If you’re flying SWISS first class in the coming weeks, you’re in for a treat…
SWISS’ limited time first class caviar tasting
Unlike many of the other top first class airlines, SWISS doesn’t consistently serve caviar in first class. Instead, the airline rotates limited time offerings, ranging from fondue, to truffles, to caviar.
I imagine people have mixed feelings about that. On the one hand, there’s not much consistency to what’s offered. On the other hand, if you’re a frequent SWISS flyer, perhaps the variety is nice, as I feel like Lufthansa hasn’t changed up its first class menu in the past decade.
Along those lines, SWISS is launching what’s probably the most liked limited time first class offering of the year. For a two-week period, between February 18 and March 3, 2026, SWISS first class passengers departing from Zurich (ZRH) and Geneva (GVA) will be served a special caviar tasting, as part of the carrier’s “Connoisseur Experience” concept.
There’s quite an interesting story to one of the three caviar options being served, as it’s produced in Frutigen, Switzerland, and is reportedly the only caviar entirely without preservatives. Here’s how it’s described:
There are only a few hundred caviar masters in the world, Jan Perat is one of them. He has been working in caviar production at Oona Caviar for twelve years and can proudly claim that he is the only one who produces caviar entirely without preservatives. Oona Caviar has found the optimum conditions for maximum freshness in the Frutigen Tropical House. Tropics and mountains – not something that go together at first glance. But during the construction of the Lötschberg tunnel, workers came across water at a temperature of 20 degrees, which was not allowed to be channelled into the nearby river, the Kander, at this temperature. Cooling the water would cost too much energy, which is why this option was out of the question. However, the solution was not far away: the water is channelled into the nearby Tropical House Frutigen, which uses the mountain water for its sturgeons. The ideal temperature for the fishes. With the help of filter systems, the sturgeons can grow up there under optimal conditions without antibiotics or other medication.
There’s no easy way to book SWISS first class
Let me of course acknowledge the obvious issue here, for anyone interested in this experience. There’s no easy way to redeem miles for SWISS first class, unless you are a Miles & More Senator member or above.
Your best bet for flying SWISS first class with a decent deal is one of the following (not that you should fly SWISS first class just to eat caviar, of course):
- Find a good first class fare, which is often available when departing from Europe (particularly Northern Europe), and traveling to the Middle East, India, or to other points in Asia
- Redeem partner points for a SWISS business class ticket, and then buy an upgrade at check-in; on SWISS’ shortest first class flights from Switzerland (like to Boston, Dubai, Montreal, New York, etc.), there’s a chance that the buy up offer might not be too bad
Bottom line
For the coming weeks, SWISS will be offering a special caviar tasting in first class, whereby passengers can sample three different caviar options on flights departing Switzerland. It’s not worth going out of your way to fly SWISS first class just for that, but it’s a nice treat to be aware of, should you have such a flight planned.
Anyone flying SWISS first class during the caviar tasting period?