Vienna Airport (Schwechat) has been awarded "Best European Airport 2026" in the 25 to 40 million passenger category by the international airport association ACI Europe. The prestigious industry award was presented on June 23, 2026, at a celebratory conference in Prague, where airport board member Julian Jäger accepted the trophy in person.
Following a previous success in 2022, Austria's largest air traffic hub has secured this title for the second time. The expert jury justified its decision primarily with the strong operational performance, the high punctuality of scheduled services, and the short waiting times during check-in and departure processes.
The assessment was based on comprehensive data collection regarding service quality and operational efficiency. Vienna Airport is one of the few locations in Europe to hold the association's demanding Level 4 Customer Experience accreditation. Through rigorous quality monitoring, which includes eye-tracking analyses to optimize passenger flow within the terminal, customer satisfaction, as determined by standardized surveys, increased from 3,87 points in 2023 to 4,11 points in 2025. In addition to pure processing speed, criteria such as accessibility and employee-oriented management were also factored into the overall result.
The airport company sees the award as confirmation of its long-term infrastructure and service strategy. To maintain high-quality handling even with continued increases in passenger numbers, the company is currently investing heavily in expanding its capacity. The centerpiece of these measures is the large-scale southern extension of Terminal 3, scheduled for completion in 2027. This additional area of over 70.000 square meters will house modern waiting areas, exclusive lounges, and an expanded shopping and dining area with approximately 30 new establishments from renowned Viennese food brands, further enhancing comfort for transit and local passengers.