- Vienna Airport expects around 30.5m passengers in 2026.
- Wizz Air closed its Vienna base by March 2026.
- Austrian aviation tax is €12 per passenger.
- Low-cost carriers are shifting to Bratislava Airport.
- Terminal 3 southern expansion opens in the second quarter of 2027.
Vienna Airport has rebalanced its route network as low-cost carrier capacity shrinks due to rising Austrian taxes, higher airport and air traffic control fees and competition from nearby Bratislava. Wizz Air closed its Vienna base by March 2026 and Ryanair cut back operations removing aircraft and cancelling multiple winter routes. Airlines point to Austria’s national ticket and airport taxes of €12 per passenger and sharp increases in air traffic control costs.
After a record 32.6m passengers in 2025 Vienna Airport expects lower traffic of roughly 30.5m passengers for 2026. The broader Flughafen Wien Group projects full-year 2026 group passenger volume at roughly 42.5m supported by growth at Malta and Kosice and group net profit of around €220m. Low-cost carriers are shifting capacity to Bratislava Airport in neighbouring Slovakia which is just 40 minutes away and lacks Austria’s aviation tax.
Rather than chasing low-cost volume the airport is focusing on unserved destinations, increasing frequencies or deploying larger aircraft on high-performing routes. The 70,000 square metre southern expansion of Terminal 3 is slated to open in the second quarter of 2027 adding centralised security, more bus gates, expanded lounges and upgraded dining options. Long-haul opportunities include potential new routes to Sao Paulo, Mexico City and Vietnam.
