The CEO of Air Serbia, Jirži Marek, confirmed that Miami will be the airline’s next destination in the United States. Speaking to Business Focus magazine, Marek described Miami as the “logical next step” in expanding Air Serbia’s presence in the North American market.
While Toronto is also being considered, Marek noted that due to strong seasonality and diaspora demand, it is less stable than New York and Chicago, which also have stronger cargo potential. Cargo traffic is becoming an increasingly important part of Air Serbia’s transatlantic operations.
Although no exact launch date for flights to Miami has been announced, discussions with Miami Airport have been ongoing for some time. Airport representatives indicated that the Belgrade–Miami route could be officially confirmed by the end of this year or early next year.
In addition to new destinations, Air Serbia is focusing on increasing frequencies on existing long-haul routes amid global market instability. Last year, the airline carried a total of 168,263 passengers on its US flights: 124,939 on the Belgrade–New York route and 43,324 on the Belgrade–Chicago route, which started mid-2023.
Originally driven by diaspora demand, Air Serbia’s US routes are increasingly attracting tourists from both sides of the Atlantic. The airline has established a codeshare with JetBlue and is developing a partnership with American Airlines, enabling connections to many US destinations beyond New York and Chicago.
Regionally, Air Serbia aims to expand beyond the former Yugoslav markets and become a leading carrier in Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary.
Regarding 2024, Marek said the 6% growth rate seems modest compared to previous years but is part of a post-pandemic stabilization. The airline is operating 70% above 2019 levels, while many major European carriers have yet to fully recover. After rapid expansion in 2022 and 2023, when over 40 new destinations were opened and operations nearly doubled, 2024 is focused on system stabilization and fine-tuning.
Miami would become Air Serbia’s third US route, further strengthening its growing transatlantic network from Belgrade.
