Bosnia & Herzegovina
How to get to Bosnia and Herzegovina requires the positioning mindset — there are no direct flights from North America to any Bosnian airport. The strategy is to reach a European hub and connect onward to Sarajevo (SJJ), and the strongest path for most non-rev travelers is Turkish Airlines through Istanbul (IST), which is Star Alliance and connects from dozens of US cities. Austrian Airlines (VIE→SJJ), Lufthansa (FRA→SJJ), and Swiss (ZRH→SJJ) all offer additional Star Alliance paths. For Oneworld travelers, Qatar Airways operates DOH→SJJ — position through Doha. SkyTeam travelers have no direct SJJ option but can position to Istanbul via Delta and continue on Turkish. A second approach worth knowing: United Airlines operates a nonstop from Newark (EWR) to Dubrovnik, Croatia (DBV) — Star Alliance, and from Dubrovnik it’s about a 2.5-hour bus or car journey to Mostar and roughly 4 hours to Sarajevo, making the Croatian coast a viable alternate gateway. Bosnia uses the Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM), fixed to the euro at 1.95583 BAM per EUR — effectively pegged so your euro exchange math is simple. US citizens enter Bosnia visa-free for up to 90 days.
Tourism Board
Why Go
Bosnia’s Airports
| City | Airport | Code | Notes for Non-Revs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sarajevo | Sarajevo International Airport | SJJ | Main gateway. Turkish (IST), Austrian (VIE), Lufthansa (FRA), Swiss (ZRH), Croatia Airlines (ZAG), LOT (WAW), SAS (CPH) all serve SJJ. Qatar (DOH) for Oneworld. Primary non-rev target. |
| Mostar | Mostar International Airport | OMO | Small airport near the city. Croatia Airlines (ZAG, Star Alliance) is the only alliance-accessible carrier. Eurowings and Air Serbia also serve OMO. Most visitors reach Mostar by bus from Sarajevo (2.5h) or Dubrovnik (2.5h). |
| Tuzla | Tuzla International Airport | TZL | Northeast Bosnia. No alliance service — Wizz Air and Pegasus only. Primarily serves the Bosnian diaspora in Germany and Scandinavia. |
| Banja Luka | Banja Luka International Airport | BNX | Republika Srpska. Air Serbia (BEG), Ryanair, Wizz Air. No global alliance access. |
How to Get to Bosnia from North America
No airline operates a nonstop flight from North America to any Bosnian airport. Every routing requires at least one European hub connection. Here are the strongest non-rev paths by alliance:
United Airlines (Star Alliance) operates a nonstop from Newark (EWR) to Dubrovnik (DBV) — the only direct US carrier route to Croatia. For non-revs targeting Mostar and southern Bosnia, this is a genuinely practical path: the bus from Dubrovnik to Mostar takes approximately 2.5 hours along a spectacular coastal and mountain route. Mostar to Sarajevo is a further 2.5 hours by bus. British Airways (Oneworld) also serves DBV from LHR and LGW, and Air France (SkyTeam) connects CDG→DBV, giving all three alliances access to the Dubrovnik gateway. See our Croatia Travel Guide for the full Dubrovnik routing picture.
Getting Around — Overland
Bosnia sits at the crossroads of the Western Balkans, and overland travel from neighboring Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro is both practical and scenic. For non-revs who have positioned through Belgrade or another regional city, the bus and train connections to Sarajevo are well-established.
| Belgrade → Sarajevo (Bus) | ~7h | The most common overland approach from Serbia. Several daily departures, including overnight services. Buses run by Centrotrans and other regional operators pass through Republika Srpska. Kerwin has made this journey — it’s a straightforward if long ride through mountain landscape, crossing into Bosnia along the Drina River valley. |
| Belgrade → Sarajevo (Train) | ~8–9h | A scenic rail journey running through Republika Srpska via Doboj and Zenica. The line passes through dramatic valleys and mountain terrain. One daily departure; the train is slower than the bus but the scenery through the Bosna River gorge rewards the time. Verify current schedules as Western Balkans rail services can change — check Serbian Railways (srbvoz.rs) and Željeznice Bosne i Hercegovine for current timetables. |
| Dubrovnik → Mostar (Bus) | ~2.5h | The coastal and mountain route north from Dubrovnik through the Neum corridor — Bosnia’s only 9km of Adriatic coastline — then inland to Mostar. A spectacular drive. Multiple daily departures. Makes Dubrovnik a genuine alternate gateway for non-revs targeting southern Bosnia. |
| Mostar → Sarajevo (Bus) | ~2.5h | Frequent daily services along the Neretva River valley. The route passes through Jablanica — site of a famous WWII partisan crossing — and the Neretva canyon is stunning. This connection makes a Mostar–Sarajevo itinerary by ground a genuinely enjoyable journey rather than just a transfer. |
| Split → Mostar (Bus) | ~3h | Regular connections from the Croatian coastal city of Split (airport: SPU, Star Alliance via Croatia Airlines) across the border into Herzegovina. Another useful gateway for non-revs connecting through Croatia. |
Common Questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Bosnia and Herzegovina?
No. US citizens can enter Bosnia and Herzegovina visa-free for up to 90 days. A valid passport is required. Bosnia is not part of the Schengen Area, so time spent here does not count against your 90-day Schengen allowance. Always verify current entry requirements at iatatravelcentre.com before travel.
What is the easiest non-rev path to Sarajevo?
For most North American non-revs, Turkish Airlines through Istanbul (IST) is the most practical path — Turkish serves the widest range of US cities with a direct Star Alliance connection to SJJ. If loads on the IST→SJJ sector are difficult, Austrian Vienna (VIE) and Lufthansa Frankfurt (FRA) are the strongest backup options with their own SJJ nonstops.
Can I visit Mostar without flying into Sarajevo?
Yes — and for many non-revs, it makes more sense. Fly into Dubrovnik (DBV) on United EWR or British Airways LHR, then take the 2.5-hour bus to Mostar. You can spend a day or two in Mostar and Blagaj, then continue by bus to Sarajevo (another 2.5 hours). This south-to-north approach gives you the full sweep of Herzegovina and the capital without backtracking.
What currency does Bosnia use?
The Bosnian Convertible Mark (BAM) is pegged to the euro at exactly 1.95583 BAM per EUR — a fixed rate that makes budgeting easy. Euros are widely accepted in tourist areas (especially Mostar), but the exchange rate at merchants will often be rounded less favorably than at a bank or ATM. ATMs dispense BAM throughout the country.
Tourism source: Tourism Association of Bosnia and Herzegovina (bhtourism.ba). Entry requirements: IATA Travel Centre (iatatravelcentre.com). Route data compiled from airline and airport schedules.