Low cost carrier Wizz Air will station a seventh 239-seat Airbus A321neo aircraft in Skopje at the peak of the 2026 summer season, from mid-July. From the week commencing July 13 until mid-September, the additional jet will support a series of frequency increases across thirteen existing routes compared to the airline’s initial schedule. As a result, compared to originally filed summer frequencies, Wizz Air will add three weekly flights to Dortmund, increasing operations to ten per week, while Berlin and Malmo will each see two additional weekly rotations, bringing both to seven weekly services. The carrier will also introduce one extra weekly frequency to Charleroi, Baden Baden, Hamburg, Hahn and Ljubljana, with each route rising to five weekly flights. In addition, Stockholm, Friedrichshafen, Malta and Dortmund will each receive one further weekly service, increasing to four per week, while Sandefjord and Treviso will grow to three times per week with an extra rotation.
During the peak of the 2026 summer season, Wizz Air will operate 150 weekly departures from Skopje to 35 destinations, marking an increase of 49 weekly outbound flights compared to the same period last year. The addition of a seventh A321neo will generate eighteen extra weekly rotations relative to the airline’s initial summer schedule. The carrier will also adjust its Milan operations, switching from Malpensa to Bergamo as of March 29, the start of the summer season. Frequencies on the route will remain unchanged at four weekly services.
Yesterday, Wizz Air scheduled an additional two new routes from Skopje, to Palermo and Alghero, which will run from mid-July to mid-September, corresponding with the addition of the seventh based aircraft. Commenting on the two new routes, Wizz Air’s Corporate Communications Manager, Salvatore Gabriele, said, “Choosing Skopje is intentional. It’s not a conventional city-break destination, but it reflects how travel is evolving: curiosity-driven, flexible and increasingly focused on authentic experiences beyond the usual routes. These are the kinds of connections that can make a real difference for local communities, especially in regions where flying has often meant limited choice”.
This is massive growth for Skopje. 150 weekly departures and 35 destinations is something we couldn’t even imagine ten years ago. Whatever people say about Wizz, they’ve completely transformed the airport.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteWe could and we did. In the meantime, on this very website the comments cca 2010-2012 were "Skopje market is too small for a based Wizz aircraft."
DeleteGreat news
ReplyDelete35 destinations is more than OU serves from ZAG!
ReplyDeleteYes, but OU has around 600 departures per week from ZAG in summer.
DeleteThis confirms Skopje is one of Wizz Air’s strongest bases in the Balkans. Seven aircraft is serious capacity for a market of this size.
ReplyDeleteIt helps very few other airlines fly there, but indeed its great. Skopje is a well located city and inbound tourism has been growing.
DeleteThe growth is welcome but it’s heavily concentrated in just two months.
ReplyDeleteIt means very strong booking trends for summer 2026. Either demand is booming or competitors are weaker than expected.
DeleteThere isnt much direct competition mate
DeleteExcellent number of destinations served from North Macedonia these days.
ReplyDeleteI agree it is very good but some major ones still missing in my opinion.
DeleteIs Dortmund that strong for 10 weekly flights? Why Eurowings doesn't consider restoring the flight from nearby Cologne? I used their ancestor Germanwings on that route back in 2008
ReplyDeleteApparently big etnic albanian community around the area, so serving both Macedonia and Kosovo.
DeleteCologne is already served 4 weekly with Wizz, DUS is Eurowings teritory but zero.
Deletethe real question is why is Ryanair ignoring Weeze-SKP?
A lot of people from southern Serbia are already using SKP and with this expanded schedule even more will.
ReplyDeleteW6 is on a roll pretty much everywhere in the region!
JU used to get loads of transfer traffic from SKP, now it seems even former JU flyers from the south of the country are flying with W6.
Delete+1
DeleteJU will probably suffer the most from all those flights as they are targeting Macedonia but also the whole southern Serbia.
DeleteApart from the fact that JU has more passengers to SKP than in 2019, I still haven't read a single development anywhere in ex-Yu where JU won't "suffer the most" and be "hit hardest". From Ryanair's Zagreb base, Sarajevo base, Wizz Air in Podgorica, now Wizz Air in Skopje. You would think the airline would have collapsed by now from all these "hits".
Delete^ it is mostly wishful thinking. For some, this airline lives rent free in their mind every day.
DeleteMay be suffering is just losing a milk cow for JU and having to fight to catch the passengers by lowering the fares, FF program, improving the on board experience…
DeleteJU has a lot of ressources for fighting the W6 intrusion in their natural market.
Another amazing zamAnalysis!
DeleteIt’s ironic that Skopje now has better connectivity to parts of Germany than some larger capitals in the region.
ReplyDeleteThat's gastarbeiter traffic for you. In a way it is sad that so many young people have left and continue to do so for better job opportunities in western Europe.
DeleteThe whole region's aviation has a very large degree of migration-traffic about it. Then again Europe is a very mobile place, not just the Balkans.
DeleteSkopje made its bet on Wizz years ago and it’s clearly paying off.
ReplyDeleteBut at what cost? Incentives, dependence and almost no competition. It’s great while it lasts, risky if strategy changes.
DeleteThat is correct. However you forget that forming an aviation market is also important, getting people flying etc. Only 10-15years ago Skopje was an aviation backwater with a population largely used to either expensive fares or very little flying. Even if Wizzair were to leave the market has been proven which is good longterm.
Deleteincentives are peanuts lets be fair
DeleteSeven aircraft based in Skopje is something no one could imagine. Well done.
ReplyDeleteHopefully the Spanish routes are doing just well, in order for them to consider some other interesting routes in Spain. I didn't see any change in the number of flights per week for BCN and MAD for the summer season.
ReplyDeleteBCN is up by one
DeleteThis is excellent news for outbound tourism . More choice and better fares.
ReplyDeleteAlso Friedrichshafen gets one more weekly flight during this time period up to 4 flights per week
ReplyDeleteHow about reading the article
DeleteHope they keep the aircraft longer
ReplyDeleteWaiting for the all eggs in one basket comment....
ReplyDeleteBut it's true
DeletePeople complain about LCC dominance, but without Wizz there would be far fewer connections. Reality is what it is.
DeleteHow many bridges does SKP have?
ReplyDelete6
DeleteSkopje Wizzport
ReplyDeleteThe Palermo and Alghero routes feel like a test. If they work, we might see more Southern Europe leisure next year.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIt’s fascinating that Skopje now has ten weekly flights to Dortmund, yet still no nonstop to Paris CDG.
ReplyDeleteBeauvais serves the market well enough
DeleteEasy also flies to Orly
Deletealso zero to MUC but 10 weekly departures from bavarian airports
DeleteCan airport infrastructure cope during peak hours?
ReplyDeleteNot sure if representative, but was using the airport shortly after orthodox Christmas, and it was very, very crowded at hand luggage control. Almost missed my flight and something I have never experienced in all these years.
Deletethe mornings will be very very crowded, the rest of the day should be ok
DeleteMy flight was the noon 1 with OS, and it was very crowded
DeleteI've only ever found it quite ok. But then again i've only ever used JU there during the middle of the day and once arrived from London. Its a fairly nice airport overall.
DeleteGood development
ReplyDeleteThey should base one or two aircraft in Ljubljana
ReplyDeleteThey should launch New York - Ohrid...
DeleteThis is great news, but let’s not forget how quickly Wizz can reallocate aircraft if yields drop. Nothing is guaranteed long term.
ReplyDeleteAnd what in this world is guaranteed? Only one thing :).
DeleteObviously they give a chance to the market, they requested these routes and this capacity for a long time, now it's up to the people living in the catchment area to respond to the offers. If not, like every other private company they will try to make money somewhere else
Glad to see they are increasing Ljubljana ... slowly getting to 7pw ...
ReplyDeleteDo you have shares in that route?
Deletehe probably doesnt have but we all know what the high density expert and his crew were telling us ...
DeleteNo i dont, i am just frequently using it and its way easier to travel if you have more frequency…
DeletePalermo and Alghero are actually smart additions.
ReplyDeleteDo they stop flying to Lyon? The tickets are not on sale any more after end of March
ReplyDeleteYes it was announced some time ago
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/02/wizz-air-discontinues-skopje-route.html
missed that one, thanks
DeleteHuge passengers growth this year at SKP.
ReplyDeleteCrazy that all of them are A321neos!!
ReplyDelete"Wizz Air’s Corporate Communications Manager, ChatGPT, said"
ReplyDeleteNice to see some leisure routes to SKP.
ReplyDeletemost underrated city in Europe
ReplyDeleteAs a frequent traveller from Kosovo it is frustrating to see the poor connectivity at PRN - yet I am thankful I can also make use of the rich array of destinations SKP currently offers, despite the 1.5 hr drive hassle and border queues.
ReplyDeletePeace out.
you are more then welcome komšija
Deletehopefully things will improve when the highway will be finally finished from the Macedonian side
DeleteYeah, the current road trip is less than lovely to the frontier. It'll speed things up nicely
Deletethe best thing is they are mostly upgrading existing routes on theor own which proves they are doing fine
ReplyDeleteYes the only route that is getting closed is Lyon which was expectable , and I would say if they really want that route out of Skopje at least can work as a seasonal but not year round
DeleteThat's some heavy growth! Well done Wizzy & Skopje.
ReplyDeleteI hope we will see more summer destinations from Skopje.
Or also see these seasonal routes towards Ohrid coming from the Baltics, Romania, etc.
Love it
ReplyDeleteHopefully from next year the seventh will be permanently based. That would mean probably a few more new routes too.
ReplyDeleteIt's interesting how they launched Palermo from several ex-Yu cities but not TIA where they fly to many Italian destinations.
ReplyDeleteHow many people does Wizz employ in Macedonia?
ReplyDeleteProbably around 400-500
DeleteImpressive
DeleteHowever they often use staff employed elsewhere on the network so it probably flucuates.
DeleteAlot Macedonians works in their HQ in Hungary as well....
DeleteAlot Macedonians works in their HQ in Hungary as well....
DeleteAny growth for Ohrid?
ReplyDeleteread the last part of the article: https://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/02/skopje-airport-targets-more-legacy-and.html
DeleteKTW is increased to 3 weekly from July
DeleteLast year they switched Rome fiumicino to Ciampino and return to Fiumicino , now same Malpensa to Bergamo , whats the point behind this , someone knows? Btw congrats to SKP on recieving 7th A321 impressive addition and inceasing!!!!
ReplyDeletethey switch from Venice to Treviso and back every half year :)
DeleteIs about the demand in that particular time of the year ? I really dont understand the point ... :)
Delete^^ Venice and Treviso serve the same place. There is no demand change for such a routing, rather operational reasons will have caused the changes.
DeleteSomewhere I heard they have intension to build hangar at SKP airport for maintenance their aircrafts in future. This news shows that they have optimistic plans for Skopje base in future and see strong potential out there
ReplyDelete7th A321 simple impressive👏✈️
Given that North Macedonia has no airlines of its own having 7 very valuable aircraft based there is indeed very good.
DeleteOf course it is , will open new work force for people as well which is great investment. And now only their planes they can attract by the time others too
DeleteYou mean other airlines?
DeleteYes other airlines of course if u have a hangar for A321 why not to accept others too?
DeleteSimply amazing!! The choice of destinations that now SKP offers is a one that nobody would have imagined even five years ago. Btw. on my last flight from SKP to BSL I also noticed some Greeks onboard which is a sign that the airport atttacts even passengers which are in 200+ km area.
ReplyDelete