Austrian Airlines operated flight OS89 from Vienna to Dubai on 1 December, marking the carrier’s return to the Gulf after a ten-year hiatus. Branded as the “Dubai Deal”, the seasonal route runs five times a week through March 2026 using Airbus A320neo jets configured with 180 seats—a cost-efficient alternative to long-haul wide-bodies.
Departing Vienna at 18:55 and arriving in Dubai at 03:40, the schedule is tailor-made for business travellers who need a full working day in Austria and morning connections onward from DXB. Introductory return fares start at €314, a deliberate play to stimulate SME and leisure demand during the quiet winter season.
![Austrian Airlines Re-enters Gulf Market with Five-Weekly Vienna–Dubai Service]()
For corporate mobility programmes the new nonstop cuts at least four hours off typical one-stop itineraries via Frankfurt or Istanbul, benefiting Austrian engineers supporting UAE renewable-energy projects and expatriate families alike. Travel buyers should note trade-offs: narrow-body aircraft mean no built-in seat-back entertainment, but the carrier is offering streaming Wi-Fi packages and a simplified buy-on-board menu to keep ancillary costs predictable.
The Lufthansa Group subsidiary says permanence depends on performance; if the four-month trial hits load-factor and yield targets, Dubai could join the year-round network. Mobility managers should update travel policies to capture the new option and remind travellers that UAE visa-on-arrival rules for Austrian citizens remain unchanged.
Departing Vienna at 18:55 and arriving in Dubai at 03:40, the schedule is tailor-made for business travellers who need a full working day in Austria and morning connections onward from DXB. Introductory return fares start at €314, a deliberate play to stimulate SME and leisure demand during the quiet winter season.
For corporate mobility programmes the new nonstop cuts at least four hours off typical one-stop itineraries via Frankfurt or Istanbul, benefiting Austrian engineers supporting UAE renewable-energy projects and expatriate families alike. Travel buyers should note trade-offs: narrow-body aircraft mean no built-in seat-back entertainment, but the carrier is offering streaming Wi-Fi packages and a simplified buy-on-board menu to keep ancillary costs predictable.
The Lufthansa Group subsidiary says permanence depends on performance; if the four-month trial hits load-factor and yield targets, Dubai could join the year-round network. Mobility managers should update travel policies to capture the new option and remind travellers that UAE visa-on-arrival rules for Austrian citizens remain unchanged.
