The Cypriot Presidency of the Council of the European Union, which officially begins on 1 January 2026, has secured a direct air link between Larnaca and Brussels lasting one year.

The government successfully concluded a Public Service Obligation (PSO) tender, a top priority for facilitating travel during its Presidency, with flights scheduled to begin in December. The direct connection is expected to serve tens of thousands of passengers, linking Cyprus with the heart of the European Union.

According to information obtained by Phileleftheros, the tender, which sought direct flights for specific days over a 12-month period and closed on 30 October, received a single offer from Aegean. Cypriot authorities, along with the EU Secretariat, collaborated with the European Commission on all aspects of the PSO procedure.

The agreement, expected to be formalised soon, schedules the following flight frequency between Larnaca and Brussels:

PeriodWeekly FlightsApproximate Monthly FlightsDecember 2025312January – June 2026520July 2026312August – November 202628

Sources from the Cypriot EU Presidency Secretariat noted that the direct flights would significantly simplify visits to Cyprus during the period. The government made systematic efforts to promote the flights in cooperation with relevant bodies in Cyprus and Brussels, based on EU directives.

The issue was a top priority for Deputy Minister for European Affairs Marilena Raouna and Transport Minister Alexis Vafeades ahead of the Presidency, the same sources said.

During the Cypriot Presidency, approximately 260 informal meetings are planned to be held in Cyprus, and around 28,000 visitors are expected for the Informal Ministerial Councils, Ministerial Meetings, the Informal Meeting of Heads of State and Government (April 2026), and technical-level conferences and meetings.

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