Lufthansa of Germany has overtaken Britain's biggest budget airline, easyJet, to claim the title of Eurovision airline champion for 2026. The results, calculated by airline revenue economist Oliver Ranson, measure flights and seats to the host city—Vienna, Austria—from participating nations ahead of the glittering song contest.
Each year, Ranson compiles data on the number of flights and seats to the host city (or a nearby airport) from countries taking part. For Vienna, the analysis includes Bratislava, the capital of Slovakia, whose airport lies just 30 miles from the Austrian capital.
In 2025, the contest was held in Basel, Switzerland, a major hub for easyJet, which dominated the rankings. However, this year, easyJet does not feature among the top carriers. The Lufthansa Group, which includes Austrian Airlines (based in Vienna), ITA of Italy, Swiss, Brussels Airlines, and the German flagship carrier itself, holds a commanding position in the host city.
Ranson examined flights between Wednesday, 13 May, and 3 pm on Saturday, 16 May, ensuring fans can reach the venue in time. He reported: “Greater Lufthansa lifts the trophy this year with a whopping 58 per cent of the seats. That puts ‘Lufty’ at the top of the all-time leaderboard too.”
The German conglomerate would have dominated even more had Bratislava not been included. However, Ryanair, which has a strong presence in the Slovakian capital, finishes second with a healthy 24 per cent of available seats. Wizz Air, also active in Bratislava, takes a distant third place with barely five per cent of seats.
One notable addition to the overall table is Ethiopian Airlines, thanks to its “fifth-freedom” link between Copenhagen and Vienna. The UK entry for Eurovision 2026, “Eins, Zwei, Drei” performed by Look Mum No Computer, includes the lyrics: “I've always been a fan of aviation, I’m jumpin’ on a plane to another nation.” Bookmakers are offering odds of between 250-1 and 500-1 on a British win.
