Zurich Airport Flight Departures (ZRH)

Flight Departures at Zurich Airport

Zurich Airport serves over 31 million passengers per year, and is the largest airport in Switzerland. The airport is found in the Canton of Zurich, partially located in areas such as Kloten, Rümlang, Oberglatt and Opfiken, and approximately 12 km, or 7 miles from the city center of Zurich. Since that the airport is particularly nearby Kloten, it is often referred to as Kloten Airport, or by its airport code of ZRH. Zurich Airport is a very busy and important gateway to this region in the north east of Switzerland, and also provides connections to hundreds of local and international destinations. Passengers departing from Zurich Airport will find all the essential amenities within the airport buildings, and will be able to choose from a number of airline companies offering regular departure flights from the airport.

Zurich Airport is the main hub for Swiss International Air Lines and Edelweiss Air, which are the two airline carriers that hold the majority of destinations from Zurich Airport. Although Zurich Airport’s traffic was severely affected by the closure of Swissair, it has steadily regained its position since Lufthansa took over its successor Swiss International Air Lines, or also known as SWISS. Three runways are used by these airline carriers and the many others in operation at Zurich Airport, as well as a fourth unidirectional runway positioned to the far north of the airport grounds.

Edelweiss Air offers connections to Cagliari, Casablanca, Tenerife-South, Palma de Mallorca, Minorca, Faro, Zanzibar and Heraklion, just to name a few, while some popular destinations served by Swiss International Air Lines are Amsterdam, Barcelona, Athens, Lisbon, London-Heathrow, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, Rome-Fiumicino, Frankfurt, Dublin, Cairo, Copenhagen and New York-JFK. Air Berlin and Easyjet are two low-cost airline carriers at Zurich Airport. Emirates flies to Dubai from the airport, British Airways offers flights to London-Heathrow and American Airlines travels to New York-JFK. Some of the other airline companies available include KLM, Iberia, Germanwings, Finnair, Delta Air Lines, Air Canada and Aer Lingus.

Passengers on departure flights from Zurich Airport can travel to the terminals on buses operated by the Zurich Regional Public Transport Company, or ZVV, or by the S-Bahn train services. Buses and trains run continuously throughout the day from the center of Zurich, from the main bus and train stations, and from a number of other regions nearby to the city as well. The train station in Zurich is known as the Zürich Hauptbahnhof, and trains leave for the airport every ten minutes. There is also a tram service available, on routes 10 and 12. By bus or train to Zurich Airport is a very cost effective way to travel, and all the public transport services in Switzerland are meticulously operated, in a reliable and very punctual fashion. However, those driving their own vehicles will find plenty of adequate parking spaces at the airport. A taxi is also often used for transport to Zurich Airport, and passengers needing to return their rented car should follow the signs ‘Departures, Rental Car Return’, and follow the procedures required by their car rental company.

At Zurich Airport, there are three large passenger terminals, with several check-in areas. The newest check-in area, number 3, is located nearby the railway station of the airport. The two main terminals, A and B, are connected by underground airport trains, while the third and newest terminal is linked to the main terminal by the Skymetro, an underground and automated people mover system. Passengers departing from this gate (E), may wish to spend more time in the main terminal before transferring to the boarding area, as most shops and restaurants are found in the Airport Center. Zurich Airport boasts the largest shopping mall in Switzerland, and one of the largest food courts in the area as well; therefore passengers will find plenty to do before their departure flight.

The various airline companies in operation from Zurich Airport may have different check-in requirements, but in general, passengers should arrive at least an hour before a domestic flight and two to three hours before an international flight. There are also several ways in which passengers can check-in at Zurich Airport, depending on their airline carrier. Self-service check-in machines are found at the Check-in 3 zone, and can be used for certain airline carriers, including Air Berlin, Air France, Air Canada, British Airways, Lufthansa, Swiss and KLM, amongst others, while mobile check-in is also offered by Air Canada, Air France, KLM, Swiss International Air Lines and Iberia. Passengers using this service will receive their boarding card to their mobile phone via SMS/MMS, and baggage items are delivered to either the normal check-in desks or to the designated bag drop for passengers who have checked in online. Over the Internet is also a very popular way to check-in for flights from Zurich Airport.

Zurich airport operates according to all international security recommendations, and complies with the EU regulations in regards to liquids carried in hand luggage. Although a busy airport, passengers will find that the check-in and passport screening processes are very efficient. Passengers on transfer flights with baggage or liquids which need to be checked in will need to leave the transfer area and enter Switzerland in order to do so, as there are no check-in facilities in the transfer area. For those who need to stay over at Zurich Airport, there are day-rooms and rest areas available, which can be hired for a few hours or for the night. They are equipped with showers and toilets; towels, body care products and hairdryers, and are ideal for passengers on a departing flight the next morning. Further facilities at Zurich Airport include banking and currency exchange services, cash machines, Internet connections, a conference center, duty-free shopping outlets, nurseries and play areas for children and left luggage services. Zurich Airport is also fully equipped for disabled passengers.

All information regarding departure flights from Zurich Airport is available via SMS, over the phone, via videotext or at the airport, from the information desks or information flight monitors.