Chasing the Eurovision Dream: Booking the Unknown in Austria

What we do know - the contest will be hosted in Austria

What we don’t know - what city will host and on what date

The Eurovision crowd is fast, loyal, and persistent—especially the ones who know the game and play it early.

TL;DR

Eurovision is expensive in terms of flight and hotel costs if booked last minute, so I’m taking a gamble* to get best pricing on flights and hotels and have placed my chips on the current favourite - Vienna on the 16th May 2026.

Wish me luck!

*The Gamble works out to only be £35/person to lock in the cheaper prices.

Yes, I may be a little bit Eurovision-obsessed. But if you're reading this, you probably understand.

Rolling the Dice, Eurovision Style

Let me paint the picture: The Eurovision 2026 contest is confirmed to be held in Austria—but as of my booking frenzy, the host city hasn’t been announced yet. Could it be Vienna again? Or maybe Innsbruck at the other end of the country? Your guess is as good as mine. But waiting to find out wasn’t an option. As any seasoned fan knows, once the announcement drops, prices skyrocket, availability vanishes, and your best-laid plans become a logistical nightmare.

So I did what any mildly obsessed (and moderately sensible) Eurovision fan might do: I booked everything early.

Hotel Hopes and Hospitality Roulette

As the 2025 contest results were coming through, and it became obvious that Austria were going to win, I was busy researching both possible host cities, dates and hotels available. By the end of the winning song, I had booked a room for 2 at the Mecure Wien Westbahnhof on the Accor app for 3 nights (Thursday 14th May to Sunday 17th May) for just over €400 Euros, importantly with the option to cancel.  As of July 2025, there is no longer availability at the Mecure, and the prices for hotels that are available are eye watering. 

The Flight Gamble

Having done a quick search via Google Flights - the direct flights that would suit started @ £220 each with BA, but wouldn’t have the refund flexibility that I would ideally want. I then looked at booking direct with BA using AVIOS points. These worked out @ 14.5k Avios & £35 - the equivalent of £151 each, if you value an Avios point at 0.8p. These flights can be cancelled, and I would receive the AVIOS points back and only lose the £35. 

I might get to meet Graham again on the flight back

Parking the What-Ifs

Living just far enough from the airport to make public transport a pain, I also locked in car parking. It is fairly simple and prices won’t be impacted by Eurovision - but booking early and flexible is always important. I used a discount code (via moneysavingexpert.com) to reduce the price from £50 to £40, and also bagged another 5% off with credit card cashback. 

The Ticket

And now, we wait. Ticket sales are still a few nerve-jangling months away, and there’s no guarantee I’ll get one. The moment they go live is a heart-pounding, browser-refreshing frenzy. Will the seating gods smile upon me?

Why It's All Worth It

People outside the Eurovision bubble might think I’m mad. “You booked what before even knowing where it is?” they ask, eyebrows raised. But those of us in the fandom know that half the joy is in the anticipation, the dedication, the buzz. It’s a leap of faith powered by glitter, flags, and decades of music-fueled joy.

Whether I’m waving my flag in the arena or belting out the songs from a café in Vienna, I know this trip will be unforgettable. After all, Eurovision isn’t just an event—it’s a journey. And mine has already begun.