Split Airport (SPU), at Kaštela northwest of the city, handles Dalmatia’s largest share of summer air traffic — nearly ten times busier in June than November. When you fly decides the rest: crowds, which routes run, and whether your island ferry connection is still operating.
How busy Split Airport gets, by month
Croatia’s Bureau of Statistics publishes passenger counts monthly, per airport. Split’s swing between peak and trough is the widest of any major Croatian airport.
| Period | Passengers | What to expect |
|---|---|---|
| June 2025 | 578,000 | Peak. Full route map, long queues, every ferry running |
| November 2025 | 62,250 | Trough. Skeleton routes, empty terminal, reduced ferries |
What that means for you. The shoulder months either side — May and late September — are where most travellers get the best of both. They are also when ferry timetables start changing, which is the part that catches people out.
Where Split’s flights actually come from
DZS also breaks arrivals down by partner country. In March 2025, German airports were the single largest source of Croatian air traffic, followed by the UK and the Netherlands.
| Origin market | Passengers, March 2025 |
|---|---|
| Germany | 98,000 |
| United Kingdom | 32,000 |
| Netherlands | 27,000 |
Why this matters more than it sounds. Route availability follows demand. German and British routes run further into the shoulder season than routes from smaller markets — which is why an April flight from Frankfurt or Manchester is straightforward, while the same week from a US origin almost always means connecting through a hub.
The ferry connection nobody explains
Split’s ferry port is the busiest in Croatia — the departure point for Hvar, Brač, Korčula, Vis, Šolta and the long southern run to Dubrovnik. It sits in the centre of the city, close to the Old Town, which is why so many island itineraries begin at this airport rather than any other.
The mistake almost everyone makes with Hvar
Sixteen scheduled services run between Split and Hvar island. Fourteen of them reach Hvar town. Exactly one takes a car — state line 604.
Land at SPU, collect a hire car, and head for “the Hvar ferry” and you will end up on line 635 to Stari Grad — a different port, twenty minutes’ drive from Hvar town. Two further services land at Jelsa, a third place again. Four separate operators run this corridor; most English-language guides mention only Jadrolinija.
What to decide before you book
- Month first, then flight. The June-to-November gap is tenfold. Everything else follows from when you go.
- Check the ferry season before booking the flight. Catamaran routes thin out from October. A cheap late-October fare is no bargain if the island leg has stopped running.
- Decide on a car before you land. On most island routes a vehicle is a liability rather than an asset, and it changes which ferry you are allowed to take.
- Shoulder season needs a plan. May and September are the sweet spot on weather and crowds, and the least forgiving on schedules.
Flying in for a multi-island trip?
If your trip involves more than one island, a one-way car drop, or travel outside the summer schedule, the flight and the ferries have to be booked against each other. It is worth talking that through rather than assembling it from booking sites.
Related: Croatia airports compared · Where to stay in Split · Croatia island hopping
Passenger figures: Državni zavod za statistiku (DZS), monthly airport traffic releases. Ferry route data: Agencija za obalni linijski pomorski promet, 2026 state coastal line register.