Flights to Austria from the UK

Why fly to Austria?

Austria splits into two flight markets: Vienna for year-round city breaks (typically £80–£140 return on easyJet) and the Tyrol/Salzburg ski circuit, which is virtually entirely seasonal — Jet2 and easyJet ramp up between mid-December and mid-April, with very few flights running outside the season.

Flights from UK airports to Austria

Vienna is served from London (BA, easyJet, Austrian) plus Manchester and Birmingham seasonally. Innsbruck and Salzburg run mainly winter ski schedules from Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair across UK regional airports.

Top destinations and flight times from London

Vienna (VIE)2h 25m from London

Salzburg (SZG)2h 15m from London

Innsbruck (INN)2h 5m from London

Airlines flying to Austria

British AirwaysLHR–VIE

easyJetLGW/LTN/STN–VIE/SZG/INN

Austrian AirlinesLHR–VIE

RyanairSTN–VIE/SZG

Jet2BHX/MAN–INN/SZG (winter)

Practical info for UK travellers

Visa (UK passport)	No visa needed for UK passport holders. Schengen Area — 90 days in any 180.
Currency	Euro (EUR, €). Cards near-universal in Vienna, Salzburg and ski resorts; carry €20 cash for small Gasthäuser and rural cable-car kiosks.
Time zone	CET (UTC+1) — one hour ahead of the UK year-round.
Language	Austrian German (very close to standard German). English fluent in tourist areas; ski-resort staff usually multilingual.
Plug type	Type C/F (European two-pin). UK-to-EU adaptor needed.
Best months	December–March for ski season; June–September for hiking and city breaks. November and late April are quietest and cheapest.
Flight times from UK	Vienna (VIE) 2h 25m; Salzburg (SZG) 2h 15m; Innsbruck (INN) 2h 5m

Austria flights — frequently asked

Where do most UK ski flights to Austria go?

Innsbruck for Tyrol resorts (Sölden, St Anton, Mayrhofen) and Salzburg for the Salzkammergut and Saalbach. Both run Jet2, easyJet and Ryanair from December–April; Munich is the year-round alternative for late-season trips.

Is it cheaper to fly to Munich or Salzburg for Austria?

For Salzburg city, fly direct — the airport is 15 minutes from the centre. For ski resorts, Munich often has cheaper out-of-season fares plus more daily departures, but adds 1–2 hours of transfer.

Do I need a visa for Austria as a UK citizen?

No. Austria is a Schengen state, so UK passport holders enter visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. ETIAS pre-authorisation will apply once it is live; check gov.uk before travelling.

How early should I book Austrian ski flights?

Christmas, New Year and February half-term sell out 6+ months ahead. For other weeks, 8–12 weeks ahead gives you the best Jet2 prices. Last-minute Innsbruck fares routinely double in peak weeks.

What is the cheapest UK airport to fly to Vienna from?

London Stansted on Ryanair is consistently cheapest (often £40–£70 return), followed by Luton and Gatwick on easyJet. Heathrow with BA or Austrian costs roughly £40–£70 more.

Austria by the numbers

Austria works as both a winter ski trip and a summer city break for UK travellers — practical logistics are uniformly easy.

Time zoneCET (UTC+1). UK is one hour behind year-round.

PopulationAbout 9 million. Vienna's metro area holds 2 million — a quarter of the country.

Best seasonDecember to March for skiing in Tyrol and Salzburgerland. May to September for hiking, lakes and the cities.

CurrencyEuro. Cards work everywhere; cash is mostly used for tipping and small village purchases.

PlugType C and Type F, 230V. Standard EU adapter; ski lodges almost universally have charging points.

Flight timeVIE from Heathrow is 2h 20m. Salzburg (SZG) and Innsbruck (INN) have winter-season direct service from London airports.

Tap waterVienna's tap water arrives directly from Alpine springs and is among Europe's best — never buy bottled in the city.

Airport transitVIE to Wien Mitte by City Airport Train: 16 minutes, €15. The S-Bahn does it for €4.40 in 25 minutes.