Air Baltic (BT)

AirBaltic is actively preparing for its upcoming winter season. The airline is deploying its fleet of Airbus A220-300s to strategic destinations to meet the dual demand for sunshine and the far north. The carrier is adding new direct routes and increasing frequencies from its main bases. By optimizing its airport slots across Europe, the airline is ensuring smooth connections for travelers seeking an escape. This expansion of the schedule will connect the Baltic capitals more efficiently with the Spanish archipelagos and Finnish resorts. The airline is thus adapting its offering to capture seasonal tourist flows while modernizing the onboard experience on its latest-generation aircraft.

In early February, airBaltic took delivery in Riga of its first aircraft of 2026, an Airbus A220-300. This aircraft becomes the 53rd of its type operated by the carrier and confirms its status as the world’s leading operator of the A220-300. Since 2020, the airline has made the strategic choice to operate an all-A220 fleet in order to optimise costs and operational performance. This model simplifies maintenance, streamlines crew training and improves rotation planning. The A220s serve the entire network, from regional air connections to longer European routes. At the same time, airBaltic is significantly expanding its ACMI business by providing aircraft and crews to other airlines. Since 2016, the fleet has carried more than 20 million passengers and operated over 200,000 flights. The airline also stands out for introducing free high-speed Internet via the Starlink constellation developed by SpaceX, which has already been installed on a significant portion of the fleet. By the end of the decade, airBaltic plans to expand its fleet to nearly 90 A220-300s, with 40 additional aircraft expected from 2026 onward. This growth is intended to support the opening of new routes, the increase in frequencies and the consolidation of its position in the European market.

Announced on 17 December 2025, airBaltic’s summer 2026 schedule includes increased frequencies on more than 30 air connections departing from Riga, Tallinn and Vilnius, with a particular focus on the Riga hub, where 20 routes will see increased service to key destinations such as Copenhagen, Zurich, Berlin, Budapest and Tel Aviv. Tallinn will benefit from additional flights to destinations including Munich, Vienna and Malta, while Vilnius will see improved connections to Paris, Munich, Prague, Nice and Palma de Mallorca. At the same time, the airline will launch ten new routes linking the Baltic capitals with strategic markets in Europe and the Mediterranean, while reactivating several seasonal routes. This expansion will be accompanied by a significant increase in capacity, with more than 600,000 additional seats in the region, supported by a homogeneous fleet of Airbus A220-300 aircraft, confirming airBaltic’s ambition to strengthen its position as the leading carrier in the Baltic states for summer 2026.

Since October 2025, AirBaltic has operated a direct flight from Gran Canaria to Ljubljana every Friday until early April. According to Mantas Vrubliauskas, AirBaltic’s Vice President of Network Management, this route aims to encourage Slovenes to spend the winter in the Canary Islands sunshine, while giving Gran Canaria residents a gateway to Central Europe. The airline operates this route with its Airbus A220-300, a modern aircraft offering a comfortable experience with wide seats and high-speed Starlink Internet connectivity on board. With this launch, AirBaltic is expanding its offering from its winter base in Gran Canaria, which includes a total of 7 direct destinations for winter 2025/2026, including Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, Oslo, Torp, Molde and Billund. This new direct route, connecting the Canary Islands with Slovenia, confirms the Lithuanian airline’s ambition to strengthen its seasonal connectivity and attract travellers seeking a winter escape while offering comfort and technological innovation.