American airline Swift Air LLC will introduce direct flights from Chicago to Belgrade, which will operate once a week, with one stop in Zagreb (Croatia).

A return ticket for an economy class seat on the 10-hour flight in Boeing 767-200 aircraft will cost EUR 795 from Belgrade and USD 1250 from Chicago, all taxes included, the airline announced earlier.

Serbia's Civil Aviation Directorate told Tanjug that the American company received a permit to operate charter flights Belgrade-Zagreb-Chicago and back, for the period from June 17 - December 29, 2011.

Air traffic from Belgrade to the North American continent was suspended in 1992, and Jat Airways has had several failed attempts to restore it.

The US Federal Aviation Administration gave Serbia Category 2 rating, whereas Serbia's national airline should be in Category 1 to be able to operate flights to the US.