Swiss International Air Lines has announced that it has formally opened a daily nonstop flight from Shanghai to Zurich.

The new service will build closer connections between the two global financial centers. Flight LX189 will depart from Shanghai at 09:15 daily, arriving at Zurich at 15:40; the return flight LX188 will leave from Zurich at 13:05, and arrive at Shanghai at 06:35 the following day. The flight time is twelve hours and twenty-five minutes. The flight is operated using a three-class configuration and 228-seat Airbus A340-300 aircraft with eight first-class, 48 business class, and 172 economy class seats.

In March 2002, Swissair, the predecessor of Swiss International Air Lines suspended the route from Shanghai to Zurich, and then suspended the Beijing route in the October of the same year, only keeping Hong Kong as a destination in China. With increasing business traffic between Shanghai and Swiss in recent years, Swiss International Air Lines is planning to return to the mainland China market. The company said China is not only one of the fastest growing markets around the world but it is also one of the most important strategic markets.