VINI Plans New Air Travel Route Between Karlsruhe and Berlin Airports
Regional aviation company VINI is preparing to launch a new connection between Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport and Berlin, restoring a direct link between the two regions for the first time since 2019.
The service is planned to operate as a soft launch from October through December 2026, with flights connecting Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden with Berlin-Schönhagen/Trebbin three days a week. VINI plans morning departures from Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden and late-afternoon returns, allowing for both day trips and longer stays.
The route is being developed around a demand-driven model rather than the fixed-capacity approach used by traditional scheduled airlines. VINI will initially deploy smaller aircraft, including the 19-seat Dornier 228 and potentially the 32-seat Dornier 328, with capacity adjusted as demand develops.
The previous Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden–Berlin service ended in October 2019. According to VINI and the airport, the route struggled with the economics of operating a 138-seat aircraft, despite demand for a connection between the regions.
Under the new model, VINI plans to collect travel requests from businesses, institutions and private passengers before activating and scaling services. The company says its technology will be used to assess sustained demand and determine when larger aircraft or additional rotations are justified.
The service will also include ground transportation. VINI plans to coordinate a private shuttle from Schönhagen/Trebbin to Berlin-Mitte, with the bus connection included in the ticket. The airport is particularly suited to destinations in southern Berlin and Potsdam.
Karlsruhe/Baden-Baden Airport handled around 2.3 million passengers in 2025, making it Baden-Württemberg’s second-largest airport. The new Berlin service is intended to form part of a broader regional network, with additional destinations to be considered based on demand.
