Linz Airport faces passenger decline and uncertain break‑even timeline

Austrian Airlines withdrew from the Linz‑Wien route in 2018 and from the Linz‑Frankfurt route in October 2025, and Linz Airport recorded 262,347 passengers in 2025, about 40 % fewer than in 2018.

The airport needs 500,000 to 600,000 passengers to reach a black‑zero balance, making its 2031 break‑even target uncertain. Upper Austria plans to sell 49 % of its shares to a strategic investor to fund runway refurbishment in 2030/31, while the PSO contract for the Linz‑Frankfurt route costs the state up to nine million euros per year. Ryanair is unlikely to expand to Linz under the current Austrian airport fee, and Iren announced the suspension of the Linz‑London route for winter.