Flying to Bosnia: International airports & best connections
If you will be planning a trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina, the first step is to understand how to get to the country. If you will be coming from abroad, you have essentially two choices: you can drive from one of the neighboring countries or you can fly directly into Bosnia. In this post, we will cover the second option.
We have put together all the information you need about the best international airports in Bosnia and where to check for flights if you will be flying into the country.
Sarajevo International Airport
Let’s kick off this guide with the largest and most important international airport in Bosnia: Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ).
The Sarajevo International Airport is located just outside of Bosnia’s capital. It played an important role during the Bosnian War and, nowadays, it is the most used point of connection for travelers coming from abroad.
They do not have a wide variety of routes and airlines available, so you may need to check different connection options depending on where you will be flying from. Most flights available are to main Balkan cities and Middle-Eastern destinations.
The airport itself is not large compared to other European hubs, but it has everything you may need. You can find small shops and food stores, along with car rental offices. If you will be starting your trip in Sarajevo, it makes a lot of sense to rent a car with pick-up at the airport to simplify the logistics of your trip.
You can also get a local Bosnian SIM card at Sarajevo International Airport. The newsstand usually has options for local prepaid SIM cards available, or you can go to the BH Telecom shop.
Which airlines fly to Sarajevo Airport?
As of 2024, these are the airlines that currently fly to Sarajevo International Airport:
- Air Arabia
- Air Serbia
- Austrian Airlines
- Croatia Airlines
- Eurowings
- Fly Dubai
- Lufthansa
- Norwegian
- Pegasus Airlines
- Turkish Airlines
- WizzAir
- Qatar Airways
- Flynas
- Kuwait Airways
- Jazeera Airways
- Gulf Air
- Salam Air
- Air Cairo
- LOT Polish Airlines
- TUI
How to get to Sarajevo Airport
From Sarajevo city center, there are a few transport options to get to Sarajevo International Airport:
- By taxi: the ride from the center to the airport takes around 20 min
- By car: if you will be renting a car for your trip through Bosnia, the best thing to do is rent it directly at the airport and you can drive straight after you land. Read more about how it is to drive in Bosnia and the regulations for renting a car in Bosnia.
- By bus: there is a direct bus line connecting the Airport of Sarajevo and Baščaršija. The bus has daily departures throughout the day, you can check the timetable here.
Tuzla International Airport
If you are looking for tickets from low-cost airline operators, Tuzla Airport (TZL) can be a good option for flying into Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Tuzla International Airport is located north of Sarajevo, closer to the border with Serbia. The drive from Tuzla Airport to Sarajevo takes approximately 2h, so make sure you factor that in when checking the overall price and schedule for your trip.
The airport in Tuzla is much smaller than in Sarajevo. You will still find a snack bar and restaurant, along with a duty-free store. However, you should expect the options to be limited. If you have a long waiting time, make sure to pack snacks for the trip.
Check more information about Tuzla International Airport here.
Which airlines fly to Tuzla Airport?
As of 2024, these are the airlines that currently fly to Tuzla International Airport:
- Ryanair
- WizzAir
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Banja Luka Airport
Banja Luka International Airport (BNX) is also located north of Sarajevo, but closer to the Croatian border.
Banja Luka is one of the largest cities in Bosnia and Herzegovina, which means it has established connections with the capital Sarajevo, and other main destinations. However, it is important to mention that this is the airport located the furthest from Sarajevo. It takes between 3h and 3h30 to drive between both cities. If you will be traveling by public transport, the best thing to do is to take the bus or transfer the shuttle from the airport into Banja Luka city center, and from there arrange transport to Sarajevo.
Banja Luka International Airport is small, as expected. You will find a cafeteria selling drinks and snacks while you wait for your flight, but we advise you not to expect much variety in the products offered. As usual, we recommend packing snacks for your trip.
Flying into Banja Luka Airport when traveling to Bosnia can be an interesting alternative if you will be coming from other European cities. This airport offers low-cost flight connections to multiple German cities, Brussels, Belgrade, Milan, Malmo, Vienna, Stockholm, and more. Since the schedule may differ throughout the year, check their official website before your trip for up-to-date information.
There are currently only three airlines operating at Banja Luka International Airport:
- Air Serbia
- Ryanair
- WizzAir
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Mostar Airport
Choosing Mostar Airport as the destination to fly into Bosnia is a good option if you will be starting your trip by visiting Mostar. It is located only 10 min away from Mostar city center, so there isn’t a more practical way of arriving in the city.
The biggest downside is that Mostar Airport is very small and has limited offers of airlines and flights. In fact, Mostar Airport is actually mostly used for non-passenger flights. The only three airlines currently operating in Mostar Airport are Eurowings, Croatia Airlines, and G-tour.
For these reasons, most travelers flying into Bosnia prefer to land in Sarajevo, which has much better connections and, in most cases, better prices.
FAQ – Best airports for flying into Bosnia and Herzegovina
Where do you fly into Bosnia?
The best airport for flying into Bosnia is Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ). Sarajevo is the airport that offers the most variety of flights and availability, better connections to the center, and an overall better experience. The other three international airports of Bosnia are much smaller and have fewer international connections.
What is the main international airport in Bosnia?
The main international airport in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo International Airport (SJJ). This is not only because of the flight availability but also because of its strategic location very close to the center of Sarajevo, Bosnia’s capital.
What is the cheapest month to fly to Bosnia?
The cheapest month to fly to Bosnia and Herzegovina is March, even though prices are usually low throughout the entire winter season since it is the low season for tourism.
On the other hand, summer is the most expensive time of the year to fly to Bosnia and Herzegovina – but prices can still be considerably cheaper than other major European destinations.
How many international airports are there in Bosnia?
Bosnia has four international airports:
- Sarajevo International Airport
- Tuzla International Airport
- Banja Luka International Airport
- Mostar International Airport
What is Bosnia’s biggest airport?
The biggest airport in Bosnia and Herzegovina is Sarajevo International Airport.
Sarajevo is also the airport with the best flight deals and better connections to international destinations.
Is it better to fly to Bosnia or drive?
It will depend a lot on your itinerary and how much time you have available for the trip. As a rule of thumb, we can suggest:
- Drive if you will be coming from a neighboring country such as Serbia, Montenegro, Croatia, or Slovenia.
- Fly if you will be coming from further destinations such as Germany, Sweden, or the US.
Do you need to rent a car for your trip?
We always use DiscoverCars to rent our car. So far it has proved to be not only the cheapest option but also the most reliable one. We used DiscoverCars to rent our car for our trips through Slovenia, Montenegro, Serbia, Italy, and so many other countries, and we never had any issues. We even convinced all of our friends and family to use it. So that’s why we are also recommending it to you!
What other airports can I consider flying to for my trip to Bosnia?
Besides the four international airports located in Bosnia, you may also consider buying a ticket to an airport located close to the Bosnian border.
The Airport of Dubrovnik, for example, is located only 2h30 away from Mostar, which is closer than the airport of Banja Luka is from Sarajevo. The Airport of Dubrovnik has a much larger number of daily flights, which increases your chances of finding a good and affordable connection. Once you land, you can rent a car and drive to Bosnia to start your road trip.
Read also:
- All about driving in Bosnia
- 5-Day Bosnia Road Trip Itinerary
- 3 Days in Sarajevo: Itinerary & Things to See
We hope these tips have helped you plan your next trip to Bosnia and Herzegovina. Since we live in Slovenia, it is easier for us to drive instead of flying to Bosnia. However, we have visited the country enough times that we could bring this information to you with our personal view of each of the options presented.
We always use Skyscanner when searching for flights for our trips. We encourage you to check not only the Bosnian International Airport but also other cities located close by. Who knows, maybe you can even combine two destinations in one!
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Bosnia, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Bosnia on Skyscanner.com.
- Travel insurance: Make sure you are protected during your trip. We use SafetyWing whenever we are traveling abroad.
- Renting a car: We always use Discover Cars to get the best car deals.
- Accommodation: Find the best hotels and apartments on Booking.com.
- Activities: Get fun ideas of what to do and buy unique activities with Get Your Guide.
- SIM Card: Stay connected during your trip with Airalo.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links. This means that we get a small commission from any purchase you make, at no additional cost to you!
