Niš Airport secures new Wizz Air service and China cargo flights

Niš Constantine the Great Airport has secured a new passenger service for 2026, to be operated by Wizz Air, along with its first-ever cargo route to China. Additionally, this week marked the resumption of Swiss flights between Zurich and Niš after a four-year hiatus. The airport has also reversed its downward trend in passenger numbers.

Wizz Air will introduce a new two weekly service between Dortmund and Niš from January 5 with the 239-seat Airbus A321neo. It will complement the carrier’s existing flights from Basel and Memmingen to the southeast Serbian city, with further flight details available here. Tickets are now available for purchase through the airline's website. The low cost airline previously operated flights between Dortmund and Niš from August 2016 until January 2024. During its last full year of operations on the route, in 2023, the carrier handled 34.663 passengers between the two cities, for an average annual cabin load factor of 89%.

The operator of Niš Airport, Airports of Serbia, has signed an agreement with the Xinjiang Airport Group to establish a regular cargo service between Urumqi and Niš. The route, which launched this week, is operated by Uzbekistan-based My Freighter using a Boeing 767-300F aircraft. The full routing includes Urumqi - Navoiy (Uzbekistan) - Niš - Leipzig - Tashkent. It will operate alongside a scheduled cargo service established earlier this year between Urumqi and Belgrade. The new cargo flights to Niš will transport around fifty tons of goods from China, which will be distributed across Serbia, Macedonia, Montenegro, Albania and Bosnia and Herzegovina. The launch comes amid a surge in cargo traffic between Serbia and China, driven by the recently implemented free trade agreement between the two countries.

Commenting on the new cargo service, the CEO of operator Airports of Serbia, Mihajlo Zdravković, said, “The joint message from Urumqi and Niš is that both sides recognise the strong potential for cooperation in the field of cargo transport, as well as opportunities to expand existing routes. These two airports will serve as gateways for their respective regions, playing a vital role in regional connectivity and the development of logistics”. Mr Zdravković added, “This partnership will also provide an opportunity for both airports to grow through collaboration and the introduction of innovative cargo standards. It is particularly significant for us in terms of positioning Niš Airport more prominently and enhancing its competitiveness, as well as exploring potential joint projects that have been under discussion”.

Earlier this week, Swiss resumed flights between Zurich and Niš, operating a limited seasonal service with two weekly rotations until August 21. Meanwhile, after more than a year and a half of declining passenger numbers, primarily due to a sharp reduction in Wizz Air flights caused by engine inspections, the airport returned to growth in June, recording a 16% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic.