BEST CROATIA AIRPORT TO FLY INTO: HOW TO CHOOSE THE BEST AIRPORT FOR YOU

If you’re wondering what the best Croatia airport is to fly into when visiting, this blog post is for you!

Croatia is a small country, so any airport can work if you have enough time. However, if your trip is short and you don’t want to spend too much time driving around, some airports are definitely better choices than others depending on your itinerary.

As a local, I’ve flown in and out of most of them, so I do have my own preferences. But first, decide which parts of Croatia you want to visit, and then I’ll help you choose the best airport for your trip!

3 MOST POPULAR AIRPORTS IN CROATIA

While Croatia is not big, it still has quite a few airports. These three are the most popular ones, so if you’re coming from another European airport, one of these three will likely be your destination in Croatia. Let’s see which one!

FRANJO TUDJMAN AIRPORT, ZAGREB

Franjo Tudjman Airport is located just outside the capital city of Zagreb, and it is the country’s largest and busiest international airport. It has the most international connections, so this one can definitely serve as your arrival airport. Even in summer when it has the most flights, the airport is never overly crowded. That means you do not have to arrive hours in advance.

It is quite modern and spacious, and I love the lounge it has because it really makes your wait much nicer. There are a few (expensive!) restaurant and bar options, some duty-free shopping, and it is quite easy to get from the airport to the city! This is the airport I use the most and honestly love it.

SPLIT AIRPORT

Split Airport (SPU) is the second biggest airport in Croatia and the main airport for those traveling directly to the coast. It is not too big, but it is clean and modern, so you will not have any troubles at this airport. There are a few restaurants and bars, but it is not like Zagreb’s. It is also located near Trogir, so you will have a bit of a longer bus, taxi, or shuttle ride. However, this is the perfect airport for anyone wanting to explore Dalmatia, especially Croatia’s most popular islands. I don’t use this one very often, so I can’t give you a personal opinion!

RUDJER BOSKOVIC AIRPORT, DUBROVNIK

Finally, the third most popular airport in Croatia is the Rudjer Bošković Airport in Dubrovnik. It welcomes visitors who are focused on Dubrovnik and the south of Croatia. The airport is located in Cilipi, a village about 30 to 40 minutes from the Old Town. It is a relatively new and modern airport. The crowds are not too bad even in the summer, but it is recommended to come early if you need to go through border control or check your luggage.

The airport does not have many amenities, only one or two places where you can get a drink and a sandwich or pastry, and the lounge is not the best. However, I travel from this airport every summer and I’ve never had any problems, so I’d definitely recommend it. Here’s a guide on how to get from the airport to the Old Town!

OTHER AIRPORTS

Along with these three, Croatia has a few other airports. Zadar Airport is the main airport for northern Dalmatia and it has a few low-budget lines during the summer season. It is a really small airport and not the most modern, but it is enough to get you to Croatia. Further north, Pula Airport welcomes budget airlines to the Istrian Peninsula, so it is the perfect location if you want to explore Istria in great detail. On the island of Krk, there is Rijeka Airport with a few daily flights during the season, and in Croatia’s east Osijek Airport gives you an entry point into the Slavonia region.

BEST AIRPORT FOR HVAR, CROATIA

The best airport for reaching Hvar is Split Airport (SPU). It is definitely the closest and most convenient airport for getting to the island. Hvar is only an hour-long ferry ride from Split, and Split has several frequent seasonal flights from across Europe. You can reach the harbour in about 30 to 40 minutes by shuttle, taxi, or Uber. Once at the port, you can take a ferry or fast catamaran to Hvar Town or Stari Grad. Overall, the whole journey from the airport to Hvar Town can be done in about 2 hours.

BEST AIRPORT FOR KORCULA, CROATIA

The best airport for reaching Korcula is Rudjer Boskovic Airport in Dubrovnik (DBV). Dubrovnik Airport is the most convenient option since Korcula is not too far from Dubrovnik and you can reach it easily. From the airport, you can reach Orebic in about 2 to 2.5 hours by shuttle, bus, or private transfer. Then you just need to take a short 10-minute ferry ride directly to Korcula Town.

Split Airport is also a good alternative if you have a better flight to Split than to Dubrovnik. It will be a bit of a longer journey to Korcula, but it’s doable. From Split Airport you first need to reach the ferry port and then take a catamaran to Korcula, which takes around 2.5 hours.

BEST AIRPORT FOR PLITVICE LAKES, CROATIA

The best airport for visiting Plitvice Lakes National Park is Zagreb’s Franjo Tudjman Airport (ZAG). Plitvice is located right between Zagreb and Zadar, but Zagreb Airport offers the fastest, most direct, and most frequent routes. From Zagreb, the drive to Plitvice Lakes typically takes 1.5 to 2 hours.

Zadar Airport (ZAD) is the second-best option, especially if you are already planning on traveling along the Dalmatian coast. The drive from Zadar to Plitvice also takes 1.5 to 2 hours, but Zadar has fewer international flights, so it may be harder to find a good route there. Whichever of the two airports offers a better flight deal to you, they are both perfectly fine for visiting Plitvice.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

What airports does Ryanair fly to in Croatia?

Ryanair flies to quite a few airports in Croatia. Zagreb Airport has regular year-round and seasonal flights, Zadar Airport is a major base with many routes, and Pula, Rijeka, Split, Dubrovnik, and Osijek all have seasonal Ryanair flights. Check the flights on their official website!

Which airport is better to fly into in Croatia?

The best airport to fly into in Croatia depends entirely on where you plan to travel. The best overall airport is definitely Zagreb (ZAG) since it has the most year-round international connections and it is also the most reliable for off-season travel. Zagreb is perfect for Plitvice Lakes, Istria, northern Croatia, and obviously Zagreb itself.

The best airport for the majority of the coast and the islands is Split (SPU). From there you can easily get to Hvar, Brac, Korcula, Split itself, and anywhere on the central Dalmatian coast. The best airport for the south of Croatia is Dubrovnik (DBV). It is perfect for Dubrovnik Old Town, Peljesac, Korcula, Mljet, Cavtat, and in general southern Dalmatia.

Is it better to fly into Zagreb or Split?

Again, it depends on where you want to go in Croatia. Fly into Zagreb if you are visiting Plitvice Lakes, Zagreb, or northern or central Croatia. Also, if you are traveling outside the summer season, Zagreb may be the only airport with available flights.

Fly into Split if your trip focuses on the Dalmatian coast and you want to visit Split, Trogir, Makarska, or the islands. Split is also great if you are traveling between May and October, when Split’s flight schedule is at its largest.

Is it better to fly into Split or Dubrovnik?

Split is perfect for central Dalmatia (Split, Hvar, Brac, Makarska, Omis, Trogir), while Dubrovnik is perfect for south Croatia (Dubrovnik, Mljet, Korcula, Peljesac). Decide which area of Croatia you want to visit and then choose your airport!

What is the main airport in Croatia?

The main airport in Croatia is Zagreb’s Franjo Tuđman Airport (ZAG). It is in Croatia’s capital city and is the country’s largest, busiest, and most important international airport.

What is the cheapest airport to fly into Croatia?

There is no single “cheapest” airport, however some offer very affordable flights. For example, Zagreb is often the least expensive option if you are flying in off-season or from major airports in Europe, since it is well connected by budget airlines to the rest of Europe (Ryanair, Vueling, Eurowings, Pegasus Airlines).

Zadar Airport (ZAD) also has quite a few budget airlines (Ryanair, Eurowings, EasyJet, and Transavia), and so does Pula (Ryanair, EasyJet, Jet2, Eurowings). Sometimes Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) or Split Airport (SPU) can be cheap, but that is usually in off-peak seasons or when airlines have promotions.

Is Dubrovnik or Split Airport bigger?

Split Airport (SPU) is larger than Dubrovnik Airport (DBV) in terms of passenger traffic and overall volume handled each year. It’s generally busier and more capable of handling higher passenger flow, even though the terminal size difference is not that big.

CONCLUSION: BEST CROATIA AIRPORT TO FLY INTO

I would say it does not really matter where you fly into, as long as that airport works well with your itinerary. If you are visiting Dalmatia, go for Split. If you are mostly based in Dubrovnik for your holiday, fly into Dubrovnik. And finally, if you want to see the majority of the country, fly into Zagreb.

I would also suggest checking whether you can fly into one airport and leave from another, since it can be a big time saver. For example, if you are traveling from Zagreb to Dubrovnik, it would be much easier to fly out from Dubrovnik than return to Zagreb!