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Deals
Ski the Swiss Alps this winter with flights as low as $414 round-trip
Sean Cudahy is an aviation reporter covering news about airlines, frequent flyer programs and consumer travel issues.
October 23, 2022 • 7 min read
The cards we feature here are from partners who compensate us when you are approved through our site, and this may impact how or where these products appear. We don't cover all available credit cards, but our analysis, reviews, and opinions are entirely from our editorial team. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Please view our advertising policy and product review methodology for more information.Editorial disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airline or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.
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Quick summary
Flights from several U.S. cities to Switzerland are available for under $500 round-trip, making ski trips to Geneva or Zurich more accessible this season.
Travel dates span from November through March, covering peak ski months and allowing flexibility for fall, winter or spring trips.
Most itineraries involve short layovers in appealing European cities, with the option to extend stopovers at no additional airfare cost.
Availability is strongest from the Northeast, with multiple airlines and routes highlighted for affordable fares.
What to consider
Some offers mentioned in the article are no longer available; current pricing and availability may differ.
Sample fares are primarily from major cities such as Boston, Miami, New York, Chicago and Washington, with prices slightly higher from other locations.
Booking directly with airlines after searching via flight aggregators is recommended for the best results.
What you'll miss from the article
Tips on maximizing stopovers, sample itineraries and insights on how to find the best value for Switzerland ski travel this season.
Generated by AI with support from our editorial team.
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
Ski season is getting underway in the U.S., with the first resort announcing its season opening last week. And while there are deals to be had on flights to domestic destinations that will put you within a short drive of the slopes, you won’t pay a whole lot more to fly internationally.
Take Switzerland as an example, which you can reach for less than $500 by air right now — and in some cases well below that mark — and these flights will get you there in plenty of time to enjoy ski season.
If skiing the Swiss Alps has been on your bucket list, this could be a great opportunity. Not to mention, on top of getting some incredible runs in on the other side of the Atlantic, you’ll get to experience all Switzerland has to offer during winter, and there’s a lot.
Depending on the U.S. city you’re departing from you may find better prices flying to Geneva, as opposed to Zurich (or vice versa). Scott’s Cheap Flights was the first to flag the great ski season flights to Switzerland. The site offers premium memberships starting at $49 annually for economy deals and $199 annually for premium economy and business class deals.
Whether you’re hoping to travel this fall, catch the peak skiing months over the winter or book a spring break trip, this deal will help get you cheap airfare.
Elm region, Switzerland. ALEXANDER CHAIKIN/GETTY IMAGES
Deal Basics
Airlines: Delta, Air France, KLM, Icelandair, Aer Lingus, TAP.
Routes: Boston/Miami/New York to Geneva; Chicago/New York/Washington to Zurich.
Travel Dates: November 2022 – March 2023.
How to book: We recommend finding your itinerary with Google Flights, then booking directly through the airline.
Sample Flights
We highlighted fares to Geneva and Zurich that came in at less than $500 round-trip. However, we should note that if you don’t see your city or preferred Switzerland destination listed and are hoping to book, there’s quite a bit of availability right around (or a bit above) $500.
If you’re a Delta Air Lines loyalist, there’s certainly good news with this deal. There’s quite a bit of availability on the Atlanta-based carrier and its SkyTeam partners like KLM and Air France, particularly when flying from the Northeast.
Most of these itineraries do involve a connection somewhere, and where that connection really depends on which airline you’re flying: If you’re on Air France, it’ll be in Paris; if KLM in Amsterdam; TAP in Lisbon, etc. However, sometimes when we talk about connections overseas, it can be a long stop of many hours. That’s not the case here — we found plenty of short layovers available, so you’ll be on your way to your final destination after connecting.
However, if you’d like to draw out the stop a bit more so you can enjoy some time in your connecting city, that’s often possible as you book, and can be a way to enjoy a second city at no added cost. After all, there are some pretty intriguing connecting locations here — from Paris to Dublin and Iceland.
Here are just a few of the itineraries and prices we found:
Boston to Geneva for $479 on a combination of Air France and KLM
Chicago to Geneva
Miami to Geneva for $479 on Air France
New York to Geneva for $479 on a combination of Delta, Air France and KLM
Washington to Zurich for $414 on Icelandair
Let’s start with a look at one itinerary out of the New York area. Those hoping to reach Geneva can do so on a combination of Sky Team partners. Traveling shortly after the new year, you’ll depart from John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) aboard a Delta Boeing 767, flying overnight to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG), where you’ll arrive at noon the following day. An hour later, you’ll depart on Air France for a short, 70-minute hop over to Geneva (GVA).
On the return trip, you’ll start with an 80-minute short hop back to Paris on Air France, before a 65-minute stop and an afternoon transcontinental flight back to JFK with Delta.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
New Yorkers hoping to reach Zurich, on the other hand, can find even cheaper flights aboard Aer Lingus. This early February itinerary involves an overnight flight to Dublin Airport (DUB) and the remaining portion of the trip to Zurich after a layover of two-and-a-half hours. The stop is a bit longer on the return trip at 3 hours and 50 minutes.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
One option for Washington, D.C. area travelers hoping to make it to Switzerland this ski season involves a round trip on Icelandair out of Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport (BWI). After the overnight flight to Keflavik International Airport (KEF) in Iceland, it’s just a 55-minute stop before you’re on your way to Zurich. It’s another brief stop of just over an hour in Iceland on the return trip.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Finally, here’s another combination of Sky Team flights on an itinerary out of Boston Logan International Airport (BOS) on a trip that can serve as a spring skiing getaway. For $477, you’ll depart on an Air France Boeing 787 Dreamliner from Logan for an overnight flight to Paris. After a brief, hour-long stop, you’ll be on your way to Geneva. On the return trip, you’ll fly with KLM, making a stop in Amsterdam before the overseas leg aboard an Airbus A330 back to New England. Hopefully, operations at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS) will be looking a lot better than this past year.
GOOGLE FLIGHTS
Maximize your purchase
Don’t forget to use a card that earns bonus points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express, which earns 5 points per dollar on airfare booked directly with the airline or through American Express Travel (on up to $500,000 on these purchases per calendar year). The Citi Premier® Card (see rates and fees) and Chase Sapphire Reserve earn 3 points per dollar on airfare, and the American Express® Gold Card also earns 3 points per dollar on airfare when booked directly with the airline or through Amex Travel. Meanwhile, the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card earns 2 points per dollar on travel. Learn more here about maximizing your air travel purchases.
DEIMAGINE/GETTY IMAGES
Bottom line
Ski season isn’t just approaching. We can officially say it’s here. And there are few better places to hit the slopes than Switzerland. For less than $500, you can check off a skiing bucket list destination for many, with pretty impressive availability to Zurich and/or Geneva throughout the season.
By commenting, you agree to our Community Guidelines to help create a positive space for conversation. The responses below are not provided or commissioned by the bank advertiser, our partners, or The Points Guy (“TPG”). They have not been reviewed, approved, or otherwise endorsed by any of these parties. All responses are submitted by individual contributors, and neither the bank advertiser, our partners, nor TPG are responsible for ensuring that all posts and/or questions are answered.
