Summary: airBaltic marks 30 years since it launched nonstop services between Riga and Vilnius and celebrates three decades of links between Riga and Tallinn, underlining the airline’s role in strengthening Baltic connectivity and expanding regional route networks.

airBaltic 30 years: airBaltic is commemorating the 30th anniversary of its nonstop route between Riga, Latvia, and Vilnius, Lithuania — the airline’s first direct link between the two Baltic capitals — and is also marking three decades of services between Riga and Tallinn, Estonia. The routes have been central to regional mobility and have provided travellers with convenient onward connections via Riga.

Three Decades of Baltic Connectivity

Since launching nonstop services between Riga and Vilnius in 1995, airBaltic has provided reliable links for both business and leisure travellers and opened access from Vilnius to a broad network of international destinations through Riga Airport (RIX). The Riga–Vilnius connection was only the airline’s third direct route after flights to Stockholm and Helsinki in October 1995.

Over the past three decades, our flights between the two largest cities in the Baltics have provided customers with convenient and reliable travel options for both business and leisure. Vilnius is also one of our home cities and this year we will expand our presence there by launching new direct destinations and increasing frequencies on various existing routes therefore providing our customers with more travel options. We would like to express our sincere gratitude to our long-term partners, RIX Riga Airport and Lithuanian Airports, for their continued cooperation and support of airBaltic’s growth.

Airport Partners Reflect on the Impact

Connectivity of the Baltic region has always been one of Riga Airport’s key priorities. For 30 years, airBaltic’s reliable Riga-Vilnius route has significantly contributed to regional mobility and helped build a dynamic air traffic network that ensures convenient and dependable travel for both people and businesses. Riga Airport will continue to strengthen this role by offering Baltic passengers increasingly broad access to essential business, transit, and leisure destinations.

Today we celebrate the 30th anniversary of the first airBaltic flight on the Vilnius-Riga route. This route opened new opportunities for travelers and businesses, strengthened air connectivity between Lithuania and the entire region, and became an important gateway for integration into the international aviation network. It is especially gratifying that today airBaltic operates daily flights between Vilnius and Riga, as well as between Palanga and Riga, while flights on the Kaunas-Riga route will return in March – bringing Lithuania and Latvia even closer and offering travelers even more convenient onward connections.

airBaltic currently runs up to four daily services between Riga and Vilnius, sustaining both corporate and leisure travel and enabling connections from Vilnius to more than 80 destinations through Riga. The carrier has used a variety of aircraft on the route over the years, including the SAAB 340, Avro RJ70, Fokker 50, Dash 8 Q400 and Boeing 737. Today the connection is operated with the Airbus A220-300, which the airline is fitting with free high-speed Starlink internet.

  • Vilnius base since June 2004: 21 direct destinations and three Airbus A220-300 based in Vilnius
  • Services from Palanga to Riga and Amsterdam; Kaunas–Riga to resume in March
  • Airline operates from all three Lithuanian airports as of 2026
airBaltic Airbus A220-300 at Riga Airport illustrating connections to Vilnius and Tallinn
airBaltic’s Airbus A220-300 fleet links the Baltic capitals and offers onboard high-speed Starlink internet

Riga–Tallinn: Another Milestone in 1996

The first Riga–Tallinn flight took place on 30 January 1996. Over the past 30 years the route has underpinned regional links and helped Riga grow as a transit hub, providing Estonian travellers with access to a wide range of onward connections via Riga.

For three decades, our operations between the two capitals have contributed to stronger connectivity for Estonia, supporting both business and leisure travel. Over the years, airBaltic has steadily grown its presence in Tallinn, and today we offer a strong and competitive network of direct routes from the city. As the leading airline in the Baltic region, we remain committed to providing reliable connectivity for our passengers while continuing to explore new opportunities to further strengthen links across the Baltics. We also extend sincere thanks to our long-standing partners, RIX Riga Airport and Tallinn Airport, for their continued cooperation and support in airBaltic’s development.

The growth of Riga Airport as the leading transit hub in the Baltics is closely linked to the national carrier airBaltic. For 30 years, the Riga–Tallinn route has provided Estonian travellers with convenient access to an extensive network of connections from Riga to business and leisure destinations across Europe and beyond. It also serves as a convenient transit point for passengers wishing to explore the Baltic region.

From a single route to Riga to nearly 30 direct destinations today, airBaltic has played a key role in strengthening Tallinn Airport’s connectivity over the past 30 years. During this time, 7.6 million passengers have travelled with airBaltic to and from Estonia, reflecting the airline’s importance for our country’s connectivity and mobility. We highly value this long-term partnership and thank airBaltic for the excellent cooperation in connecting Estonia with Europe and beyond.

Today airBaltic operates up to five daily flights between Riga and Tallinn and up to four daily between Riga and Vilnius. In 2025, more than 290,000 passengers flew the Riga–Tallinn route. Over the last 30 years the airline has flown nearly 68,000 flights and carried more than 3.5 million passengers between Riga and Tallinn. In 2026 airBaltic plans an expanded Tallinn network, serving 29 routes and basing four aircraft at the airport.

What This Means for Travelers and the Industry

So what? The 30-year milestones show airBaltic’s long-term commitment to Baltic connectivity. For passengers this means sustained daily frequencies, increased onward options via Riga, and modern A220-300 services with onboard high-speed internet. For the aviation industry and regional economies, it highlights the value of stable airline–airport partnerships in growing transit hubs and expanding route networks.