Berlin to Riga is a quick, easy short-haul hop across the Baltic, and there is a reliable non-stop: airBaltic flies it direct in about 1h 35m, roughly 43 times a month. What our latest fare check shows is a route with remarkably little price movement — the non-stop sat at €139–€140 in every month from September to January — so the useful questions here are about baggage and about whether a connection is ever worth it. This guide covers both.
Route: Berlin (BER) → Riga International (RIX)
Distance: approximately 840 km (520 miles)
Non-stop flight time: about 1h 35m
Direct flights: Yes — airBaltic flies non-stop from Berlin to Riga, about 43 flights a month, and schedule data confirms it is the only carrier operating the route direct.
Fares from Berlin to Riga (EUR)
Riga is busiest in the summer (June–August), when the Baltic weather is at its best, and around the Christmas-market season in December. The table below tracks that demand pattern — but on price, our fare check found far less seasonal movement than you would expect: outside August the non-stop barely moved off €139 in any month we could book, December included. Use the measured figures underneath the table.
| Month | Typical return (economy) | Demand |
|---|---|---|
| January | — | low |
| February | — | low |
| March | — | low-medium |
| April | — | medium |
| May | — | medium |
| June | — | high |
| July | — | high |
| August | — | high |
| September | — | medium |
| October | — | low-medium |
| November | — | low |
| December | — | high (Christmas markets) |
Reference points from a live fare check on 5 August 2026 — the 100 cheapest economy returns, hand baggage only, for departures between August 2026 and January 2027. The non-stop ran €139–€180 with a median of €140, and it was €139–€140 in every month from September to January; only August was dearer, from €159. The cheapest fare of any kind was €109, a connection. So on this route €140 is simply the price, and anything meaningfully under it is either a connection or a genuine sale. We hold no recorded price observations for Berlin–Riga, so no long-run average is claimed here.
Airlines on this route
Non-stop (about 1h 35m):
- airBaltic — the only non-stop operator, flying Berlin to Riga about 43 times a month. As Latvia’s flag carrier, Riga is its main hub, so onward Baltic and Nordic connections are easy. It held 80 of the 100 cheapest fares in our check, at a very consistent €139–€140. Check the fare type before you book: since 6 May 2026 its cheapest ticket is Economy MINI, which includes a personal item only (40 × 30 × 15 cm, 8 kg) and no cabin bag. MINI sells only on airBaltic’s own site, app and call centre, so through a comparison site you may instead be offered Economy BASIC, which does include a cabin bag. A checked bag starts at Economy CLASSIC.
Connecting (slower, but genuinely cheaper — 4h 20m to nearly 11 hours):
- Norwegian via Copenhagen or Stockholm — the cheapest single-ticket connection in our check at €109–€119, turning a 95-minute hop into about five hours.
- Ryanair via Manchester — yes, really: the outright cheapest fares we found, €109–€115, route west to England before doubling back, and take 9 hours on two separate tickets. Saving €30 this way costs seven and a half hours and all connection protection.
- LOT via Warsaw — a tidy connection at about 4h 20m, but at €148–€153 it cost more than the airBaltic non-stop.
- Lufthansa via Frankfurt or Munich and Finnair via Helsinki — both possible if the direct flight is full, though neither produced a fare among the 100 cheapest we checked.
- Finnair via Helsinki and LOT via Warsaw — other connecting options, again only sensible as part of a wider itinerary.
For a standalone Berlin–Riga trip the non-stop is the right answer, but be clear about why: it wins overwhelmingly on time, not on price. The cheapest connections in our check undercut it by about €30 — and charged three to nine extra hours for the privilege, in one case by flying you to Manchester first. Take the non-stop unless the connection is part of a longer journey.
When to book & how to save
- Book 1–2 months ahead for the best fares; short-haul prices to Riga climb as departure approaches, especially in summer.
- Don’t over-plan around the season. Only August priced differently in our check — the non-stop was €139–€140 in September, October, November, December and January alike, Christmas markets included. Avoid peak summer; beyond that, pick the dates you want.
- Avoid peak summer and mid-December if budget matters; those are the busiest and priciest weeks.
- Check the bag rules — they changed in 2026. airBaltic’s cheapest ticket, Economy MINI, now carries a personal item only and no cabin bag; Economy BASIC adds the cabin bag, and a checked bag starts at Economy CLASSIC. Adding a bag at booking is still cheaper than at the airport.
- Watch for airBaltic sales. They are the one thing that moves this fare — nothing in our check came in below €139 on the non-stop, so a genuine sale price is easy to recognise when it appears.
Arriving in Riga
Flights land at Riga International (RIX), about 10 km southwest of the city centre — the closest major airport to a Baltic capital. The cheapest way in is city bus route 22, which runs to the centre in around 25 minutes for a couple of euros; a taxi or ride-hail costs roughly €10–€15 and takes about 15 minutes. The compact Old Town is easy to reach from either, and much of central Riga is walkable once you arrive.
Frequently asked questions
How long is the flight from Berlin to Riga?
The non-stop airBaltic flight takes about 1 hour 35 minutes from Berlin to Riga — consistently so, on all eighty non-stops we measured — and about 1h 42m coming back. Connecting itineraries ran from 4h 20m to nearly 11 hours in our check, so the direct flight is by far the quickest option.
Are there direct flights from Berlin to Riga?
Yes. airBaltic flies non-stop from Berlin to Riga, about 43 flights a month, and schedule data confirms it is the only carrier operating the route direct; Ryanair and Wizz Air do not fly Berlin–Riga non-stop. Connecting options exist via Copenhagen, Stockholm, Warsaw and even Manchester, and some are cheaper, but they cost three to nine extra hours.
How much does it cost to fly from Berlin to Riga?
In a live check of the 100 cheapest economy returns for departures between August 2026 and January 2027, the airBaltic non-stop ran €139–€180 with a median of €140. The cheapest fare of any kind was €109, but that was a nine-hour connection via Manchester. Treat €140 as the going rate for the direct flight; August was the only month that priced above it.
What is the cheapest month to fly from Berlin to Riga?
Barely any month is, which is the useful answer. In our check the non-stop cost €139–€140 in September, October, November, December and January alike — the Christmas-market weeks included. Only August stood out, from €159. February fell outside our booking window, so we quote no figure for it. Avoid peak summer; otherwise pick your dates on convenience rather than price.
Which airlines fly from Berlin to Riga?
Non-stop: airBaltic, and schedule data confirms it is the only direct operator. Connecting, as priced in our check: Norwegian via Copenhagen or Stockholm and Ryanair via Manchester were the cheapest at about €109, and LOT via Warsaw actually cost more than flying direct. Lufthansa (Frankfurt or Munich) and Finnair (Helsinki) connect too but did not appear among the cheapest fares. Ryanair and Wizz Air do not fly Berlin–Riga non-stop.
Which airport do I fly into in Riga?
You arrive at Riga International (RIX), Latvia’s main airport, about 10 km from the city centre. It is airBaltic’s hub, with easy onward connections across the Baltics and Nordics, and quick bus or taxi links into central Riga.
How far in advance should I book?
Aim for 1 to 2 months ahead. Fares to Riga rise as departure approaches, particularly for peak summer and the December markets, so early booking almost always saves money — and airBaltic sales reward booking well ahead.
Is it cheaper to fly on weekdays?
Not on this route. The midweek and weekend medians in our check were identical at €140 — airBaltic prices this hop flat across the week. Flexibility still helps if you are hunting a sale fare or a connection, but shuffling a Tuesday to a Saturday will not by itself change what you pay.
Fare figures from a live flightlist fare check on 5 August 2026 and from current airline schedules — always check the live fare before booking.
