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Austrian Airlines (OS) Guide

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In short

Austrian Airlines is the flag carrier of Austria and part of the Lufthansa Group, based at Vienna International. It flies to 120+ destinations in Austria, Europe, the Middle East, North America and Asia, with Vienna working well for connections into Central and Eastern Europe. Austrian is a Star Alliance member using Miles & More. Cabins are Business, Premium Economy and Economy.

Austrian Airlines is the flag carrier of Austria and a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group, headquartered at Vienna International Airport. It serves more than 120 destinations with about 320 daily flights, connecting Western and Eastern Europe through Vienna.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Austrian Airlines. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

Austrian Airlines is the flag carrier of Austria and part of the Lufthansa Group, based at Vienna International Airport in Schwechat. It suits travellers connecting through Vienna between Western Europe and Central and Eastern Europe, and those flying from Austria to North America, the Middle East and Asia. About 121 destinations and around 320 daily flights were on its schedule in September 2026.

Vienna as a connecting hub

All Austrian flights run through Vienna International Airport, where the airline also has its head office. Vienna's position makes it a short connection for Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans and the Black Sea region, and Austrian serves many of these cities with several flights a day.

Long-haul flights include New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and Miami in North America, and Mumbai and Mauritius in Asia and the Indian Ocean. The Middle East and the Mediterranean are served from the same hub. If you cross between Schengen and non-Schengen flights in Vienna you pass through passport control, so leave time for it at peak hours.

From ÖLAG to the Lufthansa Group

Austria's first airline, ÖLAG, was founded on 3 May 1923. Austrian Airlines was created through a merger in 1957 and flew its first scheduled flight on 31 March 1958. The Lufthansa Group bought the airline in September 2009, and it now shares sales, the network and the loyalty programme with Lufthansa, SWISS and Brussels Airlines.

Austrian joined Star Alliance on 26 March 2000. Partners include Lufthansa, SWISS, United Airlines and ANA, so tickets combining Austrian and these airlines can be booked as one journey.

Lounges in Vienna

Austrian runs three Business lounges, two Senator lounges and two HON Circle lounges at Vienna. Business lounges are open to Business passengers and Star Alliance Gold members. Senator and HON Circle lounges are for top-tier Miles & More members.

Baggage on light European fares

Checked baggage depends on the fare, and the lightest European fares are the ones to read closely. Your allowance appears in your booking and on austrian.com. Online check-in runs on the Austrian app and website, and Miles & More numbers can be added at booking so miles post automatically.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Austrian official website

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  1. Austrian official website
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Good to know

  • Founded1923

Everything you should know

Airline codes

OS · AUA

IATA · ICAO · callsign “AUSTRIAN”

Every Austrian flight number begins with OS. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code AUA, and the radio callsign is AUSTRIAN.

Key facts

Main hub

Vienna (VIE)

Vienna International

Network

120+ destinations

Austria · Europe · Middle East · North America · Asia

Austrian runs around 320 daily flights from Vienna to more than 120 destinations, with a strong network to Eastern Europe and the Balkans and long-haul flights to North America and Asia.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Business

and Premium Economy, Economy

Long-haul flights offer Business, Premium Economy and Economy; European flights have Business and Economy. Austrian offers Business, Premium Economy and Economy on long-haul flights. Business seats turn into fully flat beds, and Economy seats have video on demand. On European flights Economy is sold in fare levels with different baggage and change rules. DO & CO, the Austrian catering company, has supplied the airline's meals since 2007.

Compare cabins

Good to know

Austrian’s catering is provided by Do & Co. Its loyalty programme is Miles & More, shared with Lufthansa, and its official website is austrian.com.

Frequent flyer

Miles & More

Member of Star Alliance

As a Star Alliance member, Austrian lets you credit flights to another Star Alliance programme or to Miles & More.

How it works

Start a new search

Before you book Austrian, run the same dates through bookingMentor: rival airlines on routes from VIE appear in one set of results.

Wishing you a smooth trip with Austrian.

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At a glance

Austrian Airlines (IATA: OS, ICAO: AUA) is the flag carrier of Austria, based at Vienna International Airport and part of the Lufthansa Group. A Star Alliance member, it flies Airbus A320-family, Embraer 195 and Boeing 767, 777 and 787 aircraft to more than 120 destinations.

Key facts about Austrian Airlines
HeadquartersVienna International Airport, Schwechat, Austria
Fleet typesAirbus A320, A320neo, A321, Embraer 195, Boeing 767, 777 and 787
Frequent flyerMiles & More
Official websiteaustrian.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
Austrian serves the places below according to its published network. Routes are added, paused and rescheduled, so confirm the current Austrian timetable when you search. Search flights

Austria

Vienna (VIE) departures3 destinations

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Fleet and aircraft

The fleet totals about 65 aircraft. On European routes Austrian flies Airbus A320-200s, A320neos and A321s, plus Embraer 195s. The Embraers came from Lufthansa CityLine in 2015 to replace Fokker 70s and 100s, and eleven are due to move to Air Dolomiti by 2028. Long-haul flights use Boeing 777-200ERs, Boeing 787-9s and the last two Boeing 767-300ERs. In 2023 Austrian announced the 787-9 as the replacement for its 767s and 777s. Two came from Bamboo Airways, five are being transferred from Lufthansa, and the fleet is planned to reach twelve 787-9s by 2028. On long-haul bookings, the aircraft type tells you which seats and screens to expect.

  • Airbus A320-200 Narrow-body Most European routes
  • Airbus A320neo Narrow-body Most European routes
  • Airbus A321 Narrow-body · 6 in service Busier European routes
  • Embraer 195 Regional jet · 15 in service Lower-demand European routes
  • Boeing 767-300ER Wide-body · 3 in service Long-haul; the oldest wide-bodies in the fleet
  • Boeing 777-200ER Wide-body · 6 in service Long-haul routes that need the most seats
  • Boeing 787-9 Wide-body · 3 in service Newest long-haul aircraft in the fleet

Cabin classes

Austrian sells three cabins, Business, Premium Economy and Economy. The aircraft and route decide which Austrian cabins you can book.

Business All flights

Business class

Lie-flat seats on long-haul aircraft; business class with a blocked middle seat in Europe.

Lie-flat on long-haulLounge 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 on long-haul

Miles & More

Miles & More is Austrian’s frequent flyer scheme, and you can sign up on austrian.com.

Miles & More is the loyalty programme of the Lufthansa Group. Members earn miles on Austrian, Lufthansa and Star Alliance flights and redeem them for award flights and upgrades.

Austrian uses Miles & More, the shared programme of the Lufthansa Group. Members earn on Austrian and other Star Alliance airlines, and Senator and HON Circle status opens the matching lounges in Vienna.

Baggage allowance

On Austrian, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your OS e-ticket.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Set by your fare
Extra bags
Add online before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Expect the allowance on Austrian to change with distance and cabin: higher cabins include more than basic economy on the same flight. Look up your route on the baggage page of austrian.com.

Pro tip: if your OS fare comes without a hold bag, buy one in your booking before you fly; airport prices for extra bags are usually higher.
Travel day

Online Check-in

Austrian check-in comes down to four steps, from checking in online to dropping your bags at Vienna International.

  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Use austrian.com to check in for eligible flights. Have your Austrian booking reference or e-ticket number and your surname ready.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    International Austrian passengers need a passport and whatever visa, residence permit or entry documents the destination requires. Domestic OS passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Each airport has its own Austrian check-in and bag-drop deadline, listed in your booking. Allow extra time for busy terminals and international OS departures.

    Check your deadline
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    Austrian desks and bag-drop points take your hold luggage. Keep the bag-tag receipt with your boarding pass until the bags come off at the end of your OS trip.

    Austrian counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Austrian website.
Check in with Austrian
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Cheap tickets

How to find a cheaper Austrian fare without giving up the bag or seat you need.

  1. 01

    Be flexible with your Austrian dates

    Austrian fares are often lower on midweek departures. Search a spread of dates around your trip to find the cheaper days.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak holiday dates

    Fares rise around Christmas, the ski season and summer holidays. Book early for those dates.

    School holidays · festivals
  3. 03

    Price the bundle, not the base fare

    An Austrian fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Connect via Vienna

    Austrian’s network is built around Vienna. A connection there is often a good option between Western Europe and the Balkans, Eastern Europe or the Middle East.

    East–West transfers
  5. 05

    Join Miles & More

    Add a Miles & More number to your booking so points from your OS flights are credited.

    Before you fly

  6. Ready to compare fares?

    Search Austrian alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search Austrian flights

Reviews and questions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Austrian Airlines.
Answers checked against Austrian’s official website and published airline records. Reviewed 10 October 2026.

Getting there

Austrian Airlines has been a Star Alliance member since 2000. It is also part of the Lufthansa Group, so it works closely with Lufthansa, SWISS and Brussels Airlines on schedules, connections and loyalty benefits.