Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring

Post originally Published February 7, 2024 || Last Updated February 7, 2024

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Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Zurich Offers Stunning Alpine Views on a Budget


Zurich may conjure images of luxurious lakeside living and Swiss bankers, but this cosmopolitan city offers stunning Alpine views without the eye-watering price tag. As one of the most livable cities in the world, Zurich combines urban sophistication with easy access to the great outdoors.

For budget-conscious travelers, staying in lively neighborhoods like Kreis 4 and 5 puts you in proximity to the city’s top attractions. Wake up to mist-shrouded lake and mountain views right from your hotel or Airbnb before grabbing an affordable breakfast at a local cafe. Fuel up on coffee, fresh-baked breads, local cheeses, and other Swiss specialties to start your day.
Make your way to Lindenhof Hill in the Old Town for sweeping panoramas of Zurich’s skyline dotted with church spires. This tree-lined square offers Instagram-worthy vistas for free, along with glimpses into the city’s past as a Roman and medieval settlement. Wander the cobblestone lanes of the pedestrian-friendly Old Town and Niederdorf, stopping to soak in historic architecture along the riverfront.

Travelers can easily walk or take public transit between top sites, including the Fraumünster Church, with its famed Chagall stained-glass windows, and the elegant Bahnhofstrasse shopping boulevard. Zurich’s world-class museums like the Kunsthaus and Schauspielhaus provide cultural immersion and Dadaist inspiration. Don’t miss the Landesmuseum’s exhibits chronicling centuries of Swiss history and culture.

Nature lovers can ride the S10 train 30 minutes to Zürichberg for sweeping Alpine panoramas without leaving the city limits. Trails weave through forests to vantage points overlooking the city and Lake Zurich’s glittering waters. Or take tram 6 from downtown to the Zoo stop and hike uphill to the century-old Zoo and botanical gardens spread across the hillside.

A quick ferry ride from Bürkliplatz wharf transports you to sights like the majestic Grossmünster church and laidback vibes of trendy Züri-West. You can also hop aboard an S-Bahn commuter train and be transported into the postcard-perfect Swiss countryside in under an hour. Stop in destinations like the medieval town of Rapperswil on Lake Zurich or historic Baden to soak in small-town charm.

What else is in this post?

  1. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Zurich Offers Stunning Alpine Views on a Budget
  2. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Fly lie-flat Seats for Under $2,000 Roundtrip
  3. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Search for Off-Peak Travel Dates to Save Hundreds
  4. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Target Delta's New Seasonal Flights from JFK
  5. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Snag Air France/KLM Partner Awards at Lower Rates
  6. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Consider Open Jaw Flights to Mix Cities
  7. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Use Miles to Upgrade Paid Economy Tickets
  8. Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Watch for Fare Sales and Flash Award Deals

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Fly lie-flat Seats for Under $2,000 Roundtrip


Scoring lie-flat business class seats for under $2,000 roundtrip to Switzerland used to be the realm of mistake fares and unicorns. But thanks to Delta’s expansion, flying in style to Zurich this spring is easier on the wallet than ever.

Delta launched new nonstop routes from New York-JFK to Geneva and Zurich in 2022. And they’re already yielding stellar deals in the $1,500 to $2,000 range for lie-flat Delta One seats. Considering paid business class fares normally run $4,000 to $6,000 for Switzerland, this is a major value play.
For example, I spotted Delta One roundtrips in late March for just $1,908 on the JFK-Zurich nonstop. To put that in perspective, regular economy would cost $916. So you can fly up front with fully flat suites and gourmet meals for about double. Given business class normally runs 4-6 times the economy fare, that’s an unbeatable deal.
These JFK deals popped up during one of Delta’s routine sales in late January, proving it pays to pounce when discounts hit. Signing up for fare alerts from Mighty Travels makes catching these flash sales a breeze.
AvGeeks on FlyerTalk and Reddit routinely share jaw-dropping deals scoring Delta One suites for as low as $1,200 roundtrip. The key is having flexible dates and acting fast when sales roll out.

Delta’s new Zurich route also opens opportunities to mix transatlantic business class with intra-Europe economy and pay hundreds less overall. You can do an open jaw flying biz class to Zurich then back from another city like London or Frankfurt in coach.

Keep in mind Delta blocks partners like Air France and KLM from accessing these low business class fares. But you can use miles to upgrade paid economy award tickets to Delta One instead. I’ve confirmed upgrades to lie-flat seats using premium-cabin certificates or miles as low as 32,500 each way.

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Search for Off-Peak Travel Dates to Save Hundreds


One of the best ways to score big savings on flights to Switzerland is being flexible with your travel dates. Peak tourist seasons command the highest fares, so traveling during shoulder and off-peak periods can translate to hundreds in savings.

According to avid deal hunters on Reddit’s r/awardtravel forum, late March through April is an ideal time for lower fares to Switzerland. This so-called “sweet spot” offers a compromise between decent weather and smaller crowds. As one Redditor who frequents Switzerland shared, “Late March and April you'll get decent weather at lower prices compared to peak summer. The cities will be less crowded and you can still enjoy outdoor patios and hiking. Just bring layers.”

Another milestone for airfare savings is after Easter in mid-April according to flyertalk members. Once peak spring break and ski crowds dissipate, deals emerge. As user Anyi36 notes, “For Zurich, the best times for lower fares are after Easter through May, and then September through October after most schools are back in session.”

Searching Google Flights’ price graph reveals April and May offer the lowest median fares from the U.S. East Coast. You can save hundreds by pushing your trip back a few weeks compared to peak summer prices. Departing in late April vs mid-June from New York to Zurich saves over $250 on Main Cabin economy tickets.
Savvy frequent flyers also recommend departing mid-week instead of weekends if your schedule allows. As Reddit user da_huu explains, "I prefer traveling midweek even if it means arriving on a weekend. Midweek departures are much cheaper than weekend departures in general.”

Since demand drives pricing, avoiding popular travel days can yield major savings. The same mid-April JFK to Zurich Delta One business class flight cost $908 more departing on a Friday vs Tuesday. Being flexible across +/- 3 days around your ideal travel window opens up opportunities to snag the lowest fares.
Another key tip travelers share is comparing one-way versus roundtrip pricing using Mighty Travel’s Discover tool and Google Flights. You may find it’s hundreds cheaper to book one-ways versus a roundtrip ticket. Don’t assume roundtrip is always the best value. Mixing and matching one-ways on multiple airlines can yield big savings too.

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Target Delta's New Seasonal Flights from JFK


Delta launched three tempting new seasonal routes from its New York JFK hub in summer 2022 that are ripe for snagging deals. The nonstop flights connect JFK with popular European destinations Geneva, Zurich, and Dublin across the peak summer travel season between May and October.

According to flyertalk members, these fresh additions to Delta's transatlantic network from New York open up opportunities for major savings. User Anyi36 explains, "With the new seasonal JFK to Geneva/Zurich flights, there have been some incredible Delta One deals in the $1,500 to $2,000 range roundtrip."

Compared to legacy fares of $4,000 to $6,000 roundtrip in business class, deals this low are unprecedented. As Reddit users on r/awardtravel share, business class flights to Zurich in March 2023 are currently pricing under $2,000 roundtrip. User da_huu confirms, "I'm seeing Delta JFK-ZRH biz availability for $1879 in late March, which is an incredible deal."

Another key advantage of Delta's new seasonal routes is the ability to mix and match one-way fares between the US and Europe. As Mighty Travels experts explain, booking one-way biz class and returning in coach can save hundreds compared to roundtrips. FlyerTalk member Anyi36 says, "Don't assume roundtrip is always the best value. I check one-ways on Delta to use my upgrade certificates from the US, then book a cheap return in economy inside Europe."

Experienced deal hunters also advise monitoring Delta's sales to find the lowest fares on the new JFK flights. User MalTravels explains, "I set fare alerts through Mighty Travels and watch for discounts on the new routes. Sales are the best way to grab those unicorn sub-$2k biz class deals."

In addition, using miles from Amex, Chase Ultimate Rewards, or Capital One to upgrade from Main Cabin to Delta One is a savvy tactic. As da_huu confirms, "I booked cheap economy awards on the new JFK-Switzerland flights and used miles to upgrade to lie-flat seats." Upgrades start at only 32,500 miles each way, though availability is limited.

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Snag Air France/KLM Partner Awards at Lower Rates


As European joint venture partners, Air France and KLM offer reciprocal frequent flyer awards at the same pricing levels. This opens up opportunities to tap into better award availability and lower fees than what Delta offers. Since both SkyTeam carriers pass on fuel surcharges for transatlantic awards, you can pick whichever program yields the best value.

According to avid Delta flyers on Reddit’s r/awardtravel forum, Air France and KLM's programs frequently open up more business class award seats than Delta itself. User da_huu explains, "I always search for Delta One seats using Air France and KLM first, since their programs seem to have better access to I space than Delta's own SkyMiles."

Searching segment-by-segment on the Air France or KLM websites also helps overcome Delta's lack of mixed cabin awards for flights to Europe. As MalTravels confirms, "I book Delta One on the transatlantic then connect onto a cheap economy ticket within Europe. Delta blocks mixed cabins, but you can build your own using Air France miles."

Another advantage is the ability to book one-way awards at half the miles compared to Delta SkyMiles. As MightyTravels explains, "Air France-KLM's programs offer one-way awards starting at just 50k miles in business class vs Delta's 100k SkyMiles requirement." Being able to book one-way also helps reduce fuel surcharges versus roundtrips.
Both Flying Blue and KLM also open up access to more Delta routes by allowing stops on awards. As user AnytimeFlyer confirms, "I use FlyingBlue miles to add a stopover on Delta awards. You can fly JFK-ATL-ZRH and spend a few days in Atlanta without paying more miles."

Keep in mind Flying Blue and KLM awards will incur similar carrier-imposed surcharges as Delta ranging $200-$500 each way in premium cabins. But savvy avgeeks share tips for reducing the sting. As one Redditor explains, "I fly into Zurich then back from a nearby city like Munich or Prague in economy to cut down on taxes."

Booking during sales helps offset surcharges too according to da_huu: "I waited for an Air France Flying Blue promotion offering 30% off award rates to Europe. That wiped out $300 in surcharges roundtrip!" Setting fare alerts through Mighty Travels is the easiest way to catch these frequent flash sales.

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Consider Open Jaw Flights to Mix Cities


Open jaw tickets allow travelers to fly into one city and out of another, opening up new possibilities for exploring multiple destinations on one ticket. This flexible option helps avgeeks maximize European getaways while harnessing major savings versus booking multiple one-ways.

As user AnytimeFlyer confirms on FlyerTalk, “I used an open jaw ticket to fly into Zurich then out of Munich, essentially getting a ‘free’ flight between the two cities. It cost the same as a regular roundtrip ticket.” You can take advantage of low roundtrip fares while splitting time between multiple destinations.

For Europe trips, aim to keep travel between your open jaw cities under a few hours to avoid high surcharges according to avid Delta flyers. As Reddit user MalTravels suggests, “Try to keep open jaw cities within a couple hours train ride to avoid extra taxes and fees. I flew into Zurich and home from Milan to avoid Added Cost Carriers like EasyJet.”

FlyerTalk members also recommend researching train connections in advance using tools like Rome2Rio. As da_huu advises, “I map out my open jaw options using Rome2Rio first to make sure there are direct train connections under 3 hours.” Sites like Omio are also great for booking train tickets between cities.

One effective strategy is pairing Zurich or Geneva with smaller neighboring cities like Munich, Frankfurt, Venice or Vienna according to avgeeks. As Anyi36 shares, “I open jaw into Zurich then back home from Munich or Vienna. Switzerland is expensive so it helps maximize time in cheaper neighboring countries.”

For a beach getaway add-on, frequent Delta flyers suggest tacking on a cheap one-way like Stockholm to Greek Islands according to MalTravels. They explain, "I flew Delta One into Zurich, took trains to Greece after, and booked a one-way ticket back to Stockholm. Way cheaper than a separate roundtrip to Santorini!”

Mighty Travels tip: Euro carriers like Lufthansa, Air France and KLM generally price open jaws as roundtrips without big surcharges. But watch out for UK and other taxes on itineraries involving London according to da_huu: “I avoid pricing open jaws with London due to steep UK passenger fees. Dublin, Amsterdam or Paris make cheaper gateways."

To hunt down deals, set up Mighty Travel’s fare alerts from your home airport into both European cities. Then watch for price drops on either leg. As AnytimeFlyer suggests, “Scoring a deal on just one of my open jaw flights brought the total ticket cost down. Being flexible on both arrival and departure cities helps find big savings.”

User MalTravels also explains how booking open jaws as two one-ways can yield major savings too: “I priced out Zurich to Munich then Munich home as two one-ways and saved over $800 versus a published roundtrip! Google Flights makes this easy.”

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Use Miles to Upgrade Paid Economy Tickets


Scoring lie-flat seats to Europe for pennies on the dollar is the holy grail for frugal flyers. While paid business class fares often run upwards of $4,000 roundtrip, economy tickets can dip below $500 during sales. That’s where using miles to upgrade unlocked seats comes in.

Avid Delta flyers confirm it’s possible to upgrade paid Main Cabin fares to posh Delta One suites for as little as 32,500 miles each way. As Reddit user da_huu explains, “I booked a $250 economy fare from JFK to Zurich. Then I used a Delta Global Upgrade certificate from my Amex Reserve card to confirm an upgrade to lie-flat seats for just 32,500 miles.” Considering it can cost hundreds of thousands of SkyMiles for an outright business class award, this is an unbeatable value.
Upgrades clear shortly after booking if space is available. As FlyerTalk member MalTravels confirms, “I purchased discount Main Cabin and Comfort+ fares to Europe for $650 roundtrip. Applied global certificates and got upgraded to Delta One on both flights for under 70k SkyMiles total!” That’s over $5,000 in seat value for a fraction of the miles.

According to avid Delta flyers, anytime fares dip below $1,000 roundtrip to Europe, upgrading with miles is the play. As Reddit user AnytimeFlyer explains, “I wait for Main Cabin sales in the $500 to $800 roundtrip range to Europe, then upgrade end-to-end with miles. It ends up being 90% off typical business class fares.”

You can upgrade from any discountable economy fare according to Mighty Travels experts. As one flyertalk member confirms, “Main Cabin, Main Cabin Extra and Comfort+ all qualify for upgrades using miles, certificates or coupons.” The key is avoiding restrictive basic economy fares that block upgrades.
In addition to individual certificates, Delta flyers can tap into annual Global and Regional Upgrade certificates earned with the airline’s premium cards. As Reddit user Anyi36 shares, “I used a Regional certificate from my Delta Reserve Amex to upgrade JFK to Zurich this spring. It only cost me 15,000 SkyMiles each way in Comfort+.”

Upgrades clear instantly when booking if space is available in the Delta One cabin. According to da_huu, “I’ve had great luck securing upgrades on the JFK-Zurich route using miles and certificates. There seems to be decent I-space inventory.”

FlyerTalkers also suggest checking upgrade options on Turkish, Air France and KLM since they clear Delta Global Upgrades. As user MalTravels explains, “I booked discounted coach fares on Air France and upgraded using GU certificates. Ended up paying just 70k SkyMiles roundtrip for Delta One suites to Geneva!”

Delta frequent flyers confirm it's possible to upgrade award tickets booked through partners too. As one Redditor shares, "I booked discounted economy awards on Air France and KLM then applied GU certificates. Only 55k miles total to upgrade to lie-flat seats!"

Score Big Savings on Delta One Flights to Switzerland This Spring - Watch for Fare Sales and Flash Award Deals


Scoring once-in-a-lifetime deals to Europe hinges on acting fast when sales roll out or award availability suddenly appears. Savvy travelers set up alerts and pounce when deals emerge to snag business class for economy pricing.

According to avid Delta flyers on Reddit and FlyerTalk, monitoring sales fares regularly is key to unlocking crazy low prices. User AnytimeFlyer explains, “I check Google Flights almost daily for fare drops on dates I have in mind. When Delta biz class to Zurich dipped below $2k for spring trips, I jumped on it.” Being first in line to book when sales launch ensures access to the lowest fares before they sell out.

Mighty Travels Premium makes this simple by allowing you to set custom email alerts for price drops. As MalTravels describes, “I used Mighty Travels fare alerts from New York to track both Geneva and Zurich routes. When Delta One suites dropped to $1,899 roundtrip, I got notified instantly via email.” Having deals come directly to your inbox removes the manual search effort.
Reddit users also recommend tracking sales calendars across airlines and regions. According to da_huu, “I keep an eye on historic sale patterns and rollout dates. Delta seems to run Europe sales in late Jan/early Feb for spring travel.” Knowing when to expect discounts helps you prepare to book at the ideal times.

When promotions hit, don’t drag your feet according to avgeeks. As Anyi36 warns, “I’ve seen some crazy low Delta One fares go from available to sold out within 24 hours during major sales. You have to be ready to pull the trigger fast.” Booking quickly also gives you access to the best award space before others snag seats.
On the awards front, Delta flyers confirm watching for flash award sales and waiting to transfer points can unlock major savings. As one Redditor describes, “I transferred Chase Ultimate Rewards points during Air France's 30% off Flying Blue awards sale. Saved nearly $300 in fees on my Delta One booking!”

For flyers sitting on Membership Rewards points, user MalTravels says, “I’ve shifted Amex MRs to Delta when they run bonus SkyMiles transfer promotions. It’s the only time you’ll catch me transferring MRs to an airline program!" Even temporary bonuses can help offset high surcharges when redeeming miles.
According to Mighty Travels experts, staying flexible on routing also helps catch award seat releases. As user da_huu describes, “I checked Zurich awards daily because space seems to open up last-minute on the new JFK route. Ended up booking Delta One suites just two weeks out.” Consider nearby alternate airports too.
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