In recent years, there has been a significant increase in the number of travelers visiting Austria. As a result, there are more options than ever before when it comes to finding flights to Austria.
What Makes Austria an Attractive Travel Destination?
Austria is the heart of Europe;! It is surrounded on all sides by other countries, some of which offer good options for landing and transferring to recommended travel areas without traveling for many hours.
Travelers in Austria usually focus on 4 fantastic regions: Vienna, Salzburg, Tyrol, and Carinthia. These areas are rich in attractions for all ages, impressive natural sites, and breathtaking landscapes. Sometimes the journey from the airport to the main accommodation areas takes a few hours, but you can use this time to see great attractions along the way. We will elaborate on this later.
We’ve divided the airports according to their proximity to the different travel regions. Airport names will repeat if they are within a reasonable distance from multiple recommended travel areas.
Getting ready to book your trip to Austria? Don’t start booking before you go through the information here. You can save time and money, get the most out of your trip, and easily become an Austria expert. At the end of the article, you’ll find recommendations on how to find cheap flights for your trip to Austria, along with a summary of the airport overview.
A Trip to Austria: The Right Choice for a Family or Couple’s Trip!
Austria is perhaps one of the most beautiful and convenient countries for a trip in Europe.
The excellent infrastructure, endless attractions, and breathtaking scenery of the Alps make it a very attractive destination. Whether you’re traveling with children or not, you can find many things to see and do throughout the country. Furthermore, Austria isn’t particularly expensive, and thanks to discount cards for tourists, it’s possible to save a lot of money on attractions and activities.
So if you feel like enjoying crystal-clear mountain air, soaking in some peace and quiet, and coming back from your trip with postcard-perfect photos, a trip to Austria is definitely the right choice.
Airports for Traveling to the Vienna Area
The city of Vienna is the capital of Austria and is located on the easternmost tip of the country. If you choose to travel in and around the city (the Wachau Valley, for example), you can choose one of these airports:
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Airports for Traveling to the Salzburg State Area (Salzburgerland)
Airports for Traveling to the Tyrol Region
Airports for Traveling to the Carinthia Region
Detailed Information on Airports and Recommendations for Traveling to Accommodation Areas
1. Vienna Airport
General Information: Vienna International Airport (VIE) is the largest airport in Austria. It’s located in the suburbs of Vienna (Wien-Schwechat) and is easily accessible to the city itself. The airport is well-organized and efficient, making arrivals and departures smooth and quick.
Advantages:
- Most flight routes available with high frequency – including very cheap flights.
- Diverse car rental options for your trip with many local and international companies.
- A good combination with impressive Vienna.
- Good shopping area within the airport and the option to buy a SIM card for your phone (read our review beforehand).
Disadvantages:
- Several hours’ drive to Salzburg.
- Very long journey to Tyrol.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Salzburg State:
- You can drive from Vienna to Salzburg State along a route called “The Romantic Road.” There are many wonderful attractions along this route. Read more about The Romantic Road.
- The Wachau Valley
- The Eastern Lake District near Salzburg city
- The free zoo in Wels
- Pirate World in Bad Schallerbach
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Carinthia:
- The Viennese Alps – Schneeberg, Rax, Semmering
- Myra Falls
- St. Corona Summer Toboggan Run
- Burg Oberkapfenberg
- Zotter Chocolate Factory
- Graz
- Wolfsberg Castle (Wolfsberg Burg)
- Lake Klopein (Klopeiner See)
Links:
2. Bratislava Airport
General Information: Bratislava Airport (BTS) is a small airport located at the edge of the city. From the airport, you can easily reach Vienna within about an hour’s drive. The airport’s full English name is M. R. Štefánik Airport.
Advantages:
- Cheap flights.
- Short travel distance to Vienna.
- Option to see the capital of Slovakia.
- Cheap car rental companies.
Disadvantages:
- Requires an additional vignette (sticker) for Austrian highways.
- Far from Salzburg State and Tyrol.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Salzburg State (via Vienna):
- Bratislava.
- Vienna – the capital of Austria.
- You can drive from Vienna to Salzburg State along a route called “The Romantic Road.” There are many wonderful attractions along this route. Read more about The Romantic Road.
- The Wachau Valley.
- The Eastern Lake District near Salzburg city.
- The free zoo in Wels.
- Pirate World in Bad Schallerbach.
Links:
3. Budapest Airport
General Information: Budapest’s main airport (BUD) is the largest in Hungary. Several airlines fly directly to it. While it’s not particularly close to Vienna and the drive can take a few hours, it can definitely be suitable as a starting point for your trip if you’re planning a combined Hungary-Austria tour. The airport’s full name is Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport.
Advantages:
- Cheap flights.
- Option to see the beautiful capital of Hungary.
- Cheap car rental companies.
Disadvantages:
- Quite far from Vienna (2.5 hours drive).
- Different currency (Forint, not Euro).
- Requires an additional vignette (sticker) for Austrian highways.
- Far from Salzburg State and Tyrol.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading to Vienna (not realistic to drive directly from Budapest to Salzburg State):
- Budapest – the beautiful capital of Hungary.
- Lake Neusiedl area.
- Austria’s oldest windmill.
- Vienna.
Links:
4. Salzburg Airport
General Information: Salzburg Airport (SZG) is the airport for the city of Salzburg. It’s the closest to the main attractions of Salzburg State and not far from Tyrol’s attractions either. It’s a small but well-located airport. The airport’s full name is Salzburg Airport W. A. Mozart.
Advantages:
- Close to all attractions in Salzburg State – saves travel time and hassle.
- Less crowded than larger airports.
Disadvantages:
- Limited number of flights.
- Expensive flights.
Links:
5. Munich Airport
General Information: Munich Airport (MUC) is Germany’s largest airport, and is located in the suburbs of Munich, so it’s not far from the German-Austrian border. It’s easily accessible to Munich itself, allowing you to “gain” a trip to another interesting city. Arriving in Munich is suitable for those planning to travel in Salzburg State or the Tyrol region. It’s a two-and-a-half-hour drive to Flachau. The airport’s full name is Flughafen München.
Advantages:
- Convenient flights from most cities.
- Diverse car rental options for your trip with many local and international companies. Car rental is reportedly cheaper than at Vienna Airport.
- Good shopping area within the airport and the option to buy a SIM card for your phone (read our review beforehand).
Disadvantages:
- Can be crowded in the summer months (queues and traffic jams upon exit).
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Salzburg State:
- Therme Erding Spa (not exactly on the way but not to be missed!).
- Lake Chiemsee.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Tyrol:
- Lake Starnberg (Starnberger See).
- Zugspitze Mountain area.
- Mittenwald.
Links:
6. Memmingen Airport
General Information: Memmingen Airport (FMM) is located in Germany and is one of the new destinations for the low-cost airline Ryanair. The airport is located about a two-and-a-quarter-hour drive to Seefeld or Innsbruck. The airport’s full name is Allgäu Airport Memmingen.
Advantages:
- Relatively short drive to Salzburg and Tyrol.
- Cheap flights.
Disadvantages:
- Limited number of flights.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Tyrol:
- Lake Forggensee.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading Towards Salzburg State:
- Therme Erding Spa (not exactly on the way but not to be missed!).
- Lake Chiemsee.
Links:
7. Ljubljana Airport
General Information: Ljubljana Airport (LJU) is located in Slovenia, in the northern part of the country. From this airport, you can easily reach Klagenfurt within about an hour and a quarter’s drive. Landing in Ljubljana is ideal for those who want to combine southern Austria with Slovenia, but the flight availability to this airport is definitely limited. The airport’s full name is Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport.
Advantages:
- Short driving distance to Klagenfurt.
Disadvantages:
- Flights can be expensive.
- Requires purchasing an additional vignette for toll roads if crossing the border into Austria.
Tips for Beautiful Places on the Way for Travelers Heading to Klagenfurt:
- Obir Dripstone Caves (Obir Tropfsteinhöhlen).
Links:
Summary
As you’ve seen, the relevant airports for flights to Austria for your trip are:
- Vienna – Accessible and convenient for travelers in the city and also for those who want to reach Salzburg State.
- Bratislava – Close to Vienna.
- Budapest – A good combination of beautiful capital cities in the region.
- Salzburg – When flights are available, mainly in summer.
- Munich – Popular due to its proximity to Salzburg State and the Tyrol region.
- Memmingen – New! In Germany, convenient for Salzburg and Tyrol.
- Ljubljana in Slovenia – Relatively convenient, but flights are mostly in summer.
Where to Find Good and Cheap Flights?
Without a doubt, the cheapest way is to book through flight search websites or directly with airlines. Nowadays, there’s no problem at all booking a flight online, and there’s no real need for a travel agent (unless it’s a complex itinerary).
It’s a good idea to compare flight prices on comparison websites and then check directly on the website of your chosen airline to see if the ticket prices are better or the same. It’s advisable to buy directly from the airline.
For flight searches, it’s worth checking these websites:
- Kiwi allows you to search simultaneously across all airports in Austria (or close to it).
- Skyscanner because it’s quite convenient and has a good search function.
- Google Flights a simple and clear search engine.
