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Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport has added more than a dozen new routes to its schedule for 2026, as interest in the Serbian capital gathers pace.
The latest addition is courtesy of Air Serbia, which has confirmed plans to launch nonstop services between Belgrade and Alicante.
The southern Spanish city is Air Serbia’s seventh new route announcement for the year and the fourteenth new service confirmed at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport for 2026.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport goes for growth
The announcement follows a push by both the airline and the VINCI operated airport to capitalise on rising demand.
The Serbian capital has consolidated its position as a fast-growing regional hub serving not only the Balkans but routes as far as North America and east Asia.
Its location between western Europe, the Middle East and major markets in Asia make it an attractive proposition.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport. Photo: Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
Spain emerges as a key growth market
The Alicante service strengthens Air Serbia’s presence in Spain, which has become a focus for the carrier.
The new route, scheduled to begin on 1 June, will be operated twice weekly using Airbus A320 aircraft, with flights on Mondays and Fridays.
“The new direct Belgrade-Alicante service is a result of a detailed analysis of the market and performance of comparable routes, which confirms that Air Serbia remains committed to sustainable growth, increasing the market share, and providing a better choice of destinations to its passengers,” said Boško Rupić, GM Commercial and Strategy, Air Serbia.
The airline is also preparing to launch flights to Seville and Tenerife later this year, bringing the total number of Spanish destinations in its network to eight.
Air Serbia will face direct competition on the Alicante route from Wizz Air, which entered the market in mid-2025 and reported strong early performance.
Wizz Air has also inaugurated seasonal flights between Belgrade and Grenoble, starting on 3 January, alongside Pisa and Chania later in the year.
Additional new destinations that can be reached non-stop from the Serbian capital, thanks to Air Serbia, include Baku, Santorini, Toronto and Tromso.
Royal Jordanian Airlines is launching Amman flights while airBaltic is adding services from Riga
Terminal expansion to support future demand for Belgrade
To accommodate rising passenger volumes, Belgrade Airport has also begun work on expanding its existing terminal.
The project will focus on the C pier, where additional infrastructure is planned to increase both capacity and efficiency.
The expansion will deliver three additional contact gates, supported by three new passenger boarding bridges, as well as four newly constructed aircraft stands designed to accommodate single aisle aircraft such as the Airbus A320 and Boeing 737 families. In total, the new section will add approximately 5,350sq m of terminal space.
To improve passenger flows, the extended area will also include four new moving walkways, with two installed on the departures level and two serving arriving passengers. Construction is scheduled to run for around 13 months and, once complete, will raise the airport’s total number of gates from 33 to 36. The works form part of broader preparations for forecast growth in passenger volumes, including increased demand linked to Belgrade’s hosting of Expo 2027.
Belgrade Airport chief executive Chivoine Rem said traffic growth in recent years has placed Belgrade among Europe’s fastest-expanding airports, a trend that has been recognised by both airlines and passengers.
Photo: Markus Mainka | stock.adobe.com
Record passenger numbers at Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
During the most recent summer season, the airport served a record 116 destinations, while August marked the first time monthly passenger numbers exceeded one million.
The latest terminal project builds on a multi-year investment programme that has already seen more than €366 million committed to modernising the airport’s infrastructure.
Among the most significant upgrades is the full reconstruction of the main runway, the first such overhaul in six decades, alongside the construction of a new parallel runway positioned between the existing runway and taxiway system.
Passenger-facing facilities have been expanded in parallel. Landside parking capacity has been doubled, while 29 additional check-in counters have been installed, taking the total to 90.
Centralised security screening has been introduced, complemented by nine new passport control positions and the deployment of electronic passport gates for both departures and arrivals, delivered in cooperation with Serbia’s interior and transport ministries.
Featured image: Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
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