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Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH
Flight Carrier
Swiss International Air Lines
Departing Airport
International Airport Montreal
Arrival Airport
Zurich Airport
Duration
7 h 25 min
Aircraft
Airbus A330
Cabin Class
Economy
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The duration of the direct flight is 7h25 at night and more or less 8h30 during the day on the return journey. By choosing to fly with SWISS for my trip to Tanzania, I hoped to significantly boost my Aeroplan points balance for a future Business Class trip to Asia. I was able to accumulate 3,722 points for the round trip on these two economy flights.

Read my review of my flight from Zurich to Tanzania with Edelweiss and my guide to what to do during a stopover in Zurich.

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH - Swiss Airbus A330-300 YUL-ZRH-4

Registration with SWISS

I checked in for my flights directly on the SWISS app. However, I had trouble changing my seat on the way back, perhaps because my first flight was with another airline.

Fortunately, my seat was pretty much the same as on the outward flight, so no worries there. The app also lets you confirm your baggage check-in and receive a notification when it’s on board the aircraft, which is very reassuring.

How to Earn Aeroplan Points

The easiest way to earn Aeroplan points is to sign up for one of these Aeroplan credit cards. Not only will you earn Aeroplan points as a welcome bonus, but you’ll also earn points on all purchases charged to your Aeroplan credit card.

The most popular Aeroplan credit card is the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card which currently offers the following welcome offer:

Featured
Annual fee
$0 $139
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$1,139
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now

on TD's website

With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year.

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first Purchase with your new Card
  • Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of Account opening.
  • Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of Account opening

This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on:

  • Grocery purchases
  • Gas and electric vehicle charging purchases
  • Purchases made directly with Air Canada® (including Air Canada Vacations®)

You also earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$75

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xAir Canada flights
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,714
2nd Year Value$425

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Note that you can also earn Aeroplan Points through the American Express Membership Rewards program. You can transfer your American Express Membership Rewards points into Aeroplan points at a rate of 1:1. 10,000 Membership Rewards points = 10,000 Aeroplan points. Many American Express Membership Rewards credit cards are available in Canada.

In my opinion, one of the best American Express Membership Rewards credit cards is the American Express Cobalt® Card. With this credit card, you’ll earn 5 Points per dollar on groceries, convenience stores, restaurants and bars. And don’t forget the gift card trick, which also earns you 5 Points per dollar at many stores, including Amazon, SAQ, Ikea and Netflix.

Here is the welcome offer currently available for this card:

Annual fee
$191.88
Our valuation
$255
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$255Total$255Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 15,000 points
Apply Now

on American Express's website

Apply with confidence — no impact on your credit scoreApply with confidenceCheck whether your application will be approved before you submit it, with no impact on your credit score*When you apply for a personal American Express Credit Card, we will tell you whether you are eligible without affecting your credit score. So you can apply with confidence.*Instant decisions are only available for consumer Card applications (also called “personal Cards”).

The American Express Cobalt® Card is the best credit card from American Express, whether you want points for travel or cash back.

American Express Cobalt® Card welcome offer

The welcome bonus is paid out monthly over your first 12 months. You earn 1,250 Membership Rewards points for each monthly billing period in which you charge $750 in net purchases to your card, in any category (1X, 2X, 3X or 5X). That adds up to 15,000 Membership Rewards points over the year, a welcome offer we value at $255.

Earning the full bonus means $9,000 in net purchases spread across 12 monthly billing periods. This offer rewards steady monthly spending rather than one large purchase.

You can use these points as statement credits on everyday or travel purchases, at the same rate either way: 1,000 points = $10.

You can also transfer them to Aeroplan, Avios (British Airways and Qatar Airways), Flying Blue, Marriott Bonvoy or Hilton Honors. With the full welcome bonus, that is a choice between:

  • 15,000 Aeroplan points
  • 15,000 Avios points
  • 15,000 Flying Blue Miles
  • 18,000 Marriott Bonvoy points

If hotel points are what you are after, our ultimate guide to Marriott Bonvoy and our complete map of Marriott Bonvoy hotels by category show what those points can actually buy.

American Express Cobalt® Card benefits

Here is what the card gives you, starting with the benefits cardholders use most.

  • 5X points on eligible eats and drinks in Canada: groceries, restaurants and bars, home food delivery and convenience stores. A spend cap applies.
  • 3X points on eligible streaming subscriptions in Canada.
  • 2X points on eligible gas, public transit and ride sharing purchases in Canada.
  • 1 additional point on eligible hotel and car rental bookings made through American Express Travel Online.
  • 1X point per dollar on everything else, with no category restrictions.
  • Points that hold the same value either way: 1,000 points = $10 as a statement credit, or a 1:1 transfer to several airline and hotel loyalty programs.
  • No minimum income requirement, as with every American Express Canada card.
  • Additional cards at no extra cost: the first and every other supplementary card is $0.
  • The Hotel Collection: a room upgrade when available, 12pm check-in and late check-out when available, and up to $100 USD in hotel credit on amenities charged to the room for a stay of two or more consecutive nights, booked through American Express Travel.
  • Front Of The Line® presale and reserved tickets for concerts and theatre performances, plus offers and events curated for cardmembers through Amex Experiences.
  • A soft credit check before you apply: you can see whether you will be approved with no impact to your credit score. This applies to American Express personal card applications.

To see how it compares with the rest of the line-up, read our round-up of the best credit cards from American Express in Canada.

The 5X categories and where they apply

The 5X rate is the reason most people carry this card. In Canada it covers four kinds of merchants:

  • Groceries: Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, Safeway, Whole Foods.
  • Restaurants and bars: sit-down meals, takeout and drinks.
  • Home food delivery.
  • Convenience stores: Couche-Tard, 7-Eleven.

The 2X rate covers gas stations such as Esso, Shell and Petro-Canada, along with public transit and ride sharing.

With the American Express Cobalt® Card, you earn between 1 and 5 points per dollar:

Category Points per dollar
Grocery (Metro, IGA, Sobeys, Super C, etc.) 5
Home food delivery 5
Restaurants and bars 5
Convenience stores 5
Streaming services 3
Service station 2
Transport 2
Travel 1
Other 1

That works out to a 1 to 5% return on those purchases. For example, if you spend $1,000 per month across groceries, restaurants and food delivery, you earn $50 back per month, or $600 per year from that category alone. Transfer the points to a program such as Aeroplan instead and the return can be higher.

You can also stack these categories with the hundreds of stores that offer 5x points.

American Express Cobalt® Card insurance coverage

The card comes with a broad insurance package. The amounts below are the coverage limits; conditions, age limits and exclusions are set out in the certificate of insurance linked in the Insurance section above.

Travel insurance

  • Emergency medical: up to $5,000,000 for the first 15 days of a trip.
  • Travel accident: accidental death and dismemberment of up to $250,000 for you, your spouse and dependent children under age 23 when travelling on a common carrier (plane, train, bus or ship) and the tickets are charged to your card. Supplementary cardholders and their families are covered too.
  • Flight delay: up to $500 for necessary hotel, meal and sundry expenses bought within 48 hours when you are delayed or denied boarding for four hours or more and no other transportation is available. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and delayed baggage coverage.
  • Delayed baggage: up to $500 for essential clothing and sundries bought within four days when your outbound luggage is delayed six hours or more. This $500 is an aggregate limit per occurrence, shared with missed connection and flight delay coverage.
  • Lost or stolen baggage: up to $500 per occurrence for all insured persons combined, for checked or carry-on baggage and personal effects in transit, when the airline tickets are charged to your card. Within that limit, jewellery is capped at $300 per occurrence and golf clubs, including golf bags, at $250 per occurrence.
  • Hotel and motel burglary: up to $500 against the loss of most personal items if your hotel or motel is burglarized, when the stay is charged to your card.

Rental car insurance

Theft and damage coverage is included for a rental car with an MSRP, for its model year, of up to $85,000 excluding all taxes, for rentals of up to 48 days. To use it, decline the Loss Damage Waiver (LDW) or any similar option from the rental company and charge the full rental to your card. There is no cost for this coverage, and it replaces the daily insurance the rental company charges, usually $16 to $23 per day.

Mobile device insurance

Your device is covered for up to $1,000 per occurrence when it is charged to the card, for up to two years from the date of purchase. The payout is based on the depreciated value of the device, which falls by 2% of the purchase price for every completed month, less a 10% deductible. Theft and accidental damage coverage starts on the 91st day after purchase, because the first 90 days are covered by purchase protection.

Purchase protection and extended warranty

Eligible items charged to your card are insured against accidental physical damage or theft for 90 days from the purchase date, up to $1,000 per occurrence for all items combined. The card also extends the original manufacturer’s warranty by up to one additional year on eligible items, with indemnification limited to $10,000 per insured item and $25,000 per Cardmember per policy year for all items combined.

American Express Cobalt® Card fees

  • Card fee: $15.99 per month, which equals $191.88 per year, for residents outside Quebec. Quebec residents are billed $191.88 per year.
  • Additional cards: $0.
  • Purchase interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Cash advance interest rate: 21.99%.
  • Foreign transaction fee: 2.5%.
  • Minimum income required: none.

Because the fee is billed monthly rather than in one annual charge, you can stop and restart the cost in step with how much you are actually using the card.

Annual fee

Primary card$191.88
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xRestaurants
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xConvenience
  • 3xStreaming
  • 2xTransit
  • 2xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,828
2nd Year Value$799

Transfer partners

  • AeroplanAirline
  • British Airways ClubAirline
  • Cathay Asia MilesAirline
  • Etihad GuestAirline
  • Flying BlueAirline
  • Hilton HonorsHotel
  • Marriott BonvoyHotel

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $5,000,000 / 15 days
Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $250,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionUp to $1,000 / 90 days
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 2 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Baggage on SWISS

SWISS allows one checked bag of 23 kg with its Classic and Flex fares and two checked bags of 32 kg each in Business Class, in addition to one cabin bag (8 kg) and a personal item. I was able to go to the kiosk at the airport to drop off my backpack for check-in and ensure that it would reach my destination (Kilimanjaro) despite my long layover in Zurich.

Once on board, I noticed that, at least from Montreal, the size and weight of cabin baggage were not checked by the staff. Is this a regular practice? It’s hard to say. My baggage arrived at the destination both on the way there and back without any issues.

Cabin and Seat – Economy Class Airbus A330-300

The economy-class cabin configuration on SWISS flights is 2-4-2 on either side of the aisle, with 183 seats in economy class, 45 in business class and 8 in first class, for a total of 236 possible passengers.

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH - Swiss Airbus A330-300 YUL-ZRH-2

On the outbound flight, my seat was 38J, and on the return, it was 34J, both located on the aisle. Each fabric-covered seat is equipped with a tray table, a storage pocket, a USB port, and a screen.

The headrest is not adjustable, but its slightly rounded shape makes it comfortable to sit on. On the armrest, you’ll find the headphone socket (with two connectors) and some controls for the screen.

As the seats are rather narrow (17 inches), it’s more difficult to access them; it’s better to press directly on the screen to change the volume.

Both the seat width and the legroom (32 inches) are minimal, which is quite disappointing for a transatlantic flight with this airline. The entertainment system takes up space under the seat, further limiting the area available for personal belongings or even stretching your legs comfortably.

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH - Swiss Airbus A330-300 YUL-ZRH-11

Economy Meals

One thing that doesn’t disappoint on these flights is the snacks and meals. On both of my flights, I received a snack before the meal (chips, cookies, or chocolate), two meals with one being a hot meal and the other a sandwich/pastry depending on the time of day, along with alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages.

Although the food served on board cannot be described as gourmet, the meals were, on the whole, quite good. There is usually a choice between a pasta dish and a meat dish, accompanied by a warm roll, a salad, and a dessert.

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH - Swiss Airbus A330-300 YUL-ZRH-13

All served with real utensils, a rarity in economy class! If you have dietary restrictions, be sure to order your meal in advance to ensure you get what you want. Before the end of the flight, passengers are offered a chocolate, which is a nice touch.

On-Board Service

On both my outbound and return flights, the flight attendants were not only courteous and smiling, but above all, there to meet passengers’ needs.

Upon arrival at your seat, a blanket and pillow are provided for your comfort. I didn’t have any specific needs during my flights, but I regularly saw the crew moving through the cabin, offering water and collecting waste after the snack and meal services.

In-Flight Entertainment on SWISS

On board the Airbus A330-300, each economy class passenger has their own screen in the seatback in front of them. The Audio Visual on Demand (AVOD) system, provided on a somewhat older Panasonic device, allows passengers to watch a variety of movies and TV series.

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH - Swiss Airbus A330-300 YUL-ZRH-10

The selections are quite varied, including new releases and classic favorites. However, the audio quality leaves something to be desired, likely due to the dual-connector headphones provided by the airline after takeoff.

The screen also displays all flight information, as well as controls for volume, light and flight attendant service. SWISS also offers an in-flight Wi-Fi service, which I haven’t had a chance to try out.

Review : SWISS Airbus A330-300 | Economy Class | YUL-ZRH - Swiss Airbus A330-300 YUL-ZRH-9

Bottom Line

I had flown with SWISS in the past and, from memory, my flight was much more comfortable than these last two. The seats in economy class are very small and not very comfortable for such long flights. So I was rather disappointed, given this perhaps unfounded expectation.

Despite that, the entertainment and the snacks and meals were quite decent, so my flights went smoothly. I had the option to bid for an upgrade before departure. However, the minimum price was exorbitant, equivalent to the cost of my round-trip ticket to Tanzania, considering the exchange rate with the Swiss franc.

If you ever have the chance to opt for a higher seat category for this route, you’ll likely enjoy the journey much more, that’s for sure. Would I fly with SWISS again? Certainly, especially because of the opportunity to accumulate Aeroplan points. However, my expectations would probably be lower regarding the cabin and overall comfort.

Read our other reviews with SWISS:

Featured
Annual fee
$0 $139
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$1,139
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now

on TD's website

With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year.

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first Purchase with your new Card
  • Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of Account opening.
  • Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of Account opening

This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on:

  • Grocery purchases
  • Gas and electric vehicle charging purchases
  • Purchases made directly with Air Canada® (including Air Canada Vacations®)

You also earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$75

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xAir Canada flights
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,714
2nd Year Value$425

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Our featured card

Featured
Annual fee
$0 $139
No annual fee the first year
Our valuation
$1,139
Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$1,000Annual fee rebated$139Total$1,139Rewards on your spending are not included. The calculator that adds them from your own profile is on the card's page.
Welcome offer
Up to 50,000 points
+ First Year Annual Fee Rebate
Apply Now

on TD's website

With this offer for the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you can get up to 50,000 Aeroplan points as well as an Annual Fee rebate for the first year.

  • Earn a welcome bonus of 10,000 Aeroplan points when you make your first Purchase with your new Card
  • Earn 15,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $3,000 within 90 days of Account opening.
  • Plus, earn a one-time anniversary bonus of 25,000 Aeroplan points when you spend $12,000 within 12 months of Account opening

This card also allows you to enjoy travel benefits, such as a free first checked bag for you and up to 8 travel companions on the same reservation, as well as a rebate on the NEXUS program application fee (up to $100 CAD per eligible cardholder) every 48 months.

With the TD® Aeroplan® Visa Infinite* Card, you earn 1.5 points per $1 spent on:

  • Grocery purchases
  • Gas and electric vehicle charging purchases
  • Purchases made directly with Air Canada® (including Air Canada Vacations®)

You also earn 1 point per dollar on all other eligible purchases made with your card.

Annual fee

Primary card$139
Additional card$75

Annual income required

Individual$60,000
Household$100,000

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 1.5xGas & EV
  • 1.5xGroceries
  • 1.5xAir Canada flights
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,714
2nd Year Value$425

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $2,000,000 / 21 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $2,000,000 / 4 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $5,000
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $2,500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental CollisionUp to $65,000 / 48 days

Our editorial integrity

Our reviews and rankings are based on an objective assessment. Advertisers do not influence our content. We may receive compensation through some links; our analysis and opinions remain independent.