Flying to Bulgaria

General Information

With airports in Sofia, and secondarily Plovdiv, and especially on the coast those of Burgas and Varna, Bulgaria has four international air gateways. Thanks to the appeal of its beaches, seasonal traffic is significant, to the point that the coastal airports handle more passengers than the capital, which is nevertheless the base of the national airline Bulgaria Air.

Types of Flights

Local Airlines

Apart from a few carriers specialising solely in charter flights (Air Via, BH Air, Bulgarian Air Charter...) whose aim is to bring foreign visitors to the Black Sea resorts, Bulgaria has only one scheduled airline under its flag. Specifically, its national carrier, whose main base is Sofia.

BH Air: the leading charter airline, notably operating flights from the United Kingdom and elsewhere to Burgas and, to a lesser extent, Varna.

Bulgaria Air: this airline succeeded Balkan Airlines in 2002 as the national carrier. It offers around twenty routes across Europe (including Paris and Brussels) as well as Israel and Lebanon.

Charters, Scheduled, and Low-Cost Flights

Bulgaria is one of the European countries that hosts the most charter or seasonal flights. These, in fact, account for the vast majority of traffic at Burgas and Varna. Beyond that, scheduled flights and a few low-cost options serve Sofia and Plovdiv.

Deals and Special Offers

As with any tourist destination dominated by charter flights, promotions and special offers are quite common for Bulgaria. These can be found through airlines or travel agencies, sometimes including additional services alongside airfare.

From Europe (and Elsewhere)

From France

Although all three main Bulgarian airports are served from Paris, the options remain limited (and non-existent from the provinces, except for a few summer charters). For a Paris-Sofia flight, expect roughly 2 hours and 40 minutes of travel time, with round-trip fares ranging from 220 to 350 €.

Paris-Beauvais: Sofia (Wizz Air)

Paris-Orly: Varna (Transavia, seasonal)

Paris-Charles de Gaulle: Burgas (charters), Sofia (Bulgaria Air + Air France, seasonal)

From the Rest of Europe

In season, countless charters or seasonal flights, primarily from the United Kingdom, Germany, and Eastern Europe, arrive at Varna and Burgas. As for the capital, it mainly relies year-round on scheduled flights to major European cities.

Belgium & Luxembourg

Brussels: Burgas (Jetairfly, Thomas Cook, and Transavia, all seasonal), Sofia (Bulgaria Air), Varna (Jetairfly and Thomas Cook, seasonal)

Charleroi: Sofia (Wizz Air)

Luxembourg: Burgas (Luxair, seasonal), Varna (Luxair, seasonal)

Switzerland

Basel/Mulhouse: Burgas (charters), Varna (charters)

Geneva: Sofia (Wizz Air)

Zurich: Sofia (Bulgaria Air + Helvetic Airways + Swiss), Varna (Edelweiss Air, seasonal)