Direct flight Belgrade – Bangkok back in focus of the tourism industry
The Tourism Authority of Thailand is ready to support a potential Air Serbia direct route between Belgrade and Bangkok. Demand is growing, but the final decision will depend on the route's profitability and aircraft availability.
The possibility of re-establishing a direct air link between Serbia and Thailand is increasingly being discussed in the tourism and aviation sectors. The Tourism Authority of Thailand, or TAT, has confirmed its interest in cooperating with Air Serbia if the carrier decides to open a Belgrade – Bangkok route.
According to TAT data, Thailand In 2025, around 13,500 passengers from Serbia visited, approximately 24 percent more than the previous year. Bangkok, through indirect passenger traffic, became the largest uncovered Asian destination from Belgrade.
Potential is not limited to Serbia.
The direct line would not rely solely on the local market. Belgrade could serve as a starting point for passengers from Croatia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Romania and other Southeastern European markets.
Passengers from the region mostly fly via Istanbul or Middle Eastern hubs. Air Serbia already sells connecting travel to Bangkok and Phuket, but without its own direct flight.
For travel agencies and tour operators, the new route would open up possibilities for winter programmes, combinations of Thailand with other Asian destinations, and pre-contracted seat blocks. In fact, cooperation with tour operators could reduce the risk in the initial phase.
A full cabin doesn't necessarily mean a profitable flight.
Air Serbia has so far approached Bangkok cautiously. The company has previously warned that the large supply of carriers from Turkey and Gulf countries could lower the average revenue per passenger. In other words, high load factors do not guarantee a sustainable route on their own.
Additional challenges include fuel prices, seasonality, and the wide-body fleet's schedule. Therefore, a seasonal winter route, when demand for Thailand The strongest.
Bangkok will solidify Belgrade's position
Following the development of flights to Chinese cities, Bangkok would bring a new large Asian market to Air Serbia. At the same time, Belgrade would strengthen its role as a regional hub for long-haul leisure travel.
The support of the Thai tourism community is an important signal, but the route has not yet been confirmed. Its success will depend on pricing, distribution, and the inclusion of tourism partners from across the Balkans.
