Vienna Airport is Europe’s Best Airport: ACI confers its “Best European Airport 2026” award on Vienna Airport

Vienna Airport is Europe’s Best Airport: ACI confers its “Best European Airport 2026” award on Vienna Airport
 
Vienna Airport has been named the “Best European Airport 2026” in the category “25-40 Million Passengers.” The coveted award was presented in Prague on 23 June 2026 to Julian Jäger, Joint CEO and COO of the Vienna Airport operating company Flughafen Wien AG by the international airport association ACI Europe. It is already the second time after 2022 that Vienna Airport has been ranked as the absolute best. ACI acknowledges the strong operating performance of the airport, the high level of punctuality, short waiting times, and a continuous improvement of the passengers’ travel experience. The high-calibre jury was also convinced by the tangible progress being made in the fields of climate protection, barrier-free accessibility, employee orientation, and responsible corporate management. The assessment was based on three strategic cornerstones defined by ACI for the year 2026, namely operating efficiency, service quality, and ESG criteria.

“This award is a great tribute to the high-quality service provided at Vienna Airport. Every single day our employees work together with all our partners at the airport hub, such as airlines, public authorities, and service companies, to offer our passengers a reliable and comfortable travel experience. And we do this 24/7, even in the light of high passenger traffic. We are pleased that this commitment to and understanding of service and quality at Vienna Airport is perceived and recognised internationally. First place in the ACI Europe Best Airport Award is a special honour, and the entire Vienna Airport team can be justifiably proud of this. For this reason, we would like to sincerely thank everyone who has contributed to this success, above all the entire airport staff,” state Julian Jäger and Günther Ofner, Joint CEOs and Members of the Management Board of Vienna Airport.

Best European Airport Award: One of the most renowned awards in the European aviation sector
The “Best European Airport” award bestowed by ACI Europe is one of the most renowned awards in the entire European aviation industry. It honours airports which stand out due to their outstanding performance, innovative approaches, and exemplary further development. In particular, the evaluation of airports in 2026 focused on the criteria of operating efficiency, service quality and progress made on environmental issues, as well as social responsibility and sustainable corporate management.
 
First-class service quality: Level 4 certification and focus on the passenger experience
Vienna Airport has also gained a place in the premier league of airports when it comes to service quality. It is one of the very few European airports which has achieved the prestigious ACI Level 4 Airport Customer Experience Accreditation. Thanks to its seamless, data-based quality monitoring, implemented via ASQ surveys and an integrated “Voice of Customer” dashboard, amongst other tools, Vienna Airport succeeded in raising the overall level of passenger satisfaction from 3.87 in 2023 to an impressive 4.11 in the year 2025. This is based on cross-departmental workshops, employees accompanying flights, focus groups and even eye tracking, all designed to targetedly avoid weaknesses in the customer journey. This ongoing quality improvement builds upon previous successes: Vienna Airport was already given the ASQ Customer Experience Award “Best Airports at Departures: 25-40 Million Passengers” by ACI.
 
Vienna Airport continues quality strategy: New Terminal 3 South Extension
Vienna Airport is systematically upgrading its infrastructure, with a clear focus on sustainability, service quality and modern passenger experience. A crucial cornerstone of this ongoing development is construction work on the Terminal 3 Southern Expansion project, which has progressed to a very advanced stage. Starting in 2027, passengers will experience more than 70,000 m² of new lounges, spacious leisure areas, and a considerably expanded shopping and food and beverage offering featuring about 30 new shops and restaurants, including top caterers such as DO & CO, Café Landtmann, Figlmüller, AIDA, Mochi, NENI, Veganista and JuiceFactory. The “Best European Airport 2026” award means that ACI has acknowledged the long-term quality strategy of Vienna Airport and the progress it has made on its path towards becoming a sustainable, service-oriented and forward-looking mobility hub.

About ACI
Airports Council International (ACI), the global umbrella association of airports, is a federal organisation consisting of ACI World, ACI Africa, ACI Asia-Pacific & Middle East, ACI EUROPE, ACI Latin America and the Caribbean as well as ACI North America. ACI represents the interests of airports with respect to key political and regulatory decision-making processes and thus makes a major contribution towards a secure, reliable, and efficient international aviation system. As of January 2026, ACI represents 811 members which operate 2,200+ airports in more than 160 countries.
 
 
Contact:
 
Press Office of Flughafen Wien AG
Peter Kleemann, Company Spokesman
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