Croatia’s international airports are located in key areas of the country, offering visitors a close airport to their final destination, no matter where in the country it is.
There are 9 active international airports in Croatia at the moment – some of which operate mostly during the summer season, offering all sorts of connections to other countries and continents, with the number of direct flights increasing each year.
If you’re planning to visit Croatia, knowing which airport is closest to your final destination can often save you both time and money, especially during the busy summer months when the road traffic can be a bit crowded. So, let’s check them all out!
A Map of Croatia’s Airports
I am having trouble embedding the map above, unfortunately, but you can click here to see all the international airports on Google Maps and browse (or just consider the image above enough).
Examining the map above, the first thing you notice is that only two airports are located inland in Croatia (Zagreb and Osijek airports), while all the others are scattered along the coast.
This makes sense, as it’s the coast that gets the most tourists – and you can easily see how evenly and nicely they are spread.
Along the Croatian Adriatic coast, there are 5 airports located in four different coastal regions, starting from Dubrovnik airport (Southern Dalmatia), Split Airport (Central Dalmatia), Zadar airport (Northern Dalmatia), Rijeka airport (Kvarner region) and Pula airport (Istria peninsula region).
Besides these larger airports, there are 2 airports on the Croatian islands. The first one is on Brac island (in Bol town) which is mainly for charters and the second one is Losinj island airport. Many consider the Rijeka airport as an island airport as it’s located on Krk island, in reality.
Croatia International Airport Codes
If you are planning a visit to Croatia or traveling to any city in this country, knowing the airport names and their international codes (IATA Code) will be of great help.
Below is the list of the 8 international airports in Croatia and their IATA codes:
- Zagreb Airport – ZAG
- Split Airport – SPU
- Dubrovnik Airport – DBV
- Zadar Airport – ZAD
- Pula Airport – PUY
- Rijeka Airport – RJK
- Osijek Airport – OSI
- Brac Airport – BWK
- Lošinj Airport – LSZ
More details about the international airports in Croatia
Here’s everything you need to know about the airports listed above, in case you need even more help and details.
Zagreb airport
This airport, better known as Pleso airport but officially named the Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport is the largest in the country, and the main hub for international flights to and from Croatia.
The Zagreb airport is only 17 km away from Zagreb, south of the Velika Gorica settlement.
In early 2017, it was renovated and upgraded, offering improved connections to multiple cities around the globe.
It remains one of the busiest airports in the country, even though it’s located inland and away from the tourist attractions by the sea.
It is the main hub for the Croatian flag carrier Croatia Airlines, the national company that connects Zagreb with domestic destinations along the Adriatic coast, Dubrovnik, Split, Zadar, and Pula – and much more.
This airport is the optimal solution for travelers visiting Varazdin in Zagorje region, Plitvice lakes National park and towns in the north eastern part of Croatia like Slavonski Brod, Vinkovci and Vukovar or those who want to start exploring the country from the capital.
Getting to Zagreb from here? There’s a shuttle bus (about 5 euros), taxis, Uber, and rental car services directly on-site.
Split Airport
If you decide to fly to Split, the Split airport will be your entrance gate to Croatia and the Dalmatian islands.
Since Split is the champion of tourism in Croatia, this airport has become the most important along the Croatian coast and it keeps growing each year.
The airport itself is close to the Kastela riviera (just 2 kilometers away), 5 km away from Trogir and 24 kilometers away from Split’s center. So you can actually land on the Split airport and start your vacation without even visiting the city!
The airport is is particularly busy during the summer months when in peak season reaches over 120 daily landings from all over the world.
Taxi and bus transfers are readily available to ferry ports (read my guide to Port of Split here), Split’s city center, or directly to island-hopping adventures.
Dubrovnik Airport
Dubrovnik might feel distant from the rest of Croatia, and honestly, driving there is scenic but slow. Flying directly into Dubrovnik Airport (in Čilipi village, 22 km from the city) makes everything easy.
Dubrovnik airport (DBV) has excellent flights connections with almost all European countries. Most of these flights are direct or charter flights from the various companies out there.
The Dubrovnik Airport is located about 22 km south-east away from the city, in a village called Čilipi, which is also the unofficial name of the Dubrovnik Airport.
This airport has the longest runway and is considered the third busiest airport in Croatia, after the one in Zagreb and the one in Split.
Zadar Airport
This is a small but modern airport in the Zemunik Donji village, 8 km away from the city center, connecting Zadar with two domestic flights, one from Zagreb and the second one from Pula. Both flights are handled by Croatia Airlines.
This airport, as the most airports in Croatia along the coast, is connected by a number of European destinations, particularly during the tourist season from April to October.
The most popular European capitals that are connected with the Zadar airport are London, Paris (Beauvais), Berlin, Stockholm, Brussels (Charleroi), Zurich or Warsaw. Here is the list of all flights to/from Zadar airport.
Zadar has become a popular destination for travelers looking for affordable and cheap flights, mostly thanks to Ryan air, Europe’s largest low cost airline, that has selected Zadar airport as a new base.
Pula Airport
The Pula airport is the only one on the Istria peninsula. Pula has a small airport for domestic and international flights, located in Liznjan, about 8 km northeast of the town.
The airport is very popular and frequently used by travelers flying from the UK with direct flights from May to October, with flights from/to Pula from Manchester, Leeds, London Stansted, and Edinburgh, while other companies have started to fly here as well.
Due to its unique location – and the fact that it’s the only international airport in the area, it has grown tremendously over the years.
Rijeka (Krk Island) Airport
Among the airports in Croatia, this one is the biggest located on an island. While it is officially called Rijeka airport, it is actually located near the Omisalj village, only 17 km from Rijeka itself.
Most of the traffic to and from the airport takes place during the summer months, when it is used by several European low-cost airlines taking tourists to the northern parts of the Croatian coast.
In the past, Rijeka city had its own airport called Grobnik but it had difficulty with larger planes, as its runways were close to the hills to the east of the city. This was the reason why they moved the airport to the Krk island instead.
Lošinj Airport
One of the smaller airports in Croatia, the Mali-Losinj island airport offers mostly local flights, but also a few international destinations, like Venice, Vienna, Belgrade, or Munich.
Airport Accessibility and Facilities
All major Croatian airports offer modern amenities: free Wi-Fi, cafés, restaurants, duty-free shops, car rentals, ATMs, and currency exchanges (although I wouldn’t recommend using these due to poor rates).
Accessibility for disabled passengers is standard at Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, and Zadar, but smaller airports might have fewer options, so check with your airline beforehand if you need them.
Conclusion
These would be the international airports in Croatia right now. It is unlikely that things will change too much in the future as there are no plans to build new airports.
Don’t forget to look for connecting flights too in case direct ones are not available to your destination, as they might be cheaper overall since low cost companies are aplenty in Europe and many offer special deals, especially during the summer months for tourists visiting Croatia.