible for SWISS Arrival Lounge access when travelling in Economy on any carrier.
- Business Class passengers without M&M status only of SWISS and Lufthansa are admitted, both long- and shorthaul for SWISS, longhaul only for Lufthansa.
- First Class passengers without M&M status only of SWISS and Lufthansa are admitted.