SkyUp to Launch Direct Flights from Chișinău to Split and Pula

Ukrainian airline SkyUp Airlines will continue expanding its route network from Chișinău and will launch two new direct routes to Croatia in summer 2027 — Split and Pula.

Flights to Split are scheduled to begin on 5 June 2027, while services to Pula will start on 13 June. Both routes will operate twice a week. According to the announced schedule, flights to Pula will continue until 12 September, while the Split service will operate until 18 September.

Split and Pula are among the new destinations added by SkyUp to its summer 2027 programme from Chișinău. The airline continues to strengthen its presence in Moldova after launching regular flights from the Moldovan capital in April 2025.

The development of the Chișinău network has become one of the ways in which the Ukrainian carrier has adapted to the continued closure of Ukrainian airspace to regular civilian aviation. For many Ukrainian passengers, especially residents of southern Ukraine, Chișinău Airport has become one of the most accessible gateways to the European air transport network.

Comment by the Institute of Danube Research

The launch of direct flights to Split and Pula goes beyond seasonal tourism demand. It reflects the growing role of Chișinău as a regional aviation hub for Moldova and southern Ukraine while Ukrainian airports remain closed to regular civilian traffic.

This is particularly important for residents of Odesa Region and the Ukrainian Danube area. Moldova’s geographical proximity makes Chișinău Airport one of the most convenient international departure points, while the expansion of direct routes reduces dependence on connections through Bucharest, Warsaw and other major European hubs.

The new Croatian destinations also contribute to stronger transport links within the broader Danube–Adriatic area. Split is one of the main transport and tourism centres of Dalmatia, while Pula serves as an important gateway to Istria and the northern Adriatic.

According to the Institute of Danube Research, the systematic expansion of SkyUp’s network from Chișinău demonstrates the emergence of a new regional passenger mobility model. Until full-scale civilian aviation resumes in Ukraine, Moldova is increasingly becoming integrated into the transport system of southern Ukraine, partly assuming the role of an international aviation gateway for Ukrainian citizens.

In the longer term, this trend may further increase the importance of the Odesa–Chișinău transport corridor, highlighting the need to modernise road and rail connections, reduce border-crossing times and develop coordinated bus and rail services to Chișinău Airport.