Airline codes
UU · REU
IATA · ICAO · callsign “REUNION”
Every Air Austral flight number begins with UU. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code REU, and the radio callsign is REUNION.
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Air Austral (UU) Guide
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A practical guide to Air Austral: the network from RUN, the Boeing 777-300ER and the rest of the fleet, luggage rules, check-in and cheaper fares. Ask a question
In short
Air Austral is the airline of Réunion Island, based at Roland Garros Airport. Its 13 destinations include Paris, Mayotte, Madagascar, Mauritius, the Comoros, Johannesburg and Bangkok, so it links the Indian Ocean with mainland France. Air Austral is part of the Vanilla Alliance and runs the Capricorn programme. Cabins on offer are Business, Premium Economy and Economy.
Air Austral is a French airline and the flag carrier of Réunion, an overseas department of France in the Indian Ocean. Based at Roland Garros Airport, it links Réunion with mainland France, South Africa, Thailand and its Indian Ocean neighbours.
Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Air Austral. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.
What to expect
Air Austral (IATA: UU, ICAO: REU) is a French airline and the flag carrier of Réunion, the French overseas region in the Indian Ocean. Its head office and hub are at Roland Garros Airport in Sainte-Marie, next to Saint-Denis. It is the airline for travellers flying between Réunion and mainland France, and for island hopping to Mauritius, Mayotte, Madagascar and the Comoros.
Fifty years in Réunion
Gérard Ethève founded the company in December 1974 as Réunion Air Services. It became Air Réunion in 1986, and in October 1990 Sematra, a holding company 46% owned by Réunion's local councils, bought it and renamed it Air Austral.
Paris and the other long-haul routes from Réunion
Published records list 17 destinations. The long-haul route to Paris Charles de Gaulle carries most of the traffic, and other long flights go to Johannesburg and Bangkok. Regional routes serve Mauritius, Mayotte (Dzaoudzi, a focus city), Madagascar, the Comoros, and seasonal flights to Rodrigues. Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds Airport in the south of Réunion is a second focus city. Some Madagascar and Mauritius flights are operated for Air Austral by its subsidiary Ewa Air, which is based in Mayotte.
Vanilla Alliance and codeshare partners
Air Austral belongs to the Vanilla Alliance, a grouping of Indian Ocean airlines set up to improve links between the islands. It shares flight numbers with Air France, Air Madagascar, Air India, Air Mauritius, Ewa Air and Kenya Airways, and has interline agreements with French Bee, Swiss and Thai Airways, which allow one ticket to cover onward flights on those carriers.
Choosing seats on the long Paris flight
The Paris flight is one of the longest domestic French routes, so check which aircraft and cabin your date uses before you choose a seat. Réunion is part of France, so French rules apply on arrival from Paris, while flights to Mauritius, Madagascar and the Comoros cross international borders.
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Good to know
- Founded1974
- Other gatewaysZSE / DZA
Everything you should know
At a glance
Air Austral (IATA: UU, ICAO: REU) is the airline of Réunion, based at Roland Garros Airport. Founded in 1974, it flies Boeing 777-300ER, 787-8 and Airbus A220 aircraft from Réunion to Paris, Mayotte, Madagascar, Mauritius, the Comoros, Johannesburg and Bangkok.
| Headquarters | Roland Garros Airport, Sainte-Marie, Réunion |
|---|---|
| Fleet types | Boeing 777-300ER, 787-8 and Airbus A220-300 |
| Frequent flyer | Capricorn |
| Official website | air-austral.com |
Flight routes
Destinations and routes
These are the cities on Air Austral’s published route map. Timetables change through the year, so check the Air Austral schedule before you plan around a route.
Search flights
Réunion & Mayotte
Saint-Denis, Réunion (RUN) departures2 destinations
FromTo RUN ZSE Saint-Denis, RéunionSaint-Pierre Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN DZA Saint-Denis, RéunionMayotte Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
Indian Ocean
Saint-Denis, Réunion (RUN) departures7 destinations
FromTo RUN MRU Saint-Denis, RéunionMauritius Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN RRG Saint-Denis, RéunionRodrigues Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN TNR Saint-Denis, RéunionAntananarivo Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN NOS Saint-Denis, RéunionNosy Be Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN TMM Saint-Denis, RéunionToamasina Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN DIE Saint-Denis, RéunionAntsiranana Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN HAH Saint-Denis, RéunionMoroni Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
Long-haul
Saint-Denis, Réunion (RUN) departures3 destinations
FromTo RUN CDG Saint-Denis, RéunionParis Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN JNB Saint-Denis, RéunionJohannesburg Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
FromTo RUN BKK Saint-Denis, RéunionBangkok Available airlines1 airline- Air Austral
Fleet and aircraft
The fleet has eight aircraft: three Boeing 777-300ERs and two Boeing 787-8s for long-haul, and three Airbus A220-300s for regional routes. One A220 is stored and due to leave the fleet. Two Airbus A320neos are on order, with deliveries listed from 2027, to take over regional flying.
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Boeing 777-300ER Wide-body · 3 in service Paris route
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Boeing 787-8 Wide-body · 2 in service Long-haul routes
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Airbus A220-300 Narrow-body · 3 in service Regional Indian Ocean routes
Cabin classes
On Air Austral you can choose from Business, Premium Economy and Economy, depending on the route and the aircraft.
Business Most flights
Premium cabin
Business class on long-haul and regional flights.
Priority check-inLounge access
Premium Economy Long-haul
More space
Offered on long-haul aircraft.
Wider seatMore legroom
Economy All flights
Standard seat
The main cabin on every flight.
Meals
Capricorn
Earn points on UU flights with Capricorn, which you can join on the Air Austral website.
Air Austral’s frequent flyer programme lets members earn miles on its flights and use them for rewards.
Capricorn is Air Austral's frequent flyer programme. Members earn miles on Air Austral flights and use them for award tickets and upgrades.
Baggage allowance
Check your e-ticket for the exact Air Austral allowance. It is set by the fare type, the cabin and the route, whether you start at RUN or another airport.
Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Set by your fare
Extra bags
Add online before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only
Air Austral's allowance changes between the long-haul Paris route and the short regional island flights, and between cabins. Your e-ticket lists the checked and cabin allowance for each flight in your booking.
Pro tip: if you connect from a Paris flight onto a regional hop to Mauritius or Mayotte, check that both flights show the same allowance on your ticket.
Travel day
Online Check-in
Getting through check-in for Air Austral is simpler in this order. Start online and finish at bag drop.
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Step 1
Check in online
Online check-in for UU flights is on the official Air Austral website. You need the UU booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.
Booking ref + surname -
Step 2
Prepare your documents
International Air Austral passengers need a passport and whatever visa, residence permit or entry documents the destination requires. Domestic UU passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.
Passport · visa · ID -
Step 3
Arrive early
Get to the airport with time for Air Austral check-in, bag drop and security. The airline sets a deadline for each airport, shown in your booking, and late arrivals can lose their seat.
Check your deadline -
Step 4
Drop your bags
At the airport, take your bags to the Air Austral bag-drop point. Collect a printed UU boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.
Air Austral counter
Ready to check in?
Check in and manage your booking on the official Air Austral website.
Save money
Cheap tickets
Ways to pay less for an Air Austral ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.
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01
Look across the week
Compare a full week of Air Austral departures; midweek days are often priced below Fridays and Sundays.
Midweek flights -
02
Avoid peak holiday dates
Fares between Réunion and Paris rise in the July–August and Christmas school holidays. Book early for those dates.
School holidays · festivals -
03
Price the bundle, not the base fare
An Air Austral fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.
Baggage & changes -
04
Book busy Air Austral routes early
Popular Air Austral flights fill the cheaper fares first, so give yourself several weeks of lead time on busy routes.
Popular routes -
05
Join Capricorn
Membership of Capricorn lets your Air Austral trips count towards rewards, and members hear about offers first.
Before you fly -
Ready to compare fares?
Search Air Austral alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.
Search Air Austral flights
Reviews and questions
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Visitors are asking
Air Austral flights carry the IATA prefix UU. In aviation records the airline appears as REU, and pilots use the radio callsign REUNION.
Its main hub is Roland Garros Airport (RUN) in Saint-Denis, Réunion, and its head office is in Roland Garros Airport, Sainte-Marie, Réunion.
Yes. Air Austral is a member of Vanilla Alliance.
Its fleet (as of August 2025) is made up of Boeing 777-300ER, 787-8 and Airbus A220-300.
Yes, it is called Capricorn. Give your Capricorn number when you book so the miles are added to your account.
The allowance for your UU booking is printed on the e-ticket and shown in Manage Booking on air-austral.com. The Air Austral route, cabin and fare all change it.
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Everything travellers ask before flying Air Austral.
Answers checked against Air Austral’s official website and published airline records. Reviewed 10 October 2026.
General
Air Austral is based at Roland Garros Airport in Saint-Denis on Reunion, a French overseas region in the Indian Ocean. It also uses Dzaoudzi in Mayotte as a focus city for regional flights.
Air Austral flies from Reunion to Paris Charles de Gaulle, Johannesburg and Bangkok, and across the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, Mayotte, the Comoros and Madagascar, with seasonal flights to Rodrigues. Check the current schedule because seasonal routes change.
The Boeing 777-300ER has Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The Boeing 787-8 has Business and Economy only. Check the aircraft for your flight when you book if Premium Economy matters to you.
Air Austral's frequent flyer programme is called Capricorn. Members earn points on Air Austral flights and can use them for rewards. Check the latest rules and partners on the Air Austral website.
Your allowance depends on your fare and route, including whether you fly long-haul or within the Indian Ocean. Look at the details for your ticket on the Air Austral website or in your booking confirmation before you fly.
Only the Boeing 777-300ER. Air Austral's 787-8s and A220-300s have business and economy cabins.
Ewa Air is Air Austral's subsidiary based in Mayotte. It operates regional flights, including some seasonal Madagascar and Mauritius services for Air Austral.
Contact Air Austral through its official website, air-austral.com.
Timing & weather
Air Austral started in December 1974 as Réunion Air Services. It was renamed Air Réunion in 1986 and Air Austral in 1990.
Getting there
Air Austral codeshares with Air France, Air Madagascar, Air India, Air Mauritius, Ewa Air and Kenya Airways.
Yes. Two Airbus A320neos are on order, with deliveries listed from 2027, for regional routes.
Air Austral uses the IATA code UU and the ICAO code REU. Its radio callsign is REUNION.
Check in on air-austral.com. The Check-in section of this guide walks through it in 4 steps.
Besides its main hub, Air Austral also serves Saint-Pierre Pierrefonds (ZSE) and Mayotte (DZA).
Prices & payment
This guide has 5 money-saving tips for Air Austral, from "look across the week" to "join Capricorn".