Ljubljana Airport gains direct connection to New York with United Airlines

Ljubljana Airport is pleased to announce that it will be directly connected to New York City with non-stop flights, following today's announcement by United Airlines. Starting May 12, 2027, United will operate direct flights between Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) and Ljubljana Jože Pučnik Airport (LJU), opening a new gateway between Slovenia and the United States.

The Ljubljana-Newark route will operate using a Boeing 767-400ER four times weekly, on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, giving travelers multiple departure options each week to plan both shorter getaways and longer stays between Slovenia and the United States.

The multi-weekly frequency is also designed to align with United's extensive schedule of connecting flights at Newark, enabling travelers from Ljubljana Airport to reach dozens of onward destinations across the United States and Canada with minimal connection times, while providing U.S.-based visitors a convenient schedule for planning trips to Slovenia and the surrounding region.

Ljubljana joins a select group of ten new international cities added to United's route map. Tickets for the new Newark-Ljubljana service are available for purchase today on united.com.

Jürgen Deischl, Managing Director of Fraport Slovenija  commented on the announcement:

»The launch of United Airlines’ new nonstop service between Newark and Ljubljana marks a historic milestone for our airport and for Slovenia’s international connectivity. While Ljubljana was included in a transatlantic service within the former Yugoslav network in the 1980s, that operation formed part of a multi-sector routing via Belgrade. United’s new route is fundamentally different: it is a dedicated nonstop service directly linking Slovenia with the United States, without an intermediate stop or a second European destination.

Four weekly widebody flights demonstrate both the strength of the existing market and United’s confidence in its future potential. The service will provide passengers from Slovenia and neighbouring regions, like southern Austria, with direct access to New York area and convenient onward connections across North America. At the same time, it will offer the nearly 200,000 U.S. visitors already travelling to Slovenia each year a significantly easier and more attractive way to reach our country.

For American travelers, Ljubljana is not only the gateway to Slovenia, but also an ideal starting point for a wider Alps-Adriatic journey. From one compact and exceptionally well-positioned destination, visitors can combine Ljubljana, the Slovenian Alps, the Adriatic coast and neighbouring regions of Austria, Italy and Croatia in a single itinerary. Slovenia offers an especially compelling point of arrival: it is one of Europe’s safest, most sustainable and economically advanced countries, combining outstanding quality of life, authentic tourism and remarkably diverse experiences within short travelling distances.

On a personal level, I am extremely pleased to welcome United Airlines to Ljubljana and look forward to building a strong and lasting partnership. I know United as a highly professional and valued U.S. airline partner from Frankfurt Airport, and I am particularly proud that, together with our airport team and partners, we have been able to establish this important cooperation for Ljubljana within such a focused period. This route is a strong vote of confidence in Slovenia, in Ljubljana Airport and in the potential of the wider Alps-Adriatic region.«

A new era of connectivity for Slovenia

The introduction of nonstop service to New York represents a landmark moment for Ljubljana Airport and for Slovenia's connectivity to North America. Travelers will now be able to fly directly between Ljubljana and Newark, one of the most important gateways to the U.S. East Coast.

Ljubljana Airport welcomes this expansion as a significant step in enhancing Slovenia's global air connectivity and looks forward to celebrating the inaugural Newark-Ljubljana flight in 2027.

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