With the announcement of a new non-stop connection between Hanover and Klagenfurt for the summer of 2025, Carinthia Airport is taking a significant step towards connecting to the German market.
From May 2025, the South Tyrolean boutique airline Sky Alps will offer direct flights from Hanover to Klagenfurt twice a week. This success is of great importance not only for Klagenfurt Airport, but above all for Carinthian tourism, as northern Germany is one of the region's most important source markets. This new connection will make travel to Carinthia much easier, which is an attractive offer especially for tourists from northern Germany.
Sky Alps as a partner
Sky Alps, a young, up-and-coming airline based in Bolzano, was founded in 2021 and has quickly established itself as a boutique airline that places particular emphasis on service and comfort. With a fleet of ten DASH-8 Q-400 aircraft, each of which can carry 76 passengers, Sky Alps now serves over 20 European destinations. The airline has made a name for itself in particular with its premium onboard service, where food, drinks and baggage are included in all fares. This combination of high-quality services and a family atmosphere on board makes Sky Alps a strong partner for Carinthia's tourist connections.
UKS Touristik, the German tour operator that made this flight connection possible, is known for hand-picked package tours that depart from regional departure airports in Germany. In addition to popular destinations such as South Tyrol, Lake Garda and Elba, UKS is now expanding its portfolio to include Carinthia. The company offers high-quality travel packages with selected hotel partners and sees Carinthia as a promising extension of its program.
The flight schedule for this route in detail:
Flight days | Route | departure | Arrivals |
MON, THURS | Klagenfurt – Hanover | 14:45 | 16:20 |
MON, THURS | Hannover – Klagenfurt | 12:15 | 14:00 |
Economic importance for Klagenfurt Airport
The new flight connection between Hanover and Klagenfurt represents an important milestone for the economic success of Klagenfurt Airport, which has struggled with a decline in flight connections and passenger numbers in recent years. Maximilian Wildt, Managing Director of Klagenfurt Airport, stressed that the development of new flight routes is one of the airport's top priorities. "We have a lot of catching up to do, but the new connection shows that we are on the right track," said Wildt. This new connection is another sign that the efforts to establish Klagenfurt Airport as an important transport hub in the Alps-Adriatic region are bearing fruit.
State Councillor Sebastian Schuschnig also underlined the importance of the new flight connection for Carinthia's tourism. He stressed that northern Germany is an important potential market for Carinthia and that the new Hanover route represents an opportunity to work together with all tourism partners to expand incoming flights. The direct connection to Hanover, an airport with a catchment area of around nine million inhabitants, can attract additional guests to Carinthia, especially for summer holidays.
Close cooperation as the key to success
The successful introduction of this new flight connection was only possible because all the players involved pulled together. The cooperation between UKS Touristik, Sky Alps, the Carinthian tourism organizations and the local hotel businesses shows what can be achieved through close cooperation. Martin Payer, Chairman of the Carinthian Investment Administration, emphasized the signal effect of this project and described it as a "flagship project" for further future route developments.
For Carinthian tourism, this new connection offers a welcome opportunity to position itself more strongly on the German market. Klaus Ehrenbrandtner, Managing Director of Kärnten Werbung, sees the Hanover route as a great opportunity to increase market share in Germany. "A car journey of over ten hours has previously been an obstacle for many guests to travel to Carinthia," says Ehrenbrandtner. "With the direct flight and the attractive holiday offers, a barrier that is crucial for bookings is now being removed."