On July 1, 2024, Austrian Airlines launched its first year-round nonstop flight connection from Vienna to Boston. With the Boeing 767, equipped with 211 seats, the Austrian airline will offer up to six flights per week to the US metropolis. The opening of this new route marks a significant step in the strategic network expansion of Austrian Airlines.

Before the passengers took off on their first flight to Boston, they were warmly welcomed at the gate by Michael Trestl, Chief Commercial Officer of Austrian Airlines, and Julian Jäger, CEO of Flughafen Wien AG. The traditional ribbon cutting ceremony, as well as culinary delicacies and a sketch artist, created a festive atmosphere. Michael Trestl personally handed out goodies to the guests and emphasized the importance of the new connection for the company.

"Boston adds an extremely attractive destination to our destination portfolio," said Michael Trestl. "With this expansion of our long-haul network, we are offering our passengers a wide range of travel options and strengthening our hub in Vienna." He particularly highlighted Boston's cultural and economic attractions, including renowned educational institutions such as Harvard and MIT.

The flight time between Vienna and Boston is around 9 hours. The flights are operated on different days of the week, departing from Vienna at 10:40 a.m. and arriving in Boston at 13:50 p.m. local time. The return flight departs from Boston at 17:10 p.m. and lands back in Vienna at 07:25 a.m. the next morning.

With Boston as a new destination, Austrian Airlines is expanding its intercontinental network to a total of 18 destinations worldwide. This underlines the importance of the USA as an important market for the airline and for Vienna Airport as a major hub.

Julian Jäger, CEO of Flughafen Wien AG, was also pleased about the new connection and emphasized the historical and cultural highlights that Boston has to offer. The modernization of Austrian Airlines' long-haul fleet to eleven Boeing 787 Dreamliners will help to increase the attractiveness of travel to North America and provide an important boost to Vienna's economy and tourism.

Norbert Kettner, Managing Director of Vienna Tourism, also welcomed the new flight connection and emphasised the importance of international transport routes for Vienna as a globally connected city. He particularly emphasised that the USA is Vienna's most important long-distance market and that the return of tourism to an international level is showing a strong recovery. The new direct connection to Boston will therefore not only benefit business travellers and tourists, but will also strengthen Vienna's role as an international hub.