List of international airports in Croatia
Croatia has a total of 9 international airports. Only 3 airports have more than one million passengers a year (Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik). All airports have a large growth in passenger numbers each year with a large number of new investments. Also, it is an interesting fact that three international airports in Croatia are located on the islands (Rijeka/Krk, Brač, Mali Lošinj).
Franjo Tuđman Airport Zagreb
The largest and most important airport in Croatia. It is the hub of the Croatian national airline company Croatia Airlines and a focus city for Trade Air. The airport is used also for military purposes. The airport has changed the location several times throughout history, while the current location at Lučko opened in 1962. During the 1980s, the airport was the second largest in Yugoslavia by the number of passengers.
Due to the increase in passengers and the necessary construction of a new terminal, the Croatian Government has decided to give the airport under a concession from 2012 for 30 years. In general, it is the only Croatian airport under concession. The biggest investment of the new concessionaire was the construction of a new terminal with a capacity of 5.5 million passengers. In 2018 Franjo Tuđman Airport had 3.33 million passengers, which is about 8% more than a year earlier. However, the new terminal has a lot of technical problems. An insufficient number of parking positions and air bridges on a new stand is the reason that the old terminal must be used occasionally. The additional extension of the new terminal is planned through 4 phases and will begin when the number of passengers reaches 5 million per year.
Split Airport
The second-largest airport in Croatia. In 2013 it had only 1.5 million passengers while in 2018 this traffic grew to 3.1 million passengers. It is only two hundred thousand less than Zagreb Airport. The difference is decreasing year by year and it is realistic to expect that it will soon become number one in Croatia. For all those achievements, the most deserving is over fifty companies that fly on regular routes for over one hundred destinations.
Also, during 2019 a new terminal worth 450 million kunas will be opened. The terminal is 4 times bigger than the previous one and is the largest investment in Croatia in 2019 after Pelješac Bridge. The most impressive will be certainly the main round-shaped hall with a radius of almost fifty meters. The architect of the new terminal is Ivan Vulić. Find more information about the new terminal here.
Zadar Airport
The first flight was recorded back in 1912, while the civilian airport was opened in 1969. For the opening of the airport was built another runway with already one existing for military purposes. Today is Zadar Airport is the only airport in Croatia with two runways. The largest increase in the number of passengers was recorded in 2012 by the arrival of a low-cost airline Ryanair. Very soon other airline companies (Lufthansa, Eurowings, EasyJet and Croatia Airlines) expanded their offer at this airport. In 2018 the number of passengers was around 600 thousand per year.
This airport is also interesting because it was one of the few in the world where the runway crossed the public road. The road was closed in 2010 while the underpass construction was almost completed. Also, the airport is still the main base for training the Croatian Air Force. It is also known for the fire fighting squadron for effective fire fighting on land, coastal areas and islands, mostly during the summer season.
Dubrovnik Airport
Located 22 kilometers from Dubrovnik near Čipili. During the Homeland War, the airport was completely destroyed while the entire property was robbed and taken to Montenegro. Today, Dubrovnik Airport is the third-largest in Croatia with over 2.5 million passengers. Successful results are deserved by approximately 70 air companies that operate actively every year. It is one of the three airports (along with Split and Zagreb) that have been completely renovated in the last 5 years and new terminals have been built. The new project included the reconstruction of the runway, the construction of an administrative building, the extension of the aircraft stand to the west and east, the construction of new stations for Firefighting and Rescue Service, a new terminal and general aviation hangars.
Rijeka Airport
It is located on the island of Krk, about 25 kilometers from the center of Rijeka. It was opened for traffic in 1970, and in the first airplane was Josip Broz Tito and his wife. Although the number of 180,000 passengers during 2018 was not large, Rijeka airport was the second largest in freight transport in Croatia. Also, in 2018, the number of passengers has increased by as much as 30% compared to the year before and it is assumed further growth in the future.
Osijek Airport
The only airport in the eastern part of Croatia. It was opened in 1980. The biggest loss was during the Homeland War when it was completely destroyed while the equipment was stolen and taken to Belgrade. A similar destiny was the airport of Dubrovnik. After the war, the terminal was rebuilt and was ready for traffic since 2001. Today, Osijek Airport has connected with almost all airports in Croatia with TradeAir and Croatia Airlines companies. Most international routes connecting Osijek with destinations in Germany and Switzerland. During 2018, Osijek Airport had a total of 65,000 passengers, which is a big increase. Compared to 2012, the airport had only 2,000 passengers and was in bankruptcy.
Pula Airport
The fourth busiest airport by the number of passengers in Croatia. Pula Airport has a huge increase in passenger numbers as well as all other airports in Croatia. By 2014, the airport had 380 thousand passengers. This number increased to 718,000 in 2018. Before World War II it was used for the needs of aviators. In 1967 the airport was opened for civilian traffic.
Lošinj Airport
One of the smallest international airports in Croatia located on Mali Lošinj Island. This confirms the length of the runway of only 900 meters that is not enough to land larger planes. Work on the expansion will begin during 2020. This project was supported by as many as 88% of the island’s population as the most important capital investment for the development and improvement of the quality of life. The plan is to increase the number of passengers after the expansion of the airport within three to four years to about 150,000 passengers per year. The airport is interesting because it has multiple owners where Croatia has only 20%.
Brač Airport
It is located on the island of Brač, near Split. The first Croatian President, Franjo Tuđman, opened in 1993 the airport. In 2007, a new terminal building was opened as well as the extension of the runway. In 2018, the airport had 31 thousand passengers, which is 60% more than the year before. Starting in 2020, a new round of investment will be launched to further extend the runway, reconstruction of the passenger building and purchase of equipment. After that, a larger increase in traffic is expected. The goal is to have more than 180,000 passengers per year after 2025.
