Washington to Abha Austrian Airways Flights

  About Washington

Washington DC, is the capital city of the United States of America. The city reflects the rich history of the United States with its neoclassical monuments and iconic locations. The place will keep you engaged with its compelling slew of tourist attractions. As the capital of the United States of America, Washington DC has many traditional attractions with important museums and monuments. Make sure to visit all the Smithsonian American museums as they shed light on various cultural and historical significance of America.

Best time to visit Washington DC

Washington DC's summers are the peak season for travel. However, to steer clear off all the touristy crowd and to engage in some real fun, it is best to opt for spring and autumn. Summers in Washington DC are from June to August when the city experiences sweltering heat and a tremendous tourist crowd. Some of the fun events and festivals hosted by the city during this period include Capital Pride Parade, National Mall Fourth of July Celebration and Summerfest DC. While they may seem like enjoyable activities to participate in, the exorbitant prices of surviving a trip might pull you back. Although many locals ring in summers in other parts of the US, tourists might find Washington DC to be a tad bit expensive during peak season. Even hotel rooms in Washington DC are expensive. The months leading up to summer, though, are quite pleasant and even easy on the pockets. Spring brings with it the season of blossoms as the month of March begins with the National Cherry Blossom Festival. Watching the cherry blossoms bloom is a trip and definitely worth experiencing. The city also witnesses the National Memorial Day Parade, another interesting festival to be a part of.

Maybe not summer but the season following summer in Washington DC is just as favourable for tourists. The autumn season is just next to perfection and definitely something all tourists would enjoy. The weather is exquisite and calm as the brisk winter air starts to slowly take over the city. Booking a hotel in Washington DC becomes cheap and affordable too as the summer crowd takes away the expensive tags. However, as many business travellers make their way into the city, the hotel deals might still be a hard snag unless you make prior hotel bookings in Washington DC. The city witnesses the H Street festival and Library of Congress National Book Festival during autumn. The cultural festivals with their historical significance only add to the experience one might take in during a trip to Washington DC. If you want to downscale your budget further, then winter is the best time to visit for you. The city streets freeze up while the temperature ranges between 5 degree Celsius to 7 degree Celsius. The perks, though, are the slash in hotel room prices, which is a sweet deal if you want to experience winter in the city.

Places to visit in Washington DC

The first thing to check out would undoubtedly be the Lincoln Memorial. The location would make quite a postcard-worthy click with Honest Abe's memorial in the background. Next, you can visit Vietnam Veterans and Korean War Veterans Memorials, popularly referred to as 'the Wall', which has names of all the Americans who succumbed to the Vietnam War. Just around the Lincoln Memorial is the beautiful Tidal Basin, a must-visit, especially during spring. The Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum is a treasure trove which celebrates exquisite aircraft, including Amelia Earhart's Lockheed Vega 5B and Wilbur and Orville Wright's 1903 Wright Flyer, to name a few. It is a fascinating place and would certainly pique your interest. The city also has the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum which showcases the atrocities faced during the World War II. Do not miss the National Gallery of Art and The White House and the Washington Monument.

Things to do in Washington DC

Majority of the things that you can do in the city pertain to some of the sightseeing. Washington DC is recognised to be the city with a plethora of historical monuments and a haven for American history. The city offers a peek into the country's history as well as important events. Aside from indulging in the past of the country, one of the things you should definitely do is get tickets to a show at The John F Kennedy Centre for Performing Arts. You can explore the US Capitol's Library of Congress to get more understanding of the politics. A picture next to Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial also sounds like a good thing to do. You can also take a break from all the history lessons and head to 9:30 Club to relish some live music. The club has hosted many big bands, including RHCP and Nirvana.

Food and Restaurants in Washington DC

Washington DC's food culture is as diverse as the capital can get. There is an abundance of succulent eateries spread across the city. From piquant Spanish delicacies to oyster shots, there are many ethnic and global restaurants that will get your attention. Check out H Street Northeast, in the Atlas District to get some of the ethnic action as there are Belgian, Japanese and many more cultural kitchens. To get the sophisticated gourmet experience at an upscale restaurant, you can visit José Andrés' hotels such as Zaytinya and Oyamel Cocina Mexicana. Old Ebbitt grill and 1789 are also some lovely places where you will get the high-end fine dining experience. However, if you are on a budget, then opt for some eateries such as Ben's Chili Bowl and Good Stuff Eatery. These places have some signature dishes that you shouldn't miss at any cost. From lip-smacking burgers to rice bowls, the two joints offer an interesting palette of flavours in their meals that is worth all the money shelled out. Good Stuff Eatery's burgers are famous as they have been curated by chef Spike Mendelsohn.

Another major highlight to add to Washington DC's food culture are the farmer's markets in the city. Located in the District, a group of farmers huddle up to sell their fresh goods which come in all forms, colours and shapes. You'll find organic vegetables, healthy fruits and a colourful spread of goods at the market. It is a good place to get some of the fruity and healthy veggies action. Columbia Heights Farmers Market and FRESHFARM are two recognised markets that you should check out when in the city. Interestingly, the city also has lovely breweries and brewpubs, which came into existence in the recent past. However, the best way to enjoy the DC spirit would be to indulge in some brunch options. Tabard Inn, Kafe Leopold, Equinox, Cava Mezze, Juniper, Cafe Milano, to name a few, would be the best places to start your brunch rendezvous

How to reach Washington DC

Flight connectivity to Washington DC from India is quite decent but overpriced. There are no direct flights to Washington DC from India and layovers are the only way to reach the capital city. The demand for flights to Washington DC are not as much as for New York City or Chicago. Hence, the connectivity is also quite poor. There are only a handful of airlines that operate from India to Washington. Airlines such as United Airlines, Air Canada, Emirates, All Nippon Airways, to name a few, are the only ones that have flight services to Washington DC from India. There are no nonstop or flights to Washington DC from India, and usually, a layover or connecting flight is the only way to go. The United Airlines has flight connectivity to Washington DC from Newark. Many of the flights use the international route of Newark to reach Washington DC. Emirates is the only other airline that stops at Dubai for a layover before flying to Washington DC. Cathay Pacific also has flights to Washington DC from Delhi. Mostly, the connectivity is only from the Dubai and Newark international routes to reach Washington DC. The popular route to Washington DC often chosen by travellers is from Newark

Travellers require a transit visa to enter the USA and to reach Washington DC. Since the flights have connectivity from Newark, the non-immigrants are required to show a transit visa to let the authorities know that you are just taking a connecting flight to a different destination. A transit visa is a type 'C' visa where basically, you need to show at the Newark airport that you are just taking a connecting flight to Washington DC. To acquire these, you could apply for them at the American embassy, or you can do it online. The provisions are faster online and would be beneficial to you. The flight duration to Washington DC from India is approximately 17 hours, which is subject to change depending on the availability of flights. Do not expect cheap flight tickets to Washington DC. Not only is the capital expensive but even flight tickets to Washington DC is quite exorbitant. Even the accommodation is high-priced, and it would be best to make flight and hotel bookings to Washington DC well in advance to avoid expensive rates.

  About Abha

Located in the Aseer Province is the lush green city of Abha in Saudi Arabia. The city's proximity to the Red Sea and other intriguing geographical features give it a canvas, unlike the rest of Saudi Arabia. The city's Aseer National Park is famously known for being home to some of the exotic birds. It also houses dense juniper forests. The city is famed for its mild temperatures and is hence, a prominent tourist destination in Saudi Arabia.

Best time to visit Abha

Unlike some parts of Saudi Arabia, Abha actually enjoys some pleasant weather with equal summers and winters. In fact, it is one of the colder parts of Saudi, which enjoys a mild climate all year long. The temperatures go as high as 34 degree Celsius during summers and are surprisingly quite low during winters. In fact, there was a time when the recorded temperature crossed the negatives. While this might have happened in the past, the temperatures don't cross negatives anymore. However, it is one of the pleasant cities in Saudi Arabia with a lovely weather that makes travelling ideal for every season. The winter season in Abha is from December to February. During these months, the temperature could touch a staggering low, and you might need to carry enough parkas to ensure that you don't have trouble breathing. The city's rough climate does make it unfavourable to travel and engage in touristy activities. The season does see a drop in the hotel prices as well. If you are okay with the excessively cold winters in Abha, then you should book your tickets and hotels too.

June to September is considered to be the best season for a tourist excursion in Abha. The summers are quite decent as the temperatures don't touch beyond 34 degree Celsius. While it might seem too much for some people, it is actually quite convenient as there is less humidity in the air during this time. The hot and dry summers are tolerable as long as you carry proper bottles of water and hydrate yourself at all times. Out of the summer months, August is recognised as the best month to visit Abha. The city has perfect temperatures and doesn't require you to go beyond your limits to enjoy the vibe. The hotel prices in Abha during the peak season does see a surge though. Since many folks from around Saudi Arabia also flock over to Abha for a summer vacation, it could be a little crowded with a spike in the hotel prices. You might want to make prior bookings of flights and hotels in Abha if you want to evade the tourist crowd. Or you can avoid the tourist crowd altogether by visiting the city during spring, which is from March to May.

Places to visit in Abha

Abha's pride comes from the exquisite Green Mountain, which is located at the heart of the city. It is basically a mountain that has been lined up with green lights to complement the name. Abha Dam is another place that you should visit. The water body is surrounded by lovely land on all sides. There are many restaurants too around the dam that would add to the quaint vibe of the place. Do not miss the Art Street in Abha. It is more of a park laced with well-maintained streets and has shrubs on either side of the track. The place is beautiful, and you will have a good time hanging out here. You should also visit the Aseer National Park. Connected to the Jabal mountains, the coastal park has many cold spots. You would find the best air and vibe in the national park. Al Sahab Park is another such place that would keep you engaged. You will have to rent a car out and drive up to the amusement park. It is actually one of the first amusement parks that were constructed in Abha. The park is second to the Al Saudah Park, which is about 15 km away.

Things to do in Abha

Do not be surprised by the greenery that you will find in the desert city of Abha. As part of your excursion in Abha, you can visit Jabal Sawda by trekking up the peak. Aside from the Sawda, you should also trek up the trails of Jabal Ferwa. The two Saudi Arabian mountains would be cold, so make sure to carry a light jacket and lots of water. If trekking is not your thing, then you should visit Abu Kheyal Park. It is relaxing and has lovely floral trees lined up that adds to the beauty of the place. As the city has many parks and green spaces, you should also check out the Andalus Park. This place is especially perfect if you are travelling with kids. They can have fun on the slides while you can relax and enjoy the breeze while lying on the grass. As the city is surrounded by many parks and mountains, you will always be up for something to do.

Food and restaurants in Abha

Jalamah is a famous dish that you will find in the city. It is a traditional Saudi Arabian dish which is made from lamb. The meat is blended perfectly with Arabic spices consisting of cinnamon, black pepper, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander. The aromatic stew certainly brings a lot of flavour on the plate that you would enjoy. Saleeg is another famous dish of the Saudis which is basically rice porridge topped with a marinated and roasted piece of meat. It could be lamb or chicken or any meat of your choice. The lovely dish is comforting and would be a nice indulgence. Another dish that you would find in Abha, a common Saudi meal is the Martabak. A roti-like bread is stuffed with ground meat, garlic, eggs, curry, peppers and onions. It is basically a Saudi version of a paratha. You can actually eat this when you are not in the mood to eat excessively. Do leave some room for dessert as the famous Saudi savour Ma'amoul is a must-have. It is basically a dome-shaped tasty sweet made with fillings of fruits, walnuts, dates and more.

The options of indulgence in Abha is minimal. The city does not have a plethora of food joints with international or fusion cuisine. The place is humble and serves most of Saudi-inspired menu at their restaurants. Most of their restaurants are for a family setting. You can find some tasty Saudi dishes along with plates of mezze meals. Some of the main restaurants include Al-Tahy, N Lounge, Maharaj Indian Restaurant, to name a few. The Green Mountain Restaurant is actually a good place for you to hang out with your family or friends. The place is perched atop a lovely hill and illuminates the scintillating lights of the city. The breath-taking view interspersed with tasty food is definitely unmissable. You can also get coffee and cake as the establishment serves a lot of things.

How to reach Abha

The flight connectivity to Abha is quite decent. Although there are no direct flights to Abha from Indian cities, there are flights connecting to the Saudi city. The most popular route to Abha is from Jeddah and Riyadh. Both the cities are located in Saudi Arabia, and this domestic route to Abha is perfect and well-connected. Airlines such as Air Arabia, Flynas, Saudia, flydubai, Emirates, Etihad Airways, to name a few, have immaculate flight connectivity to Abha. A majority of these flights have layovers in Sharjah, Jeddah, Riyadh and Dubai. These cities offer enough options to reach Abha and hence, are more popular. It is imperative that you get a transit visa as it is required in Saudi cities. Interestingly, Jeddah and Riyadh are the only cities where you will need a transit visa. You can either get it from the embassy, or you can apply for the same online. Saudi Arabia's embassy website has the form that you need to fill out to apply for the transit visa. The flight duration to Abha ranges from 11 hours to 13 hours approximately.

The domestic route from Jeddah is considered to reach Abha. Since flight connectivity to Jeddah is much better than Abha, it is often a better way to reach the Saudi city. The flight tickets to Abha are quite reasonable. The ticket price to Abha ranges from INR 19,000 to INR 25,000. You can actually get tickets to Abha for cheap, provided you spend time on the internet and get hold of some flight deals. A little snooping around on the internet will help you find the best flight deals to Abha online. Along with the flight tickets, you can also book your hotel in Abha. This will actually enable you to receive more discounts and offers. You will have to check for peak season as the flight tickets will be expensive during this time.

  About Austrian Airlines

Austrian Airlines is not only the flag carrier of Austria but also a subsidiary of the Lufthansa Group. Its main hub is at Vienna International Airport with its focus cities at Graz Airport, Innsbruck Airport and Salzburg Airport. Austrian Airlines is basically a consortium of Austrian Airways and Air Austria which had happened in 1957. Though it is the flag carrier of Austria, the operations are carried out by Lufthansa. After running into losses for several years, the Austrian government decided to privatise it. That's when Lufthansa came in and bought the airlines. Lufthansa also implemented cost-saving initiatives and fleet expansion plans. The airline currently has 42 Airbus, 12 Boeing, 14 De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 and 17 Embraer E195 are currently in service. The airline's journey right from 1957 has been quite the roller coaster. The airline's headquarters are at Schwechat, Austria. Flying a Vickers Viscount from Vienna to Zurich was the first flight the airline took after it was given the license to fly internationally.

Fleet size of Austrian Airlines

As of 2020, Austrian Airlines' fleet consists of 85 aircraft. The airline holds a mixed fleet which comprises of Airbus, Boeing, Dash 8 and Embraer. The fleet consists of seven Airbus A319-100s, 29 Airbus A320-200, three Airbus A321-100s, three Airbus A3210-200, six Boeing 767-300ER, six Boeing 777-200ER, 14 de Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 and 17 Embraer E195. A few aircraft from the fleet are all set to retire soon.

For the same, the airline placed orders for a few new replacements such as seven Airbus A320-200 and later, they placed an order for four more Airbus A320-200. As the operations do fall under the Lufthansa Group, the German company has ordered for some Boeing 787-9s which they are considering to shift to Austrian Airlines. The company originally ordered the new aircraft to replace their own ageing aircraft Boeing 767-300ERs and 777-200ERs. Over the years, the airline transformed its fleet tremendously as it owned a slew of different aircraft in the last.

Since it's inception, the airline owned varied aircraft such as Airbus A310-300, Airbus A330-200, Airbus A340-200, Airbus A340-300, Boeing 707-300, Boeing 737-600, Boeing 737-700, Bombardier CRJ200, Fokker 50, McDonnell Douglas DC-9-32, McDonnell Douglas MD-81, Sud Aviation SE-210 Caravelle, Vickers Viscount and Douglas DC-8-63CF, to name a few. The airline further hosted British Aerospace 146, Hawker Siddeley HS 748, Douglas DC-3 and more.

Baggage Allowance

Austrian Airlines has certain baggage allowance rules and regulations that every passenger is obligated to follow. Whether you are a first-class ticket or an economy ticket, the host is what becomes your best friend. You cannot carry more than 8 kg of hand luggage with you. However, the rules are different, just a tad bit in terms of weight in front of the police. Depending on what your seat is, you can take from 23 to 32 kgs. However, if your luggage is still exceeding the limit, you will have to pay extra depending on how much your total luggage weighs. But it is mandatory that you call the airline staff a few hours prior to your flight and not at the last minute. You can also make an enquiry or mention it in your boarding pass if you are doing your web check-in through my phone. The staff will definitely try to support you. A list of things that are prohibited for passengers to carry on the flight is already communicated to the passengers by the airlines. Make sure you don't pack your portable charger, power bank and laptop with your hand baggage and not the check-in luggage. You are also not allowed to carry anything sharp or combustible. If at all you lose your baggage somehow, the airline staff will be quick to help you out. The service is quite good, and you won't have complaints.

In-flight Services

Austrian Airlines' in-flight services are quite up to the mark and do not disappoint. Though airplanes don't have a lot of options when it comes to in-flight entertainment, they do offer the most scrumptious meals as they drive the food cart to every passenger on the train. If you are a business class or first class passenger, all the food that you order is cooked by a professional chef. In fact, you will actually be greeted with a complimentary glass of champagne or wine or other spirits of your choice. The passengers also drag her in the fight just as I'm allowed to it. Since the airline has made web check-in quite easy through your phone or through a travel agent. You can also check your Asiana Airlines flight status through the internet.

Popular routes and top cities for Austrian Airlines

In 2006, Austrian Airlines decided to clean up some of its fleets and retire a handful of its Airbus fleet. The airline's company bid farewell to some of its Airbus aircraft which included four Airbus A330-200s, two Airbus A340-200s and two Airbus A340-300s. By selling these aircraft, the operations of Austrian Airlines saw a tremendous hit as many popular routes had to be suspended. These mainly included the long haul routes to Asian countries and even the famous Kangaroo Route to Melbourne via Singapore and Sydney via Kuala Lumpur. Austrian Airlines has temporarily resumed it's Vienna Vs Sydney route in 2020 with a view to connecting Melbourne and Europe and retrieving people who were stranded during the COVID-19 pandemic's global lockdown.

Although once a great network, Austrian Airlines' has dropped several of its routes and suspended operations from various cities. Currently, these are the only cities and destinations that the airline connects to - Innsbruck, Linz, Vienna, Brussels, Minsk, Sofia, Montreal, Dubrovnik, Zagreb, Larnaca, Cairo, Hurghada, Paris, Lyon, Berlin, Dusseldorf, Hamburg, Frankfurt, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, Volos, Zakynthos, Budapest, Tehran, Bologna, Catania, Milan, Naples, Rome, Venice, Tokyo, Amman, Male, Bucharest, Moscow, Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Stockholm, London, Manchester, Chicago, New York City and Washington DC.

Why travel by Austrian Airlines?

Austrian Airlines has played quite an essential role in shaping the aviation map of Europe and the rest of the world. Thanks to Austrian Airlines, the continent has been able to find new international route connectivity that has only helped enhance the face of aviation. Further, the airline has contributed tremendously for embarking on several new international routes to trade cargo and goods. Basically, not just in terms of passenger traffic, but Austrian Airlines has been quite an asset to the European aviation industry. Even though it is facing a significant loss at the moment while Lufthansa has taken over the operations.

While the airline's illustrious history and legacy are worth celebrating, so is travelling by it. Over the years, despite all the financial highs and lows faced by Austrian Airlines, it has triumphed and continued to serve the nation and even the continent. In fact, during the COVID-19 pandemic, as the global lockdown left many stranded in different parts of the world, away from home, Austrian Airlines saved them. Having shut down its Kangaroo route back in 2009, the airline resumed the route just to bring back the stranded Europeans in the Australian continent.

With a spirit as such, there is much more scope for the airline. Over the years, it has grown into quite the airline as it has been creatively solving management issues and even worked on expansion plans. Currently, to enable the latest technology, the airline has also acquiring web check-in services. Passengers can go to the official website of the airline and do web check-in without any hassle. In fact, the same can be accessed by phones too. Aside from web check-ins, passengers can also book an Austrian Airlines flight ticket on their official website. The perks of booking Austrian Airlines ticket is that the Lufthansa lounge can be accessed by passengers who have business class or premium accessibility of some kind.

Similarly, updates on Austrian Airlines' flight schedule along with flight status of the tickets that have been booked can also be accessed on their website. Further, details about baggage allowance and in-flight services that passengers with a certain ticket type are eligible for will also be sent across. The airline's in-flight services are just as good as their strong legacy.