Croatian airports saw a notable surge in passenger numbers during the first three quarters of the year, with over 1.5 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 1.548.391 passengers in 2024 when compared to last year.
The three fastest growing airports in the country accounted for 80% 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”.
Croatia’s fastest growing airports, Q1 - Q3 2024
Ryanair was Croatia’s largest carrier during the January - October period with 3.691.262 seats on the market, additional an extra 1.326.893 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, Q1 - Q3 2024
Bravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteImpresive results!
ReplyDeleteThank you Ryanair
ReplyDeleteEveryone wants to visit beautiful Dalmatia!
ReplyDelete🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 give us a break, dude
DeleteHe is right! Look at the numbers.
DeleteUnfortunately it's only on Ryanair flights and not OU flights.
DeleteI don't, so pleased stopped trolling. It's beautiful, and although beauty is matter of the taste, certainly not everyone wants to visit it.
DeleteI've been there, seen it and no need to return.
Dalmatia is really beautiful, true.
DeleteWow so Ryanair saved the day especially in DBV and ZAG.
ReplyDeleteYes. DBV was way below pre Covid results last year. That's why they turned to FR and gave them everything they wanted
DeleteSame with ZAG which struggled
DeleteTrue. Most non FR routes are still below 2019 numbers
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2024/09/ryanair-routes-see-strong-zagreb-growth.html
Pre-covid DBV thought they can dictate to Ryan under which conditions it could fly there.
DeleteThey realized the hard way that was not the case. People want to visit beautiful Dalmatia but only if fares are low
DeleteHahahahahah
Delete+1000 Anon 10.11. thank you!
DeletePathetic comments.
DeleteRyanair has really done wonders for Franjo Tudman airport!
ReplyDeleteAnd maybe and finally lit a fire under OU's bum which means this Zagreb growth could continue over the next few years.
DeleteRyanair has been doing wonders in ZAD. Unfortunately only them.
DeleteFR is killing in Croatia. Interesting thing, Air Serbia is not in top 10. Is it possible it has less than 35.000 seats in Q1-Q3 towards Croatian market?
ReplyDeleteYou need to read the table carefully again. It lists airlines which ADDED the most seats.
DeleteFR's growth in ZAG has really reduced pax numbers for JU connections via BEG.
Delete^ Air Serbia's passenger numbers on Belgrade-Zagreb-Belgrade route have increased 16.5% year over year and 34.3% on 2019. Sometimes I wonder what goes through the minds of people like yourself when you decide to make something up. On top of the fact that you responded to a comment made by a person that does not know how to read a table.
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2024/09/ryanair-routes-see-strong-zagreb-growth.html
FR's growth in ZAG has really reduced pax numbers for OU/LH connections via FRA/MUC.
DeleteI think FRA was especially impacted since LH almost exclusively sends the CRJ to ZAG. Before we would get anything from A319 to A321.
DeleteBravo. Everyone wants to visit expensive Croatia once.
ReplyDeletePrices are out of control. September or October can't remember now was not a good month for tourism.
DeleteNever happened, that's why you can't remember it.
DeleteMaybe OU could introduce summer flights Lubljana - Dubrovnik and Ljubljana - Split/Brač.
ReplyDeleteThey could but they probably wouldn’t.
DeleteThey could, but would charge something like €300 one way knowing their pricing strategy
DeleteWear and tear is too high on such short runs. Slovenes travel by car to Croatia because they want mobility. Most stay at their own property and need their cars for daily runs, unlike the Brits or Americans who stay in hotels.
DeleteOuch
DeleteThat's why Air Montenegro has a full flights from Ljubljana to Tivat.
DeleteThis is impressive. Nobody could even dream about 1+ million passengers. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI expected 1,3 million. So much about the nobody.
DeleteFantastic results. Pity about Rijeka though.
ReplyDeleteRyanair is absolutely killing it
ReplyDeleteThis just shows how much potential Croatia has
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteAny idea how many passengers all Croatian airport could handle this year?
ReplyDelete13 million my guess
DeleteYeah. 13 - 13.5 million.
DeleteYeah good luck in 2025, it will be -50% everywhere, every tourist i know who went for years ( some 20+ years ) will not go back to HR, because of the idiot prices over there, it's more expensive than Amsterdam, while they earn 3-5 times more here. Balkan greed kills it self, once again #fail
ReplyDeleteWhat is more expensive in Croatia than in Amsterdam? Source please?
DeleteNo matter how hard you want it, it will not be 50% down 🥰
DeleteThey said that last year and the year before yet records keep breaking. Its supply and demand, more people want to go so everyone needs to compete for the limited space on offer. I just feel bad for the locals who get caught up in having to pay for inflated food prices.
DeleteYet post season considerably slowed down in HR. Pricing is out of control. Many are going to Turkey or Greece. Less money for more
DeleteWe don’t care for post-season, we work two months only and then enjoy rest of the year, sipping coffee and staring at the sea.
DeleteWho cares if these people don't come back if new people come and pay more. If you can't afford it, go somewhere else
DeleteIt would be nice to see Split growing more, some LCC to make a base there OR OU to take it seriously and make reasonable prices
ReplyDeleteWhile that would be good for the airports, the thing that Croatia needs is to focus on bringing less tourists that spend more
DeleteКо са ђаволом тикве сади...
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion Ryanair is become a bit too dominant in Croatia. They are the most powerful airline in Dubrovnik, Zadar, Zagreb and Osijek (ok, small numbers by they handle Slavonija).
If OU continues to suffer and become weaker then we know who will profit from it.
All these airports are super super happy to have Ryanair. Zagreb and Dubrovnik would be below covid levels and Zadar would barely exist without Ryanair.
DeleteObviously they want to be in Croatia.
DeleteRyanair added 7 times passengers Croatia Airlines did. Ryanair in Croatia added extra 1.326.893 seats in the first three quarters of the year. Croatia Airlines had a TOTAL of 1.733.529 passengers in ALL of 2023. You don't need PhD in mathematics to see where this is going in 2-3 years.
ReplyDeleteI wish. But Ryanair growth cannot keep going on forever. L
DeleteRyanair timed their base opening in Zagreb perfectly. Post Covid, Croatians starting to travel overseas, higher wages in Croatia have all coincided with their expansion in Croatia and Zagreb.
DeleteNo way is Dubrovnik going to have 3,2 milllion passengers at the end of the year, not even close. Even 3 million is questionable.
ReplyDeleteDubrovnik will be around 3 million.
DeleteBeautiful!
ReplyDelete