SWISS to Donate Final A340-300 to Transport Museum

SWISS has announced it will donate its final Airbus A340-300 to the Swiss Museum of Transport in Lucerne. According to the airline, the aircraft is scheduled to make its final journey from Zurich Airport in early 2028, preserving a key part of its long-haul history.

The aircraft earmarked for preservation is the Airbus A340-313 registered HB-JMH. This specific airframe was built in late 2003 and delivered to SWISS in early 2004, making it 22 years old. It has served the airline for its entire operational life.

The Logistical Challenge of Moving an A340

Transporting the large aircraft to the museum presents a significant challenge. An Airbus A340-300 is approximately 63.7 metres long with a wingspan exceeding 60 metres. The aircraft involved will weigh around 125 tonnes when prepared for the move. The Swiss Museum of Transport does not have a runway.

SWISS and the museum must conduct detailed feasibility studies and secure specialist equipment and permits. Parts of the aircraft may need to be removed for transit. The project is not yet fully guaranteed, as the museum must first secure the necessary transport arrangements and financing by the end of 2026. SWISS will donate the aircraft itself, but the museum will cover all costs for transportation, structural work, and creating the new exhibit.

A Planned Interactive Exhibit

If the project proceeds, the A340 will not simply be displayed outdoors. Plans call for the aircraft's interior to become part of the museum experience, allowing visitors close access to this increasingly rare four-engine airliner. It would be positioned outside the museum's existing Aviation and Space Travel Hall.

The A340 will have fitting company. The museum already preserves a former Swissair Convair 990 Coronado, another four-engine jet that was once the forefront of Swiss long-haul travel. Together, they would represent two distinct generations of the nation's intercontinental aviation.

The A340's Era at SWISS

The Airbus A340 has been integral to SWISS almost since the airline's formation in 2002 after the collapse of Swissair. The first A340-300, HB-JMH, arrived in 2004, with SWISS ultimately operating nine examples. The type offered lower operating costs than the McDonnell Douglas MD-11s it replaced and featured a new passenger product. For over two decades, it has been a familiar sight at Zurich and global airports.

SWISS is retiring the type because modern twin-engine aircraft like the Airbus A350-900 can fly the same routes using considerably less fuel. The airline has already retired most of its A340 fleet and currently operates only four, with an average age approaching 23 years. SWISS introduced the A350 in 2025 and confirms its remaining A340-300s will be gone by early 2028.

Final Flying Opportunities on the SWISS A340

For aviation enthusiasts, opportunities to fly on the SWISS A340 are shrinking but still exist. During the summer of 2026, the type operated services including to Johannesburg, with HB-JMH itself regularly on that route as recently as September. However, Johannesburg and Shanghai are scheduled to switch to the A350.

Current schedules for the winter 2026/27 season show the A340 operating six flights per week between Zurich and Montreal, alongside one weekly A330 service. Also, Dubai returns to the SWISS network from 27 October 2026. The daily Zurich-Dubai service is planned to be operated mainly by the A340-300 during the winter timetable. Dubai was one of the first destinations served by the SWISS A340 in July 2003. The source advises that anyone booking specifically to fly on the type should monitor schedules closely, as aircraft substitutions are always possible.