Air Serbia is preparing for the launch of its new Chicago service and the expansion of its New York frequencies to daily next summer with ticket sales for its second destination in the United States expected to begin shortly. The carrier plans to maintain a two-weekly service between Belgrade and Chicago from the start of the 2023 summer season. “We are thrilled to welcome Air Serbia to O'Hare International Airport. Passengers will now have additional options for affordable travel between Europe and the "Windy City”. As aviation continues to recover and more and more travellers once again take to the skies, offering options to our valued passengers is more important than ever. We’re pleased to partner with Air Serbia to connect people and businesses in Belgrade with the Windy City”, the US airport said in a statement.

Air Serbia is soon expected to conclude a codeshare partnership with a carrier from the United States, which would further improve its connectivity to the North American market. The deal could be made public by the end of the year, with the aim for it to be operational next summer. Air Serbia has again ruled out the possibility of joining one of the major airline alliances. Its CEO, Jiri Marek, said, “I have experience with all three alliances. But as a smaller company, you always put more into it than you get out of it. We would be limited in who we can and cannot work with. At the same time, we are the leader in the wider Balkan market, which expands our possibilities across alliances. Cooperation between companies is supposed to be mutually beneficial, but it doesn't work that way in alliances”. 

Air Serbia’s regional network is expected to be strengthened in the lead-up to its new transatlantic service, which will play a key role in the route’s success. “With the introduction of Belgrade - Chicago flights, for the first time after 32 years, the capital of Serbia will be directly connected to the American city where approximately 350.000 residents of Serbian origin reside, as well as a large number of those hailing from other countries of the former Yugoslavia and neighbouring Balkan states, which are, and will be, well-connected with Belgrade via the regional Air Serbia network”, the carrier said. Air Serbia is interested in adding more destinations in the United States once it commences operations to Chicago next year. “We're looking at other destinations in the US. But again, our main strategy is to target cities that have year-round potential. We do not want to increase seasonality, which is already high in our region”, Mr Marek said recently.