The "Vasil Levski" airport in Sofia could become an alternative aviation hub for residents of Northern Greece, who are increasingly including the Bulgarian capital in their calculations when searching for cheap flights to European destinations, writes the Greek economic publication "Powergame", quoted by BTA.
The publication gives an example of a trip from Thessaloniki to Barcelona, in which the most advantageous option may start not at the "Macedonia" airport in Thessaloniki, but with an approximately four-hour drive to Sofia. The Bulgarian airport has the characteristics of a kind of "second airport" for Northern Greece due to the strong presence of low-cost airlines, the wide network of European destinations and easier road access after Bulgaria's full accession to Schengen, the publication notes.
As of January 1, 2025, checks on persons at the land border between Bulgaria and Greece have been abolished. The distance from Thessaloniki to Sofia Airport is about 300 kilometers, which makes it possible for passengers to compare not only the prices of airline tickets, but also the total cost of the trip, the publication's analysis states.
When checking prices on September 30, the publication found a one-way ticket on a low-cost airline from Sofia to Barcelona for 20.99 euros on November 30, while a flight from Thessaloniki to Barcelona in November was announced for 87 euros. Tickets to Bergamo for 14.99 euros and to Vienna for 21.99 euros were also available from Sofia. “Powergame“ emphasizes that these are still different dates and fare products and these values do not represent a direct comparison of the same trip.
The publication also makes a sample calculation for a car trip from Thessaloniki to Sofia, noting that traveling via Sofia would not be profitable for one passenger, but would bring savings for two or more passengers.
Interest in Sofia may increase further in the winter season 2026-2027 due to the decision of “Ryanair“ to close its base of three aircraft in Thessaloniki and significantly reduce its activities there. According to the plans announced by the airline, ten routes will be dropped in the winter, including connections with Berlin, Frankfurt-Hahn, Gothenburg, Stockholm, Poznan, Venice-Treviso and Zagreb. The closure of the base, however, does not mean a complete withdrawal of “Ryanair“ from Thessaloniki, the publication recalls in its material.
At the same time, Sofia has a strong presence of low-cost airlines. During the summer season of 2026, the airport served 30 airlines and 94 destinations, the information states.