Sarajevo–Cairo Flights and Egyptian Visa Waiver on the Table in Talks

Sarajevo International Airport and Egyptian officials have discussed launching a direct scheduled air route between Sarajevo and Cairo, alongside a possible easing of Bosnia and Herzegovina's visa rules for Egyptian citizens. Dino Selimovic, Acting Director of Sarajevo International Airport, met on Monday with Walid Haggag, Egypt's Ambassador to Bosnia and Herzegovina.

Key facts

• Proposed route: direct scheduled service between Sarajevo and Cairo — no launch date has been announced.
• Existing links: Air Cairo already operates seasonal charter flights from Sarajevo to Hurghada.
• Visa talks: a temporary or seasonal visa waiver for Egyptian citizens was discussed, but nothing has been decided.
• Next step: airport representatives plan to meet EgyptAir at World Routes 2026 in Frankfurt.
• Also attending: Sead Čampara and Melika Kasalo of the airport's Aviation Services Department.

What was discussed?

The meeting focused on air connectivity between Bosnia and Herzegovina and Egypt, with both sides pointing to opportunities in tourism, trade, business, education and culture. Particular attention went to Cairo's role as one of Africa's major aviation hubs and its potential to connect Bosnia and Herzegovina with destinations across the African continent.

Selimovic said a direct air route "would not merely connect the two capitals" but would also improve access to Sarajevo and Bosnia and Herzegovina for tourists, business travellers and other passengers from Egypt and the wider African region.

What are the current flight links?

Sarajevo International Airport already has seasonal connections with Egypt through charter flights operated by Air Cairo to Hurghada. The airport and the ambassador discussed that a regular service to Cairo could support tourism, business travel and transit connections between the two countries.

What was said about visas?

Participants identified Bosnia and Herzegovina's visa regime as an obstacle to expanding tourism exchanges and establishing direct air links with promising markets. Among the possibilities discussed were a temporary or seasonal visa waiver for Egyptian citizens, or a significant simplification of existing procedures.

Proposed measures included digitalising applications, improving electronic submission and processing, and shortening processing times while maintaining appropriate security standards. No decision, timetable or change to current visa requirements has been announced.

What happens next?

Representatives of Sarajevo International Airport plan to meet EgyptAir representatives at the international aviation event World Routes 2026 in Frankfurt, where the airport delegation intends to present the potential for a direct Sarajevo–Cairo service. The meeting ended with both sides expressing willingness to continue cooperating on air connectivity, passenger numbers and economic, tourism and friendly relations.

No route launch date, airline commitment or visa change has been confirmed, so travellers should continue to follow current entry rules when planning trips between the two countries.