Air Serbia will enter the Canadian market next year with the launch of nonstop service between Belgrade and Toronto, marking a return to the country after more than three decades.

The flag carrier plans to operate flights between Belgrade and Toronto Pearson International Airport twice a week from May 23, 2026, using Airbus A330-200 aircraft. Toronto will become the airline's third North American destination after New York JFK and Chicago O'Hare.

The route will be the sole nonstop connection between Canada and Serbia and the first operated by Air Serbia or its predecessor JAT Yugoslav Airlines since 1992.

Air Serbia CEO Jiří Marek says the move represents a "strategic step" for the carrier, describing it as "the beginning of a new chapter in the history of our company and a continuation of Serbia's economic, commercial and cultural development."

Marek adds the airline had long sought to meet demand from the large Serbian diaspora in Canada, concentrated around Toronto and southern Ontario. According to Canada's 2021 census, about 93,000 people in the country identified as being of Serbian origin.

"Toronto is known as one of the world's most important destinations with a large Serbian diaspora, so the significance of this direct service goes beyond economic and commercial considerations," he says. "For years, the Serbian diaspora has been advocating for the establishment of a direct air link between Belgrade and Toronto."

The new route will therefore tap into significant visiting friends and relatives (VFR) and leisure demand between the two countries. Sabre Market Intelligence data shows two-way origin and destination traffic between Canada and Serbia totaled about 92,800 passengers in 2024, all of which traveled indirectly, typically via major European hubs such as Frankfurt, London Heathrow and Munich. The Toronto-Belgrade city pair alone accounted for roughly 49,000 passengers -- more than half of the total market.

Additionally, Air Serbia's entry also supports its strategy to position Belgrade as a connecting hub between North America and Southeast Europe. The carrier will offer one-stop connections from Toronto to more than 20 destinations across its regional network, including Athens, Sofia, Bucharest, Ljubljana, Sarajevo, Skopje and Zagreb.

"Establishing a strong presence in the North American market is accomplishing our vision for Belgrade to become a transit hub, linking Europe and North America," Marek says. "We will strive to continue developing our network of destinations and intercontinental presence in the future."

The Toronto service is therefore expected to attract not only point-to-point passengers but also travelers from across the former Yugoslavia who currently connect via Western Europe. According to Canada's 2021 census, more than 200,000 people of Bosnian, Croatian and Slovenian descent live in Canada, representing additional potential demand for travel to the region.

Air Serbia To Enter Canadian Market | Aviation Week Network