Best international airports for flying into Serbia
One of the first steps of planning your trip to Serbia is figuring out the logistics of it all: how to arrive in the country and move around.
I know a lot of people visit Serbia through land connections while doing a trip to multiple countries in the Balkan region. But, if Serbia will be your first or last visited country, this article will be very useful for you.
If you will be coming from abroad, deciding the best airport to fly into Serbia is very important so you don’t lose time with connections. So, let’s jump in.
Serbia’s International Airports
Serbia has 3 international airports that are currently operating and serving commercial flights:
- Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
- Nis Constantine the Great Airport
- Kraljevo Morava Airport
In the next sections, I’ll give you an overview of each of them so you can have a better idea of what to expect when flying into Serbia using each of these airports.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport
The Nikola Tesla Airport is also known as the Belgrade International Airport. Located in the capital of Serbia, this is the largest airport in the country and the main hub of Air Serbia, the national airline.
Travelers visiting Serbia for the first time from abroad will most likely fly into Belgrade International Airport because of the better flight selection.
Over the past few years, I have noticed that Air Serbia seems to be expanding across Europe and offering more and more routes. From Belgrade International Airport, you can fly to almost all major cities in Europe with a direct flight, which is very good for tourists.
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is also the best entry point for visitors coming from abroad. You can find direct flights to Dubai, New York, Istanbul, and much more.
Airlines flying into Belgrade International Airport
There are currently 26 airlines operating at Belgrade International Airport. These are some of the main ones:
- Air Cairo
- Air France
- Air Montenegro
- Air Serbia
- Austrian Airlines
- EasyJet
- Etihad Airways
- FlyDubai
- KLM
- LOT Polish Airlines
- Lufthansa
- Norwegian Airlines
- Qatar Airways
- Swiss
- Transavia
- Turkish Airlines
- Wizz Airlines
Want to see the complete list? Check their official website here.
How to get to Belgrade Airport from the city center?
The Belgrade International Airport is located outside the city of Belgrade, so you will need to either take a taxi, car, or public transport to get there. Here are the options available:
- By car: it takes approx. 25 min to go from the city center to Belgrade Airport. This is a good option if you will be renting a car for your trip to Serbia, so you can plan to drop it off at the airport directly.
- By public transport: The A1 shuttle is the fastest and most comfortable way to go from Belgrade Airport to the city center. Tickets are only 3,40 EUR and you can choose between three main stops – the Railway Station, the Slavija Square, and the Fontana (on the New Belgrade side). Check the times and tickets here. The A1 regular bus line also connects Belgrade Airport with the city center, but it is a bus with more stops so it takes longer.
- By transfer: You can book a private transfer from the airport to the city center if you are looking for more comfort. We normally use Get Transfer for that.
- By taxi: This is also a popular alternative. For the ride, you can expect to pay around 20 EUR.
Read more: How the public transport in Belgrade works
Nis Constantine the Great Airport
Nis Airport is the second largest international airport in Serbia and it is used mostly by low-cost airlines in Europe.
From here, you can fly to a handful of European cities such as Basel, Vienna, Frankfurt, Istanbul, Ljubljana, and more. You can see all the destinations offered on their website.
Even though it is the second airport in the country, Nis Airport is significantly smaller than the one in Belgrade. You can still find a couple of rental car companies operating here, but you will have fewer options available. The same goes for food and entertainment at the airport itself.
Airlines operating in Nis International Airport
There are only three airlines currently operating in Nis International Airport:
- Air Serbia
- Ryanair
- Wizz Air
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How to get to Nis Airport from the city center?
Unlike Belgrade’s airport, Nis Constantine the Great Airport is located very close to the city center – only 5 km away to be more precise.
These are the ways you can get to the airport from the city center of Nis:
- By car: The drive will take you only 10 minutes. This is a very fast and convenient way of getting to the airport from the center of Nis.
- By public transport: Bus line 34A will take you to a walking distance out of the city center, which is very convenient. Bus 34B will also go towards the city and can be a good fit as well, depending on where your accommodation will be located.
- By taxi: This is also a very comfortable and convenient way of getting to the airport in Nis, especially considering how close it is to the center. You will find a lot of taxi services offering this option.
Kraljevo Morava Airport
This airport used to be a military station. In 2006, it was rebuilt after the runway was destroyed during the Cold War, and it was extended to also have a section to serve commercial flights.
Currently, Air Serbia is the only airline operating out of Morava Airport with a flight going to Istanbul. If you are looking for flights from other European or international destinations, it is better to consider flying into Belgrade or Nis instead.
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FAQ – Best international airports in Serbia
Which is the largest airport in Serbia?
Belgrade Nikola Tesla Airport is the largest international airport in Serbia. It is also the one with the best flight offers.
How many international airports are there in Serbia?
Serbia has 3 international airports: Belgrade Airport, Nis Airport, and Morava Airport. However, for commercial flights, Belgrade and Nis Airports are the best options.
Can you buy a SIM card at the airport in Serbia?
Yes, the Belgrade Airport has kiosks and stores that sell Serbian SIM cards.
For more information on this topic, check our guide explaining everything about buying a SIM card in Serbia.
How far is Belgrade Airport from the city center?
Belgrade Airport is located around 20 km away from the city center. It takes 25 min by car to reach the center or 45 by public transport.
See all the transport options from Belgrade Airport here.
How early should I arrive at Belgrade airport?
The general guidelines for international flights say you should arrive at the airport at least 2 hours before your flight. However, Belgrade Airport is not so large, so if you do not have any suitcases to dispatch, it is ok if you arrive in a bit less time.
For a more comfortable trip, we recommend you stick to the 2-hour rule.
We hope this guide has helped you plan your trip to Serbia! All in all, most travelers coming into the country will be flying into Belgrade as it is the largest and most used airport in Serbia. But it is also useful to know that you have another option, in case you find better flight connections.
More about traveling to Serbia
Organizing your trip
To help you plan your trip to Serbia, we have put together our favorite planning resources:
- Flights: Get affordable flights to Serbia 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.
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