Vienna Airport.
Vienna Airport (VIE) expects to handle about 2 million fewer passengers in 2026 following Wizz Air’s base closure and a shift in Ryanair capacity, but the airport is prioritizing new airline partners and long-haul growth over replacing every lost seat.
Passenger traffic fell 4.5% year over year during the first nine months of 2026 as some low-cost capacity moved to nearby Bratislava Airport (BTS), Vienna International Airport Head of Aviation Development Belina Neumann told Routes at Routes World 2026 in Frankfurt.
“I think we’re in a year of transition because we’ve lost that kind of traffic,” Neumann said. However, she stressed that Vienna does not intend to pursue like-for-like replacement on routes that already have significant competition across the two airports.
“Some of the markets are very well served, and we don’t need another Athens if there are three carriers flying out of Vienna and two out of Bratislava,” Neumann said. “What we are aiming for also for next year is to get new airline partners, to get more frequencies or enhance aircraft capacity for sustainable growth.”
Long-haul service is a central part of that strategy. American Airlines plans to begin daily seasonal flights between Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) and Vienna in May 2027, restoring a U.S. airline presence at the Austrian hub. The season has been extended through January to capture demand associated with Vienna’s Christmas markets.
“That was really great news because we’ve been working on that for quite a while,” Neumann said. “We have Austrian Airlines perfectly serving the United States, but we didn’t have a U.S. carrier, so that’s something we were very happy about and which gives a little bit more balance in the network.”
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Austrian Airlines is also expected to increase U.S. capacity as it replaces Boeing 767s with larger 787s and adds frequencies, while Air Canada’s Toronto-Vienna service continues to perform well.
Vienna is seeking further growth to the east. Scoot launched service from Singapore in June 2025—which won the inaugural Route of the Year award at the Routes World 2026 Awards—and increased the route from three to four frequencies per week during summer 2026. China Eastern Airlines also opened a 3X-weekly route from Xi’an in April, joining Air China, Hainan Airlines and Austrian in the China-Vienna market.
“We didn’t have Singapore for 18 years, and now it’s served again,” Neumann said. “That was a big, big white spot for us, and now that’s covered.”
Vienna Airport Director for Route Development in East Asia, Southeast Asia and Oceania Ursula Pusch said the airport continues to see scope for additional Asian destinations and frequencies.
“Asia remains one of our highest priorities,” Pusch told Routes. “Demand for direct services between Vienna and key Asian markets continues to grow, supported by strong leisure, business and VFR traffic flows.”
Neumann identified Vietnam as one potential leisure market, with either Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City offering possibilities. Vienna is also interested in restoring connectivity with China’s Greater Bay Area through Hong Kong or Guangzhou, the latter having previously been served by China Southern Airlines.
New-generation narrowbodies could broaden the range of viable markets. Neumann said the Airbus A321XLR could give airlines greater flexibility to test routes that may not support conventional widebody service, with India among the markets that could suit the aircraft.
Vienna also lacks nonstop flights to Central and South America. Neumann identified Sao Paulo as the strongest prospect, although Argentina and Colombia also offer potential.
“We also see considerable potential in Latin America, where Vienna’s central geographic position offers attractive connectivity opportunities for passengers across Central and Eastern Europe,” Pusch added.
Closer to home, recent additions include SkyUp Airlines’ Chisinau service, SalamAir’s flights from Muscat and the return of Royal Jordanian from Amman. However, Vienna has also lost Air India’s New Delhi service from the start of November.
Neumann remains optimistic about the winter season, supported by Christmas market traffic, seasonal service from the UK and leisure demand from Austrian travelers seeking warmer destinations.
“Vienna as a destination is very attractive, and most of the airlines will benefit from that, and they will put the capacity in because there is the demand,” she said.
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