Croatian airports saw a notable surge in passenger numbers between January and July, with over a million additional travellers compared to the same period last year. The growth was primarily driven by the strong performance of Zagreb, Dubrovnik, and Zadar airports. A factor contributing to this increase was Ryanair's expansion in both the Croatian capital and Zadar, alongside the airline's new base opening in Dubrovnik. These developments have boosted air traffic across the country, marking a successful summer season for Croatia’s aviation sector. The country’s nine commercial airports added an extra 1.091.690 passengers in 2024 when compared to last year.
Croatia’s fastest growing airports, JAN - JUL 2024
The three fastest growing airports in the country accounted for 81% of Croatia’s passenger growth so far this year, when compared to 2023. Zagreb Airport aims to handle over four million passengers this year, while its counterpart in Dubrovnik some 3.2 million. Zagreb Airport’s CEO, Huseyin Bahadir Bedir, previously said, “We started the year off on a positive note by welcoming our new airline partner Pegasus Airlines. This summer, Croatia Airlines introduced three new routes from Zagreb, to Berlin, Stockholm, and Tirana. Ryanair expanded its network with five new destinations. Our new long-haul partner T’Way Air commenced flights from Seoul in May, with services running three times per week until late October”. He added, “If all goes to plan, we expect that this year, for the first time in the airport’s history, we will handle over four million passengers”.
Ryanair was Croatia’s largest carrier during the January - July period with 2.459.326 seats on the market, additional an extra 936.839 seats on last year. It was also the country’s fastest growing airline as it based a fourth aircraft in both Zagreb and Zadar, and two jets in Dubrovnik. “Ryanair is the only major European airline to significantly grow traffic post-Covid, particularly in Croatia, where Ryanair will increase traffic to four million annual passengers. As the fastest-growing airline in Europe and Croatia, Ryanair is best positioned to support Croatia’s post-Covid recovery and growth”, the budget carrier’s Chief Commercial Officer, Jason McGuinness, said.
Croatia’s fastest growing airlines by capacity, JAN - JUL 2024
Bravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteI agree....except that I did not know that airports are adding passengers, I taught that airlines are doing it!
DeleteThis is impressive. Nobody could even dream about 1+ million passengers. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on what? Tourist income is on the same level as last year (maybe even lower), yet airports have 1 mio passengers more. All that thanks to cheap RYR passengers. High numbers, no income.
DeleteCongratulations on adding over 1 million pax in half a year- impressive!
DeleteFantastic results. Pity about Rijeka though.
ReplyDeleteSurprising considering it is also served by Ryanair.
DeleteAirport there is simply just way too poorly situated. It's not in Rijeka but the island of Krk, so you have to cross the bridge. It's not particularly close either, and it's rather decrepit, making it not the most appealing option to fly from
DeleteRijeka needs a management change in my opinion. It was a very promising airport years ago when Easy Jet started flights there.
DeleteRijeka Airport first and foremost needs facelift. It looks as if you entered a time capsule.
Delete^ that's not what's keeping airlines away
DeleteRyanair is absolutely killing it and that is before August and September which are very busy for them is added.
ReplyDeleteIf they base one more plane in ZAG they will be the biggest without a doubt.
DeleteI mean they will be the biggest in ZAG.
DeleteOU will expand next year from ZAG too.
DeleteLagano davljenje zabe OU.
ReplyDeleteCrazy. Anyone know why OU A220 has so few flights?
ReplyDeleteBecause it is still training pilots and crew to operate it.
DeleteEveryone wants to visit beautiful Dalmatia!
ReplyDeleteWe were taught that in SFRY, but bigger islands or Turkish airports on Aegan Sea has more traveler.
DeleteWell Dalmatia is pricier, and it's nearing is capacity. Antalya basically put its soul into tourism, the entire coastline exists only for tourists, etc. Similar development anywhere else in Europe would be met with protests
DeleteDalmatia is not for people looking for a cheap holiday like they do in Turkey.
DeleteIt is similar to south of France, south Italy , the Cycladic islands in Greece etc.
Quality over quantity.
Turkey is certainly not cheap anymore, but they still offer much more value for money.
DeleteThen go to Turkey.
DeleteI do go to Turkey with pleasure.
DeleteExactly, it is much better to have option with Antalya / Alpes than with Dalmatia / Bulgaria.
This just shows how much potential Croatia has
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAgree. For a relatively small country it is impressive
DeleteCongratulations Croatia.
ReplyDeleteAny idea how many passengers all Croatian airport could handle this year?
ReplyDeleteOver 13 million
DeleteI think someone said around 10-12mil here but honestly idr the exact number
Delete@Anonymous09:18
DeleteAround 13.4 million ~
Zagreb - 4.3 million ~
Split - 3.6 million
Dubrovnik - 3.1 million
Zadar - 1.55 million
Pula - 550k
Rijeka - 150k
Osijek - 50k
Brac - 30k
WOW, that's a lot!
DeleteSplit - around 3.4-3.5
DeleteFor a country that less than half of its tourists come to it by aircraft these are very good numbers indeed.
DeleteBrac will have max 22300pax
DeleteIt would and could be much more impressive if OU were strong carrier that built proper network and real hub in ZAG.
ReplyDeleteTrue. But they had their chance. Too late now.
DeleteWhy is too late to open new routes out of ZAG, please explain to me?
DeleteImpressive
ReplyDeleteI'm surprised Volotea has such a presence.
ReplyDeleteAegean yesterday agreed to buy 13% of V7 and increase it to 21% next year through a loan convertible in stock.
DeleteI saw that. Quite an interesting partnership.
DeleteI think they complement each other rather well.
DeleteA3 is the full service carrier serving ATH and SKG while Volotea as a low cost is better suited to carry tourists from Europe directly to the islands.
Unfortunately it kills any hope of A3 being interested in OU anymore.
Delete^^^
DeleteWhy?
OU and V8 are very different airlines.
Because I simply doubt they will go around and buy stakes in more airlines.
DeleteAegean is gonna boost connectivity to islands and more specifically to HER, RHO, CHQ, JMK etc. with their cooperation with Volotea because V8 already has presence in Greece and with that they will be able to boost ATH and SKG more.
DeleteFR should think about maintaining a few routes from Zadar in winter.
ReplyDeleteI'm pretty sure 1-2 routes could work like from Dubrovnik.
DeleteDBV CEO said how Ryanair wasn't happy with the airport's condition to keep flying over winter but they agreed in the end.
DeleteThey are certainly getting money to fly there in winter. Or are free of all charges.
Delete0949, which one? Certainly getting money or getting it all for free? Make up your mind please.
Delete^ no they are flying to DBV in winter despite their wishes out of the goodness of their heart.
DeleteI am also quite sure that a few routes out of ZAD in winter would work. Hopefully next winter they’ll go for it.
DeleteThe strong growth in ZAG, DBV and ZAD corresponds with Ryanair expansion.
ReplyDeleteWell yes, it makes sense.
Delete... and expansion from other airlines.
DeleteIt would be great if they worked more on flights from far away destinations. I think there is a lot of untapped potential there yet.
ReplyDeleteWell done. Great year for almost all Croatian airports.
ReplyDeleteCan Losinj handle some scheduled flights?
ReplyDeleteEuropean Coastal Airlines used to fly there before they went bust.
DeleteOver the next 2-3 years, epic battle over the Cro market will develop: Ryanair vs. Croatia Airlines. More precisely, Ryan vs. A220. Who will win?
ReplyDeleteEurope's largest airline will win considering they have won many battles.
DeleteFR vs OU, titan against...
DeleteA footnote in aviation tbh.
DeleteYou are acting like there are relevant airlines in the region.
DeleteRyanair and Wizzair are relevant airlines in the region. You are welcome.
DeleteOnce upon a time easyjet used to be the biggest during the summer.
ReplyDeleteIt is amazing that easyjet is still the third largest airline yet they don't have a single flight to Croatia in winter
DeleteShame they never considered a base, at least a seasonal one
DeleteIn Italy both FR and U2 are bigger than ITA. So it's not so uncommon. I presume FR is bigger than Aer Lingus in Ireland.
Delete@09:52
DeleteThey have few from Dubrovnik. Last winter they started London Gatwick for a two months and this year will try Manchester too
Excellent
ReplyDeleteSo LCCs now dominate in Croatia?
ReplyDeleteThat has been the case for some time now.
DeleteThey "dominate" every European market.
DeleteWill be interesting to see what happens in 2025.
ReplyDeleteThe growth has been spectacular, let's hope they can keep it up next year
DeleteFR grows when you pay them money, but when you stop paying them money they stop to grow and cut services and often leave. The only question is is it worth paying money to FR just to have better statistics. Oftenly FR impacts other airlines to leave as FR like to monopolize the market.
ReplyDeleteJust ask yourself a question: do you want Croatia to be monopolized by FR who you will be required to pay a lot of money?
And how do national carriers grow?
DeleteExcellent results, go Croatia!
ReplyDeleteAmerican Airlines announced its new transatlantic routes for next year, still nothing to the exyu. 😞
ReplyDeleteThe only chance we will ever see American back in ex-Yu is in Dubrovnik when they have more 787s.
DeleteWhat are their new routes in Europe?
DeletePhiladelphia to Edinburgh, Philadelphia to Milan, Charlotte to Athens, Chicago to Madrid and Miami to Rome
DeleteThanks for the quick response. Usual suspects I guess.
DeleteCLT to ATH? Damn Athens becoming more and more big in the area.. And some people keep comparing ATH with BEG in some posts here.
DeleteAll three US carriers are focusing on tourism heavy routes.
DeleteEspecially in the Med.
Maybe UA or DL will launch flights to Croatia.
But the rest of the region plus Romania, Austria, Hungary, Czechia are not even in their radar.
They will need to get a lotore longhawl aircraft to try again xantral and eastern Europe destinations.
Well basically all 3 US carriers are focusing on MAD, FCO and ATH. Cutting routes like STR-ATL, DUS-ATL and adding capacity in the Mediterranean shows the point.
DeleteThey have butchered capacity to Germany and Scandinavia and also reduced significantly to the UK.
DeleteInstead they are all focused on tourists.
Business travel is way down compared with the pre COVID era due to online meetings. Companies are saving a lot of money this way too.
Biggest market in ex-yu.
ReplyDeleteOne of the biggest in the Balkans actually.
DeleteFor a relatively small country it is impressive that 8 airports have commercial flights.
ReplyDelete6 of which are coastal. It's not a big surprise.
DeleteCroatia needs to reduce seasonality, especially at Zagreb Airport. So I think ZAG and SPU should work on this. For winter DBV for example sees respectable traffic.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Still a lot of room for improvement during winter months for all airports.
DeleteWinter monthly pax / summer monthly pax ratio is 1/2 at ZAG and 1/20 for both DBV and SPU. One should check the numbers and learn the facts before daring to write.
DeleteCroatian coast is growing and growing each year with impressive double digits
ReplyDeleteWhy is SPU growth a lot slower this year?
ReplyDeleteBecause they partnered with Croatia Airlines 😂
DeleteRespectable results indeed!
ReplyDelete