Air Serbia is expected to launch nonstop flights between Belgrade and Miami during the 2026 summer season, according to Dušan Kozarev, Secretary General at the Serbian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The announcement follows recent discussions between him and representatives from Miami Airport and Florida state officials. “We expect the service to commence soon, perhaps not during the upcoming winter season, which is fast approaching, but potentially as early as next March, with the start of the summer schedule”, Mr Kozarev said. He added, “Flights are not planned for this winter primarily due to technical and logistical considerations. We were pleased to engage in constructive talks with Miami Airport officials, Air Serbia representatives and members of the Serbian diaspora in Florida, who are eagerly anticipating the introduction of this nonstop service”.
The timeline aligns with earlier comments made by Emir Pineda, Director of Marketing and Air Service Development at the Miami-Dade Aviation Department, who expressed hope that flights between the two cities would be announced “by the end of the year or early next year”. However, Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, recently struck a more cautious tone, emphasising that the launch remains contingent on aircraft availability. The airline is likely to return one of its four Airbus A330-200s to its lessor in November 2026. “To extend its lease, we’d need to invest in cabin upgrades now. At the same time, other A330s are starting to appear on the market, but until any deals are finalised, it’s difficult to commit to launching a new long-haul route without full certainty that the aircraft will be available”, Mr Marek said, noting that ticket sales for a new long-haul service should typically begin six to eight months before its planned launch.
Based on 2024 data, Miami has emrged as the busiest unserved route in the United States from Belgrade, with close to 20.000 point to point passengers travelling on a single ticket between the two cities. The route would also be reliant on transfer passengers. According to Mr Pineda, the Serbian carrier would initially launch two to three weekly flights. “The discussions we have had concern two to three flights per week. Initially, we expect two weekly flights to be launched, which would grow over time to three and then perhaps even five or seven. Through Miami, Air Serbia can provide connectivity to over 200 destinations with American Airlines”.
Two weekly flights to start sounds reasonable. The key will be the codeshare with American Airlines in Miami. Without strong onward connections, the route won’t be sustainable year round.
ReplyDeleteI am guessing that's why they were mentioning MIA and YYZ as one package. Both will launch next summer but YYZ will be seasonal.
ReplyDeleteHow is the launch of Toronto related to the launch of Miami? What is the link or dependency between those two destinations? Can Toronto be launched regardless of Miami launch?
DeleteIt can be launched but in interviews they were mentioning them togeather because they will obviously launch around the same time.
DeletePlenty of chatter regarding Miami launch from diplomats, Miami airport etc. Strangely, none of that regarding Toronto esp if both are to be launched around the same time.
DeleteThere were several articles with statements from Toronto airport officials confirming negotiations and also just recently from Air Serbia's CEO.
DeleteIf this announcement about MIA starting in SS26 is true, I doubt we will see YYZ before SS27.
DeleteCEO said last month that if they decide to launch YYZ it will launch at the same time as Miami and be summer seasonal.
DeleteOh, I missed that. Honestly I'm more excited for YYZ, it was a really long overdue
DeleteAnonymous09:14
DeleteThey are related because they complement each other. Toronto is highly seasonal and, as I understood, Miami is popular year round, but more in the winter time, so it could contribute balancing out Toronto's seasonality. So, my understanding is that adding Miami would only speed up Toronto's introduction.
Branko, that would make sense if Miami was planned as winter seasonal only.
DeleteActually it makes sense. They would probably use 1 aircraft for both cities. In summer YYZ may be 3 weekly and Miami 2 weekly, while in winter Miami could go up to 3 weekly, with YYZ kept at 1 weekly on suspended over winter.
DeleteHope this doesn’t turn out into lots of talk but no action. Still, encouraging to see the Ministry and Miami Airport actively involved.
ReplyDeleteThe airport is involved and went on record that flights will begin, so I doubt it is just talk.
DeleteWish they’d start in the winter. But I understand the challenges. Better to start strong in summer than rush and cancel later.
ReplyDeleteIt's happening.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteGreat news! Air Serbia is slowly becoming a serious player in long haul travel.
ReplyDeleteIn Eastern Europe, yes.
DeleteYes, Air Serbia has four long haul aircraft and 4 long haul services, with another 3 potential ones. Those are the facts. And for poor region of ex-yu and being the only one in ex-yu to operate long-haul, it is respectable achievment. But knowing there are companies close by with more than 100 long-haul aircraft and more than 50 long-haul destinations /services and calling Air Serbia serious player in long haul, is simply ridiculous and detached from reality
DeleteIt is not ridiculous at all. It is a serious player in Eastern Europe, no matter how much that annoys you.
DeleteJust shows what proper planning can achieve.
Delete09.21
DeleteI am not annoyed at all. On the contrary, I am happy JU is growing and having long-haul. But not being able to understand that having 4 aircraft and 4 destinations in long-haul does not qualify an airline universally, not JU particularly, to be serious player in long-haul, is your problem and another story, not my "annoyment"
Spite and jelousy. When they launch more long haul routes, you will think of something new to belittle them about.
DeleteHe is one of those people who in 2016 argued that
Delete- New York will never launch
- A330 will never arrive
- New York will be discontinied in 1 year
Etc
Chill out a bit, he is right. Serious player can not be someone with 4 long-haul routes. Even Austrian Airlines is not serious player on the long-haul market and u are mentioning JU. If someone disagrees with u that doesnt mean that he wants to hate u or your airline, its just different opinion and as i see 100 times more real as well.
DeleteHe said serious player in EASTERN Europe
DeleteEastern European long haul by airline at the moment excluding Russia as they don't offer any connections to rest of Europe
DeleteLOT - 77 weekly flights
Air Serbia - 14 weekly flights
HiSky - 5 weekly
No one else
Please flight to Armenia too
ReplyDeleteAfter Tbilisi, I believe Yerevan is next, probably some time after the beginning of SS26.
DeleteCan we expect Serbian tourists to use this flight? The region is very good (I'm talking about the region, including Cuba), but would agencies work with them on this route?
ReplyDeleteNo tour operator is going to organise tour groups to the US due to visa requirments. Tour operators do organise inidividual travel packages to the US and pretty much anywhere in the world.
DeleteEspecially in summer season when august-octobar is strongest hurricane season.
DeleteVisas are there wheather it's summer or winter so your comment makes no sense. You won't see Serbian tour operators with tour groups to the US.
DeleteVisa to US last 10 years and your comment is just pathetic.
DeleteYes, which is why you haven't and you won't see Serbian tour groups in the US, winter or summer.
Delete@13.37 Visas to the US have been there since 1991. Until then, visas were not required. I don't know why you are saying the comment is "pathetic". The person is right, Serbian tour operators won't offer tour visits to the US
Delete1) because its expensive
2) complex visa requirments which would mean each an every member of the tour group would havbe to go to the US embassy and submit papers.
So, I don't know what's pathetic. It's reality.
They organize even English learning n NYC for high school. You do not live in Serbia.
DeleteActually the P2P demand is relatively healthy. I'm surprised there were that many pax without transfers and without taking into account some poeple that may have flown with two tickets.
ReplyDeleteFlorida residents are super wealthy. They like to travel and explore new destinations and with proper advertising, extra demand may occur. And MIA airport seems that is more than interested to support this route
DeleteWealthy in Florida? Hmm when I visited Fort Lauderdale and Miami I was shocked to see where and how they live . It seemed very poor housing and small 1 floor houses build by some aluminum panels. I felt for the first time we lived better and own better quality houses in Serbia .also made sense to me after seeing that that one hurricane can destroy one whole city due to poor living conditions. JU is smart to start MIA just bcs our people are always looking to travel somewhere different, especially where there is a beach and warm weather all year round.
DeleteYes, but that houses cost a A LOT. One breakfast in Miami cost 40-50$, dinner 60-70$. They earn a lot and spend a lot. Balkan destinations and prices are very cheap for them. We can expect some of them to visit something new when JU offer the route
DeleteAmerican Airlines codeshare is a must for this one.
ReplyDeleteExactly. The potential is definitely there, but they must align schedules with AA’s Miami hub. Otherwise, they’ll lose the transfer market to Lufthansa and Turkish.
DeleteWould passengers have to pick up their luggage in MIA when transferring even though their final destination is outside of the US?
DeleteThe policy of taking luggage when transferring makes it more desirable to transfer in Europe
I think you only have to pick up loggage if you are transferring onto a domestic flight. It is impossible to transfer through Europe to as many cities in the US that are offered by American from MIA.
DeleteLove it
ReplyDeleteHopefully Miami will be followed by LA next.
ReplyDeleteOnly logical. Hopefully before Expo
DeleteNot a chance they will fly to LA
DeleteHow long would a flight from BEG to LAX take, and would it need a refuelling stop?
DeleteEastbound (LAX → BEG): ~11h 30min – 12h 30min
DeleteWestbound (BEG → LAX): ~12h 30min – 13h 30min
A330-200 can make it but it would be close to the aircraft's upper range limit. In case of headwinds, I think there would have to be payload restrictions with cargo.
Essentially thats the same as CAN. During COVID Air Serbia flew to LAX packed with cargo. I think the bigger problem are yields that would be more difficult to achieve
DeleteThey flew packed with cargo but without passengers.
Delete^ last non; pls don’t lie, the outbound BEG-LAX flight had evac. passengers from the west coast stuck in Serbia then, I believe 45 + cargo, I had a friend there, the return LAX-BEG was only cargo..
DeleteYou consider 45 passengers to be a lot and have significant impact on the aircraft's pay load?
DeleteDistance to CAN via southern route is about 9,400 km. That is still closer than LAX with range of 10,500 km. So, the distance to West Coast is definitely a blocker for regular flights, or not until JU gets A350.
DeleteA330 range is 13500 km, so should not be any obstacles with optimal load
DeleteWhat other destinations in US that are not served could make sense? Washington maybe?
DeleteHell nah
DeleteAir Serbia performed Manila to Belgrade flight carrying National Basketball Team and officials from the World Cup and the flight was like 13h 45m. But nowhere near the MTOW though.
DeleteThere is no old diaspora anywhere in Florida or the south. The diaspora in Jacksonville, Orlando, Tampa, Miami, Nashville, and Charlotte is majority as a result of 90s wars.
DeleteAir Serbia needs to get serious about long haul fleet planning. Leasing last-minute isn’t a strategy.
ReplyDeleteLeasing last minute? What are you talking about?
DeleteThere is large Bosnian Diaspora at St. Louis Missouri, some 100.000 people.
ReplyDeleteI don’t think they will ever fly there, but just to be known.
Genounly curious, is this old diaspora from after WW2 or from the 90s?
Delete*genuinely
DeleteBoth
DeleteInteresting, thanks.
DeleteI presume most use LH too get to Sarajevo from/to US?
DeleteYes
DeleteHopefully at some point SJJ gets some of its own seasonal US flights.
DeleteShould JU start flying to St. Louis? Is that what you are suggesting?
DeleteIdemo dalje ..
ReplyDeleteNice. 5 long haul routes next summer would be excellent.
ReplyDeletePossibly 6 with Toronto
DeleteIt is good to see. Whenever there is a lot of news about potential new route it is usually scheduled soon after.
ReplyDeleteI really hope the orange clown doesn’t make any more moves that are detrimental to tourism in the U.S. It’s just getting ridiculous.
ReplyDeleteWell he is imposing a 35% tarrif on goods from Serbia so...
DeleteThat might affect Belgrade Miami route but not Belgrade Toronto
Delete