What is the best airport to fly into for visiting Slovenia

Once you decide to visit Slovenia for your next trip, the first thing you need to do is figure out the best way to get here. I must admit, as someone that is born and raised in Slovenia, this country does not have the best flight connections.

However, if you know what to look for, there are workarounds. In this article, I have put together all my tips about the best way to fly to Slovenia including the main international airports in the country and nearby.

International airports in Slovenia

Slovenia has 3 international airports: Ljubljana, Maribor, and Portoroz. 

Out of all three, the Ljubljana International Airport is the best one to fly into for visiting Slovenia because it is the most central and the largest one.

The Maribor Airport, officially named Maribor Edvard Rusjan Airport (MBX), is mostly used as a training ground for flight schools, and also for private flights. Even though it is technically suitable for commercial flights, I have never seen good flights from Maribor Airport.

Portoroz Airport (POW) is the smallest of all three and is mostly used for small airplanes on local flights.

Ljubljana - Preseren square

Ljubljana International Airport

The Ljubljana International Airport is officially named Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport (LJU) and is located in Brnik, around 30 min away from the center of Ljubljana.

The airport was recently renovated and is receiving a good amount of investment from the government to push tourism and flights into the country. In the past two years, the number of airlines flying into Ljubljana International Airport increased quite a lot, even though it is still small compared to other major European capitals.

The Ljubljana Airport is fairly small. Regardless of where you are flying to, you can always arrive only 1h30 before the departure time and you will have more than enough time to go through the check-in process.

Inside the airport, you will find a Duty Free Shop that sells a lot of Slovenian products and two small bars for snacks and coffee.

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How to get to the Ljubljana Airport from the center

From the center of Ljubljana, you can go to the airport by car, bus, or transfer.

  • By car: The drive will take you 30 minutes and it is a fairly easy path. I recommend planning a bit of extra time if you will be going during peak hours to account for the traffic around Ljubljana.
  • By bus: The bus to the airport leaves from the Ljubljana main bus station located right outside the train station. One-way tickets can be bought at the ticket shop or online and will cost โ‚ฌ 4.50 per person. Just pay attention when planning the trip because there are direct buses and others that take a longer route. Check the timetable and tickets here.
  • By transfer: If you donโ€™t want to carry your suitcase to the bus, the best alternative is to book a transfer service. The most famous options are GoOpti and Nomago, both operating from the central bus station in Ljubljana. For a ride, you must book your place online beforehand and come to the meeting point at the scheduled time. You can also book a pick-up at your address for an additional fee. Another alternative is to book your transport through Omio.

Pro tip: The same transport options are available in the other direction as well, for going from Ljubljana Airport to the city center.

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Why is Ljubljana Airport the best option for flying into Slovenia

Even though it is small, the Ljubljana Airport is quite well located. Since it is very close to Ljubljana, you can start your trip here and plan everything around it.

As the capital of Slovenia, Ljubljana is the city best equipped for welcoming tourists, offering many options of car rental companies, hotels, restaurants, and everything you will need. If you start your trip in a smaller city, you will need to plan around that.

Ljubljana is also the city with the best connections to other countries when it comes to flights, buses, and trains, so it is easier for you to continue your trip to the next destination.

The biggest downside about Ljubljana Airport is that there is not a great variety of flights available, unfortunately.

Check out more about the Ljubljana Airport here.

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What other airports can you fly into for visiting Slovenia?

The good news is that Slovenia is a small country, so you can fly into one of the neighboring nations instead.

The options available are:

  • Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE) in Italy โ€“ 2h 30m
  • Treviso Airport (TSF) in Italy โ€“ 2h 30m
  • Trieste Airport (TRS) in Italy โ€“ 1h 30m
  • Zagreb Airport (ZAG) in Croatia โ€“ 1h 30m
  • Viena International Airport (VIE) in Austria โ€“ 4h

In my experience, the best options from these are Zagreb and Venice. 

Zagreb because it is quite close to Ljubljana, in less than 2 hours you can be in your accommodation in the city. 

Venice because it is a large airport with a good selection of international flight connections. This means it can be a great option for flying to Slovenia from the USA.

Read also: The best airports for flying into Venice, Italy

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How do you get to Slovenia from Venice Airport?

Most people decide between renting a car or getting a transfer when flying to Venice to visit Slovenia.

If you decide to rent a car, you can do so directly at the airport and drive to Slovenia. This will be the most comfortable option. Just make sure you let the car rental company know you intend to drive to another EU country.

If you need more tips, check out our blog about renting a car in Italy.

If you prefer to book a transfer service instead, I recommend checking the offer from GoOpti. I have used their services for years and I always recommend it to my friends whenever I have people visiting. They are very reliable and the transfer van is much more comfortable than taking the bus.

Speaking of the bus, there are connections between these two countries but they are less frequent and it is harder to time the arrival and pick-up properly. I would avoid it, if possible.

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How to get to Slovenia from Zagreb Airport?

If you decide to fly to Zagreb Airport when traveling to Slovenia, your best options are car, transfer, or train.

You can rent a car directly at the Zagreb Airport and drive to Slovenia straight from there. The road is very fast, driving through a highway almost the entire way. Get a quote here for a car in Zagreb Airport

If you prefer to book a transfer service, we also recommend GoOpti. They are the most reliable operators on this route as well, I strongly recommend their service as I have used it multiple times myself.

The last option is to take the train. This is the most affordable option but the most time-consuming one. You will first have to reach Zagreb train station and then check the schedule to time the arrival time according to your trip, to see what is a good fit.

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FAQ โ€“ Popular questions about the best way to fly to Slovenia

What is the best airport for flying into Slovenia?

The best airport for flying into Slovenia is the Ljubljana International Airport (LJU), officially called Ljubljana Joze Pucnik Airport.

Other good options are the Zagreb International Airport (ZAG) and the Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE).

What is the main airport in Slovenia?

Ljubljana International Airport is the main airport in Slovenia, and also the largest one.

What is the best way to fly to Slovenia from the US?

For the shortest way possible, the best option is to fly directly to Ljubljana Airport via an international connection in Frankfurt or Paris.

However, many American airlines and their partners have better routes for flying to Venice. So, a good alternative for flying to Slovenia is to book a trip through the Venice Marco Polo Airport instead.

What airlines fly into Slovenia?

These are the airlines that fly into Slovenia through the Ljubljana International Airport:

  1. Aegan Airlines
  2. Air France
  3. Air Montenegro
  4. Air Serbia
  5. Brussels Airlines
  6. British Airways
  7. EasyJet
  8. EI AI Israel Airlines
  9. Finnair
  10. FlyDubai
  11. GP Aviation
  12. Israir Airlines
  13. Lufthansa
  14. Luxair
  15. LOT Polish Airlines
  16. Swiss
  17. Transavia
  18. Turkish Airlines
  19. Wizz Air

Is Ljubljana a big airport?

No. Even though it is the largest airport in Slovenia, Ljubljana International Airport is not big compared to the airports of other main European capitals.


We hope this guide has helped you plan your next trip to Slovenia. If you need any more information for planning your holidays here, whether it is for choosing the best airport for your Slovenia trip or with anything else, let us know in the comments below!

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Organizing your trip

To help you plan your trip to Slovenia, we have put together our favorite planning resources: 

  • Flights: Get affordable flights to Slovenia 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 withย Airalo.
  • Slovenia Map: Check out our custom-made Map with 290+ must-see spots!
  • Recommended hiking gear: Check our recommendations on Amazon if you will be hiking in Slovenia!

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