Direct Flights to Croatia From North America (& Asia) in 2020

Air Canada - Direct flights to Croatia/Photo credit IG @ils.images

​As many of our guests are from North America, there’s always the question of direct flights to Croatia. Avoiding a layover and getting right to your vacation is ideal, and now from some cities in the United States and Canada, it’s possible!

Currently Air Transat and Air Canada Rouge have direct flights from Toronto to Zagreb, covering most days of the week, and American Airlines has a direct flight from Philadelphia to Dubrovnik, which operates daily through most of the season! 

I called each airline to confirm the schedule for the 2020 season, and outlined it in the table below. I’ve also put together a few tips on the best layover cities if there isn’t a non-stop flight from your area, along with some helpful info about other international airports in Croatia and the surrounding region.

Air transat - Direct flights Toronto Zagreb/Photo credit IG @delta_bravo_tango

​DIRECT FLIGHT SCHEDULE  FOR 2020 (SEASONAL SERVICE)

*According to Croatia’s Minister of Tourism, Gari Cappelli, there could also be direct flights from New York to Zagreb in 2020, so we’re hopeful that this additional service will be added to the list! Patiently waiting...

Right now, there are only direct flights within the “tourist season” which is from unofficially from May until October. There are more frequent flights from June-September, but May and October still a few options, as you can see. 

Business or First Class options?
With Air Transat and Air Canada Rouge, there aren’t any true first class options if that’s what you’re looking for, however, they do have a slightly upgraded classes in each airline: Air Transat’s upgrade is “Club Class” and Air Canada Rouge has “Premium Economy.” These both offer slightly larger, more comfortable seats, and of course, a little more leg room, but there are no pods or anything similar available. 

What are the most common places to have a layover?
If there aren’t direct flights from your area, then you’ll probably have a layover in Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna or Zurich, all of which are just a quick flight to Zagreb and other airports in Croatia. 

I personally like booking flights with layovers in smaller airports, because they’re a bit quicker and easier to get from gate to gate, especially with small children (I like connecting through Zurich Airport because it’s very efficient and a smaller than Frankfurt, for example). ​

Toronto from the air

Picture form the cockpit

Is there any way to avoid a layover if there aren’t direct flights from where I live? 
I have heard of some people who won’t travel anywhere there isn’t a direct flight. In this case (and depending on where you live), check to see if there is a direct connection to Ljubljana (Slovenia), Budapest (Hungary), Vienna (Austria), or Venice (Italy), all of which aren’t too far from Zagreb. From there, you could rent a car and drive the rest of the way to Zagreb, or take a private car transfer, a bus or even train!

Distances from the aforementioned cities to Zagreb by car: 

• Ljubljana - Zagreb - 1hr 45min drive (143km / 88 miles)
• Budapest - Zagreb - 3hr 20min drive (344km / 213 miles)
• Venice - Zagreb - 4hr drive (378 km / 235 miles)
• Vienna - Zagreb - 4hr drive (382km / 238 miles)

Zagreb Airport "Franjo Tuđman"

​What if you’re already in Europe? What Croatian cities can you fly into? 
Here are a list of the international airports in Croatia. If you’re already in Europe, there could be a direct flight to many of these cities. 
​

• Zagreb (ZAG)
• Split (SPU)
• Dubrovnik (DUB)
• Zadar (ZAD)
• Mali Losinj (LSZ)
• Osijek (OSI)
• Pula (PUY)
• Rijeka (RJK)
• Brac (BWK)

Numerous airlines offer flights to Croatia within Europe, so you won’t have any trouble if you’re already on this side of the pond. 

Doha - Zagreb direct filight/Photo credit IG @pilotomia

Looking for direct flights to Croatia from Asia? 
There are a few direct flights right into Zagreb from Doha (Qatar), Dubai (UAE) and Seoul (South Korea). Some operate only seasonally, some continue throughout the year. Below is a short outline:

• Doha -> Zagreb by Qatar Airways, offers two direct flights per day, year round
• Dubai -> Zagreb by Emirates, offers six flights per week, year round
• Seoul -> Zagreb by Korean Airlines, offers three flights per week on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays, operating seasonally from March 31-October 13, 2020 

Hopefully the direct flights to Croatia will expand even further in years to come, but we think this is a great start! Toronto, Philadelphia and New York are big hubs, so at least these direct flights could decrease one layover for those coming from the far west coast.  Check back for updates and details on the New York - Zagreb route, likely operating next season!

​- Sarah


If you’re interested in reading a few of our other posts about Croatia:

38 Local Tips & Mistakes to Avoid When Traveling to Croatia
Travel to Croatia With a Toddler or Baby (From Experience!)
Tipping in Croatia: a Complete Guide With Suggested Amounts!
Croatia Travel Itinerary for 5, 7 & 10 Days
How I Learned to Speak Croatian as an Adult (in 7 Steps)
Driving in Croatia (a Helpful Guide With Practical Tips)
Zagreb’s Flea Market, Hrelic: a Helpful Guide
Croatian Money: KN or EURO, Exchanging $, and Daily Costs
Top 5 Croatian Travel Snacks
8 Reasons You Should Never Swim in the Adriatic
Top 10 Day Trips From Zagreb, Within 1hr Drive
5 Reasons Croatian Grannies are Cuter than Kittens
9 Reasons You Should NEVER Use a Travel Agent 
​Our Insider’s Guide to Wineries & Wine Tasting Near Zagreb



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