Honestly, New York flights were a bigger strech than China flights, so this might very well happen

Imagine struggling so bad for multiple years and then getting flights to China and the USA in a span of a year and two. Totally unimaginable even a year ago.

Where are the flights to China?

Wait till October

Denver - Paris CDG 7/7 from 27.5.27 with B789

Newark - Luxemburg 7/7 from 2.4.27 with A321XLR

Newark - Ljubljana 4/7 from 12.5.27 with B764

Newark - Olbia 3/7 from 27.5.27 mit B763

Newark - Catania 4/7 from 28.5.27 with B763

Newark - Ibiza 4/7 from 31.5.27 with A321XLR

Newark - Valencia 3/7 from 2.6.27 with A321XLR

Newark - Marseille 7/7 from 4.6.27 with A321XLR

Newark - Terceira 3/7 from 9.6,.27 with B737-8

Washington - Toulouse 7/7 from 27.5.27 with A321XLR

Washington - Mailand 3/7 from 28.5.27

The A321XLR begins to play a role and this will lead to much more offerings in 2028

What/where is Terceira?

Azores.

Just like I said in Sarajevo thread message at 05:45, UA will open new A231XLR routes up to 3,600nm and every one of those announced is up to 3,450nm, even below my prediction. LJU is not on XLR so ZAG and SJJ should learn from this - you are too far for A321XLR.

Note that Ljubljana got 767-400 not 767-300 which clearly means that they thing that the demand will be there

It's not about the -300 vs -400 or demand, or 4x or daily frequency. It is about XLR not getting a single new Euro UA route over 3,500nm. LJU, ZAG and SJJ are all beyond that number.

Why does every thread here need to be hating on Sarajevo, an airport among the most successful in the region?

most successful in the region spilled my coffee

I thought that was Skopje?

It's about LJU, not SKP or SJJ. But it's also about cheerleaders here hoping their airports such as SKP and SJJ (topic of news article yesterday) will be served by this transatlantic silver bullet of an aircraft, A321XLR, from New York area. It just won't, and proven again by new UA destinations.

never say never

Thank you to Melanija too

I think Ljubljana CEO might be the best thing that happened to that airport in a while, especially from what I hear in the backgrund

there could be an article about Lakers arriving to Ljubljana ...

Melania became the First Lady back in 2017, so no. Lakers fans are on the West coast, not so much in the catchment area of the reigning NBA champions. It's about Slovenia as a tourist destination on it's own.

lol, sure but many Americans heard for Slovenia because of them ... that was the point lol

Someone else from this forum too :D

This will definetely hurt Air Serbia flights both from LJU and ZAG

not really, connection to NYC with airserbia is horrible. the one hurt even more will be AirFrance - one of the best connections for NYC from Ljubljana ...

When there are no flights from X to US the argument is no one from X uses Air Serbia to the US. When flights from X to US are introduced the argument is how it will hurt AIr Serbia. Nutters.

Classic.

With more A321neo XLR ZAG, PUY, SJJ and maybe ZAD on the list for 2028.

I just wonder when the likes of American and Delta will respond.

Respond to what?

To United's massive Europe expansion which began after Corona and will obviously continue

@13:17 - How horrible can they be with JU flying almost three times daily?

Could A321XLR reach Ljubljana from EWR?

Yes, especially as its not economy heavy - C20W12Y118

A genuine question, how does not being economy heavy play a role in range? Is there such a difference in weight because of less people on board?

Its not just people my guess is the luggage etc is the problem too

For every 20-25 pax less, an A321 can fly one hour longer, so it quickly adds up.

4 weekly is the same as Split for gods sake...what an achivement by Ljubljana

They are also launcing Catania, Ibiza, Luxembourg, Marseille, Olbia and Valencia from EWR and Toulouse from IAD.

US tourist numbers are up 20% this year ... after whole team of Lakers visiting Slovenia for 4 days and with this new route, we might get additional 20% next year ...

If US tourist arrivals are up 20% only to Slovenia but no other Euro country, then Luka might be a cause. But check US tourist arrivals to other Euro destinations to reveal the truth.

has absolutely nothing to do with Luka, its a trend in the travel bubble and nobody ever has mentioned him or that glorious first lady from Novo Mesto

I see no sense in this comment.

"Around 156k american tourists visited Slovenia so far this year"
This is why United went for it surely, insanely big number for a country with no direct connections

For sure, and the increase compared to last year is like 25 %. The popularity of Slovenia is growing like crazy amongst the Americans.

Almost 39k in June alone. Also 8k from Canada, which could add some passengers.

Melanija, Luka and Anže effect...

absolutely none of them. its a trend

Return flights start at 930$

Honestly not too bad

Where could you book those tickets? United doesn't display the direct flights for me yet.

It does for me, on the browser but not on the app

Hmm, really? This is basically US carrier operating mostly because of US tourists, how that make sense in terms that Slovenia is wealthy? I'm not saying it is not in compare to other Balkan countries.

None of us alive today will see the time when the rest of EXYu catches up with Slovenia.

True dat

yep but LJU will always lack in pax numbers compared with the other exyu capitals

Definitely not in prestige though

definitely in pax numbers

no worries, Berlin is coming next ... #EDIguy

Finally.

This will make a lot of commenters happy, thanks #EDIguy

Easyjet #edi?

noup ... the company that made stupid mistake at the beginning of their operation to Ljubljana will now amend it ;)

Oh Eurowings is coming back, that is a surprise. I am glad they are trying again.

Is easyJet then cooking anything else #edi?

no, but wizz is cooking ;)

Hmmm, what is Wizz cooking?

let them cook!

as far as i know, Tirana ... ;)

Berlin I get but Vienna's proximity makes it non lucrative in my eyes

Zagreb has 21 flights pw, and is 50km closer

Vienna also has a big Croatian diaspora. Slovenians also prefer to drive a car than fly.

It would be funny if Wizzair opens the base in Ljubljana and not in Zagreb.

base not happening ... unfortunately, at least not in near future. But Tirana is. And possibly Pristina. ok, enough info till next time ;)

They are not opening a base in either city
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2026/07/wizz-air-rules-out-near-term-bases-in.html

nor is TIA happen

It's happening, like it or not

we hear it for two years now ...

Both of the flights have perfect timings. It's absolutely great. LJU is finally starting to feel like a proper capital airport. 2027 is looking to be a great year so far, with three new routes confirmed and more rumoured to come.

Which routes are confirmed for the summer and which is rumoured?

The confirmed routes are LTN, TFS (only during the winter) and now EWR. The rumoured ones are Berlin (look at the previous comment in this article), and some people were also mentioning Rome and PMI, but those are seriously only rumours. Someone also said easyJet applied to the tender with two new routes. There is a lot of times when the Anonymous commenters have been right, that's why I have some hopes in those comments, but of course you have to take it with a big (huge!) grain of salt.

There was also some rumours that Prishtina will be launched with Wizz since they are opening a base there.

before pristina there will be something else ... a bit more south ;)

U2 applying for subsidies for summer flights to AGP or PMI would make sense.

"Someone also said easyJet applied to the tender with two new routes."

They didn't say that at all. They said they have a 'gut feeling' .

Hmm that could be Ohrid or Tirana by Wizz. I would really love to see Wizz launch something else than balkan routes.

Larnaca :)

Larnaca is also a great addition.

Trust me Ljubljana will set it up for 4x weekly flights to USA

I am more worried about passport control. I haven’t seen more than two police officers working on departures. Last month with Skopje, Heathrow and Tunisia charter departing inside 20min we waited 50 minutes to cross border.

I am more concerned that the business lounge in LJU will be really overcrowded before EWR flights. It's already quite full on certain days.

This is also a direction in which the Slovenia wants to take its tourism, more boutique, premium oriented. This new route is definitely a much bigger win for slovenian tourism than a new LCC route that would bring drunken teenagers that live off pašteta to the country.

Yeah because so many greeks and people from cyprus would come to visit Slovenia. But yes its a nice move.

Always the victim... you're getting really tiring

I really wonder sometimes how is PIR as a person in real life haha

This is blog/forum on aviation and I comment aviation. You, obsessed by me and commenting on me, just show who and how you are in real life. Cheers! 🙂

Well, according to some analysts huge LCC present at certain airport makes city big and important. Unlike BEG, where we don't have Ryanair for example. So you are blessed with FR (and soon W6) in ZAG but you don't know yet.

Congrats to LJU, this is huge.

Anons 13:29 and 13:31 so your problem with PIR is that he pinpoints corruption, nepotism and negligence as a major, if not the only, readon, why Zagreb airpost and Croatia Airlines are in the state they are? Good job guys, really.

I don't have a specific problem with him, it's good that someone points out all the wrongdoings of our leaders. I just think that he is very passionate about the issue and his style of expression amuses me, that's why I would like to see how he is in person.

Why should we read bs about Kradeze in every single article? Let LJU have its moment for god's sake!

Thats also true, yeah. Listening about how everything is wrong at ZAG and OU gets tiring after a while.

@anons 14:49, 52, 53 yes, you have a point, for all. I find him as an idealist... Which is heartbreaking in a country like ours.

This will also cover Zagreb, Trieste region and some of Austria as well. I am pretty sure the route can be successful and hopefully it can be extended into winter with an A321XLR.

not sure about trieste ... you have venice really near ...

It will open up that whole region as a whole and will be a great addition.

You said “not sure about Trieste but you have Venice near…”. Do you know Trieste is CLOSER to Slovenia than Venice? Check your map.

sure, difference is about 80km - for a road trip - nothing. And you have to buy vignette. nut ok, that's few €. but mayor difference is: In Ljubljana you will have 4 weekly flights, in venice you will have probably double daily. so, guess where you will go?

*33KM, difference

I know that a lot of Emirates crew from TRS region perfer to fly to LJU instead of VCE.

Just 90 domestic destinations from EWR

EWR is one of Unitetd hubs so good transfers are expected.

Thank you. EWR-SKP next!

How yes no

BEG already has New York flights and ZAG is just... ZAG.

A slap in the face of those laughing at comments here that airports which are not BEG or ZAG should get NYC flights

DBV had US flights for years, coastal areas simply attract more US tourists.

BEG is not getting UA due to the fact BEG has daily flights to New York, a service that has been operating for more than a decade. UA announced new routes where it doesn't face competition.

Ljubljana has really nice mix of airlines ...

It's not that big to start with.

Nothing beats Emirates in ZAG.

Emirates in Zagreb are the best deal of century as a anaLitičar said.

Was.

It was said at that time that arrival of EK in ZAG was bigger thing than "whole Air Serbia project'"🤣

He knows what's he talking, serious expert top level.

The biggest project is Croatian aviation sector as whole.

Really?

More summer routes incoming!

which ones? you lot are always saying things as if they are certain

but these are summer routes

LOL

But almost no inbound American tourism. Not gonna happen.

Not many, but a few per flights, I flew with them once, but its really more convinient to fly via LH hubs or via Paris. Not to mention that you fly "backwards" for the first leg

stvarno?

China for sure. If even ZAG can get it...

Yes.

Remote where DHL 757 is parked

not

Jet bridge at B3 is capable of serving a 767. It already did once.

Are you aware LJU is still below passenger numbers it had while Adria was operating? Nice to see numbers climb back to where it used to be, but think of the lost opportunity and economic impact of millions of lost passengers over all those years.

Do you think Adria pax simply stopped flying after the airline collapsed? Of course not.

So who will fly in Ljubljana?

Nobody, it will be mandatory to do the trip in the above mentioned direction exclusively, and strict penalties will be imposed on anyone trying to do it in reverse.

🤣

Of course not. A bit like the LJU-BER route is the most successful ex route, that won't be coming back anytime soon

:)))

That btidge is in schengen

You are right…We are then most likely to see them park it at a remote stand

Newark airport is the same distance from Manhattan as JFK.

I don't know what to tell you: It is incorrect to say "New York’s Newark Airport" when the airport is located in the state of New Jersey.

Newark is part of the IATA city designator for New York City. So it's not incorrect. Author was obviously referring to New York City and not New York state.

Thank you for that information. I didn't know about the IATA city designations, but it does make sense. As I previously pointed out, Newark does serve NYC but it is physically in New Jersey. I think that could be made clearer in the article. To my (not-in-aviation/layman) American ears, it sounds strange.

Also, the entirety of NYC is the state of New York, but the metropolitan area of NYC does extend beyond the state of New York – New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut, which is why it's referred to as the "tri-state area"

It is not about cargo, it's about real-world range of XLR operations.