Budapest Gets Closer to the Baltics: More Air Baltic Flights from Summer 2026
If you’ve been dreaming about combining Budapest’s thermal baths and ruin bars with a Baltic city break, your travel plans just got a lot easier. From summer 2026, Latvian airline Air Baltic will increase the number of flights between Riga and Budapest, making it simpler than ever for foreign tourists to include Hungary in a multi-country European itinerary.
This development is great news not only for travelers from Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, but for anyone using Riga as a smart, efficient hub to reach Budapest and the heart of Central Europe.
More Flights Between Riga and Budapest
During the peak summer season, from early June to the end of August 2026, Air Baltic will operate four weekly flights between Riga and Budapest instead of the current three. The airline’s BT 491/492 flights will connect the Latvian and Hungarian capitals on Mondays, Thursdays, Sundays, and now also on Wednesdays, adding more flexibility for planning your trip.
All flights will be operated with the modern Airbus A220-300 aircraft and will arrive at and depart from Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport, the city’s main gateway. For tourists, this means more choice when it comes to arrival and departure dates, easier weekend getaways, and smoother connections when combining Budapest with other European destinations.
If you are planning a summer holiday in Europe, this extra mid-week frequency can make a big difference. You can now design an itinerary that includes a weekend in Budapest, a few days in Riga, and perhaps even an extension to other destinations served by Air Baltic, all without awkward gaps or long layovers.
Why Riga Is the Perfect Gateway to Budapest
Riga might not be the first city that comes to mind when planning a trip to Budapest, especially if you are flying from Western Europe, Scandinavia, or even the Caucasus. However, Riga is an increasingly important regional hub, and Air Baltic’s growing network makes it a very smart transit point.
From Riga, Air Baltic is expanding its routes across Europe. For the 2026 summer schedule, the airline will open new routes from the Baltic capitals to several attractive destinations, and it will increase frequencies on more than 30 existing routes. From Riga alone, capacity will grow by about 12 percent, adding over 400,000 seats. Tallinn will see an 11 percent increase in capacity, and Lithuanian airports (Vilnius, Palanga, and Kaunas) will gain a significant 21 percent capacity boost.
For you as a tourist, this translates into more connection options, better schedules, and often more competitive fares when you book a trip that combines Budapest with Baltic or Northern European cities. You might, for example, fly from Göteborg, Warsaw, or Oulu to Riga, then connect to Budapest. Or you could plan a longer route, such as Zurich–Riga–Budapest or Oslo–Tallinn–Budapest, and turn your journey into a multi-stop European adventure.
Flying on One of Europe’s Youngest Fleets
Air Baltic operates one of the youngest fleets in Europe, consisting entirely of Airbus A220-300 aircraft. For travelers, this brings several advantages that you will notice on board.
The Airbus A220-300 offers a more spacious and comfortable cabin layout compared with many older single-aisle planes. Seats typically have a modern design, larger windows bring in more natural light, and the aircraft is noticeably quieter, which makes your journey more relaxing, especially if you are flying early in the morning or late at night. The more efficient engines also contribute to lower fuel consumption and emissions, which is a plus if you care about more sustainable travel options within Europe.
Air Baltic carried around 4.8 million passengers in the first eleven months of the last reported year, an increase of 1.6 percent compared with the previous year. During that period, the airline operated more than 43,600 flights with a load factor of about 80.5 percent. This consistently high demand suggests that travelers appreciate the combination of modern aircraft, growing network, and convenient scheduling.
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What This Means for Tourists Visiting Budapest
The increased Budapest–Riga frequency is more than just an extra flight; it opens up new opportunities for foreign tourists who want to experience Budapest as part of a wider European journey.
If you are visiting Budapest for the first time, the city offers a rich mix of history, culture, relaxation, and nightlife. You can spend the morning wandering through the Buda Castle District, the afternoon soaking in the famous Széchenyi or Gellért thermal baths, and the evening exploring the unique ruin bars of the Jewish Quarter. With more flights and better connections from the Baltics and beyond, it becomes easier to slot Budapest into your travel plans for a long weekend or a one-week multi-city trip.
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport is well connected to the city center. You can reach downtown by airport shuttle bus, taxi, ride-hailing services, or private transfer, and the journey typically takes around 30–40 minutes depending on traffic. Once in the city, you’ll find an efficient public transport system, including metro lines, trams, and buses, which makes it easy to explore key attractions such as the Parliament building, Heroes’ Square, and the vibrant Danube riverbank.
For travelers coming from the Baltic region or connecting via Riga, this improved connectivity allows you to spend less time planning complex routes and more time actually enjoying Budapest’s food, architecture, and unique atmosphere.
Combining Budapest with a Baltic City Break
One of the biggest advantages of the expanded Air Baltic network is how simple it becomes to design a multi-destination trip. Imagine starting your journey in Tallinn, with its charming medieval Old Town, then flying to Riga to enjoy Art Nouveau architecture and lively cafés, and finally connecting to Budapest for thermal baths, panoramic Danube views, and a buzzing nightlife scene.
Because Air Baltic is increasing the number of flights from Riga, Tallinn, and Vilnius to many European cities, you have more freedom to pick dates and times that fit your plans. New routes from Riga to destinations such as Antalya, Göteborg, Kaunas, Oulu, and Warsaw, and the relaunch of routes to Aberdeen, Belgrade, and Yerevan, as well as additional routes from Tallinn and Vilnius, greatly expand your options for connecting through the Baltic region.
This flexibility is especially useful if you plan to travel during the peak summer season. Instead of being forced into a specific travel date because there is only one weekly flight, you can now choose from several departure days and tailor your itinerary around festivals, events, or personal preferences. For example, you might time your visit to Budapest to catch a major music festival, a cultural event, or simply to enjoy long summer evenings on rooftop terraces overlooking the Danube.
Practical Tips for Booking and Planning
If you are considering using Air Baltic to reach Budapest, it is worth booking your flights in advance, particularly for travel during June, July, and August, when demand is highest. As the airline is increasing capacity and frequencies on many routes, you may find attractive early-bird fares and well-timed connections, especially if you are open to spending a night in Riga before continuing to Budapest.
When planning your trip, consider arriving in Budapest mid-week, for example on the newly added Wednesday flight. Mid-week arrivals can sometimes mean lower accommodation prices and less crowding at popular attractions. You could then stay in Budapest for four or five nights before flying back via Riga or continuing onwards to another destination in the Baltic region or Western Europe.
If you want to explore more of Hungary beyond Budapest, the capital also serves as an excellent starting point. From here, you can take day trips to places like Szentendre, the Danube Bend, Lake Balaton, or Eger, and still connect back to your Air Baltic flight when it is time to leave.
A Growing Bridge Between Central and Northern Europe
With more flights, increased capacity, and a modern fleet, Air Baltic is strengthening the bridge between the Baltic region and Central Europe. For foreign tourists, this translates into easier, more comfortable, and often more affordable access to Budapest, one of Europe’s most atmospheric and photogenic capitals.
Whether you are planning a dedicated city break in Budapest or building a longer itinerary that weaves together Riga, Tallinn, Vilnius, and Central European gems, the expanded Air Baltic schedule from 2026 gives you more freedom to travel on your own terms. As the airline continues to grow its network and add seats across the region, Budapest becomes not just a final destination, but a natural and convenient highlight on a broader European journey.
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