Edelweiss Air, a leisure-travel airline based in Switzerland, announced Tuesday it will offer nonstop flights between San Diego and Zurich beginning next June.
An Airbus A340-300 will fly twice a week between the two cities. Flights will leave San Diego in the early afternoon and arrive in the Swiss capital in the late afternoon of the next day. Return flights will leave in the early evening and arrive mid-afternoon the next day.
“California is very popular among Swiss tourists,” said Bernd Bauer, CEO of Edelweiss. “Swiss travelers like to stay longer and spend more money during their time on vacation than visitors from other countries.”
“Our flights will bring approximately 15,000 visitors to San Diego per year, creating an economic impact of around $50 million per year,” he added.
Thella F. Bowens, San Diego International Airport’s President and CEO, said Edelweiss joins a growing number of international carriers serving San Diego.
“This new service to Switzerland means San Diegans will have direct flights to six countries from San Diego International Airport,” she said. “Each of these global markets brings significant economic benefits to the San Diego region.”
