- Christmas in swim shorts and bikini in Asian destinations, Egypt or the Canary Islands
- Snow and ice guaranteed for destinations in northern Europe
- Enchanting city trips with Christmas markets and New Year’s Eve parties in Europe and the USA
- Austrian Airlines CCO Michael Trestl: “The Christmas holidays are a popular time to travel for Austrians. Both our warm-water destinations and city trips are in great demand. There is also an increasing trend towards gifting experiences in the form of an unforgettable trip.’
Some just want to get away to the warmth and escape the Christmas hustle and bustle on a beach, while others are looking for exactly that: Christmas spirit throughout Europe or America and the prospect of unique New Year’s Eve parties with international flair. The days and weeks around Christmas and the turn of the year have now become popular travel times for Austrians.
‘People are travelling in very different constellations to very different destinations – in addition to the classic flights back home for the festive season, we have couples, families, groups of friends and entire generational groups on board who see the Christmas period as the ideal time to travel. This also reflects the trend that more and more people are giving the gift of shared experiences and time together in the form of a trip,’ says Austrian CCO Michael Trestl, adding that the flexible flight vouchers from Austrian Airlines, which can be individually configured online and are available immediately, are ideal for this – and also for anyone who may still be looking for a last-minute gift or two.
Sunny destinations compete with icy destinations
Austrian Airlines flights to Bangkok are currently almost fully booked – with a frequency of up to 13 flights per week during the public holidays.
Austrians are long-standing and loyal Thailand fans who use Bangkok as a city break and starting point for their beach holidays. There are also very few remaining seats on the flights to the Maldives (six times a week) and Mauritius (three times a week) – the dream islands and dream beaches of the Indian Ocean are at the top of many people’s wish lists. Other destinations for sun lovers include Hurghada (three times a week), Malaga in Andalusia (up to seven times a week), Larnaca/Cyprus (even up to twice a day) and Gran Canaria and Fuerteventura (once a week).
Winter sun deluxe – but in combination with freezing cold and temperatures well below freezing – is enjoying an ever-growing fan base. Austrian currently flies to Tromsø in Norway three times a week and to the Finnish winter highlights of Rovaniemi and Kittilä once a week. Ivalo – around 250 kilometres north of the Arctic Circle – will be added to the Austrian Airlines portfolio of ‘guaranteed frosty destinations’ from the end of January.
Christmas markets and New Year’s Eve parties as a boost for city trips
Experience the very individual Christmas atmosphere of a new city, savour local and seasonal delicacies at the Christmas markets, experience foreign customs and traditions or spend your Christmas money to your heart’s content – city trips throughout Europe and North America invite you to do just that.
Berlin and Hamburg in Germany, Zurich and Geneva in Switzerland, Copenhagen in Denmark and Stockholm in Sweden, some of which even have several daily flights from Vienna, are currently particularly popular.
In the USA, the appeal and attraction of ‘Christmas in New York’ has not diminished even after decades – just as ‘New Year on Times Square’ is a once-in-a-lifetime destination for many. This is also reflected in the currently very high demand for the five flights a week to New York and Newark. But Boston (three times a week), Chicago (four times a week) and Washington (five times a week) are also enjoying increasing popularity over the Christmas holidays and for the start of the New Year.
Good preparation instead of end-of-year stress
For a stress-free start to your holiday, a travel briefing is available on the Austrian Airlines website – a travel guide with everything you need to know to prepare for your trip.
Austrian Airlines recommends planning an early arrival at the airport in the coming days and weeks. This will leave enough time for check-in and security checks even if there is an increased volume of passengers. Passengers should also always keep an eye on the latest flight information. By entering the flight number, relevant information on the flight status can be found on the Austrian website.
To make sure that even the youngest passengers’ flight “flies by” and they don’t get bored, Austrian Airlines keeps the kids entertained with games and puzzles. An exciting entertainment programme consisting of films, music or audio books is also offered on longer flights.
In addition, a wide selection of magazines for children and young people are available for free download at www.austrian.com. There are also colouring pages that can be printed out before departure or simply coloured in digitally on mobile devices during the flight.
Please address media requests to:
AUSTRIAN AIRLINES
Press Office
Telephone: +43 (0)5 1766-11231