The Macedonian government has signed a subsidy agreement with Wizz Air for the launch of five new routes from Skopje this November and December. Under the agreement, the low cost airline will commence operations to Stockholm Arlanda and Bari on October 26, Madrid and Larnaca on October 28, as well as Prague on December 15. This will be complemented by the introduction of the previously announced service between Skopje and Stuttgart, launching September 29. Wizz Air, as Macedonia's largest airline, is expected to increase its number of based aircraft at Skopje Airport with an Airbus A321neo, for a total of six stationed jets. Tickets for the new flights are now available for purchase through the airline’s website.
Among the five new services, Skopje was previously linked to Larnaca by Wizz, between 2019 and 2021 and Prague by Czech Airlines up until 2018. Wizz Air also flew between the Macedonian capital and Skavsta, which serves Stockholm, between 2014 and 2024. The new services to Madrid and Prague will run three times per week, while Larnaca, Stockholm and Bari will operate two times per week, with the latter two increasing to three weekly from mid-December. Commenting on the development, Macedonia’s Minister for Transport, Aleksandar Nikoloski, said, "This morning, we signed an agreement for the launch of five new destinations from Skopje Airport. This will bring more tourists to Macedonia, boosting business activity and creating new opportunities for all citizens".
| Destination | Launch date |
|---|---|
| Stockholm ARN | OCT 27 |
| Bari | OCT 27 |
| Madrid | OCT 28 |
| Larnaca | OCT 28 |
| Prague | DEC 15 |
Click on link for flight details
Earlier this year, Wizz Air commenced operations from Skopje to Lyon and Barcelona. The airline noted, "As market leaders, offering flights to over thirty destinations from this country, we are proud to play a crucial role in supporting economic growth, as well as opening doors for business opportunities and encouraging visitors to explore the rich culture and stunning landscapes of North Macedonia”. Wizz Air will benefit from the ongoing 5.8-million-euro subsidy program launched by the Macedonian government covering the 2025 - 2027 period that offers nine euros per arriving passenger at Skopje Airport on newly launched services.
Good on SKP! Any flight increases on current routes admin?
ReplyDeleteWinter schedule most routes would be increased
DeleteBratislava,Ljubljana,Nuremberg and Paris Buve would be increased thats what they said.
Deleteno BTS and NUE will not be increased (the opposite)
DeleteExcellent additions
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWould love to see Wizz restart Zagreb , just to make stuff even more interesting in Zagreb.,
DeleteYes, those are great additions.
DeleteGood to see mostly main capital city airports
ReplyDeleteIt was matter of time , I think this would happend after Covid19 but than engine issue stops everything...
DeleteSensational!
ReplyDeleteI konecno Praga! nema da ve zamaram povekje :)
Uste Munich,Dusseldorf falat i sme top :)))
DeleteTesko Dusseldorf, go vratija Keln a i Dortmund e isklucitelno frekfentna linija.
Delete>DUS is for Eurowings, Weeze for Ryanair
Deletethey are already on the Wizz' website
ReplyDeleteAnd Wizzair's return to TZL announced months ago - still not in the system. They won't start flying.
Deletewhen were they supposed to launch them? Sorry im not really following it lately
Delete^
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/06/wizz-air-to-reopen-tuzla-base-launch.html
bringin back the sixth aircraft?
ReplyDeletereading the article?
DeleteYES🇲🇰
DeleteMacedonian taxpayers should not subsidize cheap travels for foreigners.
ReplyDeleteStop turism then
Delete@12.49 HAHA false flag attack!. As if the majority of the pax are tourists
DeleteW6 doesn't offer connections. All of its passengers are O&D
DeleteAnd there goes the chance of Ryanair starting flights
ReplyDeleteThis is a preemptive move. Like last time government had talks with Ryan 15 years ago :D
DeleteLarnaca was already announced. Prague and Madrid were negotiated for some time now (with explicitely Wizzair named as the airline). Bari and ARN might be a preemtive move though!
Deletein some media Cologne is mentioned. So this will be the sixthh one. They have restored Bucharest form Cologne too
Larnaca was not announced. The minister just said they were negotiating them.
DeleteIt was announced
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/06/skopje-poised-for-new-wizz-air-service.html
Now we know where the Wizz Abu Dhabi planes are going.
ReplyDeleteAs I see they giwe Ohrid-Basel route to be operated by GP aviation ... from Abu dhabi planes probably 1 will go to Skopje to be 6 in total now are 5 if I am not wrong
DeleteReally good selection of routes actually.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI'm very happy about the new routes but why Wizz again? I was really hoping Ryanair would step in. I'm also disappointed that the government is subsidizing routes that were previously dropped, same thing with easyJet and the Geneva route.
ReplyDeleteBeggars can't be choosers
Delete@14.16 how many times have you used that line so far on this website? You must be a fun guy
DeleteWhich route from this are being previoisly served can you explain ? All this routes are new!! Btw for Ryanair we all wait to see will they jump in or not.
DeleteIt says in the article. Read it.
Delete@14:23 First time actually. Or do you think that it's always the same 5 people that are commenting here?
DeleteAnd no Vienna? Does this mean Ryanair won't come to SKP?
ReplyDeleteHä? Wizz is flying to Bratislava for years
DeleteVIE is a served destinations (Austrian Airlines).
DeleteYeah but PRN and TIA have both austrian and wizz
DeleteSKP Airport CEO said 10 years ago that the policy is not to have LCCs operate on routes already served by legacy airlines.
Deletethat CEO is not longer a CEO
DeleteI know. But it is not the CEO that decided it but TAV in cooperation with the government.
Delete13.09 I want proof of that statement
DeleteI remember that statement too and it was exactly in reference to Vienna route. Alper Ersoy said it I believe.
DeleteThere is no reason Vienna to be served with LLC when Austrian doing amazing , their planes are full at all time , good affordable prices for 100 eur for a flag carrier is more then great.
DeleteDidn't Wizz already fly to Stockholm in the past?
ReplyDeleteSkavsta
DeleteAre there more destinations from Spain to be expected?
ReplyDeleteonly if Ryanair gets into
DeleteInteresting that Larnaca is being operated by Larnaca based plane.
ReplyDeleteThe departure time from Larnaca is death.
DeleteProbably because they had an aircraft available only in this brutal time of night.
DeleteCome on, every based aircraft has a departure at that time in the morning ;) sometimes you cant choose departure times
Deleteonly one (and a half) Gastarbeiter- route(s)! Please, dont underestimate this moment :D
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing Stockholm and Bari are the diaspora ones?
DeleteExactly
DeletePrague is in huge demand even more than Budapest ... I am sure will work good
DeletePrague will be the same demographics as Ljubljana: students and rather young people.
DeleteAlso very cheap for Europe country ... :D
DeleteExcellent news! For the next round of flight additions I'd like to see a destination in the Canary Islands or Madeira. A true winter escape.
ReplyDeleteIf they fly to Tenerife or Palma I think one of this would work for 2 weekly flights per week...
DeleteGluposti. Now that we have MAD along with BCN or evem through FCO u can find cheap connections to Tenerife.
DeleteExactly, from Madrid you have very cheap connections all over Pyrenees. I flew few times with Vueling, very convenient
DeleteLets keep up the momentum, I think FlyDubai and Ryanair will follow up soon
ReplyDeletenot convinced too much for FlyDubai to be honest i see more chances for the Irishmen
DeleteLatest updates saying Ryanair is in final moments of launching flights very soon ... Flydubai launch alot new airports in Europe and still there is no Skopje...
DeleteVery good news for Skopje.
ReplyDeleteShould fully recover this year.
Delete14:02 not this year , fully recover we can expect mid 2026 , just check their update they still have 41 planes grounded which is big amount , they expected all fleet to be ready for 2026 now they push back ro 2027. But positive news are in 2026 they are recieving brand new A321 planes..
DeleteMadrid and Prague were long overdue. Hope the loads are strong
ReplyDeleteThree flights a week to Madrid sounds promising.
DeleteAll this routes would work great ,every airline do research what actually is needed on the market before making decision .. Wizz knows Macedonian market very well , they are present there for quite a long time so I am sure they know what exactly Skopje needs...
DeleteNice to see subsidies being used strategically.
ReplyDelete9 euros per arriving passenger is quite a lot actually if you take into account that Wizz has 8 new routes so far this year from SKP.
DeleteThe subsidy scheme is changed and it giwea the first results.
DeleteIt’s good that Wizz is committed to Skopje, but we still lack real airline diversity. Time for other carriers to step in too.
ReplyDeleteI dont think it lacks airline diversity that much anymore but the others have only just one or two destinations ...
Deletefor a moment i thought ARN might be Norwegian when i read it in the macedonian news now we can only hope for a seasonal HEL route
Wizz is serving Macedonia quite good for a long time , the engine issue problem hopefully never to happend again just open the need of another LLC company that need to be present on the market , more choice more cheap flights...
DeleteGreat additions! Just hope the airport can handle the increased traffic
ReplyDeleteCan without problems , the airport is designed to accomodate 4.5 million passengers per year ,plus they have the required equipment as well , no airline will launch routes if they cannot be handled...
DeleteI saw 3 weeks ago that they have added additional check in facilities
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/01/wizz-air-considering-reinstating-some.html
DeleteCommenting on its Skopje operations, Mr Tischner said, “We have long-term cooperation with Skopje Airport. We like this airport, and we are very satisfied with its performance. There are certain limitations in terms of airport infrastructure. There is a limit on the number of departures per hour. But the airport is already investing in new equipment, especially when it comes to security. For example, the scanners are old and there are only two lanes, but they are investing in new scanners, and we hope that they will be in use next summer and will increase capacity. As a result, I suppose that we could also increase the capacity further. There are other long-term investments, for example, you may know that there are certain restrictions on landings after sunset since they are only done in one direction. Also, Skopje is quite foggy in the winter and there are certain days when we must redirect operations to other airports. These are obviously long-term investments, they cannot be done overnight, but with these investments I think the airport would have almost endless opportunities to develop”.
Finally some Western European capitals being added.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteCongratulations Macedonia.Great to see W6 finally launching main Europe cities from Skopje not only village airports!!! What still missing is Munich,Dusseldorf,London gatwick or stansted and of course hoping to see Dubai or Doha soon...
ReplyDeleteSJJ needs to do the same, all of these routes could work for them too, especially Prague, Madrid and Larnaca
ReplyDeleteThis is all good , but during winter fog period Skopje is suffering huge problems and alot of delays and cancelled flights. TAV must work on this and find solution. Either building one more runway or better equipment to be installed. They are expanding the check in counters bring to 32 total , new scanners , but nothing about for fog problem so far to be done... btw the routes are amazing!!!
ReplyDeleteYou can't fix the fog problem with any equipment, simply because autolands will never be allowed due to the terrain on approach.
DeleteWhy in some media they mentioned Cologne also the minister mention it ,not Larnaca , admin do you please have more about this ?
ReplyDeleteLarnaca was announced earlier this year
DeleteYes and they scheduled now. Cologne is also selected and will be scheduled very soon , thats in their announcment
DeleteWizz Air has not made any announcment in regards to Cologne. The airline has confirmed and issued a release for the five new routes listed in the article.
DeleteThan why media speaking Cologne not Larnaca in the listing, do you have explanation for this ? Thank you.
Deletethis week they have signed a contract for five destinations. The contract for Larnaca was signed in May. Now Wizz announced five new destinations (four from this week plus Larnaca)
DeleteOkay I understand , but Cologne is on the list too , but it not scheduled , thats what confuses me , that means will be scheduled after??
Deleteyes. ExYu concentrates on the launched destiination this time. You will probably get a news flash article about CGN later
DeleteWizz Air has not announced CGN. It was mentioned by the minister without naming Wizz Air. This Minister also announced flights with Flydubai this summer.
Delete16:57 thank you
Delete17:01 aha so it is possible to be served from another airline not W6 , thank you.
Flydubai if happend will be amazing addition to SKP and exactly what really needs in this moment
Anyone can saying for this minister but that guy brings more routes for 1 year for any other ministers all together :D
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteBoooooom great news for Skopje!
ReplyDeleteNow only Dubai is missing and maybe some seasonal routes to Ohrid.
Dubai and Doha :)
DeleteFrom Octomber the Freebird charters from Skopje are moving to Ohrid with 2 daily flights from England,Germany,France and Austria.
DeleteAnd yes Ohrid deserves more seassonal flights
Brussel is added too
Delete16:35 I didnt know about this .. I guess its main Brussels airport right ... thank you.
DeleteHopefully, Wizz Air will bring the route back to Hanover. When they were flying from Hanover twice a week, the flights were always full
ReplyDeleteCopenhagen ,Hanover are in big demand , hopefully they will be lauched back soon..
Deleteone of the most diverse selection of routes ive seen here
ReplyDeleteWhy ?
DeleteIt is mix of gasto and leisure routes , whats wrong with it??
DeleteWow 6 A321neo is amazing!! great addition for SKP👏👏
ReplyDeletethey should go for Bucharest next
ReplyDeletePrague is in more bigger demand than Bucharest or Budapest ... and Bratislava works amazing and increasing is expected this winter
DeleteYay this is a great mix of flights just wish it wasn't wizz air but i guess some new flights are better then non
ReplyDeleteWhats wrong with wiz air ??
DeleteRyanair have to cover Portugal (Porto, Lisbon), France (Marseille, Nice), Italy (Salerno, Naples, Palermo), Spain (Valencia, Mallorca) etc.
ReplyDelete🤣
DeleteTo be honest I dont care what Ryanair will launch , the important thing is with entering the market Wizz will have concurence and the prices of ticket would go down which is not case now....
DeleteRyanair has a base in Cologne, and since Wizz is not launching the route to Cologne, could this be a hint that they might launch Cologne and few other routes?
Delete07:30 it is possible to be a sign , but nothing is sure
DeleteAt least one flight to Portugal, South France or South Spain or their islands is possible for sure. Ryanair are capable of that.
DeleteIt’s bizarre that the government is subsidizing these flights. What a grift
ReplyDeleteWill the newly established destinations last for longer than a season though ? Wizz does cut them short in Skopje.
ReplyDeleteah yeah?
Delete