Milan Bergamo Airport boosts Balkan connectivity with new Prishtina service
Milan Bergamo Airport will expand its network in 2026 with the introduction of a new scheduled service to Kosovo’s capital of Prishtina, operated by GP Aviation, further strengthening connectivity between northern Italy and the Balkans while addressing sustained demand from the region’s diaspora.
The route is scheduled to launch on 3 April 2026, marking the restoration of nonstop air links between the two for the first time since 2018. The service is primarily aimed at the sizeable Kosovar community based in eastern Lombardy and the Veneto region, for whom Prishtina remains a key destination for family, cultural and business travel.
Initially, flights will operate weekly on Fridays, before increasing to 2-weekly during the peak summer season. An additional Tuesday frequency will be added from 5 June through September 2026.
Beyond visiting-friends-and-relatives traffic, the new route is also expected to stimulate leisure demand from northern Italy. The addition further diversifies Milan Bergamo Airport’s leisure portfolio, which has increasingly expanded beyond traditional Western and Southern European markets.
Commenting on the announcement, Giacomo Cattaneo, Director of Commercial Aviation at SACBO, said: “We are very pleased to welcome the return of a nonstop service between Milan Bergamo and Prishtina. This route responds to long-standing demand from the sizeable Kosovar community in eastern Lombardy and the Veneto region, while also creating new opportunities for leisure travel to Kosovo and the wider Balkans. The launch of this route further strengthens our network and underlines our commitment to improving connectivity for both local communities and international travellers.”
The announcement comes amid a period of strong demand at Milan Bergamo Airport. During the peak holiday travel period, flydubai has doubled its operations from 16 December, with the enhanced schedule set to remain in place until May 2026 before additional frequencies are reinstated again from August next year.
Over the upcoming Christmas and New Year holiday season, Milan Bergamo Airport will offer more than 1.31 million seats on scheduled services, representing a 4% increase year-on-year.
To accommodate this growth, the airport has recently opened new passenger areas aimed at improving comfort and operational efficiency. These developments form part of a broader investment programme designed to support rising traffic levels and future expansion.
