Travelers from southeastern and central Serbia will soon have more options for traveling to Turkey, thanks to the introduction of new flights from Niš and Kraljevo. This news was confirmed during the Tourism Fair in Belgrade, where Turkey’s ambassador to Serbia, Ilhan Sajgılı, announced that direct flights from Niš to Ankara will soon be launched, and that the existing routes from Niš and Kraljevo to Istanbul will see increased frequencies.
The ambassador emphasized that expanding flight options is an important step in strengthening tourism and economic cooperation between Serbia and Turkey. “Tourism is one of the areas where our two countries have the strongest cooperation, and increasing the number of regular and charter flights contributes to further development. There are about 66 flights each week between our countries, and soon there will be even more,” said Sajgılı. While it has not yet been confirmed which airlines will operate the new flights between Niš and Ankara, it is speculated that it could be Air Serbia or AJet, a low-cost subsidiary of Turkish Airlines.
This announcement comes shortly after the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on air traffic between Serbia and Turkey, which allows for increased capacity and the introduction of new destinations. Currently, Niš Constantine the Great Airport and Kraljevo Morava Airport each have two weekly flights to Istanbul, operated by Air Serbia under an agreement with the Serbian government for public service obligations. Additionally, Air Serbia operates seasonal charter flights between Niš and Antalya, one of the most popular destinations for Serbian travelers.
Turkey has become one of the most popular tourist markets for Serbian citizens. In 2024, over 232,000 Turkish tourists visited Serbia, representing a 15.4% increase compared to the previous year. The new flights are expected to further boost tourism traffic in both directions and enhance business ties between the two countries.
In addition to the flights from Niš and Kraljevo, Belgrade already offers regular routes to Istanbul’s main airport, Sabiha Gökçen, as well as to Ankara and Izmir. Furthermore, numerous charter flights connect Serbia to popular Turkish vacation destinations, with Antalya being the busiest. Air Serbia, which holds exclusive rights for flights between Serbia and Antalya, carried nearly 120,000 passengers on this route last year.
