Low cost carrier Pegasus Airlines has expressed interest in launching flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport and Ljubljana in 2026, subject to government approval. Although the European Union has initiated talks on an aviation agreement with Turkey, which would remove nationality restrictions in the bilateral air services agreements between EU member states and the Eurasian country, no progress has been made on the deal for over a decade. If plans materialise, Ljubljana would become Pegasus Airlines’ eighth destination in the former Yugoslavia, joining Belgrade, Pristina, Podgorica, Sarajevo, Skopje, Tuzla and Zagreb. Ljubljana is currently the only capital in the region not served by the Turkish budget carrier.

Istanbul is Ljubljana’s busiest destination, currently served exclusively by Turkish Airlines from the city’s main airport. Between January and July, the carrier handled a record 115.899 passengers on the route, marking a 22.7% year-on-year increase. Turkish Airlines grew its frequencies between the two cities to sixteen weekly this summer and will maintain fourteen weekly flights throughout the upcoming winter season. The airline has been serving the Slovenian capital since January 2006, when it launched operations with three weekly flights. However, the majority of Turkish Airlines’ passengers on the Ljubljana route are transfers

Despite being a low cost carrier, Pegasus Airlines, which is one of Europe’s most profitable, offers connecting flights and often boasts competitive fares to the Middle East. However, it primarily caters for point-to-point traffic on its European operations. Pegasus has one of the lowest unit costs of any European airline company, on par with Ryanair and Wizz Air. It boasts a fleet of over 120 aircraft and has one of Europe’s youngest fleets, with an average age of just over four years. The airline has 100 Boeing 737 MAX-10 aircraft on order, in a deal that also includes options for a further 100. Deliveries are expected between 2028 and 2033.