Travelling between Christmas and New Year’s is hardly a relaxing experience. What should you be prepared for when leaving Switzerland in the next days?
First: arrive at the airport on time… and be patient
Even before you board the plane, be ready for large crowds and long queues at all of Switzerland’s airports:
Zurich
“The Christmas and New Year period is one of the busiest times of year for travel at Zurich Airport,” said spokesperson Livia Caluori.
“Due to the increased passenger volume, longer waiting times may occur, especially during peak hours – for example at check-in, security checkpoints or passport control,” she added.
Geneva
As more passengers are expected to line up at check-in and security, “we recommend that you arrive three hours before your flight’s departure,” the airport’s management said.
EuroAirport
As road access to EuroAirport is currently disrupted, passengers are asked to allow extra time to travel to the airport.
Secondly, mind where you are going
Though strikes are relatively rare in Switzerland, they are far more common abroad – including during Christmas and New Year holidays.
Imagine travelling abroad and finding yourself stranded because of a transport strike.
According to Euronews, “travel strikes have become a familiar part of the festive season as workers target one of the busiest periods of the year in their fight for better pay and conditions.”
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Where are the walkouts happening during the last week of 2025?
From December 26th to 29th, the EasyJet ground staff at London’s Luton Airport will strike, so expect delays with check-in and baggage handling when arriving from Switzerland.
And if you are travelling to Spain on Ryanair, be aware that staff working for the airline’s Spanish ground handling partner, Azul Handling, have been staging weekly walkouts.
They will continue until December 31st, on Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 5 and 9 am, 12 and 3 pm, as well as and 9 pm to midnight.
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Another potential glitch: stepped up border controls
The government announced on December 19th that in order to prevent illegal immigration, Switzerland is increasing controls at its borders, and especially at its border with Italy.
This means that stricter and more regular checks are performed – something to keep in mind if you are driving into Switzerland from Italy, as longer waits at border checkpoints may be required.
But that’s not all: if you are flying within Europe and do not have a Swiss or EU/EFTA (Norway, Iceland, or Liechtenstein) passport, expect longer queues at Entry/Exit System (EES) at your destination airports. (The same rule applies when flying into Switzerland from abroad).
As reported by Euronews, “The new border checks are already causing headaches for passengers, who have reported long lines as people navigate the processing procedures for the first time. A report from Airport Council International (ACI) Europe has warned that at the worst-affected airports – particularly in France, Germany, Greece, Iceland, Italy, Portugal and Spain – waiting times can be up to three hours.”
“In some cases, delays have resulted in passengers missing their flights.”
READ ALSO: Europe’s airports demand urgent review of new border system
