Croatia Airlines has confirmed it expects to take delivery of an additional seven Airbus A220 aircraft next year, completing its fleet renewal programme in 2027 with the arrival of the final jet. The carrier currently operates six A220-300s and one A220-100. The airline did not provide a detailed delivery schedule for the seven upcoming aircraft. The utilisation of the incoming jets is expected to result in significant capacity growth during the 2026 summer season. It will boast over 2.396.000 seats, representing an increase of 9% on 2025.
As recently reported, Croatia Airlines will launch new seasonal flights from Split to Nantes and from Dubrovnik to Stuttgart next year. However, the carrier has also confirmed it will discontinue its seasonal services from Split to both Amsterdam and Bucharest. Although no new routes are planned from Zagreb, the airline will increase capacity in the Croatian capital by 144.000 seats, primarily through the earlier start of seasonal operations. In Split, Croatia Airlines plans to boost capacity by 10%. Dubrovnik capacity is expected to grow 1% on last year.
Commenting on its 2026 operations, Croatia Airlines said, “More than 19.290 flights are planned for the 2026 summer season, 6% more than last summer. During this period, Croatia will be connected with 32 international destinations, or 33 European airports, with aircraft operating 55 scheduled international routes”. The introduction of additional A220s will allow for the gradual phase-out of older jets. A320 operations will conclude in February, with the type’s final service currently set for February 15 between Zagreb and Paris. The carrier is also preparing to announce a wet-lease partner to support the replacement of its Dash 8 turboprops, although they are currently still scheduled to remain in service throughout next year.
I don't get that they don't plan any new routes from Zagreb next summer. Why?
ReplyDeleteIt's too early to consider competing against FR
DeleteHow do you know that?
DeleteThey haven't published their final Summer '26 schedule yet.
Ryanair is the bigger issue. Not LH.
Delete@9.03 they literally have.
Delete@9.04 they literally have not.
DeleteThe airline has formally presented its sumner timetable for 2026 and confirmed its Zagreb network.
DeleteThey have published it and even commented on it in this very article:
DeleteCommenting on its 2026 operations, Croatia Airlines said, “More than 19.290 flights are planned for the 2026 summer season, 6% more than last summer. During this period, Croatia will be connected with 32 international destinations, or 33 European airports, with aircraft operating 55 scheduled international routes”.
They are not introducing anything because they need to improve sales on what they already have. They are bleeding money and can't afford new risks.
DeleteIf Zagreb doesn’t get a single new route next year, OU can’t blame Ryanair for everything. They need to take responsibility.
DeleteThey even blame Ukraine for their losses. They are shameless liars.
Delete@EX-YU Aviation @09:06
DeleteAre you going to publish dedicated article about summer 2026 schedule that includes table of changes for OU and other two airlines in the region? Thanks
@Admin: 9A-CTK has already left the fleet. 9A-CTO as mentioned in the article. Any news on the exit dates of the 4 left A319? Is the number of 9% growth in capacity year over year accurate with the larger planes leaving? Thx for the answer.
DeleteYes, there will be a year--on-year schedule comparison for the summer, but it will be published closer to the start of the season, in March.
DeleteIn terms of capacity, these figures were supplied directly by the airline. Given that they know the pace at which the A220s will be delivered and the older Airbuses phased out, I presume the data is accurate. The numbers also align with capacity-tracking software that pulls information from their filed GDS schedules. Reviewing the timetable, it appears the A319s will remain in operation throughout the entire summer and will be fully utilised.
Impressive.
ReplyDeleteLOL
DeleteAir Baltic, country double smaller than Croatia, no tourism, on the edge of Europe
Air Serbia, landlocked, not much bigger, no tourism, lower purchase power
Icelandair, almost uninhabited island in the middle of nowhere
And many others....
Those could be called impressive.
LHG feeder with no real hub, no real network and single type fleet brought by political decision is rather shameful than impressive
I am no defender of OU but your list is not really comparable
DeleteAirBaltic is not doing well
Air Serbia has huge political backing and is making use of Western sanctions on Russia
Iceland is so remote that all travel has to take place via air. In Croatia even tourists come more by car than by air
But the point still stands that Icelandair management and AirSerbia management are better
Iceland and Serbia are well located for aviation hubs. Croatia is a tourist destination that thrives from seasonality and seems very happy to sit back and expext
DeleteMoney to just come. Heavily unimaginative economy. Tragic management of OU and many othet aspects of Croatian economic and political life. They dont even feed Lufthansa very well either.
Po Vama, OU nema ni političku, ni finansijsku podršku Hrvatske države. Ma bravo!
DeleteNe može se državna podrška JU uspoređivati sa državnom podrškom OU.
DeleteKako ne... evo otpisali upravo dug. 2027 novo restrukturiranje i novi milioni.
DeletePa ne može. Jednostavno je nemoguće.
DeleteKako ne. Bilo je i nemoguce da otpisu dug. A novo restrukturiranje je moguce 10 godina nakon prethodnog. Tako da ce ga svakako biti.
DeleteLF is gonna be even worse in 2026
ReplyDeleteSomebody pushed self destruct button
DeleteHow can that be with the same amount of aircraft leaving the fleet which had even bigger seat capacities than the A223/1?
DeleteLooks like Airbus got its act together regarding the A220, I was expecting deliveries to take much longer than that.
ReplyDeleteBravo Hrvatska!
ReplyDeleteAt least things are moving. New aircraft, higher capacity, some new routes… That’s more progress than we’ve seen in a decade.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteIf more losses and more LHG feeding are progress for you, than OK
DeleteA220 in OU colors looks stunning 🤩
DeleteNonsense! This LHG feed is a myth, OU flies to other major hubs also! Capacity_wise, LHG in ZAG is symbolic compared to OU. OU is a small carrier and they no ambition to grow, that's it!
Delete11.14
Delete3 daily ZAG FRA
Daily SPU FRA
3 weekly DBV FRA
3 weekly OSI MUC
3 weekly RJK MUC
2 weekly ZAD MUC
3 weekly DBV MUC
2 daily ZAG MUC
2 daily ZAG ZRH
2 daily ZAG VIE
3 weekly SPU VIE
3 weekly DBV VIE
2 daily ZAG BRU
Altogether 104 weekly flights to LHG hubs
How many to "other major hubs" ?
Well Croatia's economy is connected for a large part to Germany...historically so. Im not defending the lack of ambition but in many ways it follows 'natural' economic flows post YU.
DeleteOh yes, OU should fly to Helsinki and Amman and not stupid LH hubs 🤣
DeleteYes that's exactly what they should do. Flying to LH hubs has resulted in years and years of losses.
DeleteSure it was because of LH hubs and not crappy pricing policy.
DeleteThe two are related. LH hubs are fed for peanuts. That's why others are more expensive and not competitive, which despite such pricing can't earn enough to cover fed lisses. The result of LHG "partnership" policy is tragedy that we have, tragedy that only Buzin uhljebs and Središnjica fanboys can advocate
DeleteAnd that's why they should fly to Rio year round 🤣
DeleteI always claimed New York, Chicago, Delhi and Bangkok, with numerous codeshares on both sides are must for OU. Many others, like Los Angeles, Vancouver, Beijing, Tokyo, and yes, even Rio, are possibilities which might be introduced later, after the detailed market research, with codeshares again, of course, and with significantly more developed regional network and cooperation with tourist agencies and organizations, again on both sides. Unfortunately some people cry out of laughing, advocating misery and tragedy of Croatia Airlines as it is, humiliated feeder, and feeling happy with all wasted chances and missed opportunities. Bravo!
DeleteHumiliating? I mean come on and get a grip. Croatia's declining population and lack of political and economic development is concerning but only 'humiliating' to obsessives.
DeleteI was not talking about the entire country, what you did. I was referring to Croatia Airlines which had and still has potential to be decent airline with decent network and if not totally loss making like now, at least with less losses or at "positive zero". Instead, Croatia Airlines IS HUMILIATED FEEDER with politically appointed incompetent aparatchiks acting as serious management, with network double or triple smaller than it could and should be, with no real hub at its base and no proper transfer waves, with disastrous pricing policy, with almost no marketing, with almost no code shares which would enable growth, with single type fleet for regional services, totally inappropriate for croatian market, with no vision, no idea, no courage, no response to market changes, and as a cherry on the cake, decades long constant losses. I wish I knew what else could be more humiliating than all of the above listed
DeleteLooks like OU will have another year of double digit growth. Good stuff!
ReplyDeleteYou said that a few days ago, but capacity growth is in the single digits.
DeleteNo it is not, what are you talking about?
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/12/zagreb-airport-registers-busiest.html
You are thinking of something else.
@09:04 of losses perhaps
Delete^ The country's economy profits way more!
Delete@Anonymous 09:11
DeleteAnd that is Anons 09:10 real issue with this news!
Great aircraft, can't wait to fly on it again!
ReplyDeleteIf only the route network would match the potential of the aircraft…
DeleteIt is croatia airlines bitch! (Note: bitch is not meant to be offensive to the anon above, or croatia airlines, but rather as a funny remark in colloquial american english. Should the admin find it offensive, or anon, feel free to remove the comment)
DeleteHahaha, yeah, great aircraft, you should have flown it yesterday morning to Brussels, and return to ZAG for technical issues
DeleteSo they have added a net total of 0 rourea compared to 2025.
ReplyDeleteDisappointing
DeleteHow when they just announced two yesterday?? Stop the trolling.
Deletehttps://www.aeroroutes.com/eng/251209-ouns26
^ Maybe you actually want to read the article.
Delete"However, the carrier has also confirmed it will discontinue its seasonal services from Split to both Amsterdam and Bucharest."
And also why link aeroroutes when these two new routes were published here last week?
https://www.exyuaviation.com/2025/12/croatia-airlines-launching-new.html
Visionary airline:)))))
ReplyDeleteOf course. Their sight and vision reach all the way to Minken and Vrankvurt
DeleteBroken record of a comment
DeleteOh, uhljeb arrived to "work" in Buzin, at 09.10 sipping coffee and spitting out poison
Delete11:35 not at all, just bored of PIR boring childlike comments. A useless and dull contribution as always.
DeleteYeah, right, that's why the answer arrived in 10 minutes. And everything in order to move away attention from disaster called Croatia Airlines
Delete@Anonymous 11:46
DeleteInteresting you don't feel need to comment as "broken record of a comment" or "childlike, useless and dull" irritating much often repeated "Bravo Hrvatska" comments, which has absolutely nothing to do with aviation
People seem oblivious to their financial position. Which airline opens new routes with 30 million loss? And with 7 planes coming next year those losses are going to double. This modest capacity growth is only being generated through early resumption of routes launched this year.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Not expanding like crazy next year is one of the more responsible decisions they have made lately.
DeleteI think another thing is uncertainty when exactly these 7 aircraft will arrive next year. So it's difficult to plan
Delete^ that's true. Planes that arrived this year were all late by several months.
DeleteExtending seasonal routes and increasing capacity on existing routes is the smart thing to do.
DeleteFirst densify the existing network and then launch new destinations.
But have they densified the network? Majority of routes have the same frequency as this year.
DeleteActually they have and also greatly extended seasonal routes in to spring and autumn season.
DeleteThey need a reset. I remember Air Serbia under Marek for the first few years had a slogan Wizzier than Wiz... They should do the same. Slash the prices, make luggage an option, and develop the network. Charging 250€ for an hour flight just because it's on A220 is ABSURD
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteOU has to become Ryaner than Ryanair
DeleteIt cannot. But it can move towards better pricing to boost passenger numbers and to decide either to be a proper freder airline or try a more dynamic re-invention. But so many aspects of Croatias tourist economy (which OU has been regarded) are so deeply conservative and lazy i fear little will change without other aspects of the country changing.
DeleteYou are right, I found the article:
Deletehttps://www.exyuaviation.com/2021/02/air-serbia-to-compete-by-being-wizzier.html
Good luck next year OU.
ReplyDeleteThey will need good luck, in big quantities. Intergalactic Spaceship took off to Brussels this morning and returned to ZAG for technical issue. More to follow. Cheers.
DeletePositive developments for Croatia always seem to upset some people.
ReplyDeleteIt's odd you are not upset with no real network growth or growing losses. Don't you wish this airline well?
DeleteI wish the country well and its economy. The airline is modernizing its fleet and greatly adding capacity which benefits us.
DeleteI wish it well too. And the airline as well. But I'm not celebrating their losses and mismanagement like you. 9% increase in capacity is far from "greately increasing".
DeleteIt is higher capacity increase than the vast majority of airlines in Europe!
DeleteYou know how much capacity growth next year the 'vast majoriy of airlines in Europe have'? Need I remind you that OU will only this year reach pre covid capacity?
DeleteYes, low single digits. Any other questions about the European aviation market?
DeleteI'm happy to help you.
A person celebrating a loss making airline is really not relevant to answer anything about the European aviation market :) looking forward to your spin on their end of year results.
DeleteWow 7 is a lot. Thought there would be less in 26 and more in 27.
ReplyDeleteExciting year incoming
ReplyDeletePeople complain no matter what. OU is renewing the fleet, growing seats, opening some new routes. Not perfect, but it's progress.
ReplyDelete+1000
DeleteWhat new routes?
DeleteIt is not progress. It is totally useless to be adding new seats when your load factor is 60%. How can you defend that? They need to be REMOVING seats to become more profitable, or launch different routes and change their network.
DeleteNice news from OU indeed.
DeleteSeven A220s next year sounds great
ReplyDeleteOU will have more new planes than new routes
DeleteNo they are also GETTING RID of the 4 A319s and 2 A320s. So altogether their fleet will be 1 aircraft more.
DeleteIf they really phase out the A320 by February, that means almost the entire summer schedule will be on A220s. Will be interesting to see how they handle peak demand.
ReplyDeleteIncreasing capacity by starting seasonal routes earlier… in other words, no innovation, just stretching the existing schedule. Classic OU.
ReplyDeletethey should focus on year-round connectivity. Winter schedule is very thin.
ReplyDeleteWith almost 20,000 flights planned, this is going to be their busiest summer
ReplyDelete19,290 flights is a decent schedule, but it's still not ambitious.
DeleteWhy aren’t they using the A220 to launch something bold? Scandinavia, Baltics, the UK… opportunities are there.
ReplyDeleteAll roads lead to Frankfurt.
Deleteand Munich
DeleteThe A220 has potential to open long thin routes, but OU simply doesn’t want to take risks.
DeleteOr like Gran Canaria/Tenerife, that would do wonders with normal prices, but who am I kidding, OU and normal prices don't go together.
DeleteEveryone expects miracles from OU...
ReplyDeletePositive step: A320 out, A220 in. Negative step: nothing else. No new strategy, no new markets, no expansion.
DeleteOU is slowly but surely turning into an all-A220 airline. That in itself is impressive for the region.
ReplyDeleteBut what is the point if they don’t use the aircraft to grow out of major cities? You can’t run a premium fleet on a low-risk network.
DeleteCroatian market, with shape of the country, EU financed PSO, tourism, diaspora, and its geographical situation with the entire region and entire Balkans "behind" and entire Slovenia one to two hours ride, deserves an airline with double bigger fleet consisted of three basic types with variants (series) ; one smaller than A220 type, one A220 type and one bigger than A220 type. Single A220 type is entirely political decision aimed at OU continuing provide feed to LHG, which is already resulting, and will continue to result in increased losses. Everyone refusing to see this is enemy of both Croatia Airlines and state of Croatia. Sngle type decision equals treason, and that's why it had to be "covered" by highly corruptive BCG deal. Case closed.
DeleteNice. Good luck. Congratulations.
ReplyDeleteBy the time the new aircraft arrive the Business Class cardboard boxes will be 6 months older than the planes themselves.
ReplyDeleteWhat is the utilisation of A220s they already have? Last week, several of them parked mid-day…
ReplyDeleteNo one in Buzin thinks to launch routes from ZAG not yet offered by FR? They are shooting themselves in the foot
ReplyDeleteRano je. Da se prvo ispije po kahva, pročitaju novine, obave privatni razgovori, pa kahva, pa se isplanira gdje će se za vikend i godišnji sa servis kartama, pa malo tračeva, pa pauza za ručak, pa još jedna kahva, pa se pregledaju privatni mailovi i odgovori se na njih, pa se nešto neophodno kupi preko neta, pa se odgovori onima na blogovima koji kritiziraju, i gotovo, prošlo radno vrijeme. I kada da onda osmisle i realiziraju te nove linije? Jednostavno ne mere. I šta uostalom fali Vrankvurtu i Minkenu? Baš ništa.
DeleteIn my opinion, however new they are, Croatia Airlines seems to still be buying aircraft that can’t or won’t fly East!! ;) Wasn’t surprised that new destinations are going to be …. GERMANY AND FRANCE again! The airline needs to hire somebody with even 1 imaginative brain cell. Unbelievable, new aircraft would suggest some inspiration but no, just more planes to fill the same airspace over Western Europe. So sad, big waste of money and opportunities.
ReplyDelete