Austrian Airlines, the flag carrier of Austria, operates as part of the Lufthansa Group alongside Lufthansa, SWISS, and Brussels Airlines. This means you’re getting the service standards and network benefits of a major European airline group, but with the distinctive alpine hospitality Austrian brings.
Austrian is known for charming onboard service that reflects alpine traditions, and the airline plays the Blue Danube waltz during boarding to get Vienna-bound passengers in the mood immediately. While smaller than many European carriers, Austrian offers service to niche destinations in the Caucasus and Persian Gulf regions that larger airlines often skip. Here’s the inside scoop on what to expect when you fly with them.
Classes of service
Austrian offers Business and Economy Class on all flights, but what you get in Business varies significantly by route. On European flights, Business Class means a separate cabin with blocked middle seats and enhanced service, but you’re sitting in the same seat type as Economy.
Long-haul intercontinental flights are where Business Class becomes truly premium, with lie-flat seats and service that matches other international carriers. The experience can differ quite a bit depending on where you’re headed, so let’s break it down.
On widebody aircraft, Austrian also offers Premium Economy. It’s a great middle ground between Business and Economy, offering larger seats with more legroom, width, and recline. You’ll also get enhanced meal service, an amenity kit, and upgraded pillows and blankets.
I’ve found Premium Economy on Austrian flights to be a competitively priced upgrade from their standard Economy fares.
Seats and service – Economy Class
Economy Class seats on Austrian are relatively comfortable whether you’re flying within Europe or on intercontinental routes.
Meals are free in Economy Class on long-haul flights and are “Austrian Melangerie” buy-on-board within Europe on flights scheduled longer than 50 minutes. Austrian Melangerie allows for pre-orders, but meals cannot be preordered on long-haul flights.
Seatback entertainment is available on long-haul flights. Wi-Fi can be purchased on Boeing 787 aircraft and selected Airbus A320-family flights within Europe, but it’s not available on Boeing 777 or 767 aircraft. Austrian sells “Preferred Zone” seats near the front of the aircraft and extra legroom seats in exit rows for an additional fee. All but the most discounted fare types within Europe include preassigned standard seats; preassigned seats are available for a fee on all Intercontinental fare types.
Seats and service – Business Class
Within Europe, Business Class seats are physically the same as Economy, though you’ll have more space with the adjacent seat kept free. What you’re really paying for is the separate cabin with blocked middle seats, free meals and drinks, and airport lounge access.
On long-haul flights, Business Class is a whole different world with lie-flat seats and excellent service. An onboard chef serves multi-course meals, and you can even pre-select your main course on flights departing from Vienna. The menu always includes an Austrian specialty alongside international options, all served on cool triangle-shaped plates that nod to the Alps.
After your meal, don’t miss the “Viennese Coffeehouse” service. My favorite is the Wiener Eiskaffee, a Viennese-style iced coffee made by pouring hot coffee over vanilla ice cream and topping it with whipped cream. This coffee drink is only available on flights departing Vienna, and not return flights to Austria.
Network
Austrian operates exclusively from its Vienna Airport hub, running long-haul services to North America and Asia alongside short-haul flights throughout Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa. Here’s where Austrian stands out: it offers extensive service to smaller eastern European countries like Romania (Bucharest and Iasi), North Macedonia (Skopje), Slovakia (Košice), Serbia (Belgrade), Montenegro (Podgorica), and Moldova (Chisinau).
Loyalty program
Like its Lufthansa Group siblings, Austrian uses Miles & More as its frequent flier program. You can earn and redeem miles on Austrian, Lufthansa, SWISS, and all other Star Alliance partners like United, Air Canada, ANA, and Singapore Airlines.Miles can be used for flights, upgrades, or a bunch of other non-air rewards.
Seat assignments
Seat assignment policies vary by route and fare type. On European flights, standard seats are free on Economy Classic and Flex fares, while Economy Light fares charge a fee. On intercontinental flights, seat reservations are paid in Economy and Premium Economy, but Business Class seat selection is free (though Extra Space seats still carry a charge). Austrian charges extra for premium seats like Extra Legroom or Preferred Zone positions in Economy.
In Business Class on the Boeing 777, look out for the single “throne” seats, officially called Extra Space Seats. I like these because they offer a ton of personal space and privacy, with no one sitting next to you. The only minor drawback is a slightly smaller footwell. Austrian charges a premium for these, but HON Circle Members and Senators can often snag them for free (subject to availability).
Check-in
Austrian offers many ways to check in, particularly in Vienna, and I rarely notice long lines at their ticket counters because of it. You can checkin online, on the mobile app, or at Vienna Airport the day before departure. If you’re taking the CAT train from Vienna Mitte station, you can check in there too. One note: US-bound travelers can’t check bags earlier than 24 hours prior. For flights into Vienna, the options are more standard, with check-in available online or at the airport counter.
Baggage
Austrian is famously strict on carry-on baggage weights, as bags must weigh less than 8 kilos (17 pounds), especially at Vienna Airport. I routinely notice agents weighing bags while passengers board, though they typically don’t scrutinize Business Class or Star Alliance Gold passengers as closely. Enforcement varies at other airports, but European airports generally take carry-on weight limits more seriously.
Economy and Premium Economy travelers get one carry-on, while Business Class gets two. There’s also a personal item allotment, similar to most US flights, but the weight restrictions also apply to personal items.
Austrian is also one of the few airlines that participates in electronic bag tags for bags that are RIMOWA, BAGTAG, or BagID that are equipped with them. They’re not available on every flight due to local restrictions, but once you’ve completed check-in for your Austrian flight online or on the app, you can access the mobile app for your electronic bag tag to download your Austrian bag tag.
Boarding
Austrian boards by groups, with the first few groups reserved for Business, Premium Economy, and elite status holders. Group 1 is for HON Circle Members and passengers connecting to First Class, while Business Class boards in Group 2.
Many of Austrian’s European airports use automated boarding pass gates that will actually reject you if you try to board before your group is called. The barrier opens after scanning your pass, but only if it’s your turn. Pay attention to which group is boarding to avoid the embarrassment of being turned away by the machine.
Lounges
At Vienna Airport, Austrian operates multiple lounges across both Schengen (for flights within the border-free zone) and non-Schengen areas. Each area has three tiers: the Business Lounge for Business Class passengers, the Senator Lounge for Star Alliance Gold members, and the exclusive HON Circle Lounge for top-tier Miles & More members.
If you don’t have automatic access, you can buy a day pass to the Business Lounge. It’s a nice way to relax before your flight, especially if you have a long layover.
Duty-free sales
Austrian recently discontinued duty-free sales onboard. So if you forgot to pick up a last-minute gift, you’ll need to shop at the airport duty-free stores instead. The airport shops still carry those Mozart chocolates from Salzburg, and they’re a classic Austrian treat.
This KAYAK-commissioned article is presented as-is, for general informational purposes only, and may not be up-to-date. The opinions contained in the article are original to the author and reflect their authentic experience, which may vary significantly from the experience of others. Find more perspectives in our user reviews below.
