Air Serbia carries 4.44 million passengers, more than 7,144 t of cargo in 2024

BELGRADE - Air Serbia carried a total of 4.44 million passengers on scheduled and charter flights in 2024 - up by 6 pct compared to the previous record year of 2023, the Serbian national airline has announced.

"The company operated 47,022 flights from its hub in Belgrade, as well as two other international airports in Serbia – Nis and Kraljevo, up 4 pct year over year. When it comes to cargo traffic, last year, the Serbian national airline transported over 7,144 tons of cargo, up 25.14 pct year over year, marking the best cargo result since the company started operating under its current name," it said in a statement.

"When we entered 2024, we were aware of the success achieved in 2023 and we were determined to achieve even better results, focusing on stabilising our operations and upgrading the services. The strong business results in 2024 demonstrate that we have accomplished what we had set out to do. Over the past 366 days, we have flown to 33 countries across four continents, carrying over 4.4 million passengers. We have also made significant steps to further develop the aviation industry in the Republic of Serbia, including training the first female captain in the company's history and launching a cadet pilot program in collaboration with the Aviation Academy, allowing us to potentially employ ten promising young pilots immediately after completing their training. None of this would have been possible without the dedicated work and commitment of our employees, whose professionalism and dedication contribute daily to achieving goals and advancing our business. Aware that passengers are at the heart of everything we do, we thank them for their trust. As the national carrier, we remain committed to connecting Serbia with the world and building bridges between people, cultures, and economies. We will continue expanding our network, modernising the fleet, and improving all aspects of our operations to achieve even better results and strengthen the position of Serbia's national airline on the market," Air Serbia CEO Jiri Marek said.

"Air Serbia’s fleet saw strong growth last year. Out of a total of 27 aircraft, three are wide-body jets, fourteen are narrow-body and there are also ten turboprops. The company’s third Airbus A330-200, registered as YU-ARD, with special EXPO 2027 livery, arrived in Belgrade in early October and joined Air Serbia’s operations on October 18 on a charter flight between Belgrade and Tokyo. This was the Serbian national airline’s longest non-stop flight time-wise," Air Serbia said.

The company continued to expand its network in 2024.

"For the first time, scheduled flights were introduced to Mostar and Guangzhou in the People's Republic of China, while the direct route between Belgrade and Nice was restored after several years. Some of Air Serbia's most sought-after destinations in 2024 within the region and nearby surroundings were Tivat, Podgorica, Istanbul, Athens, Vienna, and Ljubljana. In Western Europe and the Euro-Mediterranean region, the most popular destinations included Zurich, Paris, Larnaca, Barcelona, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, Milan, London, and Rome," it said.

"In terms of long-haul routes, Air Serbia operated flights in 2024 from Guangzhou in the East to New York and Chicago in the West.

Aligning with its strategic goals and the company's aspiration to further develop long-haul traffic, a new scheduled destination between Belgrade and Shanghai was introduced to the network at the beginning of 2025," the airline said.

"Thanks to the efforts of the City of Belgrade and Air Serbia, Serbia's capital hosted over 250 of the world's top leaders and leading aviation industry experts in November as part of the prestigious CAPA 2024 International Aviation Summit. This reinforced Belgrade's position on the global aviation map, with Air Serbia once again standing out as a key regional player.

Air Serbia's achievements were recognised globally in 2024, earning the airline a place in the ATW Hall of Fame alongside the world's most prestigious carriers. The renowned American magazine Global Traveler named it the best airline in Eastern Europe, while its commitment to customer experience was acknowledged by the specialised portal AirHelp, which ranked Air Serbia 10th on its annual list of the Best Airlines in 2024," the flagship carrier also said.