May 21, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as TAP Portugal flights to Zagreb return next month, and Wizz Air announces its second route to Dubrovnik Airport.

Croatian Aviation reports that TAP Portugal returns to Zagreb on June 2! After more than 5 years, the Portuguese national airline will resume traffic on the route between Lisbon and Zagreb Airport.

The airline announced it would reintroduce this line in March last year on March 28, but flights were delayed from month to month due to the global pandemic. The airline has now confirmed that it will start regular flights on this route from June 2.

The line will operate three times a week from the beginning of June, every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday. Although A320 aircraft were originally announced on this route, the airline announced E190 aircraft with a capacity of 106 seats in June.

A total of 2,756 seats will be offered on this line between the two cities in June.

From the beginning of July to the end of October, higher-capacity aircraft (A319, 144 seats) have been announced on this route, so in that period, TAP Portugal will offer 14,976 seats.

From the beginning of June to the end of October, the Portuguese national airline between Lisbon and Zagreb will have 17,732 seats on sale throughout the summer season.

TAP Portugal flight schedule between Lisbon and Zagreb:

Lisbon - Zagreb / 08:35 - 12:40 / 3h 05min

Zagreb - Lisbon / 13:25 - 15:50 / 3h 25min

After TAP Portugal resumes traffic on this route on June 2, Zagreb will become the only Croatian airport from which it is possible to fly directly to Lisbon. In the summer of 2020, there were no direct scheduled flights between Lisbon and Croatian airports.

Regarding travel restrictions due to the global pandemic, entry into Portugal is possible with a negative PCR test. The test result must not be older than 72 hours before the start of the trip.

Return tickets in July with departure from Zagreb can currently be purchased for approximately 130 euros, and the airline often offers discounts on its routes. A few weeks ago, the promo price was only 90 euros.

Furthermore, Croatian Aviation reports that the Hungarian low-cost airline, Wizz Air, has announced its second route to Dubrovnik Airport. This airline has not operated to Dubrovnik for several years, and a few days ago, it announced its first line from Rome (Fiumicino Airport).

Now, tickets were released yesterday on the Warsaw and Dubrovnik line.

The Warsaw - Dubrovnik - Warsaw line will be in operation from July 3, twice a week, on Wednesdays and Saturdays. The line will be in operation until mid-September (18.09.), and 23 aircraft operations have been announced.

Wizz Air will offer almost 8,300 seats on this new route between Dubrovnik and Warsaw. In addition to this Hungarian airline, the Polish LOT and the Czech Smartwings still operate between the two mentioned cities.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 19, 2021 - The latest news for flights to Croatia as Zagreb and Split KLM flights have been boosted! 

Croatian Aviation reports that Dutch KLM currently operates twice a day between Zagreb and Amsterdam, and instead of Embraer aircraft, larger capacity aircraft operates on the route. Flights to Split have been running daily since yesterday!

Since the end of March, Dutch KLM has been gradually increasing the number of weekly flights between Zagreb and Amsterdam, adding a second daily flight on certain days of the week. The company now operates twice a day between the mentioned airports, and so far the Embraer E170 and E190 aircraft have mainly operated on this route.

The capacity of the mentioned aircraft is 76 or 100 passengers. Since the beginning of May, KLM has started using larger capacity aircraft on certain days of the week, mainly B737-700 type aircraft that can carry up to 142 passengers. Aircraft type B737-700 are announced for both daily flights to Zagreb until June 14, and again from June 21 to July 4.

From the beginning of July to the end of August, KLM plans to use B737-800 aircraft with a capacity of as many as 186 passengers on the line between Zagreb and Amsterdam. During the peak of the summer season, the -700 version was announced only on Sundays, on one daily flight.

KLM thus significantly increases the number of offered seats to and from Zagreb, counting on higher demand in the summer months. From June 1 to August 31, the Dutch airline will offer more than 56,800 seats on this route!

Increasing the number of operations towards Split

As of May 17, KLM increased the number of operations to Split Airport and now flights to and from Amsterdam are available daily.

One Croatian Aviation reader on yesterday's Amsterdam - Split flight confirmed that the B737-700 aircraft was almost full, so it is not surprising that the company decided to increase the number of operations to Split Airport earlier than in the summer season of 2019. As announced earlier, KLM will run 12 times a week between Split and Amsterdam this summer!

In addition to Split and Zagreb, this summer KLM will also run to Dubrovnik, from June 26, every day. Thus, the Dutch national airline, the oldest airline in the world, will have as many as 33 flights a week to three Croatian airports in the peak season this summer, which is a significant increase in the number of operations compared to the year before the global pandemic. Air France, also part of the same group, is present in three Croatian airports - Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik.

Although the E170 and E190 are very well received by passengers, the B737 has a significantly higher capacity, and the company will soon be able to use the Internet on flights within Europe (free for social networks), so this additional service will be available on flights to Split and Zagreb. Considering that good bookings are expected on the new route to Dubrovnik, there is no doubt that the company will use aircraft from the B737 family on this route as well.

Apart from those traveling between the mentioned cities, it should be noted that the share of transfer passengers on KLM lines is extremely high, and within Europe, this applies mainly to destinations such as Dublin, London, Manchester, and Oslo.

KLM has significantly increased its presence in the Croatian market in the last two years, and it is to be expected that this will continue in the future. A completely logical choice of the company would be the establishment of regular lines from Amsterdam to Pula and Zadar.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 11, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as two new Ryanair flights to Zagreb have been announced from September! 

Croatian Aviation reports that Ryanair released tickets for two more new routes to Zagreb Airport today!

As previously announced, the Irish low-cost airline will open a base at Zagreb Airport from September this year.

In addition to the already announced, 12 new lines, Ryanair will operate directly to two more destinations from Zagreb from September.

From September 4, the Zagreb - Malmo - Zagreb line will be introduced, which will be in traffic twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

From the same date, the Zagreb - Dusseldorf Weeze - Zagreb line will be introduced, which will also operate twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays.

Tickets for these two new routes are already on sale on the airline's official website, and these lines will also operate in the winter flight schedule. According to the latest announcements, Ryanair will have as many as 14 international routes from Zagreb Airport from the beginning of September, leaving the possibility of introducing additional lines until the start of operations and the opening of the base in September.

Already this autumn, Ryanair will perform weekly flights from Zagreb Airport to the following destinations:

Brussels Charleroi, from June 2, 3 times a week,

Dortmund, from September 3, 2 times a week,

Frankfurt-Hahn, from September 3, 3 times a week,

Gothenburg, from September 3, 3 times a week,

Karlsruhe, from September 2, 2 times a week,

London, from September 1, daily,

Memmingen, from September 3, 2 times a week,

Milan, from July 1, 4 times a week,

Paris, from September 2, 2 times a week,

Podgorica, from September 4, 2 times a week,

Rome, from September 3, 3 times a week,

Torp Sandefjord, from September 1, 2 times a week.

The company has more than 430 B737-800 aircraft in the fleet, with a capacity of 189 seats. The average age of Ryanair aircraft is only 8 years.

Ryanair has been operating in Croatia since 2006. By June 2019, the company had transported 4 million passengers to and from Croatia.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 7, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Iberia flights from Madrid to Zagreb, Split, and Zadar have been announced for the summer. 

Croatian Aviation reports that in the summer of 2020, the Spanish national airline operated to only one destination in Croatia instead of the usual four - Dubrovnik Airport. This summer season, the company intends to operate at all four airports in Croatia, the same as in the summer of 2019.

Namely, Iberia will run regular lines from Madrid to Zagreb, Split, and Zadar. The line to Dubrovnik is already in traffic.

Line to Zagreb

The regular Madrid - Zagreb - Madrid flight has been announced since the beginning of the summer flight schedule (end of March), but flights are continuously canceled due to the epidemiological situation. Iberia currently plans to establish traffic between the two capitals from Friday, June 4.

As of that date, the company currently offers three flights a week between Zagreb Airport and Madrid, every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday with A320 aircraft.

The company intends to increase the number of rotations to Zagreb in July by introducing the fourth flight of the week, every Tuesday. The schedule for July and especially August is still subject to change. The company will certainly analyze the state of booking and the demand on individual flights as we approach the peak of the summer season.

This is a significantly smaller number of flights of this carrier to Zagreb compared to the summer of 2019 when Iberia operated on this route twice a day. Still, given the overall situation, it is certainly positive news that they plan to return this summer to Zagreb airport.

Line to Split Airport

From June 1, Iberia plans to renew the Madrid - Split - Madrid line. Three flights a week have been announced on Tuesdays, Saturdays, and Sundays from the mentioned date.

In the second week of June, a flight is added on Wednesdays, and as of June 21, 6 flights a week have been announced, every day except Thursday. The flight schedule for July differs from the schedule for June, but the company will likely make more operational changes on this route by July.

Line to Zadar Airport

Iberia plans to re-establish the Madrid - Zadar - Madrid route from June 29. This route should be in operation until the end of the summer season twice a week, every Tuesday and Saturday, operated by A320 aircraft.

Line to Dubrovnik Airport

Flights between Madrid and Dubrovnik have been operating regularly since the beginning of the summer flight schedule. The company has recently increased the number of operations on this route, so flights are available on Fridays and Sundays throughout June.

From the beginning to the middle of June, four flights a week have been announced (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays), and from June 18, the line will operate daily. In July, Iberia plans an even larger number of operations to Dubrovnik, which will primarily depend on well-known factors. 

Apart from Iberia, no other airline operates on a direct route between Croatian airports and Madrid. Along with travelers whose final destination is Madrid, Iberia has for many years been one of the first choices of many travelers who continue their journey to South America (destinations such as Bogota, Lima, Santiago, Sao Paulo, Buenos Aires, etc.).

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 4, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Brussels Airlines flights to Dubrovnik and Split resume from June, while Zagreb and Zadar are no longer in the Belgian national airline's network of destinations. 

Croatian Aviation reports that although the Belgian national airline and Lufthansa group member Brussels Airlines previously announced the reintroduction of scheduled flights this summer from the Belgian capital to four Croatian airports; Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, and Zagreb, the lines to Zagreb and Zadar are no longer on sale and the company will not operate to the two mentioned airports in the summer.

The company confirmed that they intended to resume the routes to four Croatian airports, but the assessment of the market analysis determined that the demand for Zadar and Zagreb airports will be insufficient this summer season. For this reason, the routes from Brussels to Zadar and Zagreb have been withdrawn from sale and Brussels Airlines will not operate on them this year.

Brussels Airlines has a codeshare contract with Croatia Airlines, which operates regularly between Zagreb and Brussels, so tickets on this route can be purchased on the Brussels Airlines website. With one stop in Zagreb, it is possible to travel to Zadar airport.

However, just like last summer season, Brussels Airlines will soon resume traffic on routes from Brussels to Split Airport and Dubrovnik Airport.

The Brussels - Split - Brussels line will be in operation from Saturday, June 5. The company currently plans only one flight a week on this route throughout the summer season.

The Brussels - Dubrovnik - Brussels line has been announced from June 1, once a week, on Tuesdays, and by mid-June, the company will introduce a second weekly flight, every Saturday.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

May 4, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as Croatia Airlines summer flights have been announced to 33 international destinations from 4 Croatian Airports! 

Croatian Aviation reports that the Croatian national airline Croatia Airlines announced a destination plan for this summer season with departures from four Croatian airports: Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka.

The largest number of international lines was announced from its central hub, Zagreb, with as many as 14 lines, followed by Split, Dubrovnik, and Rijeka.

Lines from Zagreb

This summer, Croatia Airlines will operate from Zagreb to as many as 14 European destinations. Most of the announced lines are already in service. Still, with the beginning of June, the number of weekly operations to almost all destinations is expected to increase and the introduction of regular lines to Dublin and Athens.

Certain destinations to which Croatia Airlines normally operated from Zagreb in the summer were missing. The company points out that it is ready to react to the increase in demand and operate on certain routes that are not currently announced if necessary.

Lines from Split

The Croatian national carrier will increase the number of international routes from Split Airport. Namely, as many as 12 scheduled flights have been announced, and a new one will operate - Croatia Airlines will connect Prague and Split with one flight a week, on Saturdays. Return tickets on this line are currently on sale for 970 kuna.

In addition to Prague, regular routes to Vienna, Berlin, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Copenhagen, London, Lyon, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Zurich are also announced.

Lines from Dubrovnik

Although Croatia Airlines does not currently have international routes from Dubrovnik, this will change as early as this month when Dubrovnik will be connected to Frankfurt again. Along the route to Frankfurt, Croatia will offer direct flights from Dubrovnik to Athens, Munich, Paris, Rome, and Zurich.

One line from Rijeka

Rijeka should be connected to Munich again from the beginning of June. Croatia Airlines plans three flights a week on this route, every Tuesday, Thursday, and Sunday, and in addition to the code-share with Lufthansa, a flight is also available on Saturdays. This is extremely important for Rijeka Airport, which has no new routes this year (only one from Frankfurt), so Croatia Airlines will connect Rijeka with a large European hub such as Munich.

In addition to regular lines, the company has been engaged on charter lines for a long time, which is planned to continue this summer season, especially on charters from the markets of Austria, Italy, Ireland, Israel, and Scandinavia.

Tickets on all these routes are available for booking on the official website of the national airline.

With 33 international routes from and to four Croatian airports, Croatia Airlines will support the tourism sector in Croatia in this summer season. Like last year, it will be imperative to have good air connections with European destinations.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 27, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as T'way Air flights to Zagreb could connect the two capitals from next year. 

Croatian Aviation reports that South Korea’s low-cost airline, T’way Air, has signed a lease agreement for three A330-300 wide-body aircraft it will take over in early 2022. So far, the company has not had wide-body aircraft in its fleet and plans to launch several long-haul routes next summer, including one to Croatia. 

T'way currently has only narrow-body aircraft type B737-800 (27 of them) in its fleet, with which it operates on routes within South Korea, but also on several international routes to China, Japan, Russia, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam.

After Korean Air canceled the Seoul-Zagreb-Seoul route, T’way received permission from the South Korean Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure to introduce a direct flight from South Korea to Croatia (up to a maximum of four flights per week). The company planned its first long-haul flights for this year, but as the global pandemic has not yet calmed, plans have been postponed until next year.

Tickets on the company's long-haul routes are not yet on sale for next year, and T'way has not yet announced the line between South Korea and Croatia. Still, when announcing the introduction of long-haul lines, the company's CEO confirmed that Croatia would be among the first destinations.

On the other hand, Korean Air is selling tickets on the direct line between Seoul and Zagreb starting in April next year, but it should be reminded that the tickets on the direct line were on sale this year as well, and there are no flights due to the global pandemic.

If Korean Air returns to Zagreb in the spring of 2022 (chances are slim), T’way’s logical destination would be Dubrovnik. As the largest Korean carrier is unlikely to return to Zagreb Airport, it is expected that this low-cost carrier will introduce a line between Seoul and Zagreb.

Korean Air had no success in Zagreb. There are several reasons, but one of the main ones is the company's pricing policy. Namely, for passengers departing from Zagreb to Seoul and other destinations in Asia and Australia, Korean Air was almost always the most expensive option. Also, the competition offered significantly more weekly flights (Emirates, Qatar Airways, and Turkish Airlines). Due to all the above, the share of Korean citizens on the line to and from Zagreb was 98%.

If T’way really launches flights to Croatia next summer, we can expect significantly cheaper ticket prices compared to those offered by Korean Air. Connections via Seoul would allow travelers from Croatia to continue traveling to numerous destinations in Japan and China. Since Emirates does not plan to return to Zagreb, it would be another good option for travelers to these countries. South Korean tourists have been one of the most important in Croatia for years, especially in Zagreb.

Before the pandemic, Korean Air planned a series of charter flights between Seoul and Dubrovnik in the summer of 2020 with a B777-300ER aircraft, and in addition to the regular route to Zagreb, which was to continue to operate 3 times a week with the aircraft type B787-9, additional charter flights to the capital of Croatia are planned.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 22, 2021 - The latest flight news to Croatia as British Airways flights to Dubrovnik resume mid-May, frequencies to Split have been increased, and the return to Zagreb Airport is further delayed. 

Croatian Aviation reports that British national airline British Airways has made changes to its summer flight schedule. It has further delayed its return to Zagreb but has increased the planned number of operations to Split Airport.

British Airways has not operated to Zagreb Airport since January this year. The company suspended all flights on this route after the UK strain of the virus appeared and a ban on commercial flights from this country was briefly introduced. After that, traffic to Zagreb was not renewed. Although companies are gradually returning to Zagreb Airport (Lufthansa, LOT, Austrian, etc.), British Airways has not yet done so, and it is obvious that it will not soon. Namely, the company canceled all flights until June 21 and currently plans to operate between Zagreb and London again from that date.

Currently, 11 flights per week are available for booking from the end of June, with a daily departure from Zagreb after 1 pm. A second daily flight will run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays in the evening.

Given that British plans to return to Zagreb at the end of June, the realization of flights should not be in question, but the number of weekly flights certainly is. There is no doubt that the company will cancel certain flights and fly significantly fewer times a week compared to what is available today for booking on the airline’s website.

The first flight between London and Split has been announced for the end of May (May 28), and in the second half of June, there will be a significant increase in weekly frequencies (up to 5 flights per week). Additionally, from the same date, the company will operate on London City - Split line!

This carrier offers as many as 11 flights a week to Split, 8 weekly flights from Heathrow Airport, and an additional 3 flights a week from London City from the end of June.

The London Heathrow - Dubrovnik Airport - London Heathrow line should start operating first, in mid-May. From May 17, three flights are available a week, on Mondays, Fridays, and Sundays, and a month later (from mid-June), British plans to operate on this line as many as 10 times a week. Traditionally, Dubrovnik is the most popular destination for British tourists in Croatia, and after the outbreak of the pandemic, all operations to Dubrovnik were transferred from Gatwick Airport to Heathrow.

Pula Airport should also have two flights a week. The London - Pula Airport - London line will be in traffic from June 22, twice a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. Due to the global pandemic, British Airways renewed this line only in August last year and suspended it already in September, so Heathrow and Pula will be connected for a longer period this year. 

In total, British Airways will offer as many as 34 flights a week between London and Croatian airports in the peak of the summer season this year.

If we consider that other airlines (WizzAir, Ryanair, EasyJet, Croatia Airlines, Jet2.com, TUI,…) will operate between Croatian and London airports, the number of available seats on the market will certainly be more than enough. The demand of British tourists for Croatia will again be crucial for airlines' survival between these destinations.

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

April 21, 2021 - After announcing it would introduce the New York-Dubrovnik line this July, will United Airlines consider New York-Zagreb flights? 

TCN announced the big news on Monday that United Airlines will introduce the New York - Dubrovnik - New York route in July this year. 

The first flight to Dubrovnik will take off from New York to Dubrovnik Airport on Thursday, July 8 (in 80 days) at 19:20 local time. The night overseas flight to Dubrovnik will take approximately 8 hours and 55 minutes, with the expected landing in Dubrovnik after 10 am. 

The B767-300ER aircraft, of which United Airlines has 38 in its fleet, will stay in Dubrovnik for two full hours. Departure from Dubrovnik is scheduled at 12:15 pm. The flight to New York will take a little over 10 hours, with the expected landing in New York at 16:25 local time.

The first departure from Dubrovnik is planned for Saturday, July 10, so the United Airlines plane will stay at Dubrovnik Airport for more than 24 hours.

From the beginning of July to the beginning of October, this well-known American carrier will land in Dubrovnik every Tuesday, Friday, and Sunday morning (taking off the day before from the USA).

On 38 return flights between Dubrovnik and New York, United Airlines has 16,264 seats on sale, of which 2,280 seats are available in business class. The cabin configuration in economy class is 2-3-2, while in business class, the seat layout is 2-1-2. You can read more about the new service HERE.

But this isn't the only United Airlines flight to Croatia in the works. 

Namely, United Airlines confirmed to EX-YU Aviation News it is “seeking additional opportunities in Croatia”.

"According to global data provider OAG, in 2019, 298.136 passengers flew indirectly between Croatia and the United States, with a further 17.782 on the Philadelphia - Dubrovnik service, which has since been discontinued. The busiest unserved route was Zagreb - New York, which accounted for 10% of all traffic between the two markets. It was followed by Dubrovnik - New York, which is being launched this summer, then Zagreb - Chicago, Split - New York and Zagreb - Los Angeles," explained EX-YU Aviation News, and provided the following graphs: 

Almost three decades have passed since the New York-Zagreb route operated, and if we hadn't gone through the coronavirus pandemic, we may have seen this connection already last year, as former Tourism Minister Gari Capelli said two years ago:

"Following the arrangement with American Airlines between Philadelphia and Dubrovnik this summer, which will act as a trial run, we are already in advanced talks for the introduction of a nonstop service from New York to Zagreb. I hope that we will have this route operational next summer". 

So, will United Airlines launch New York-Zagreb flights next? We will have to wait and see. 

Follow the latest on flights to Croatia HERE and the latest travel updates and COVID-19 news from Croatia HERE.

For more on travel in Croatia, follow TCN's dedicated page.

ZAGREB, 19 April, 2021- Executives of the Croatia Airlines (CA) and Zagreb International Airport (MZLZ) on Monday discussed the use of the airport's Growth Incentive Model aimed at increasing air traffic.

During the talks held at the transport ministry, both sides showed interest to find a constructive solution to mutual benefit and will intensify talks on that topic in the coming period, reads a press release issued by the ministry.

Transport Minister Oleg Butković was quoted as expressing satisfaction with today's meeting

The ministry and the entire government finds it important to enable Croatia Airlines to survive in doing business while at the same time we wish to support developing business and opening new routes at Franjo Tuđman Airport, Butković said. 

"The pandemic has had an exceptionally negative impact on air transport in the entire world and we are all aware that it is necessary to invest significant effort to survive on the market and preserve every job," Minister Oleg Butković said as carried by the press release.

It was agreed to intensify talks with the ministry in an effort to come to a favourable solution in line with legislative regulations and practices in air transport.

Croatia Airlines is calling on MZLZ to adjust conditions for CA's use of the airport in line with those offered to Ryanair, which has announced opening a base in Zagreb.

CA recently said in a press release that under the terms offered to Ryanair, in 2019 this national flag carrier would have paid MZLZ HRK 135.4 million less than the amount actually paid, which means that instead of a net loss of some HRK 80 million, the company would have posted a net profit of more than HRK 55 million.

Croatia Airlines believes this is a breach of fair market competition and potentially harmful activity, "because of the obvious interest by the parties involved."

Croatia Airlines wants MZLZ to adjust its terms of use of the airport to those offered to the Irish airline Ryanair, taking the number of routes and passengers into consideration.