Despite the fact that Croatia is not a big country, there are 7 international airports here, offering all sorts of connections to other countries and continents, either seasonal or year-round.
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 traffic on Croatia’s roads can be a bit crowded.
Getting here by plane is still the most convenient way for most people, so today’s article about all the international airports in Croatia will hopefully prove very useful.
A Map of Airports in Croatia
Examining the map below, the first thing you notice is that only two airports are located in Croatian inland (Zagreb and Osijek airports), while all others are scattered along the coast.
Along the Croatia 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.
I am having trouble embedding the map above, unfortunately, but you can click here to see all the international airports on the amp and browse (or just consider the image above enough)
International Airport Codes
If you are planning a visit to Croatia or travel to any city in this country, knowledge about the airport names and international codes will be of great help.
Below is the list of international and domestic airports here and their codes but if you are interested in all airports like military, private or sports airports, check here the full list of Croatia airports.
Airport – IATA CODE
Zagreb Airport – ZAG
Split Airport – SPU
Dubrovnik Airport – DBV
Zadar Airport – ZAD
Pula Airport – PUY
Rijeka Airport – RJK
Osijek Airport – OSI
Brac Airport – BWK
More details about the international airports in Croatia
Zagreb airport
This airport, better known as Pleso airport is the largest in the country, and the main hub for international flights to and from Croatia.
The Pleso 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 touristic 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.
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.
Dubrovnik Airport
Probably the best known city in Croatia, Dubrovik is surprisingly away from the other city and the rest of the country. Therefore, getting to Dubrovnik by plane is the fastest and most convenient way from most places in the world.
Dubrovnik airport (DBV) has excellent flights connections with almost all European countries. Most of these flights are direct flights 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
Among airports in Croatia, 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. Each year Jet2 will have 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.
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, but living in the strange times we’re living, it’s best to double check your flights and for any potential specific rules in each airport.