UK leisure carrier Jet2 has unveiled its first winter schedule from London Gatwick, including up to four weekly flights to Vienna between late November and early January. Operated by 189-seat Airbus A321neos, the service enters a route dominated by British Airways and easyJet and offers corporates in southern England a same-day link to Austria’s capital. Early-bird return fares start at £79 with 10 kg cabin baggage.
The announcement, made on 19 December almost 15 months ahead of the Winter 2026/27 season, is seen as a vote of confidence in Vienna’s resilient city-break and meetings market. The Vienna Tourist Board estimates UK visitors spend €311 per day, and ‘bleisure’ stays average 3.2 nights—figures that appeal to both tourism and conference organisers.
![Jet2 Adds Gatwick–Vienna Christmas-Market Flights, Boosting UK-Austria Capacity]()
For mobility managers the new service widens seat inventory during the peak Advent congress season, when hotels near the Austria Center and Messe Wien routinely sell out. Note, however, that Jet2 does not participate in global distribution systems; travel buyers must load private fares manually or book via the Jet2 Business portal. The carrier’s standard product includes a 22 kg checked bag, handy for consultants carrying presentation equipment, but no lounge partnerships at Vienna.
Travellers who need to arrange Schengen paperwork quickly can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/). The service handles everything from appointment booking to document checking and courier return, and its corporate dashboard lets travel departments track multiple applications at once—particularly useful when several delegates are heading to Vienna for the same congress.
Policy tip: non-UK nationals based in Britain will still need a Schengen visa. Visa-processing times at the Austrian Consulate in London averaged 10 working days this autumn; adding first-time biometrics under the EES could stretch lead times, so early application is advisable.
The announcement, made on 19 December almost 15 months ahead of the Winter 2026/27 season, is seen as a vote of confidence in Vienna’s resilient city-break and meetings market. The Vienna Tourist Board estimates UK visitors spend €311 per day, and ‘bleisure’ stays average 3.2 nights—figures that appeal to both tourism and conference organisers.
For mobility managers the new service widens seat inventory during the peak Advent congress season, when hotels near the Austria Center and Messe Wien routinely sell out. Note, however, that Jet2 does not participate in global distribution systems; travel buyers must load private fares manually or book via the Jet2 Business portal. The carrier’s standard product includes a 22 kg checked bag, handy for consultants carrying presentation equipment, but no lounge partnerships at Vienna.
Travellers who need to arrange Schengen paperwork quickly can streamline the process through VisaHQ’s online portal (https://www.visahq.com/austria/). The service handles everything from appointment booking to document checking and courier return, and its corporate dashboard lets travel departments track multiple applications at once—particularly useful when several delegates are heading to Vienna for the same congress.
Policy tip: non-UK nationals based in Britain will still need a Schengen visa. Visa-processing times at the Austrian Consulate in London averaged 10 working days this autumn; adding first-time biometrics under the EES could stretch lead times, so early application is advisable.
