On 5 November 2025 Austrian Airlines revealed plans to launch a weekly summer service from Vienna to Ponta Delgada on São Miguel Island, starting 30 June 2026 and running until 8 September. The route will be operated with Airbus A320neo aircraft and represents the Star Alliance carrier’s first non-stop connection to the mid-Atlantic archipelago.
The Azores government has long courted Central-European markets but lacked direct air links. Tourism officials hailed the move as a “game-changer” that supports the islands’ strategy of high-value, low-impact tourism. For Austrian Airlines the flight diversifies its leisure portfolio and utilises aircraft that would otherwise sit idle mid-week.
![Austrian Airlines announces first-ever Vienna–Azores link, boosting sustainable tourism ties]()
Travel analysts note that Vienna’s central location and rapid rail links from neighbouring countries could funnel visitors from Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia via a single hub—underscoring Austria’s growing importance as a gateway for niche destinations. Corporations with operations in Portugal’s emerging green-hydrogen and tech sectors also gain a faster connection for site visits and project work.
Tickets go on sale next week with introductory return fares around €349. Mobility managers should monitor visa requirements: although both Austria and Portugal are in Schengen, third-country employees transiting Vienna may still need multiple-entry visas once ETIAS is in force.
The Azores government has long courted Central-European markets but lacked direct air links. Tourism officials hailed the move as a “game-changer” that supports the islands’ strategy of high-value, low-impact tourism. For Austrian Airlines the flight diversifies its leisure portfolio and utilises aircraft that would otherwise sit idle mid-week.
Travel analysts note that Vienna’s central location and rapid rail links from neighbouring countries could funnel visitors from Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia via a single hub—underscoring Austria’s growing importance as a gateway for niche destinations. Corporations with operations in Portugal’s emerging green-hydrogen and tech sectors also gain a faster connection for site visits and project work.
Tickets go on sale next week with introductory return fares around €349. Mobility managers should monitor visa requirements: although both Austria and Portugal are in Schengen, third-country employees transiting Vienna may still need multiple-entry visas once ETIAS is in force.
