Ljubljana Airport enters next phase of growth - EXCLUSIVE
We expect Ljubljana Airport to exceed 1.7 million passengers this year and deliver another year of strong growth. Passenger traffic increased by nearly 16% year on year in the first nine months of 2026, building on Slovenia’s 23% connectivity growth in 2025, the highest increase among EU countries.
This was said by the source at Fraport Slovenija in an exclusive interview with CE Report.
This momentum is visible in both scale and quality. During the summer, 24 airlines connected Ljubljana with 30 scheduled destinations. July was the busiest July in our history, with 208,638 passengers, followed by an all-time monthly record of 222,958 passengers in August.
Records matter, but they are not the strategy. Fraport Slovenija's success is measured by the quality of Slovenia’s connectivity: the right destinations, strong frequencies, access to major European and global hubs, and a broader, more resilient airline portfolio. Even with Lufthansa’s previously very well-performing Munich service not operating this winter, Fraport Slovenija's growth trajectory remains strong. New routes, additional frequencies and sustained demand across both leisure and business travel continue to drive the market forward.
Ljubljana Airport has the infrastructure, capacity and market potential for further growth. Together with our airline, tourism and institutional partners, we are strengthening Slovenia’s international accessibility and building Ljubljana Airport as the airport of choice for the region.
Fraport Slovenija's winter 2026–2027 programme is set. It includes two new direct destinations: Tenerife with airBaltic and London Luton with easyJet. The winter network comprises 22 direct destinations served by 18 airlines, providing strong access to major European hubs as well as key business and leisure markets.
For summer 2027, the next phase of Fraport Slovenija's network development is already taking shape. Confirmed additions include United Airlines’ non-stop service to New York-Newark, easyJet’s new connection to Berlin, and TUI services to Brussels and Düsseldorf. Fraport Slovenija is also in final discussions with individual airlines regarding further connections. These negotiations remain commercially sensitive, and Fraport Slovenija will communicate additional routes once the relevant agreements have been concluded.
Fraport Slovenija's strategy is clear: we are not pursuing growth for its own sake. We are building a broader, more resilient and strategically relevant network that improves Slovenia’s international accessibility and creates lasting value for passengers, tourism, business and the wider region. The direction is positive, the pipeline is active, and Ljubljana Airport is entering its next stage of growth with confidence.
Ljubljana Airport is ready for its next phase of growth. Fraport Slovenija's modern terminal and airside infrastructure have the capacity to accommodate rising passenger volumes, including United Airlines’ four-times-weekly Boeing 767 service between Ljubljana and Newark. No major terminal expansion or permanent infrastructure investment is required for its launch.
Fraport Slovenija's priority is not to build additional capacity, but to deploy the capacity we already have with precision. Preparations are progressing according to plan, covering ground handling, staffing and training, catering, passenger services and the required airport equipment. Any additional resources will be introduced in a disciplined and targeted manner to ensure operational reliability and the service quality expected by United Airlines and its passengers.
This is the value of investing ahead of demand. Fraport Slovenija can accommodate a strategically important long-haul service without major new construction, while maintaining the safety, efficiency and quality required for continued growth.
The fundamentals are compelling. Nearly 200,000 Americans already visit Slovenia each year without a nonstop service, and Fraport Slovenija expects demand from the United States to grow by approximately 25% this year. Fraport Slovenija therefore sees United Airlines’ 44,000 seats as additional market capacity, not simply traffic diverted from existing connecting services.
The impact goes well beyond passenger numbers. American visitors stay longer, travel outside the traditional peak season and spend around €160 per day. The direct service will also make business travel easier and strengthen the conditions for trade and investment.
ACI EUROPE’s research associates a 10% increase in direct connectivity with approximately 0.5% growth in GDP per capita. This is not a forecast for one route, but it demonstrates the wider economic value of direct air links.
Newark is therefore more than a new route. It is new economic capacity for Slovenia, and Fraport Slovenija expects it to grow the market rather than simply redistribute it.
Reducing seasonality is a central part of Fraport Slovenija's route development strategy, and the progress is clear. Winter passenger traffic has grown by 18% year on year, and Ljubljana already has one of the more balanced year-round demand profiles in the wider Alpe-Adria region.
Together with airlines, tourism organisations and regional partners, Fraport Slovenija is building demand beyond the summer peak and creating the conditions for more year-round services.
Incentives can be part of the solution, but the answer goes well beyond incentives. They can help open a route, extend a season or add frequencies, but they cannot replace sustainable demand. Long-term success comes from the right connectivity, coordinated market development and a proposition that works commercially for airlines while creating lasting value for Slovenia and the wider region.
Summer demonstrates the strength of Fraport Slovenija market. Our lower seasonality and continued winter growth demonstrate its increasing maturity. Our ambition is clear: to make Ljubljana the year-round airport of choice for the region.
Photo: Facebook/LJUairport
This interview was prepared by Julian Müller
