Air Serbia’s CEO, Jiri Marek, has confirmed that the airline’s next U.S. destination will be Miami. In an interview with Business Focus, Mr. Marek stated, “Our next logical U.S. destination is Miami. In North America, we’re also considering Toronto, though its high seasonality and diaspora-focused demand make it less consistent than JFK or Chicago, which offer stronger cargo opportunities as well.”
He further explained that while the airline’s U.S. routes have traditionally catered to the Balkan diaspora, they have seen growing appeal among tourists from both continents in the post-Covid era. “Now, with our expanding partnerships through a codeshare with JetBlue and cooperation with American Airlines, our connectivity is reaching beyond New York and Chicago to other parts of the U.S.,” Marek added.
Discussions about launching flights to Miami have been ongoing. Earlier this year, Miami International Airport’s Head of Air Service Development suggested that a Belgrade–Miami route could be announced by late 2025 or early 2026. Despite this ambition, Mr. Marek recently emphasized that, in the short term, the airline is focusing on increasing frequencies on existing long-haul routes, citing current market volatility as a factor. In 2024, Air Serbia carried 168,263 passengers on its U.S. services—124,939 on the New York route and 43,324 on the Chicago route.
Looking beyond its traditional Balkan stronghold, Air Serbia aims to expand its footprint across the broader region. “While we already lead in the former Yugoslavia, our growth ambitions extend into Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary,” said Mr. Marek. He acknowledged that a 6% growth rate in 2024 might seem modest, but noted that the airline is operating at 70% above pre-pandemic levels—a benchmark many larger European carriers have yet to reach.
“We experienced significant expansion in 2022 and 2023, launching over 40 new destinations and nearly doubling our network since 2019. This year is about stabilizing and optimizing our operations for sustainable growth,” Marek concluded.
Source: exyuaviation.com
