I can fly from my home city to Frankfurt non-stop on Lufthansa. From there to Innsbruck my choices are:

1. Lufthansa from FRA to Munich and then shuttle van from Munich to Innsbruck. The shuttle ride is claimed to be about 2.5 hours.

2. Frankfurt direct to Innsbruck on Tyrolean Airlines DASH 8-300.
This option costs about $350 more than the Munich/shuttle option. I am thinking it might be worth the expense to avoid the shuttle, and for the ease of using a smaller airport.

Would appreciate comments from anyone who has done either option.
I am a senior citizen and not interested in taking train or other lower cost option where I have to deal with hassles of schlepping luggage. One factor might be the ease (or difficlty) of transfering planes in Frankfurt.

I've taken Tyrolean Air from Frankfurt to Innsbruck. It was a rather memorable flight because you have to descend between two mountains and they look really close. I might not be right about this but I don't believe you can fly into the Innsbruck airport after dark since the pilots need visuals to fly safely. It's beautiful scenery though and you are close enough to enjoy it.

If budget isn't an issue I would certainly opt for flying from Frankfurt directly to Innsbruck. And the Innsbruck airport is small and easy to navigate.

Tyrolean is a daughter company of Austrian Air - they fly numerous times daily from both Frankfurt and Vienna to Innsbruck.

Proir poster is not correct - the Innsbruck Airport has night operations.
As Austrian Air is a Star Alliance partner of Lufthansa - you can easily make a transfer to Innsbruck- luggage checked through with no hassle .
If cost is not a factor and schedules work - this makes a very nice collection.
You should be able to add this leg to your ticket from the US depasrture city at less cost .
If for some reason check the Austrian air - red ticket special price tickets - non refundable , but much lower price than regular economy.

The Dash 8 is a prop aircraft but lets you havea good view as you come close to Innsbruck.

Be prepared to be bussed to the plane in Frankfurk as it will be in a non jetway parking area- still a nice and easy transfer.

I am a somewhat nervous flyer. Is it really turbulant going throught the mountains from FRA to Innsbruck?
9Then again, if the scenery is fabulous I might be distracted and not mind all that much.)

Barbara,

I've flown in and out of Innsbruck several times. It isn't turbulence that's the problem it's just that Innsbruck is surrounded tightly by mountains and the plane has to go between them to land. A helicopter would go straight down but a plane can't do that.

It's a spectacular flight, especially when there's snow on the mountains. I will do it again some day.

I've also flown to Munich and taken the shuttle to Innsbruck. It's fine and it could be even less than 2.5 hours if traffic is light and there aren't too many stops before your hotel.

I would try my best to fly directly to Munich even if I had to drive a few hours to get to the right home airport.

If money is no object then fly right to Innsbruck. It's a beautiful city and the people are very friendly and honest.