A new airport 75 km from Himara instead of 220 — on paper, Vlora International Airport should have already changed how people reach the Riviera in 2026. If you've been planning around a Vlora Airport arrival, the question that actually matters isn't the taxi fare or the drive time. It's whether there's a flight to land on in the first place, and as of mid-2026 that answer is more complicated than the airport's own marketing suggests.
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Vlora Airport Status Check (as of July 2026)
| Question | Current answer |
|---|---|
| Is Vlora Airport open for commercial flights? | No — no scheduled commercial passenger service as of July 2026 |
| What happened to the Chair Airlines Zurich route? | Cancelled for summer 2026; Chair redirected the route to Ohrid, North Macedonia instead |
| What happened to the Scandinavian charter flights (Ving)? | Cancelled — the tour operator dropped its Albania program and refunded bookings |
| Why the delay? | A shareholder/construction dispute between Mabco Constructions and 2A Group, plus missing international operating certifications |
| When will it open? | No confirmed new date; Albanian officials have described the delay as extending "beyond 2026" |
| Is the runway/terminal physically finished? | Largely yes — infrastructure is near-complete, but final certification and legal approvals are the blocker, not construction |
The short version: if you booked or were hoping to book a flight into Vlora for a 2026 Riviera trip, don't. As of this writing there is no working commercial route into VLO, and the airline that had committed to one — Chair Airlines — has already moved its aircraft to a different destination for the season. This isn't a rumor or a single blog's guess; it's confirmed across Albanian business press, aviation trade press, and the government's own public statements about the concession dispute holding up final certification.
What Actually Happened
Vlora International Airport (IATA: VLO) completed its certification flight in May 2025 and looked, through early 2026, like it was on track for a June 26, 2026 launch with Chair Airlines flying twice weekly from Zurich. That didn't happen. A dispute between the Swiss-linked concession holder Mabco Constructions and the Albanian contractor 2A Group stalled construction progress and delayed the final international operating certifications the airport needs before any airline can legally fly scheduled passenger service there. By April 2026, Albanian officials were confirming the summer 2026 launch was off; by June, Chair Airlines had pulled the route entirely, redirecting its Zurich service to Ohrid instead. Ving, a Scandinavian tour operator that had planned charter flights from Oslo, cancelled its program too and refunded customers.
None of this means the airport is abandoned — the physical infrastructure (a 3,200m runway rated for wide-body aircraft, a 22,000 sqm terminal) is largely built. It means the legal and regulatory side hasn't caught up, and until it does, there's no flight to book.
So How Do You Actually Get to Himara in 2026?
With Vlora Airport not operating, your realistic 2026 options are the same ones that worked before the airport was ever announced:
| Route | Distance to Himara | Realistic transfer time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fly into Tirana (TIA) | ~220 km | 3.5–4 hours by bus, transfer, or rental car | The only reliable airport option in 2026 — see our Tirana Airport to Himara guide |
| Fly into Corfu, ferry to Saranda | ~85 km from Saranda | Ferry ~25–35 min + 1.5–2 hour drive/bus to Himara | Seasonal (summer flight schedules to Corfu), works well for Riviera-only trips — see our Corfu to Albania ferry guide |
| Watch for Vlora Airport news | ~75 km, if it opens | Would be 1–1.5 hours | Don't book flights around this until an airline has confirmed a live, ticketed route |
For the fullest comparison of all three, including which wins for your specific itinerary, see closest airport to Himara.
If and When Vlora Airport Does Open: What the Transfer Would Look Like
Worth knowing for future planning, and useful once a real flight schedule exists. Vlora Airport sits near the village of Akerni, about 10 km north of Vlora city and roughly 75 km from Himara. The route south runs via the SH8 coastal road, through either the Llogara Pass or the newer Llogara Tunnel (the tunnel cuts the Dukat-to-Palasa section from 30–40 minutes of hairpins to about 7 minutes, and tolling was finalized in April 2026 at roughly 250 ALL / 2.50€ per car crossing).
| Method | Planned/estimated fare | Estimated time |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-booked taxi/transfer | 6,000–8,000 ALL (60–80€) | 1h–1h 15min via tunnel |
| Rental car | 3,000–5,000 ALL/day (30–50€) + fuel | 1h–1h 15min via tunnel |
| Bus (via Vlora city, no direct airport bus) | 800–1,000 ALL (8–10€) + city connector | 1h 45min–2h 30min total |
Treat every figure in this section as planned, not current — none of it is live until an airline actually operates the route. Airport taxi infrastructure, official pricing, and bus connections will only firm up once real flights land.
Timeline: How We Got Here
- April 2025 — Vlora Airport receives its IATA code (VLO).
- May 2025 — Certification flight completed successfully; the airport looks on track.
- Late 2025 — Chair Airlines announces a twice-weekly Zurich–Vlora route for summer 2026; Ving announces Scandinavian charter plans.
- April 2026 — Albanian Daily News and government sources confirm the summer 2026 commercial launch is off; charter contracts begin being cancelled amid the Mabco Constructions vs. 2A Group dispute over the concession.
- May 2026 — Albania's Infrastructure Minister confirms construction works have been stalled by the shareholder dispute and related court proceedings.
- June–July 2026 — Chair Airlines formally drops the Vlora route (redirecting to Ohrid); Ving cancels its remaining Albania program and refunds bookings. As of this writing, no new opening date has been set.
What If You Already Booked a Trip Around a Vlora Flight?
If you booked flights, transfers, or accommodation assuming a Vlora Airport arrival, don't wait for a last-minute fix — none of the airlines involved have suggested a near-term resumption. Rebook into Tirana as early as you can; TIA has far more capacity and route options, so availability and pricing get worse the closer you get to peak summer. If your original booking was through Ving or another operator tied to a Vlora charter, that program has already been cancelled and refunds should have been processed automatically — contact the operator directly if you haven't heard from them.
It's also worth checking whether your travel insurance covers "airport/route unavailable" scenarios; a cancelled route due to certification failure is a different case than a normal flight delay, and policies vary on whether it's covered.
Should You Still Keep an Eye on This Airport?
Yes, for future trips — just not for 2026 planning. The underlying case for Vlora Airport hasn't changed: a 75 km, roughly 1–1.5 hour transfer to Himara would cut the current Tirana-based journey by more than half, and the runway and terminal are largely built. What's missing is the legal and regulatory resolution, which is outside any traveler's control and has no announced timeline. If you're planning a 2027 trip, it's worth a quick search closer to your dates rather than assuming either outcome.
For International Travelers
US travelers: don't build a 2026 Riviera trip around flying into Vlora — there's no US routing to VLO planned even in the airport's original 2026 launch plans, and the airport isn't operating regardless. Fly into Tirana via a European connection instead; see our Tirana Airport to Himara guide for the full transfer breakdown, including drive times in miles (220 km ≈ 137 miles).
UK travelers: the same applies — no UK carrier had a confirmed Vlora route even before the delay. Check the FCDO travel advice for Albania for current entry requirements, and route through Tirana for 2026.
EU travelers (Germany, Switzerland, Nordics): you're the market most affected by this delay — Chair Airlines' Zurich route was the one confirmed 2026 Vlora connection, and it's been redirected to Ohrid instead. Ryanair and Wizz Air both fly into Tirana from multiple German and Dutch cities, and remain the practical 2026 option. Scandinavian travelers who had booked Ving's Oslo charter should already have been contacted about refunds — if you haven't been, contact the operator directly.
FAQ
Is Vlora Airport open in 2026?
Not for scheduled commercial flights, as of July 2026. The airport's infrastructure is largely complete, but a shareholder dispute over the concession contract has delayed the final international operating certifications. Chair Airlines, the one airline that had committed to a 2026 Zurich route, redirected that service to Ohrid instead.
What happened to the Chair Airlines flights to Vlora?
Chair Airlines had planned twice-weekly Zurich–Vlora flights starting June 26, 2026, but cancelled the route for the 2026 summer season due to the airport's certification delays and moved the service to Ohrid, North Macedonia.
When will Vlora Airport open?
No confirmed date has been announced. Albanian officials described the delay as extending "beyond 2026" as of mid-2026, tied to an unresolved dispute between the concession's construction partners. Check current news before assuming any specific date.
How do I get to Himara if Vlora Airport isn't flying?
Fly into Tirana International Airport (TIA) and transfer 3.5–4 hours by bus, private transfer, or rental car — see our Tirana Airport to Himara guide. Flying into Corfu and taking the ferry to Saranda is a workable seasonal alternative for Riviera-only trips.
If Vlora Airport eventually opens, how far is it from Himara?
About 75 km, roughly 1 to 1.5 hours by road via the Llogara Tunnel — a fraction of the 3.5–4 hour transfer from Tirana. That's the reason it was billed as a Riviera game-changer, and why it's worth watching for a confirmed reopening timeline even though it isn't usable for 2026 travel planning.
Is the Vlora Airport delay related to construction problems?
Not primarily. Officials describe the runway and terminal as largely complete. The blocker is a legal and shareholder dispute between the concession's construction partners (Mabco Constructions and 2A Group) that has held up final international operating certifications — the paperwork side, not the physical build.
Bottom Line
Don't plan a 2026 Himara trip around Vlora Airport — as of this writing it has no operating commercial flights, and the one confirmed 2026 route was cancelled and redirected elsewhere. Fly into Tirana and budget the 3.5–4 hour transfer, or use Corfu plus the ferry to Saranda if that fits your itinerary better. We'll update this page the moment a real, ticketed flight schedule exists for Vlora.
