British Airways Adds Montenegro and Guernsey Routes for Summer 2026

British Airways has just announced two interesting additions to its Heathrow network for 2026, and whilst neither will set the world alight, they're worth knowing about – particularly if you're sitting on a stash of Avios and fancy somewhere different.

The airline will launch seasonal flights to Tivat in Montenegro from 14 May 2026, operating three times weekly through the summer season. More significantly for domestic travellers, year-round daily flights to Guernsey will commence on 19 April 2026, marking the only direct service between London Heathrow and the Channel Islands.

This follows BA's recent announcement of St. Louis joining the network next year and flights to Graz launching today, bringing the total number of Heathrow short-haul destinations to nearly 100.

British Airways has been flirting with Montenegro for years. They scheduled Heathrow–Podgorica flights for 2020, cancelled them due to COVID, rescheduled for 2021, then cancelled again. This time, they've opted for Tivat instead – the coastal airport serving Montenegro's bay region – and I'm cautiously optimistic it'll actually happen.

The new Tivat service will operate:

Montenegro has been quietly gaining traction as a destination, with over 2.6 million tourist arrivals in 2024 according to MONSTAT – and 96% of overnight guests were international visitors. The Bay of Kotor is genuinely stunning (often compared to a fjord despite being on the Adriatic), and Tivat itself sits in a prime location for exploring both the bay's medieval towns and the Budva Riviera.

Interestingly, this will be the first scheduled service between Heathrow and Tivat since Jat Airways operated the route in 2006 – twenty years ago. That's quite a gap.

Here's where it gets interesting. BA hasn't published Montenegro in their Avios pricing yet, but based on distance (Heathrow to Tivat is roughly 1,100 miles), it should fall into the 1,001-2,000 mile band. That means we're looking at approximately:

These are estimated rates based on BA's distance-based pricing for similar routes like Athens or Istanbul. The actual pricing will be confirmed once the route goes live on the award booking system. You can check current Avios pricing for various destinations using our BA Avios Points Calculator.

At those rates, a return Club Europe redemption to Montenegro would cost around 40,000-45,000 Avios plus £25 in taxes – which is decent value for a beach holiday in business class, especially if you're combining it with a BA Amex Companion Voucher.

The Guernsey announcement is more interesting than it might initially appear. This will be BA's second-shortest route from Heathrow (after Manchester), covering just 148 nautical miles.

Guernsey lost its Heathrow connection in 2020 when Flybe suspended services before collapsing in 2023. BA last served the route in 1980 – 45 years ago. The new service will operate:

The timing is clearly designed for connections rather than point-to-point traffic. The midday slots aren't ideal for business travellers (who'll likely stick with Aurigny's early morning/late evening Gatwick flights), but they're perfect for tourists connecting from long-haul arrivals or heading out to European destinations via Heathrow.

It's worth noting that some form of financial support from Guernsey is likely involved here, as was the case with Flybe's previous service. BA wouldn't normally launch such a short route without subsidy – it's simply not commercially viable on its own. But for travellers, that's irrelevant; what matters is the connectivity.

Guernsey falls into BA's shortest distance band (up to 650 miles). Based on similar short domestic routes, expect:

At 9,250 Avios one-way in economy, it's hardly a bargain redemption – you'd be better off paying cash at £45 one-way. However, if you're connecting through Heathrow on a long-haul award ticket and want to add Guernsey as a stopover, the incremental Avios cost becomes more palatable.

Let's be honest – neither of these routes is revolutionary. Montenegro already has low-cost competition from airlines like easyJet and Wizz Air serving Tivat from UK airports, and Guernsey is well-connected via Aurigny and BA Euroflyer from Gatwick.

But that's not really the point. For BA Gold and Silver status holders, the Montenegro route opens up lounge access at Heathrow, priority boarding, and the ability to credit flights to oneworld for status maintenance. The Guernsey service provides valuable connectivity that simply wasn't available before from Heathrow.

For Avios collectors, Tivat represents a reasonably-priced short-haul business class option that's within reach of what you can earn from a single BA Amex welcome bonus (typically 30,000-60,000 Avios). And if you're strategic about peak vs off-peak dates, you can maximise value whilst keeping taxes absurdly low.

What's more interesting is what this signals about BA's short-haul strategy. With nearly 100 destinations from Heathrow, they're clearly focusing on breadth rather than depth. These aren't routes that will drive massive revenue, but they enhance network connectivity and appeal to specific passenger segments – holiday makers for Montenegro, and connecting traffic for Guernsey.

If you prefer packages over DIY booking, BA Holidays is offering:

Both packages must be booked by 4 December 2025. You can also pay for BA Holidays packages using Avios or a combination of Avios and cash, which can help stretch your points further.

Both routes are bookable now on ba.com for travel from spring/summer 2026. Here's how to maximise your booking:

For cash bookings:

For Avios redemptions:

These aren't headline-grabbing route launches, and I don't expect them to dramatically change anyone's travel plans. But they're useful additions that provide more options for Avios redemptions and BA status holders.

Montenegro has been on BA's radar for years, and it's good to finally see it materialise (fingers crossed it actually operates this time). The Bay of Kotor is genuinely worth visiting, and having a direct Heathrow service makes it more accessible for those who prefer not to fly via Gatwick or Manchester on low-cost carriers.

Guernsey, meanwhile, fills a gap in the network and provides valuable connectivity for both Channel Islands residents and UK/international travellers wanting to explore this corner of the British Isles.

Neither route will transform your points strategy, but both are worth bookmarking if you're looking for somewhere different to spend your Avios in 2026.

Until next time, Jack