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A 48-hour stop in Zurich

A 48-hour stop in Zurich
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Logistics: flight and hotel

As you know, milesopedia community, Zurich is a destination often used by points hunters.

That’s because Swiss, a Star Alliance airline (and therefore a friend of Air Canada), allows us to fly there with little surcharge when we use our Aeroplan Miles and from there we can fly to far away places.

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I enjoyed this permit stop on my way to South Africa.

I went there in business class, like many members of the Milesopedian herd, and this, as part of an MTM. Not a big MTM like the Jedi in the group are so good at, but a general practice during a vacation of about three weeks, which allowed me to go to my far away land afterwards.

In addition, I could stay with points in a Marriott « sweet spot« : in Capetown, Knysna and Johannesburg.

What a great deal.

My flight from Montreal to Zurich with Swiss

Several reviews have already been done on the services provided by Swiss in business class:

Here’s my take on this flight and the shows first.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - swiss a330 business

To summarize: still pleasant for 150,000 Aeroplan miles and $172 in taxes, to be offered:

  • a glass of champagne/water/orange juice as soon as you sit down,
  • a rolled up hot water washcloth,
  • a small toiletry kit signed Victorinox,
  • the massage function on its seat,
  • plenty of space for your feet,
  • the possibility during the flight to sleep flat or at the inclination of your choice,
  • excellent food and wine and then finish it all off with a local chocolate.

I took two.

Remember, we are with a Swiss company.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 02
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 03
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 04
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 05

Arrival in Zurich

A two-day stop in Zurich where I was going to meet a friend who lives in the canton of Vaud and whom I had met during a house exchange a few years ago.

On landing, we head for the arrivals lounge. There is more than one. I chose the one near the exit, in the customs area of terminal B. Included with the business class ticket. Shower and rest on the rocking chairs. Buffet for those who want it but the lunches on the flight are good and copious.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 02
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 11
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 06

At the exit of the airport, among the various hotel shuttles, there is one with the inscription « all hotels« . It is obviously intended for accommodations without transportation services, which was the case with the chosen « Marriott ». It was very special that there was no set rate and that I was able to negotiate with the driver for 35 CHF.

The trip takes at most 25 minutes from the airport and I was alone in the shuttle. The hotel clerk will confirm the good deal because the agreement with their own driver is more expensive.

It would also have been possible to take the train and then the streetcar for much less, which I did on the way back. I then paid with my Scotiabank Gold American Express card to avoid the conversion fee.

Sponsored
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$500

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards 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

Ends Nov 1, 2026

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until November 1, 2026, you can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points, broken down as follows:

  • 30,000 Scene+ points by charging $2,000 in purchases to the card within the first 3 months
  • 20,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb).

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

  • Grocery stores
  • Restaurants
  • Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$29

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 6xWith the partner brand
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xEntertainment
  • 5xRestaurants
  • 3xStreaming
  • 3xTransit
  • 3xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,460
2nd Year Value$461

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $1,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $65,000 / 48 days

Four Points by Sheraton Sihlcity Hotel Zurich

I chose the Four Points by Sheraton Sihlcity – Zurich hotel out of the three category 4 hotel options because it was the closest to the city center. You can get there on foot or by streetcar # 13 which stops a few meters from the hotel.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 07

25,000 points per night and a 10 CHF fee for the stay in late January. The cash price was 250 CHF per night, which was equivalent to $700 Canadian dollars for the two nights. Interesting return!

I also inherited 250 points on my Marriott Bonvoy account, having chosen not to have the room cleaned during those two days of occupancy.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 33

It is a five-story hotel that caters mainly to business clients. We will see her spawning at the end of the day in the pretty bar of the place which is called the Lover.

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The Four Points by Sheraton Sihlcity – Zurich hotel is conveniently located on a pedestrian street lined with pleasant shops and leading to a shopping center.

On Fridays, there is a small market in front of the hotel between 9:00 and 13:00.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 29

The CO-OP grocery store is located in the mall next door and we were able to go there to get what we needed for our breakfasts, which were not included with our Gold status.

However, I was able to have an early arrival at noon and a late departure at 2:00 pm thanks to this status.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 23
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 21
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 08

The room itself met our needs: on the dedicated Marriott (formerly SPG) floor.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 10
A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 11

Two single beds and all the hotel amenities you would expect.

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A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 14

The bathroom consisted of a shower, with terry cloth robes.

The Nespresso coffee machine was particularly appreciated!

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 09

On the fourth floor, the meeting/conference room and on the fifth, a small gym. A downside concerning the view from the windows of the rooms: the hotel mentions « view on the pedestrian street » or « view on the river ». We forget about it. These are views of the cement wall of the buildings along the pedestrian street or the cement pillars in the small river that support the highway.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 20

Honestly, we didn’t mind. To visit, we left the hotel. But the information is false.The Marriott BonvoyTM American ExpressMD Card is the best card for earning Marriott Bonvoy points, especially via the Welcome Bonus. Here’s the current offer:

Featured
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$990

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$990Total$990Rewards 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 110,000 points

Ends Sep 22, 2026

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 Marriott Bonvoy® American Express®* Card is the best credit card in Canada for free hotel nights.

New Cardmembers can earn up to 110,000 Marriott Bonvoy® points with the current offer:

  • Earn 80,000 points after you spend $6,000 on your Card in your first 6 months of Cardmembership.
  • Plus, earn 30,000 points by making a purchase during your 15th month of Cardmembership.

This offer ends on September 22, 2026. The annual fee is $120, and there is no annual fee on Additional Cards, so you can add a partner or a family member at no extra cost.

Every year after your first Card anniversary, you receive an Annual Free Night Award good for a redemption of up to 35,000 points at eligible hotels and resorts worldwide. At a valuation of 0.9 cents per Marriott Bonvoy point, that certificate is worth roughly $315, which on its own more than covers the $120 annual fee. That is the main reason to keep this Card year after year instead of cancelling it.

To get the most out of the certificate, aim it at a night that would otherwise price close to the 35,000 point ceiling.

The Card also gives you 15 Elite Night Credits each calendar year and automatic Marriott Bonvoy Silver Elite status. Those credits count toward the next Elite tier, so you begin every year 15 nights ahead of where you would otherwise start.

You move up to Gold Elite status automatically when you reach $30,000 in purchases on the Card in a year, or when you combine 10 qualifying paid nights within one calendar year with the 15 Elite Night Credits from your Card.

Marriott Bonvoy points are generally valued at 0.9 cents each. On that basis, the 110,000 point welcome offer is worth about $990, and an Annual Free Night Award used at its full 35,000 point ceiling is worth about $315.

Marriott Bonvoy points pull their weight on free nights rather than on gift cards or merchandise, which is why this Card should be judged on the hotel stays it produces.

You earn 5 points per dollar on eligible purchases at participating Marriott Bonvoy hotels and 2 points per dollar on all other purchases. Points can be redeemed for free nights with no blackout dates at more than 7,000 hotels around the world.

The Card carries a solid package of coverages: $500,000 travel accident insurance, flight delay, baggage delay, lost or stolen baggage and hotel or motel burglary at $500 each, car rental theft and damage up to $85,000 for rentals of up to 48 days, Purchase Protection for 90 days and a one year Extended Warranty.

Two things to plan around: the 2.5% foreign transaction fee on purchases made in a foreign currency, and the 21.99% purchase interest rate, which makes this a Card to pay in full every month. Like all American Express Canada Cards, no minimum income is published for this Card, and you can see whether you would be approved before you apply, with no impact on your credit score.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$0

Annual income required

Individual$0
Household$0

Conversion fees

2.5%

Earning rate

  • 5xMarriott Bonvoy hotels
  • 2xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,437
2nd Year Value$312

Travel insurance

Delayed BaggageUp to $500
Lost BaggageUp to $500
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $500
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up to $85,000 / 48 days

Visits in Zurich

End of January 2020. The weather is mild and rainy. But this will only be temporary. We will walk these two days in the old town and along the river Limatt and the lake Zurich.

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A short trip to the street of the rich designer stores, the Bahnhofstrasse, and a stop at the protestant Grossmünster church.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 34

The Swiss National Museum

Located in front of the main train station for 10 CHF, we visited the Swiss national museum.

I particularly remember the little story of the origin of the country’s political neutrality, which began with the status quo of the leaders of the time regarding the wars between Protestants and Catholics.

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A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 38

The police station at Bahnhofquai 3

At the police station at Bahnhofquai 3, we stop to see the frescoes of Augusto Giacometti, cousin of the famous artist. It’s worth the stop.

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Swiss cafés

To warm up, we will stop at several cafés to drink an ovomaltine, a malt drink prepared with milk and drunk cold or hot.

Surprised to see Swiss people of all ages ordering this beverage.

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The Swiss Chuchi restaurant

Finally, a stop must be made at the famous restaurant « Swiss Chuchi » for a cheese fondue accompanied by a white wine « Fendant » from the Valais. Suggestion from my Swiss friend.

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Finally, a little disappointment. While we consider our beloved American Express CobaltTM Card to be the « Swiss Army knife » of cards for the discerning points hunter, it has received less recognition than hoped for in its « mother country.

Indeed that X1 at the grocery store and X2 at the restaurant which passed under the hotel category. But X5 at the bar. Phew!

Jean-Maximilien will tell me that the restaurant was in fact dependent on the hotel and that the grocery store was badly coded. Too bad!

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

Bottom Line

In short, it was an excellent two days of transition in good company, between the time zone of North America and Europe.

A 48-hour stop in Zurich - 27

And a very good use of my collected points.

Thank you milesopedia.

Sponsored
Annual fee
$120
Our valuation
$500

Milesopedia first-year estimateFirst-year valueWelcome bonus$500Total$500Rewards 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

Ends Nov 1, 2026

Apply Now

on Scotiabank's website

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card offers an excellent welcome bonus.

Until November 1, 2026, you can earn up to 50,000 bonus Scene+ points, broken down as follows:

  • 30,000 Scene+ points by charging $2,000 in purchases to the card within the first 3 months
  • 20,000 Scene+ points by making $7,500 in purchases on the card in the first year

This represents a value of up to $500 for travel (including Airbnb).

With the Scotiabank Gold American Express Card, you earn 6 points per dollar spent at Sobeys, IGA, Safeway, Foodland, FreshCo, Voilà by Sobeys, Voilà par IGA, Voilà by Safeway, Chalo! grocery stores. FreshCo, Thrifty Foods, IGA West, Les Marchés Tradition, Rachelle Béry and Co-Op.

Also, you earn 5 points per dollar for:

  • Grocery stores
  • Restaurants
  • Entertainment centers

And 3 points per dollar on gas, transit and streaming services purchases.

You can redeem your points on travel purchases (flights, hotels, all-inclusive and even Airbnb). You can also use your points as cash back rewards with Scene+.

The Scotiabank Gold American Express Card also offers no foreign transaction fees, excellent insurance for your travel or purchases, concierge service, exclusive American Express benefits like the Front of the Line program.

Annual fee

Primary card$120
Additional card$29

Annual income required

Individual$12,000
Household$12,000

Conversion fees

0%

Earning rate

  • 6xWith the partner brand
  • 5xGroceries
  • 5xEntertainment
  • 5xRestaurants
  • 3xStreaming
  • 3xTransit
  • 3xGas & EV
  • 1xAll spending

Value

1st Year Value$1,460
2nd Year Value$461

Card benefits

Concierge service24/7

Travel insurance

Travel medical (under 55)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (55-64)Up to $1,000,000 / 25 days
Travel medical (65+)Up to $1,000,000 / 3 days
Trip CancellationUp to $1,500
Trip InterruptionUp to $1,500
Delayed BaggageUp to $1,000
Lost BaggageUp to $1,000
Flight DelayUp to $500
Hotel BurglaryUp to $1,000
Travel AccidentUp to $500,000

Purchase protection

Purchase ProtectionIncluded
Extended Warranty+1 years
Mobile DeviceUp to $1,000 / 1 years
Auto Rental Collision (primary)Up 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.