SWISS vs Turkish Airlines

Overview

SWISS (Swiss International Air Lines) is the flag carrier of Switzerland. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 31 March 2002 after the bankruptcy of Swissair and was built around the regional airline Crossair. It keeps Crossair's IATA code LX and Swissair's ICAO code SWR. The airline is a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group and a member of Star Alliance. Its headquarters are in Kloten, near Zurich Airport. It reported revenue of €6,481 million for 2025.

Network and hubs

Zurich is the main hub and Geneva the secondary hub. SWISS operates scheduled services across Europe and to North America, South America, Africa and Asia, serving around 120 destinations. Edelweiss Air is a subsidiary, and Helvetic Airways flies Embraer E190 aircraft on SWISS's behalf.

Fleet

The same Wikipedia article lists 87 aircraft in service and 13 on order (September 2026). Types are:

• Airbus A220-100 (3) and A220-300 (21)
• Airbus A320 family: A320-200 (6), A320neo (11), A321-100 (3), A321-200 (3), A321neo (7)
• Airbus A330-300 (14)
• Airbus A340-300 (4), due to be retired by 2028 and replaced by the A350-900
• Airbus A350-900 (3), delivered since October 2025
• Boeing 777-300ER (12)

The A220-100s have been affected by Pratt & Whitney engine problems and are due to be retired by 2027.

On board

Short-haul flights are in a single economy cabin plus business seating. Long-haul aircraft have Economy, Premium Economy and Business; the Boeing 777-300ER also has First with eight suites. A330-300 and 777-300ER cabins are due to be retrofitted with the SWISS Senses interior. Seat pitch, meal service and Wi-Fi vary by aircraft and fare, so check the booking page for the specific flight.

Good to know

• Baggage: according to the SWISS baggage FAQ, Economy includes 1 x 23 kg checked, but not on Light or Basic fares. Premium Economy includes 2 x 23 kg, Business 2 x 32 kg and First 3 x 32 kg.
• Cabin bags: Send My Bag reports an 8 kg cabin bag in Economy, but only a personal item on Economy Basic fares. Confirm this with SWISS before travelling.
• Loyalty: SWISS participates in the Miles & More programme.
• Fees for changes, upgrades and lounge access depend on fare and route; check swiss.com.

Overview

Turkish Airlines (Türk Hava Yolları) is the flag carrier of Turkey. According to Wikipedia, it was founded on 20 May 1933, is listed on Borsa Istanbul (THYAO) and has been a member of Star Alliance since 2008. Its corporate headquarters are at the former Atatürk Airport site in Istanbul. Its subsidiaries include the low-cost carrier AJet, Turkish Cargo and Turkish Technic. Its frequent-flyer programme is Miles&Smiles.

Network and hubs

The main hub is Istanbul Airport, which replaced Atatürk Airport in a phased move completed in 2019. CAPA lists Esenboğa (Ankara) and Adnan Menderes (Izmir) as secondary hubs. Wikipedia describes the airline as serving more countries than any other carrier, with about 340 to 350 destinations in Europe, Asia, Africa, Oceania and the Americas, including a large domestic network. Most intercontinental journeys connect through Istanbul.

Fleet

Turkish Airlines Group, including AJet, had 516 aircraft in 2025, with up to 570 planned for 2026, according to its CFO (reported 5 March 2026). Third-party trackers such as Plane Finder list roughly 420 mainline aircraft, including Airbus A321neo, A321, A330, A350-900 and A320 types and Boeing 737, 777 and 787-9 types. Figures vary by source and date.

On board

Turkish Airlines operates two cabins, Economy and Business. Wego reports that every Economy fare includes a meal, checked baggage and seatback entertainment. Business class adds lie-flat seats on long-haul aircraft, Flying Chef dining and lounge access. Wego also reports that Wi-Fi is free for Business passengers and Miles&Smiles members, with free Wi-Fi for all passengers being rolled out through 2026. Seat dimensions vary by aircraft type and are not given here.

Good to know

• Cabin baggage: per the airline's baggage page, Economy allows one 8 kg bag (55x40x23 cm) plus a 4 kg personal item. Business allows two 8 kg bags plus a personal item.
• Checked baggage: the allowance depends on route and fare, so check the booking.
• Lounges: The Points Guy notes two large lounges at Istanbul, one for elite members and one for Business passengers.
• Punctuality: Simple Flying reported 81.41% on-time performance for 2025, using Cirium data.
• Safety: Wikipedia records 19 incidents and accidents in the airline's history, 15 of them fatal.