From the Alps to the Islands—New Flights Simplify Travel Plans
From May 2025, travellers flying out of Lake Constance Airport in Friedrichshafen can head straight to Elba or Usedom without having to switch planes or take detours. These planes fly once a week and the journey takes around an hour and a half from takeoff to landing, giving travellers a quick and simple way to reach the islands. MHS Aviation operates the service using a Dornier 328 aircraft in cooperation with the travel company UKS Touristik. These additions extend the airport’s seasonal network towards coastal destinations in southern and northern Europe.
Departures to Elba take place every Friday, with return flights scheduled for the same day. Flights to Usedom leave every Saturday and come back the same day, just like the schedule for Elba. Thanks to this schedule, people living in southern Germany, Austria and Switzerland can skip the long drives, train rides or ferry crossings and just fly straight to their destination with less hassle. Flying straight without any stops can be handy if someone is planning a quick getaway or needs to be somewhere on a tight schedule.
Elba, situated off the western coast of Italy, is known for its compact size, coastal landscapes, and preserved heritage sites. On the island, you can find clear paths for walking, quiet little beaches for a swim, and even the house where Napoleon stayed when he was sent into exile back in 1814. Because Elba sits among the islands of the Tuscan Archipelago, it hasn’t been built up too much and tourism there is kept in check, which makes it a calm and nature-friendly place to visit.
Usedom, located on the southern edge of the Baltic Sea, is geographically shared between Germany and Poland. It includes traditional seaside resorts, 19th-century promenades, and areas with spa architecture. The flat terrain and long coastline support recreational activities such as cycling and walking. People living close to the Alps can now fly straight to the island without needing to pass through big city airports such as Berlin or Hamburg on their journey.
More and more, small airports like this are being used to link up places that aren’t major tourist hubs but still worth visiting for a holiday. Instead of relying solely on centralised aviation networks or long overland journeys, passengers can now benefit from direct seasonal links. This may improve convenience, reduce planning complexity, and open access to areas that previously required more complex travel arrangements.