Austrian Airlines AG, sometimes shortened to Austrian, is the flag carrier of Austria and a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. The airline is headquartered in the grounds of Vienna International Airport in Schwechat where it also maintains its hub. It flies to 6 domestic and more than 120 international year-round and seasonal destinations in 55 countries as of July 2016. and is a member of the Star Alliance.

The airline was formed in 1957 by the merger of Air Austria and Austrian Airways, but traces its history back to 1923 at the founding of Austrian Airways. During the 2000s, the airline expanded through the acquisitions of Rheintalflug and Lauda Air, and adopted the shortened Austrian name in 2003. Throughout the decade, Austrian sustained several years of losses, and in 2008 its owner, the Austrian Government was advised to sell the airline to a foreign company. In 2009, the Lufthansa Group purchased the airline after receiving approval from the European Commission following an investigation into the tendering process.

Following disputes with staff over cost-cutting, all Austrian Airlines' flights were transferred on 1 July 2012 to its subsidiary Tyrolean Airways, which operated under the Austrian name. On 1 April 2015, all flights transferred back to Austrian, and Tyrolean Airways was merged into its parent.

On 3 May 1923 Walter Barda-Bardenau received approval by the Austrian government for establishing an airline. He participated in the newly formed Austrian Airlines (German: Österreichische Luftverkehrs AG) with one percent, with the remaining shares went to the Austrian railway transportation company (50%) and the Junkers-Werke (49%).

The initial fleet consisted of Junkers F 13's. The first flight of the company took place in Vienna on 14 May 1923 by Munich, with pilot Hans Baur. The landing took place in Vienna Jedlesee; there occurred a conversion to float and the connecting flight to Budapest.

The company was operated by Junkers Trans European Union. Its destinations included Munich, Budapest, Nuremberg, Graz, Klagenfurt and St. Wolfgang. Some targets in Austria were served with seaplanes. The union was dissolved in September 1926.

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