WHAT ROUTES IS BANJA LUKA AIRPORT MISSING?

Banja Luka currently boasts five year-round and one seasonal route operated by Ryanair, two year-round routes by Wizz Air, and regular flights by Air Serbia. During the summer season, the network expands to include carriers such as Aegean, Air Cairo, and Freebird.

This summer, Banja Luka Airport saw 38 weekly departures—an average of 5.4 flights per day—and is expected to handle around 470,000 passengers. However, experts suggest that there is still significant room for growth, particularly when it comes to expanding its international connectivity, according to aviation portal Zamaaero.

EUROWINGS – A LOGICAL STEP TOWARD GERMANY

According to Zamaaero, attracting Eurowings could be a natural next move. The airline already operates flights to Mostar and Sarajevo, and launching routes to Stuttgart and Berlin from Banja Luka would make strategic sense. Other potential German destinations include Cologne, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg. Given Eurowings' experience in Bosnia and Herzegovina, these flights would likely enjoy strong demand.

SWISS CONNECTION – TIME FOR ZURICH

Another route that should be high on the airport's priority list is Zurich. Carriers like Edelweiss, Chair, or Swiss could fill this gap. The Zurich-Banja Luka route was previously operated by B&H Airlines and was even planned by Edelweiss in 2015 before being canceled at the last minute. Today, with 450,000 more passengers annually compared to then, the route appears far more viable.

For comparison, Sarajevo had nine weekly flights to Zurich last summer—making two weekly flights from Banja Luka a realistic and competitive option.

ISTANBUL – A PRIORITY FOR DIASPORA AND BUSINESS

A direct route to Istanbul is another high-priority goal for Banja Luka. Airlines such as AJet, Pegasus, or Turkish Airlines could serve this important link. These carriers already operate flights to Tuzla and Sarajevo, while a planned route to Mostar was recently shelved. Establishing this connection would greatly benefit both business travelers and the diaspora.

SCANDINAVIA AND MONTENEGRO – KEY LINKS STILL MISSING

Banja Luka currently offers flights to Gothenburg and Stockholm Arlanda, but lacks service to Copenhagen. A route operated by Norwegian to the Danish capital would serve the large Bosnian diaspora and improve overall connectivity in Scandinavia.

Reintroducing the Air Montenegro route to Tivat would also add significant value to the airport’s tourism portfolio.

RYANAIR AND WIZZ AIR – ROOM TO GROW

There is still untapped potential for Ryanair and Wizz Air to expand in Banja Luka. Possible new routes include Berlin-Brandenburg, London, Eindhoven, and Beauvais (Paris). Additionally, Banja Luka Airport could work with Air Serbia to increase the frequency of its flights to Belgrade—ideally in the second or fourth daily wave.

Let’s not forget leisure routes to Greek islands, Malta, and Tunisia, which would attract even more tourists to the region.

BANJA LUKA AIRPORT – POTENTIAL TO EXCEED 700,000 PASSENGERS

If these suggested routes were to materialize, Banja Luka could easily surpass 700,000 passengers annually—cementing its role as a growing regional aviation hub.

Whether the airport and local authorities will manage to bring these plans to life remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: the potential is there, and passengers would certainly benefit from more options and better connectivity than ever before.