With Cyprus set to assume the rotating Presidency of the Council of the European Union on 1 January 2026, the government has finalised a Public Service Obligation (PSO) tender guaranteeing direct flights between Larnaca and Brussels for 12 months. The tender attracted a single bid from Aegean Airlines and was confirmed on 10 December.
Frequency will ramp up from three flights a week in December 2025 to five weekly services during the first half of 2026, tapering to two weekly rotations after the summer. Roughly 28,000 delegates are expected to attend 260 informal ministerial meetings and technical conferences in Cyprus during the Presidency, and officials say the air link is critical to preventing ‘double-hop’ itineraries via Athens or Vienna that add time and cost.
![Cypriot EU-Council Presidency Secures Year-Long Larnaca–Brussels Direct Flight]()
For travelers who need to arrange entry documents quickly and efficiently, VisaHQ offers a streamlined online visa application service, complete with real-time guidance on Schengen and Cyprus requirements and optional courier handling for paperwork. Checking the dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) can help delegates, journalists, and business visitors secure the correct visas well ahead of their flights, avoiding last-minute complications during the busy Presidency period.
The direct route will also benefit multinational companies with EU-affairs teams in Brussels by simplifying site visits to Cyprus. Travel-management firms anticipate fare premiums during peak Presidency weeks and advise early block-booking. The Transport Ministry is negotiating reciprocal slot allocations to secure favourable departure times from Brussels-Zaventem.
Longer term, industry observers hope the PSO will demonstrate sufficient demand to sustain a commercial service beyond the Presidency, strengthening Cyprus’ connectivity with the EU’s political capital.
Frequency will ramp up from three flights a week in December 2025 to five weekly services during the first half of 2026, tapering to two weekly rotations after the summer. Roughly 28,000 delegates are expected to attend 260 informal ministerial meetings and technical conferences in Cyprus during the Presidency, and officials say the air link is critical to preventing ‘double-hop’ itineraries via Athens or Vienna that add time and cost.
For travelers who need to arrange entry documents quickly and efficiently, VisaHQ offers a streamlined online visa application service, complete with real-time guidance on Schengen and Cyprus requirements and optional courier handling for paperwork. Checking the dedicated Cyprus page (https://www.visahq.com/cyprus/) can help delegates, journalists, and business visitors secure the correct visas well ahead of their flights, avoiding last-minute complications during the busy Presidency period.
The direct route will also benefit multinational companies with EU-affairs teams in Brussels by simplifying site visits to Cyprus. Travel-management firms anticipate fare premiums during peak Presidency weeks and advise early block-booking. The Transport Ministry is negotiating reciprocal slot allocations to secure favourable departure times from Brussels-Zaventem.
Longer term, industry observers hope the PSO will demonstrate sufficient demand to sustain a commercial service beyond the Presidency, strengthening Cyprus’ connectivity with the EU’s political capital.
