SEVILLE, Spain—Airport management group Lithuanian Airports is accelerating efforts to expand its route network across Western Europe and long-haul markets following a record-breaking year for passenger traffic in 2024.
Speaking at Routes Europe 2025, Tomas Zitikis, head of route development, said the airport group is eying routes to several high-potential destinations in Europe, while actively exploring long-haul options in regions such as North America, the Middle East, North Africa and Central Asia.
“Our goal this year is to secure connectivity with Geneva, Madrid, Stuttgart and Gothenburg,” Zitikis told Routes here in Seville. “We will soon invite airlines to participate in our open calls.”
The development push builds on Lithuania’s route funding model, introduced in 2023 as a reimagined version of the public service obligation scheme. The initiative—now central to the airport group’s route strategy—offers a risk-sharing mechanism to incentivize carriers to launch routes deemed socially or economically important but commercially marginal.
“What sets us apart in Europe and beyond is our innovative route development tool—a risk-sharing partnership,” Zitikis said. “What began as a joint partnership with LOT Polish Airlines on the Vilnius–London City route has now expanded to brand-new connectivity with Lisbon, Hamburg and Düsseldorf, with airBaltic winning the public tenders for these routes.”
Lithuanian Airports, which operates Vilnius, Kaunas and Palanga airports, surpassed its pre-pandemic traffic levels in 2024, reaching an all-time record of 6.6 million passengers.
To support this growth, the airport group has invested in infrastructure upgrades, most notably the opening of a new departures terminal at Vilnius Airport in early 2025.
“Just over a month ago we opened a brand-new departures terminal in Vilnius,” Zitikis said. “The new terminal now features the latest airport tech, can handle twice as many guests per hour and offers a significantly better travel experience.”
Kaunas Airport is also undergoing expansion, with a new terminal and upgraded apron and taxiway expected to be completed in time for the winter 2025-26 season. “It will provide the necessary capacity at an airport that has been exceeding pre-pandemic records already since 2022,” Zitikis said.
Recent air service gains include new routes launched in 2024 by Aegean Airlines and Icelandic LCC Play from Vilnius, as well as airBaltic’s expansion to Krakow and Oslo-Torp. Wizz Air is adding routes to Bergen and Catania, and Ryanair based a third aircraft at Kaunas, opening new links to Berlin, Pisa and Zadar.
More News And Analysis From Routes Europe 2025
Palanga Airport, the gateway to Lithuania’s Baltic coast, secured a new airBaltic route to Amsterdam and will, for the first time, offer direct charter flights to Egypt and Turkey.
“We understand that opening a new route is just half the story,” Zitikis said. “We work closely with key stakeholders both locally and at destination cities on joint initiatives to raise awareness about the direct service and boost travel demand.”
Looking ahead, Zitikis confirmed that several more routes are set to launch in 2025. These include airBaltic services from Vilnius to Prague and Tirana, a new Ryanair route from Kaunas to Pescara and Israir flights to Tel Aviv. Flydubai is also scheduled to begin service to Vilnius in October, providing extensive onward connectivity through Dubai.
While global airline capacity constraints remain a challenge, Zitikis said Lithuania’s aviation market has shown resilience and strong appeal to carriers.
“We are not alone in this—the whole industry is currently facing capacity constraints that are unlikely to ease in 2025,” he said. “Despite this, our valued airline partners have not only managed to expand at Lithuanian Airports, but are also planning further growth, signaling the strength and importance of our market.”
Lithuania has also rebounded from the loss of several key markets in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022. “We have not only managed to recover, but also continue to grow,” Zitikis said. “The fact that our existing and new airline partners, despite internal and external challenges, are choosing to enter and expand in Lithuania is a testament to the strength and growth of our market, the innovation and appeal of our incentive tools, and our flexibility, attentiveness and commitment to our partners.”
Related Content
