Swiss in Miami [MIA]: experience
Dec 17, 2019, 8:30 am
#46
Join Date: Feb 2013
Programs: LH M&M, BA EC, DL SM
Posts: 5,724
Dec 17, 2019, 3:30 pm
#47
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: CH
Programs: LX SEN
Posts: 899
we flew a few weeks ago MIA-ZRH in Business (award travel) . While any trip in business is better than being in coach, the total Swiss (and by association Lufthansa and Austrian) leave a little to be desired at the airport.
Check in looks like "we don't really want to spend the money to be here". Signage was second rate and didn't look like an official station. I don't think the employees were actual LH group - more likely contract employees. Check in was functional but uninspired
Swiss uses a shared lounge with Avianca after security. Once side (IIRC is Latam), the other is Avianca and Swiss. Starkly white and definitely newer. It is actually smaller than you would think it is, especially when there are many people who can use it. I would have thought using the lower entrance level would have been a better use of additional space. All of the lounge is upstairs. Food and drink is "OK" but you would be rushing back to it. Cold cuts, roast turkey and some deserts. Booze was moderately medium level - Makers Mark 46.
Boarding was less than impressive. First and Business were combined into one line ( I would be pissed at that). First pax ended up starting their own line and questioning the staff. The GA were somewhat confused about boarding protocols and how to organize it. Overall, the flight seemed to be fairly full..
Overall - There seems to be enough LH group flights in MIA to justify a better experience than what is here now.
Check in looks like "we don't really want to spend the money to be here". Signage was second rate and didn't look like an official station. I don't think the employees were actual LH group - more likely contract employees. Check in was functional but uninspired
Swiss uses a shared lounge with Avianca after security. Once side (IIRC is Latam), the other is Avianca and Swiss. Starkly white and definitely newer. It is actually smaller than you would think it is, especially when there are many people who can use it. I would have thought using the lower entrance level would have been a better use of additional space. All of the lounge is upstairs. Food and drink is "OK" but you would be rushing back to it. Cold cuts, roast turkey and some deserts. Booze was moderately medium level - Makers Mark 46.
Boarding was less than impressive. First and Business were combined into one line ( I would be pissed at that). First pax ended up starting their own line and questioning the staff. The GA were somewhat confused about boarding protocols and how to organize it. Overall, the flight seemed to be fairly full..
Overall - There seems to be enough LH group flights in MIA to justify a better experience than what is here now.
LATAM lounge (accessible by *G, SENs and HONs.) has just undergone a renovation and has improved. Hence the ground experience of certain passengers is better. When I was there in early December, the lounge was quite crowded, but this is currently the high season in MIA.
I also believe the LH group could throw in a lounge.
Last edited by Nic33; Dec 17, 2019 at 3:36 pm
Dec 18, 2019, 2:14 am
#48
Moderator: Lufthansa Miles & More, India based airlines, India, External Miles & Points Resources
Join Date: Dec 2002
Location: MUC
Programs: LH SEN
Posts: 48,168
Destinations from MIA by AV & LA:
Avianca
LATAM
These two have far more traffic from MIA than the others. Setting up and running a lounge costs a lot of cash which the LHG is unlikely to spend if there is a partner lounge already operating on site.
Avianca
LATAM
These two have far more traffic from MIA than the others. Setting up and running a lounge costs a lot of cash which the LHG is unlikely to spend if there is a partner lounge already operating on site.
Feb 29, 2020, 11:46 am
#49
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
MIA: Bag drop time for Swiss
(Mods feel free to move)
I almost never check bags, so don't know the rules...
Mrs. Global is flying MIA-ZRH on the 8:45pm flight.
There is a ~5:45pm MIA-ZRH flight.
She might need to go to the airport early. Will she be able to drop her bag off around 4pm?
(I know some European airports/airlines only allow bag drop for the specific fight, not the early flight.)
Thanks!
I almost never check bags, so don't know the rules...
Mrs. Global is flying MIA-ZRH on the 8:45pm flight.
There is a ~5:45pm MIA-ZRH flight.
She might need to go to the airport early. Will she be able to drop her bag off around 4pm?
(I know some European airports/airlines only allow bag drop for the specific fight, not the early flight.)
Thanks!
Mar 3, 2020, 11:19 am
#50
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,662
(Mods feel free to move)
I almost never check bags, so don't know the rules...
Mrs. Global is flying MIA-ZRH on the 8:45pm flight.
There is a ~5:45pm MIA-ZRH flight.
She might need to go to the airport early. Will she be able to drop her bag off around 4pm?
(I know some European airports/airlines only allow bag drop for the specific fight, not the early flight.)
Thanks!
I almost never check bags, so don't know the rules...
Mrs. Global is flying MIA-ZRH on the 8:45pm flight.
There is a ~5:45pm MIA-ZRH flight.
She might need to go to the airport early. Will she be able to drop her bag off around 4pm?
(I know some European airports/airlines only allow bag drop for the specific fight, not the early flight.)
Thanks!
Mar 4, 2020, 7:38 am
#52
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Global
Posts: 5,998
Guess she will find out soon.
Mar 4, 2020, 9:01 am
#53
Join Date: May 2015
Location: ATL/MCO
Programs: Costco Executive, RaceTrac Sultan of Soda, Chick-fil-A Red
Posts: 5,662
Do you have specific examples? As it might be that UA at ZRH might not do it but LX will for any flight departing that day from ZRH.
Oct 30, 2022, 6:00 pm
#54
Original Poster
Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: ZRH
Programs: MM FTL
Posts: 39
It is really a shame that LH/Swiss still have nothing better to offer than the Latam lounge at Miami airport. Heard that the TK lounge should be better but it is not close to the gate.
swiss first class check-in was very unpersonal. And there was no fast track. I remember some years ago that a swiss representative accompanied us through security. Not anymore 😕
swiss first class check-in was very unpersonal. And there was no fast track. I remember some years ago that a swiss representative accompanied us through security. Not anymore 😕
Oct 30, 2022, 6:21 pm
#55
Join Date: Feb 2016
Programs: MM, EK, HH, etc.
Posts: 381
Flew LX F from MIA late September. While the flight was fine, the airport experience was one to be avoided. Impersonal check-in, no LX rep to accompany, no TSA Pre, pitiful, overcrowded lounge and chaotic boarding (F pax were herded into the beginning of the jet walk, just to be standing there for a good 15 minutes before being boarded). While some deficiencies may be beyond LX/LH control, some are clearly not. Anyway, not an experience I plan to repeat.
Oct 31, 2022, 2:18 am
#56
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: CH
Programs: LX SEN
Posts: 899
Turkish lounge is slightly better, but often there is a long line to access the lounge. LATAM lounge and its food offering was upgraded shortly before Covid and has become to my view acceptable as a C-class lounge. It is true that with so many flights ex-MIA, the LH group could operate its own lounge.
The F food offering inflight is terrible out of MIA in F in my few experiences recently.
The F food offering inflight is terrible out of MIA in F in my few experiences recently.
Oct 31, 2022, 7:57 am
#57
Join Date: Nov 2018
Location: BRU
Programs: LH HON**
Posts: 384
Flew LX F from MIA late September. While the flight was fine, the airport experience was one to be avoided. Impersonal check-in, no LX rep to accompany, no TSA Pre, pitiful, overcrowded lounge and chaotic boarding (F pax were herded into the beginning of the jet walk, just to be standing there for a good 15 minutes before being boarded). While some deficiencies may be beyond LX/LH control, some are clearly not. Anyway, not an experience I plan to repeat.
Nov 2, 2022, 12:15 pm
#58
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: CH
Programs: LX SEN
Posts: 899
It is really a shame that LH/Swiss still have nothing better to offer than the Latam lounge at Miami airport. Heard that the TK lounge should be better but it is not close to the gate.
swiss first class check-in was very unpersonal. And there was no fast track. I remember some years ago that a swiss representative accompanied us through security. Not anymore 😕
swiss first class check-in was very unpersonal. And there was no fast track. I remember some years ago that a swiss representative accompanied us through security. Not anymore 😕