Vienna-Schwechat Airport (VIE): Private Jet, Slots and Access

Vienna-Schwechat (VIE / LOWW) operates 24/7, 18 km south-east of central Vienna, with two runways of 3,500 and 3,600 m. As a level 3 coordinated airport it requires a slot, which business aviation requests no earlier than 28 days and no later than 4 hours before departure. At night, a mediation agreement caps movements between 23:30 and 06:30 at 4,700 a year, and private aviation passengers use a dedicated terminal in the western zone. IBC Aviation arranges your flights to or from Vienna and Central Europe.

Vienna-Schwechat in brief

A slot between 28 days and 4 hours before the flight

Schedule Coordination Austria classifies Vienna as level 3: an IFR business flight needs a slot there. The request window is unusual at both ends: it opens only 28 days before the flight, yet does not close until 4 hours before departure. A meeting in Vienna arranged the day before is therefore within reach, provided a slot is still free.

The coordinator also publishes a runway capacity limitation from 21:00 to 06:55 local time. Finally, it restricts the airport to aircraft certified to at least Chapter 3 of ICAO Annex 16, the noise standard that rules out the oldest aircraft.

At night, a cap inherited from mediation

Vienna has no curfew in the strict sense. Its night flights are governed by an agreement that came out of an environmental mediation held from 2000 to 2005, which Flughafen Wien describes as the largest in Europe. Since 2010, core-night movements, from 23:30 to 06:30, have been capped at 4,700 a year.

The agreement tied a lower target, 3,000 night flights a year, to the opening of a third runway, which has still not been built. For a private jet, a late departure remains possible, but it counts towards this annual cap shared by every operator, airlines included.

The VIP and General Aviation Terminal

Business aviation passengers use the VIP and General Aviation Terminal, a dedicated terminal in the airport's western zone. Its address, Niki Lauda Allee, pays tribute to Austria's three-time Formula 1 world champion. It is run by Vienna Airport FBO, the longest-established business aviation handler at the airport.

Jet Aviation also handles passengers, crews and aircraft there, including the coordination of fuelling and de-icing. MAGNUM FBO, an independent handler, offers aircraft cleaning, onboard catering and limousines. Customs and immigration process passengers and crews directly at the terminal, a clearance the handler arranges in advance.

Getting to Vienna and Bratislava

In normal times, the City Airport Train links the airport to Wien Mitte in 16 minutes. From 24 August 2026 to late October 2027, the modernisation of a central S-Bahn section replaces it with coaches, branded "CAT by bus". For a passenger arriving by private jet, the car remains the direct option: 20 to 25 minutes to the centre in free-flowing traffic, and up to 30 at rush hour.

Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, lies less than an hour away by road on the A4 and A6 motorways, so Vienna can also serve as the arrival point for a meeting across the border.

January and February, the ball season

From January to February, Vienna holds its ball season, whose most emblematic event is the Opera Ball, with more than 5,000 guests. Since the slot window opens only 28 days before the flight, we recommend securing the aircraft well before filing the slot request.

Routes and rates from Vienna

No route from Vienna appears among the priced examples on our pricing page. We therefore give the hourly rate of the suggested category, with estimated flight times that vary with aircraft and wind.

Which aircraft for Vienna

With two runways longer than 3 km, Vienna accepts every aircraft, from very light jets to airliners fitted out as VIP aircraft. A light jet covers Zurich, Geneva or Nice; a midsize jet adds space for London; a heavy jet reaches the Gulf nonstop. On noise, the airport requires certification to at least Chapter 3. For Switzerland, our Zurich Airport and Geneva Airport pages cover the other end of the route.

IBC Aviation for Vienna

Our Geneva and Paris teams arrange your flights to or from Vienna: slot request within the 28-day window, a schedule chosen with the night cap in mind, reception at the general aviation terminal and transfer into the city.

• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Available 24/7.

Frequently asked questions

Is Vienna Airport open at night for private jets?

Yes, 24/7. Core-night movements, from 23:30 to 06:30, are however capped at 4,700 a year, and runway capacity is limited from 21:00 to 06:55.

When should you request a slot for a private jet in Vienna?

No earlier than 28 days and no later than 4 hours before departure, according to Schedule Coordination Austria. The rule applies to IFR general and business aviation flights.

Where do private jets arrive at Vienna Airport?

At the VIP and General Aviation Terminal, in the airport's western zone, where customs and immigration are handled on site.

How do you get from Vienna Airport to the city centre?

By car, 20 to 25 minutes in free-flowing traffic. From 24 August 2026 to late October 2027, the City Airport Train is replaced by coaches.

How long are the runways at Vienna-Schwechat?

3,500 m for runway 11/29 and 3,600 m for runway 16/34.