Summary

  • Iberia launches twice-weekly direct service from Madrid to Ljubljana, offering more connectivity options across Europe and Latin America.
  • The flight operates on Mondays and Thursdays through September 5th, with Air Nostrum using a CRJ-1000 for the route.
  • This new route increases travel options following the loss of vital connections after Adria Airways ceased operations in Slovenia.

Spain’s flag carrier has launched a twice-weekly service to the capital of Slovenia, and the first flight was welcomed in style with a water cannon salute. The Iberia flight will facilitate direct traffic and connections across Europe and Central and South America via the oneworld Alliance carrier’s hub in Madrid.

Connecting the capitals

The service operates on Mondays and Thursdays and will run through September 5th. Iberia’s regional affiliate Air Nostrum will operate the direct flights to Spain, using its newest aircraft, a CRJ-1000 with one hundred seats. Flight IB8666 departs Madrid Barajas Airport (MAD) on Monday at 12:20 and Thursday at 08:40, arriving in Ljubljana at 14:20 and 11:50, respectively.

The return link departs from Ljubljana’s Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU) on Mondays at 15:30 and Thursdays at 12:00, arriving in Madrid around two and a half hours later.

Significantly, it will increase the one-stop options for those traveling from Ljubljana to destinations further afield. Iberia serves over 140 destinations, including a significant presence in Latin America, and its oneworld Alliance membership brings additional benefits and connection opportunities. Passengers looking to fly to or from Slovenia this summer via Madrid can also take advantage of the carrier’s robust stopover program for up to ten days.

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As a destination, Ljubljana serves as the gateway to Slovenia. The city itself is over 2000 years old and set against the backdrop of the Julian Alps, with highlights including Ljubljana Castle, numerous museums, the opera, the Triple Bridge, and Congress Square. Speaking at the launch, Dr. Babett Stapel, Managing Director of Fraport Slovenija, highlighted the opportunities the new route opens up:

“At Ljubljana Airport, we are happy to welcome Iberia and the new route to Madrid, with which we are importantly strengthening the network of our air connections and expanding the connectivity of the airport. As a new destination, Madrid offers a visit to the attractive Spanish capital, and the Madrid Airport, with its strong network of connections, is an excellent starting point especially for trips to Latin America.

“The connection is certainly also interesting for Spanish guests, who can visit Slovenia with a direct flight and get to know its beauties. Lively Ljubljana, magical Bled with an island or the mysterious Postojna Cave are just a few popular points of Slovenia, which is otherwise famous as a boutique, green and diverse destination.”

In total, the Spanish carrier will offer over 2,500 seats to the Slovenian capital this summer. Notably, Air Nostrum is one of only two carriers still flying the CRJ-1000, the other being Lufthansa’s CityLine.

An increase in connectivity.

The link to Madrid was one of several vital connections lost after Slovenian flag carrier Adira Airways ended operations. Last year, the government announced that it would subsidize flights to ten destinations (Madrid included) to restore air connectivity while deciding on a new national airline.

Conveniently for Slovenes, their Spanish counterparts were equally eager for direct flights. According to Iberia, when it launched a survey in 2021 on its social media profiles for its followers to choose which destination they wanted Iberia Group to fly to that summer, the top choice was Ljubljana. Three years later, the flight has finally become a reality. Robert Latin, Acting Director General of the Directorate for Air and Maritime Transport at the Ministry of Infrastructure of the Republic of Slovenia, noted just how exciting this development is for the country’s aviation sector:

“The decision of the carrier Iberia Airlines to connect Madrid with Ljubljana in the summer time made us happy, as the capital of the Kingdom of Spain ranks at the very top of the largest cities in the European Union. The established direct connection to Madrid airport is also important because this European hub offers many onward connections.

“This is a new important part in the mosaic of aviation connectivity in Slovenia.”

An Iberia Regional Air Nostrum CRJ-1000 with the words Lo Mejor Está Por Venir written on the side

Photo: Fraport Slovenija

Several of the remaining nine routes on the proposed tender have already begun with other carriers. Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) is now connected by Transavia, Athens International Airport (ATH) with Aegean Airlines, Copenhagen (CPH) compliments of Norwegian Air Shuttle, Helsinki (HEL) via home carrier Finnair, and Skopje International Airport (SKP) in North Macedonia on Wizz Air.

The remaining targeted airports are Berlin Brandenburg Airport (BER), Prague (PRG), Vienna (VIE), and Brussels South Charleroi (CRL). The last one is notable as its catchment area extends significantly into France, and the primary Brussels Airport (BRU) is already connected with its namesake airline.

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