Air Serbia has confirmed the launch of a new seasonal summer service between Belgrade and Toronto. The carrier’s General Manager for Commercial and Startegy, Boško Rupić, said, “Next year, from late May, we will introduce seasonal flights to Toronto. The service is currently planned until late September. There is a big community from both Serbia and the region living there so this will be an important route not just for Serbia and Belgrade but for the wider region too”. Mr Rupić noted operations will be maintained twice per week. Flights between Serbia and Canada were last operated eighteen years ago by leisure carrier Skyservice, which has since gone bankrupt. During the 1970s and 1980s, JAT Yugoslav Airlines maintained flights from Belgrade to Toronto and Montreal.
Toronto remains Belgrade Airport’s busiest unserved long-haul route. The Greater Toronto Airports Authority (GTAA), which manages Toronto’s Pearson Airport, recently said, “Serbia continues to be a target for Toronto Pearson to expand our global reach, and we are working closely with new and existing partners on how we can better serve both Serbia and Canada”. The Canadian Embassy in Belgrade previously said, “In May 2018, Canada and Serbia signed an Air Transport Agreement as part of the ongoing process of acquiring the necessary permits to allow direct Air Serbia flights between Belgrade and Toronto. The Embassy of Canada has supported the Serbian national air carrier’s efforts in receiving these permits, but the decision on further developments is with Air Serbia”
Air Serbia is expected to make a decision on the potential launch of flights to Miami as well. Earlier this year, Miami Dade Aviation Department's Director for Marketing and Air Service Development, Emir Pineda, said following talks with the airline, “We have been working on this effort for two years now. These discussions have been progressing very well. We are very close to starting cooperation with Air Serbia and, hopefully, by the end of the year or early next year, we will be able to announce flights between Belgrade and Miami”.
Fantastic news
ReplyDeleteThe universe is about to completely implode today.
ReplyDeleteNailed it brother
Delete+1
DeleteOpa!
ReplyDeleteDamn, Toronto AND Miami?
ReplyDeleteAlso, how is the busiest unserved long-haul destination from Belgrade different in every article
Toronto has been the busiest unserved long-haul destination from Belgrade since flights to Shanghai were launched earlier this year.
DeleteExcellent. When can we expect ticket sales to begin?
ReplyDeleteI assume November or December. Around 6 months before they start flights.
DeleteI think it's very smart that they are planning for this route to be seasonal, at least at first.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteToronto traffic might be seasonal but if they plan it right it could still work year round. At least they should add it around Christmas/New Year in 2026/27.
DeleteBefore someone says why they don't fly more than 2 per week, they can't. Bilateral between Serbia and Canada limits airlines to 2 flights per week.
ReplyDeleteWow, it's public and easy to find. https://www.treaty-accord.gc.ca/text-texte.aspx?id=105277
DeleteThe bilateral agreement does not allow for more than twice weekly flights. I predict that Toronto will quickly grow to year round.
ReplyDeleteWhich terminal will they use?
DeleteTerminator I
DeleteCanada diaspora can finally rejoice
ReplyDeleteHallelujah.
DeleteAfter so many years of whining. Ko čeka, dočeka 😅
DeleteNext logical step would be order of a few A339s directly from airbus for 2030s delivery...
ReplyDeleteWould the A321 XLR be viable for the route?
Delete+1
DeleteNot viable with A321XLR
DeleteExciting news
ReplyDeleteI'm literally in ecstasy right now!
ReplyDeleteDon’t forget the bubblegum
DeleteFinally! This route has been talked about for years. Great to see it officially confirmed. There’s huge demand from the Serbian diaspora in Canada.
ReplyDeleteSure, now they will start whining about bad plane interior and expensive tickets and they will continue flying LH, LX, LO
Delete@anon 14:16
Delete+1
Counting on diaspora to be loyal to a national carrier prooved wrong every time. JU knows that very well.
Great news for us to wake up to here in sunny Toronto!!
ReplyDeleteAs someone who flies home every summer, this is the best travel news in years. No more layovers in Frankfurt
DeleteAnd now you can save £50 per person!
DeleteFantastic news for both Serbia and Canada. Toronto is long overdue.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteGood step for Air Serbia, but they’ll need to make sure their pricing is competitive. The North American market is tough, especially with strong carriers like Lufthansa and Turkish offering connections.
ReplyDeleteTheir pricing is competitive on North America flights. And they offer a nonstop service which beats any layover and let alone backtracking through Istanbul.
DeleteMan, they are not competitive! Few months ago I booked three days stay in New York. JU direct flight+hotel=3000 EUR for two persons.
DeleteSAS flight via Copenhagen+hotel=1500 EUR for two persons.
Yes, its direct flight, but both SAS and JU arrived around 17:10 in JFK
Of course JU is more expensive - nonstop flights always are vs. connecting itineraries. You didn't want to pay the premium to fly direct and that's fine; someone else (for instance someone older with a poor level of English) would have been happy to add 700 EUR to the total cost for the sake of having a direct flight and Serbian-speaking crew. The reason JU is so expensive is because they can.
DeleteI love this sentence:
Delete"someone older with a poor level of English) would have been happy to add 700 EUR to the total cost"
Yeah sure, older people have 700€ to waste.
JU's fares to the US are more than decent. Factor in as well that JU allows 2 x 23kgs in economy, which is rare in Europe even for the higher fare classes. Business Class is without a doubt on the lower price side when compared to competitors (OS for example). 1 or more stop bookings are almost always going to be cheaper.
Delete@Anon 19:00 I agree, yku wouldn't believe how many wheelchair passenger we have in BEG to JFK/ORD/MIA or generally any other north american destination and they, without any shame tell us in our face that they want to be driven jn a wheelchair because they dont know english.
DeleteThe best part, most of them have US or Canadian passports.
Bravo Air Serbia 🇷🇸🇷🇸🇷🇸
ReplyDeleteNice! Also out of topics airserbia started sale today for those who plans to travel soon. I live in Italy and I got add on IG about promotion. I bought ticket from BEG to MLX for 50€, same ticket yesterday was 70€
ReplyDeleteTo Malatya?
DeleteMxp, maplensa Milano my bad 😅
DeleteThey have come a long way
ReplyDelete5 long haul routes in their network and possibly a 6th (if Miami starts).
ReplyDeleteAnd Beijing
DeleteWhat about Beijing?
DeleteWas not expecting they would bite the bullet 😀
ReplyDeleteFirst new route announced for 2026 :)
ReplyDeleteWhere did he gave this interview?
ReplyDeleteWhat makes you think it's an interview? Could be a press release or just a statement given directly to EX-YU.
DeleteIt was on Prva tv
DeleteWOW Awesome news! Congrats
ReplyDeleteSuch a great news. Being part of the "Give us YYZ" team I almost fell from my armchair when I heard the announcement!
ReplyDeleteIdemo dalje...
ReplyDeleteI wonder how much connectivity to other ex YU destinations this flight would allow without some insane layover times
ReplyDeleteWe'll find out when the schedule is finalised.
Delete@14.43. Why? It can be scheduled similar to New York flight. Flight times are almost the same.
DeleteLonger layover times with 1 of the sectors isn't going to get better without further frequency increases to regional routes regardless as to how YYZ will be scheduled. This is more than evident with current US schedules.
Delete+ BUD as well
ReplyDeleteWhat you mean +BUD? Budapst is already served by Air Serbia.
DeleteJasmineee! Jel'se ispila kahva? Ima li Vrankvurta I Minkena?
ReplyDeleteJasmin is waiting for someone in Banski Dvori to give him the green Light to get 321xlrs which will then be used to operate more Frankfurt and Munich routes
DeleteBravo Air Serbia! Bravo management! Svaka cast! Tako se radi!
ReplyDeleteConservative schedule. In summer with all the seasonal demand it could be 3-4 per week easily.
ReplyDeleteIt can not be 3-4 per week. The Bilateral Air Agreement between Canada and Serbia allows a maximum of 2 weekly flights per airline.
DeletePeople just don't read the facts before commenting
DeleteSaying it could be 3-4 weekly in summer if the bilateral allowed. People lack comprehension skills, didn't say it will be.
DeleteThe OP said "conservative schedule" when JU is literally prevented from being more ambitious.
DeleteMaybe in a few years they revise the bilateral agreement.
DeleteAbout bloody time
ReplyDeleteAs a sceptic who pestered readers of this site by countless comments about dozens of potential Toronto route articles based on statements by Air Serbia or representatives of main shareholder over the years, I have to admit this announcement caught me by surprise. Congratulations to Air Serbia team for making it happen! I was expecting Miami or Beijing to be launched ahead of Toronto, so kudos for launching Toronto as the 5th long-haul destination! Thank you!
ReplyDeleteThe sceptic apologizes, didn't expect that, but nice.
DeleteWe are all humans and make mistakes, my apology to Air Serbia team. They deserve a credit on this one. My pessimisim was based on previous track record, but this announcement proved me wrong. All the best, hope Air Serbia will enjoy lasting success on Toronto service!
Deletebut, but, but...what about Lagos?
ReplyDeleteSeasonal service is the way to operate Toronto. Right on time for 2026.
ReplyDeleteSmart move
ReplyDeleteI really hope they start Miami too but am happy with just Toronto as well :) I really want to to fly with them to MIA though. Canadian visa is too complicated to get.
ReplyDeleteLagos next, thank you!
ReplyDeleteWhat would be the flying time from Belgrade to Toronto?
ReplyDelete8-9 hours.
DeleteA bit longer than JFK and a bit shorter than ORD, let's say 9:30 hours to YYZ and 8:30 on the way back.
DeleteI wonder if they will have a codeshare partner in Canada.
ReplyDeletePorter would be a good option.
DeletePorter is too local, too Toronto centred. What about someone transfering from Western Canada?
DeleteDoes this mean they have found a replacement for YU-ARC? Since it will be leaving the fleet and likely Miami will be another long haul destination
ReplyDeleteI wouldn't be surprised if the YU-ARC replacement comes together with the 5th A330, similar to the YU-ARD/E arrivals.
DeleteYUARC will stay at JU fleet,
DeleteCleveland next like the good ol days lol
ReplyDeleteAnd Pittsburgh.
DeleteIf that announcement comes in the next few days I will shoot myself in the leg. With current number of employees we just make these flights possible.
DeleteDetroit also. You are joking, but AerLingus covers those Midwest Cities with A321XLR. That way, they don’t have to go to Chicago or New York to catch the flight and to spend extra money.
DeleteAny other possible location in Canada, Vancouver or Montreal. Seems to be impossible, it took almost 4 decades to fly back to Toronto. Due to Sanctions, Toronto has been the last JAT flight to North America with DC-10-30. Crew went to Chicago without Aircraft. Aircraft returned empty to Belgrade.
ReplyDeleteNaah that would be too much, Canada is not „that“ touristy place or warm.
DeleteGet ready travelers in Ontario. As someone who has been flying JFK-Beg and Beg-JFK several times a year (NYC traffic notwithstanding), your lives are about to improve if and when you fly to Beg.
ReplyDeleteNext Bangkok or Dubai please 😍
ReplyDeleteI am Happy for you guys in Canada 🇨🇦
ReplyDelete