Flights to Vienna — What to Expect
Vienna is served by Vienna International Airport (VIE), officially called Flughafen Wien-Schwechat, sitting about 18 km southeast of the city center. It's one of Central Europe's busiest hubs, which means competition between airlines is real and flights to Vienna from across Europe are generally affordable if you book with a bit of lead time. From the UK, Austrian Airlines flies direct from London Heathrow, while easyJet covers Gatwick and Luton. Ryanair connects Vienna from a handful of secondary UK and Irish airports. From mainland Europe, Lufthansa operates strong connections via Munich and Frankfurt, Air France via Paris CDG, and Swiss via Zurich. Budget travelers flying from Berlin, Amsterdam, or Barcelona can often find flights to Vienna on Wizz Air or Vueling for under €50 one-way if they're flexible.
Typical return flight prices from major European cities range from around €60–€120 for budget carriers booked 4–8 weeks out, rising to €180–€300+ on full-service airlines or during peak summer and the December Christmas market season. Vienna flight deals pop up most reliably in January, February, and November — the shoulder periods when the city is quieter. If you're hunting for cheap flights to Vienna, set a price alert on Google Flights or Skyscanner and aim for Tuesday or Wednesday departures, which consistently undercut weekend fares by 10–20%.
Best Time to Visit Vienna
Late April through May and September through October are the sweet spots. Spring brings the Prater's chestnut trees into bloom, outdoor café terraces fill up along the Ringstrasse, and temperatures hover between 15–20°C — comfortable for walking without sweating through the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The Vienna City Marathon typically runs in April, adding energy to the streets. Fall is arguably even better: the summer tourist crowds thin out noticeably by mid-September, the Wienerwald turns golden, and cultural institutions kick into high gear with new opera and concert seasons at the Staatsoper and Musikverein.
Summer (June–August) is peak season. The city can hit 35°C in August, which feels brutal in the older hotels without air conditioning. That said, Vienna summers have genuine appeal — the Donauinsel beach bars are packed, open-air cinema (Filmfestival am Rathausplatz) runs through July and August, and the long evenings make sightseeing feel effortless. Just book accommodation early and expect elevated prices. Winter deserves more credit than it gets: December is magical, full stop. The Christkindlmarkts at Rathausplatz and Schönbrunn Palace are legitimately charming rather than tacky. January and February are the cheapest months across the board — flights, hotels, everything — and the city's museums and coffee houses are yours almost entirely. Avoid late February if you hate crowds; Fasching (carnival season) draws domestic Austrian tourists.
Getting Around Vienna
From the airport, the City Airport Train (CAT) gets you to Wien Mitte station in 16 minutes and costs €14.90 one-way — it's fast, reliable, and has a luggage check-in service on the return. The cheaper option is the S-Bahn (S7 line) for around €4.20, which takes about 25 minutes to Wien Mitte. Taxis and rideshares (Bolt and Uber both operate here) run €30–€40 depending on traffic. Once in the city, Vienna's public transport network is excellent — trams, U-Bahn (metro), and buses cover virtually everything. A 24-hour ticket costs €8, a 48-hour ticket €14.10, and a 72-hour ticket €17.10. The Wiener Linien network runs until around 12:30am on weekdays with night buses covering the gaps; on weekends, the U-Bahn runs 24 hours. Walk whenever possible — the First District (Innere Stadt) is compact and the architecture rewards slow movement.
Where to Stay in Vienna
The First District (Innere Stadt) puts you inside the Ringstrasse with Stephansdom, the Hofburg, and the Opera all walkable. It's premium territory: expect €150–€300+ per night for mid-range hotels, with boutique options like Hotel Altstadt or Sans Souci sitting well above that. The Seventh District (Neubau) is where younger Viennese actually spend their time — independent coffee shops, vintage stores, and galleries line Kirchengasse and Neubaugasse. Mid-range hotels and stylish apartments run €90–€160 per night. For budget travelers, the Second District (Leopoldstadt) across the Danube Canal is increasingly well-connected and interesting, with hostels and three-star hotels from €50–€90. Avoid booking purely on price in the outer districts (beyond the Gürtel ring road) unless you specifically want a quiet residential experience — you'll spend your days on the U-Bahn.
Top Things to Do in Vienna
- Schönbrunn Palace and Gardens: Skip the full palace tour unless you're genuinely into Habsburg history — the gardens and Gloriette viewpoint are free and give you the best panorama of the city.
- Kunsthistorisches Museum: One of the great art museums in Europe. The Bruegel collection alone justifies the €21 entry. Go on a weekday morning.
- Vienna State Opera (Staatsoper): Standing tickets (Stehplatz) go on sale 80 minutes before curtain for €3–€4. Genuinely one of the best cultural bargains in Europe.
- Naschmarkt: Vienna's main open-air market runs Monday–Saturday along the Wienzeile. Go Saturday morning for the flea market section; go hungry and eat at one of the Balkan or Middle Eastern stalls.
- Coffee House Culture: Café Central, Café Hawelka, and Café Landtmann are the famous ones — all worth visiting once. For daily coffee, locals go to smaller neighborhood spots. Order a Melange (espresso with steamed milk) and linger. Nobody will rush you.
- Belvedere Palace: Upper Belvedere houses Klimt's The Kiss. It's smaller and easier to navigate than the Kunsthistorisches. Book tickets online to skip the queue.
Practical Travel Tips
EU citizens need only a national ID card to enter Austria. UK passport holders travel visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period under the post-Brexit arrangement, though ETIAS authorization (expected from 2025–2026) will eventually be required — check current requirements before you fly. The currency is the Euro (€). ATMs are widely available and typically offer better exchange rates than airport bureaux de change. Contactless card payment is accepted almost everywhere in the city center, though some traditional Heurigen (wine taverns) and market stalls are still cash-only, so keep €20–€30 in your wallet. Tipping: round up the bill in restaurants or add 5–10%, handed directly to the server when paying, not left on the table. Vienna is extremely safe by any measure — petty theft around Stephansplatz and on crowded trams exists but is minimal with basic awareness. Tap water is excellent; the city's water comes from Alpine springs and is among the best in Europe.
FAQ — Flights to Vienna
How much do flights to Vienna cost?
Return flights to Vienna from major European cities typically range from €60–€120 on budget airlines booked 4–8 weeks ahead. Full-service carriers like Austrian Airlines or Lufthansa run €150–€300 return depending on the route and season. Prices spike in December (Christmas markets) and July–August. The cheapest Vienna flight deals surface in January, February, and November.
Which airlines fly to Vienna?
Austrian Airlines is the flag carrier and offers the most comprehensive European network into VIE. Budget options include easyJet (from London Gatwick, Luton, and other UK/European cities), Ryanair, Wizz Air, and Vueling. Full-service connections come via Lufthansa (Munich, Frankfurt), Swiss (Zurich), Air France (Paris CDG), KLM (Amsterdam), and British Airways (London Heathrow).
What is the cheapest month to fly to Vienna?
January and February are consistently the cheapest months for flights to Vienna, with November a close third. Post-Christmas demand drops sharply and airlines discount heavily to fill seats. If you can handle cold weather and short days, you'll find the best combination of low flight prices and cheap hotel rates during these months.
How long is the flight to Vienna from London?
Flights from London to Vienna (both Heathrow and Gatwick) take approximately 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes. From Amsterdam it's around 1 hour 50 minutes, from Paris CDG about 2 hours, from Berlin roughly 1 hour 40 minutes, and from Barcelona around 2 hours 45 minutes. All are short enough that even a long weekend in Vienna is genuinely worthwhile.