✈ Ryanair in Bosnia and Herzegovina (Summer 2026)

Ryanair airplane at Sarajevo Airport, photo by Zahid Krkić

This summer, Ryanair will offer a record number of flights and seats from Sarajevo, while significantly reducing operations from Banja Luka. Under the summer timetable, Ryanair will operate a total of 1.750 round-trip flights from Sarajevo, reflecting a 5,2% increase compared to last year, or an additional 88 flights. The total number of available seats from/to Sarajevo will reach 330.750, marking an increase of 16.632 seats.

Ryanair Sarajevo Summer 2026 - Route map

Banja Luka will experience a substantial reduction in Ryanair flights compared to the previous year. For the upcoming summer season, Ryanair has scheduled only 1.004 round-trip flights from Banja Luka, representing a 32% decline, or 470 fewer flights. The total number of available seats from/to Banja Luka will amount to 189.756, a decrease of 88.830 seats.

Ryanair Banja Luka Summer 2026 - Route map 

Overall, Ryanair will operate a total of 2.754 flights from/to Bosnia and Herzegovina, which represents a 12,2% decline, or 382 fewer flights. The total number of available seats from/to Bosnia and Herzegovina will be 520.506, reflecting a reduction of 72.198 seats.

In terms of its European network, Sarajevo Airport’s potential remains significantly underutilized, presenting an opportunity for Ryanair to introduce up to ten new routes from the city, in the near future. In contrast, Banja Luka is likely to experience further reductions in flight operations, as Wizz Air continues its rapid expansion in Tuzla, while Ryanair concentrates its efforts on more profitable routes from Sarajevo.

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ 1Q data for Sarajevo - Girona flights

Ryanair recently marked the first anniversary of its flights between Sarajevo and Girona. During the first quarter of 2026, the Sarajevo–Girona route recorded 7.895 passengers across 52 flights, achieving an average load factor of 80%, or approximately 152 passengers per flight.

The airline commenced its scheduled service between Girona Airport (GRO) and Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ) on April 2, 2025. Operated twice weekly with Boeing 737-800 aircraft, the route demonstrated strong performance during its inaugural year (from April 2 to December 31, 2025), transporting 28.171 passengers and recording an average load factor of 84%.

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈Ryanair to reduce Banja Luka operations

Ryanair aircraft at Banja Luka Airport - Photo by David Segic

Ryanair has released its flight schedule for the summer of 2026 (April to October), revealing a significant reduction in operations at Banja Luka Airport. The airline plans to cut its route offerings from the city by 40%. The most substantial reduction will be on the Memmingen route, where weekly flights will drop from 10 to 5. Other notable cuts include the Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden route, which will decrease from 4 weekly flights to 2, Vienna from 5 to 2, and Stockholm from 3 to 2.

In the summer timetable of 2025, Ryanair operated a total of 56 weekly round-trip flights from Banja Luka, while for the summer of 2026, this figure will drop to just 34 weekly round trips. Although the exact reasons for this reduction are unclear, it is widely speculated that Ryanair is shifting its focus toward more profitable markets in Bosnia and Herzegovina, particularly at Sarajevo Airport. With Wizz Air establishing a base at Tuzla Airport and Ryanair focusing its efforts on Sarajevo, the future prospects for Banja Luka Airport appear uncertain.

Financially, Banja Luka Airport is facing serious challenges. It has taken out a loan of 6 million Bosnian Marks (approximately 3 million Euros) to cover outstanding debts: 5,4 million Bosnian Marks owed to the Investment and Development Bank of Republika Srpska and 600.000 Bosnian Marks in overdue obligations to suppliers.

To recap, the airport previously secured a loan of 7 million Bosnian Marks from the Investment and Development Bank of Republika Srpska in mid-2016, which had a 48-month grace period. With that period now expired, the airport has requested an extension for repayment. The funds were initially used to address operational expenses and resolve ongoing issues, enabling the airport to retain its operating license.

In the past two years, management has repeatedly warned that the airport would struggle to meet its financial obligations on time. Despite this, the airport's director, Valentina Kecman, recently claimed that Banja Luka Airport is on track to achieve a record number of passengers in 2024, surpassing the 460.000 passengers recorded in 2023, effectively downplaying the serious financial challenges facing the airport.

For the first half of 2025, Banja Luka Airport reported a loss of 600.000 Bosnian Marks. In the past, the airport has come dangerously close to losing its international operating license due to mismanagement and mounting financial difficulties.

The Government of Republika Srpska, which owns Banja Luka Airport, has shown little interest in addressing its current and future viability. The airport urgently requires professional management to develop and implement a sustainable master plan, with collaboration from all levels of government. Without significant investment from its owner, Banja Luka Airport is at risk of bankruptcy. Public-private partnerships should be considered as a potential solution to safeguard the airport’s future.

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ Banjaluka Airport winter 2025/2026

The 2025/26 winter timetable will begin on Sunday, October 26, 2025, and run through March 28, 2026. During this period, passengers will be able to fly to 8 destinations across 5 countries, operated by 3 airlines. A total of 1.052 commercial flights are scheduled, offering 194.628 seats from November to March. Ryanair will operate the majority of flights to and from Banjaluka, serving five destinations in three countries. The airline has scheduled 684 round-trip flights, providing 129.276 seats.

During the November-March period, Ryanair will hold a 66% share of flights at Banjaluka Airport, followed by Wizz Air with 30%, and Air Serbia with just 3%. With Wizz Air establishing a base at Tuzla Airport and Ryanair expanding its operations in Sarajevo, Banjaluka Airport faces increasing competition for new routes and retaining its current ones.

To stay competitive, Banjaluka Airport management should focus on developing new markets not already served from Tuzla or Sarajevo. Many of these routes could work as summer seasonal, including:

• Athens (ATH) – Greece (Sky Express)
• Alicante (ALC) – Spain (Wizz Air)
• Bodrum (BJV) – Türkiye (SunExpress Airlines)
• Eindhoven (EIN) – Netherlands (Ryanair or Wizz Air)
• Tivat (TIV) – Montenegro (Air Montenegro)
• Nuremberg (NUE) – Germany (Ryanair or Wizz Air)
• Naples (NAP) – Italy (Ryanair, Wizz Air, or EasyJet)
• Salzburg (SZG) – Austria (Eurowings)

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈Sarajevo Airport Winter 2025/2026

The 2025/26 winter timetable will take effect on Sunday, October 26. 2025, and will run through March 28. 2026. During this period, passengers can fly to 23 destinations in 14 countries on 15 different airlines. From November to March, a total of 5.836 commercial flights will be available, offering 830.738 seats, representing an increase of 10% or 77.868 seats more when compared to the same time of the last year.  

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Sarajevo Airport will have 250 weekly round-trip flights, with the busiest route being Istanbul-Sarajevo, which features five daily flights to two different Istanbul airports. The top three airlines offering the most seats are Ryanair (179.928 seats), followed by Pegasus Airlines (132.880 seats), and Turkish Airlines (99.660 seats).

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The three countries with the largest seat offerings from Sarajevo Airport are Türkiye, with 303.076 seats (36,48% of the total), Germany, with 137.100 seats (16,50%), and Austria, with 72.000 seats (8,66%).

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New airlines and routes for this winter season, compared to last winter, include:

• Ryanair: Girona (GRO), Karlsruhe (FKB), Stockholm (ARN), and Weeze (NRN)

Routes that have been discontinued this winter season, compared to last winter, include:

• Aegean Airlines: Skopje (SKP)

• Wizz Air: London (LTN)

Below is my analysis of the available seats and the projected number of passengers for the year 2025 and 1Q of 2026:

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ London-Sarajevo air connectivity: current landscape and future opportunities

Over the past year, the London market has been served by two low-cost carriers—Wizz Air and Ryanair—operating flights to Sarajevo from two different London-area airports: London Luton and LondonStansted.

Ryanair launched its London Stansted–Sarajevo service on April 2, 2024, with three weekly flights, and has maintained this frequency consistently. The airline has seen strong demand, with load factors exceeding 90% in June, August, and September, and aircraft flying at full capacity in October 2024.

Wizz Air initially operated two weekly flights between London Luton and Sarajevo using Airbus A320 aircraft. From November 2023, the carrier increased its frequency to four weekly flights and upgraded to the larger Airbus A321neo, which has a capacity to accommodate 239 passengers. However, despite the apparent demand, Wizz Air reduced its frequency back to two weekly flights for the summer schedule. This reduction, especially during the high-travel summer period, appears counterintuitive given the performance data.

The contrast between Ryanair’s stable schedule and Wizz Air’s recent cutback raises concerns about Wizz Air’s long-term strategy in the London-Sarajevo market. With Ryanair showing consistent commitment and success, it risks capturing the entire market if Wizz Air does not maintain a competitive presence. There is clearly enough demand to justify at least two weekly flights by Wizz Air year-round. Scaling back to seasonal service could ultimately undermine their market position.

Meanwhile, Sarajevo International Airport is actively working to expand its airline portfolio. Discussions are underway with the International Airlines Group (IAG), which includes British Airways, Iberia, and Vueling. A direct link with British Airways from London Heathrow (LHR) would be a major milestone, offering Sarajevo passengers one-stop connections to global destinations via this key international hub. A three-weekly service from LHR to Sarajevo is both viable and strategically significant.

Additionally, Iberia is considered a strong candidate to launch Madrid-Sarajevo flights, initially as a seasonal service starting in summer 2026, with potential to evolve into a year-round route. Vueling would also be a welcome addition, with opportunities to serve destinations such as Barcelona, Rome, and Valencia at competitive low-cost fares.

The UK remains one of Europe’s largest aviation markets, and Sarajevo should aim to connect not only with London, but also with other major UK cities such as Manchester and Birmingham. Ryanair, with its expansive route network, could help facilitate these connections.

The continued development of Sarajevo’s connectivity to the UK and Western Europe is a critical step forward for the city’s growing tourism and business sectors. Ensuring competitive airline offerings, including full-service and low-cost options, will be key to achieving this goal.

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ Banja Luka Airport Summer Timetable 2025

Banja Luka Airport is set to experience an increase in both flights and seat capacity, as Ryanair expands its services to include more flights from Gothenburg and Stockholm. Meanwhile, Wizz Air will ramp up its operations from Basel, offering flights six times a week (daily except Saturdays) for most of the summer season.

Air Serbia, which had initially planned to increase its flights from Belgrade to three weekly services, has now canceled this plan. Instead of offering daily flights Air Serbia will reduce its services from three to just two weekly flights. Given Air Serbia’s lack of interest in developing the Belgrade-Banja Luka route, the airport may want to consider offering subsidies to a European legacy carrier to establish at least one direct connection to a major hub. This would provide convenient one-stop access to wide range of global destinations.

Austrian Airlines, with its five weekly flights to Vienna, or Turkish Airlines, with three to five weekly flights to Istanbul, would be ideal candidates to serve such a route.

Additionally, the following airlines will not be returning to Banja Luka this summer:

• Air Cairo, Hurghada 
• Nouvelair, Monastir
• Tailwind, Antalya

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ Sarajevo Airport Summer Timetable 2025

This summer, Sarajevo International Airport is set to break records with its flight and seat offerings. During the summer timetable, the airport will be served by 23 airlines, connecting 22 countries with 37 routes.

New additions include five routes by Ryanair, linking Sarajevo with Paris-Beauvais, Barcelona-Girona, Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden, Stockholm-Arlanda, and Dusseldorf-Weeze. Norwegian Air will launch flights from Copenhagen, while Wizz Air will offer flights from Rome (a route not operated last summer). Additionally, new charter routes will be introduced by Nouvelair to Djerba, Tunisia and Aegean Airlines to Athens, Greece.

Several airlines will increase their operations in Sarajevo compared to last year, including:

- Eurowings (Cologne and Stuttgart)

- LOT Polish Airlines (Warsaw)

- Lufthansa (Frankfurt)

- Ryanair (Milan-Bergamo, Brussels-Charleroi, Gothenburg, Munich-Memmingen, Thessaloniki)

- Scandinavian Airlines (Copenhagen)

- SunExpress Airlines (Antalya)

- Swiss Air Lines (Zurich)

However, some airlines will discontinue flights to Sarajevo:

- Aegean Airlines (Athens and Skopje)

- Air Arabia (Sharjah)

- A Jet (Antalya and Bodrum)

- Flyadeal (Jeddah and Riyadh)

During Summer Timetable Sarajevo Airport will have close to two million seats on offer. Following tables offer full analysis of Sarajevo Airport schedule by airlines, routes and countries served.

 

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ Sarajevo Airport records over 1,8 million passengers in 2024

During last year Sarajevo Airport handled 1.821.762 passengers, representing an increase of 34%.The airport recorded 16.836 aircraft operations, representing an increase of 21%. Last year the airport handled 3.165 tons of cargo, representing an increase of  14%.

Last year Sarajevo Airport marked the arrival of Ryanair with six new routes, Scandinavian Airlines from Copenhagen, Aegean Airlines from Athens, SunExpress Airlines from Antalya and Izmir. Compared to the year before Sarajevo Airport added an additional 459.755 passengers. With announcement of new routes by Ryanair and increased frequencies by Eurowings, Lufthansa LOT Polish Airlines, Swiss Air Lines, Sarajevo Airport will break another record this year by handling over two million passengers.

Source: Zahid Krkić and Sarajevo Airport

✈ Ryanair to introduce four new routes from Sarajevo

Ryanair will introduce four new routes from Sarajevo International Airport at the beginning of summer flight schedule. The airline will introduce flights to Girona in Spain, Paris-Beauvais in France and Düsseldorf Weeze and Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden in Germany. Sarajevo Tourist Board will hold a press conference on Thursday, January 9th at 09:30 to introduce new flights. All new routes are scheduled to begin in April, operating twice per week. With the addition of four new routes, Ryanair network from Sarajevo will rise to 11 destinations in eight European countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Spain, Sweden and United Kingdom)

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ Ryanair to grow Sarajevo frequencies

By the end of this month Ryanair will announce new routes from Sarajevo. The airline will introduce at least three new routes, bringing Sarajevo route network to ten. When compared to the same time of last year, Ryanair will increase its Sarajevo flights as follows:

• Milan Bergamo (BGY) will increase from 2 weekly flights last year, to 5 weekly flights during April and May, and 4 weekly flights for the rest of summer schedule.
• Brussels Charleroi (CRL) will increase from 2 weekly flights last year to 3 weekly flights this year.
• Gothenburg (GOT) will increase from 2 weekly flights last year to 3 weekly flights this year.
• Stockholm Arlanda (ARN) is Ryanair’s new destination from Sarajevo with 2 flights a week.
• Flights to Thessaloniki (SKG) will start a month earlier, beginning June 2nd. 

During the 2024. summer schedule, Ryanair had 13 weekly departures from Sarajevo, while this year the figure will rise to 19 weekly departures.

Source: Zahid Krkić

✈ Ryanair, increases Banja Luka flight operations by 28%

Ryanair has made an update to its summer timetable 2025 for flights to/from Banja Luka, significantly increasing number of flights when compared to the same time of the last year. The airline is adding an additional 322 flights across its six routes its serves from Banja Luka International Airport, representing an increase of 28,4%. The number of seats on offer will increase by 60.858 seats, representing an increase of 28,4%. The largest increase in flights and seats offered will be to Gothenburg and Karlsruhe/ Baden Baden.  During  April-September of next year Ryanair will further strengthen its position as leading airline at Banja Luka International Airport. Ryanair flight schedule is subject to minor changes and will be finalized during the month of January of 2025. 

Source: Zahid Krkić