Split Airport has set its sights on becoming Croatia’s busiest within the next five years, with management aiming to build on its dominant position during the peak summer months by strengthening year-round traffic. Split handled 3.88 million passengers in 2025, ranking behind Zagreb, which welcomed 4.68 million travellers. However, the Dalmatian airport already handles more passengers than any other in the country during the four busiest summer months.
Split Airport CEO, Josip Čorić, told Croatia’s “tportal”, “In five years, I see the airport as the busiest in Croatia, which we already are for four summer months”. The airport sees reducing its heavy reliance on seasonal traffic as one of the keys to achieving that ambition. Although Split remains strongly dependent on leisure demand during the summer, winter traffic has been growing at a considerably faster pace.
Split has been using a more incentive-driven pricing strategy during the quieter part of the year in an effort to encourage airlines to maintain and expand services outside the summer season. Passenger numbers increased 30% year-on-year last November, 14.5% in December and 25% in January. Further growth is expected during the upcoming 2026/27 winter season, for which airlines have scheduled 489.160 seats, representing an increase of 26.5% on last year. Mr Čorić noted that the development of a broader year-round tourism product, including congress tourism, will also be important in reducing seasonality. The airport is focusing on sustainable year-round routes rather than short-term capacity additions.
Long-haul traffic represents another area of potential growth. United Airlines launched Split’s first nonstop service to the United States this year, operating three weekly flights between Newark and the Croatian coastal city with the Boeing 767-300ER. The seasonal route commenced on April 30 and marked the first time Split had been linked nonstop with North America. The airport remains in talks with United over the service’s future development. Although management does not expect demand to support year-round operations in the immediate future, it would like to progressively lengthen the operating season, potentially by around a month each year. Discussions with airlines over further long-haul opportunities are continuing, although the airport says route development must ultimately be supported by sufficient demand.
Further growth will require additional infrastructure, with the existing aircraft apron increasingly becoming a constraint during periods of peak activity. The airport is working on plans to expand the apron towards the eastern part of the site, which will require the relocation of the existing fire station and several other facilities. Its current configuration means the airport is unable to simultaneously accommodate another wide-body aircraft when available parking positions are occupied. Plans also include new manoeuvring surfaces and the complete resurfacing of the runway.
Split Airport is also considering a possible runway extension as part of its long-term development strategy, although no final decision has been made. Management is assessing the project against geographical, financial, operational and environmental considerations. The airport estimates the combined value of its planned apron, manoeuvring-area and runway investments at roughly 70 million euros. It intends to finance the projects primarily through its own resources, although borrowing could be considered if required. Unlike several other Croatian airports, Split has largely financed its development independently and does not rely on state subsidies or government guarantees.
Zagreb has the advantage of being a capital city with much stronger year-round business and VFR demand. Split will need more than tourism to overtake it on an annual basis.
ReplyDeleteVery encouraging to see the winter numbers growing by double digits.
ReplyDeleteYou've turned everything around, it's already visible on the first sentences.
ReplyDeleteIf airlines need incentives to come to a certain airport - everything is broken. The incentive for an airline to serve a certain route should be a prospect of profits derived from passengers (demand) not subsidies.
You obviously have no idea anything about aviation.
DeleteOr economics or business
DeleteUnited was a huge achievement for Split. Hopefully the Newark season gets extended next year and eventually runs from early April until late October.
ReplyDelete+1
DeleteI would imagine Toronto is probably the next realistic long-haul opportunity
DeleteI see Scoot from SIN, a great budget option for Australians
DeleteAren't the airport's numbers down this year?
ReplyDeleteYes, both ZAG and SPU.
DeleteAdmin is this really true
DeleteSplit yes and Zagreb is on the edge
DeleteIt's no surprise numbers are down, the prices are too high in Croatia and it's put a lot of tourists off visiting.
Delete20 plus million visitors every year is more than enough, overtourism is already problem all over Europe, so if someone goes somewhere else because Croatia is expensive to them, great news.
DeleteWhat would drive demand beyond summer and if local people do not travel much in winter, why would they suddenly start to travel now?
ReplyDeleteHe mentions congress tourism, but this is, to oversimplify it, couple of planes a month, if at all.
The increase in winter season does look good though, so perhaps it could pan out- good luck.
What can I do in winter in Split?
Deleteenjoy the wind?
DeleteHiking, wine tourism, gastronomy, there's plenty to fill an extended weekend. See Corsica for inspiration.
Delete^ Yes, there are plenty of things to do off season as well.
DeleteZagreb should not be underestimated. It is also growing and Ryanair still has plenty of room to expand there.
ReplyDeleteAgree. Split could easily become Croatia’s busiest airport but keeping that position permanently will be much harder because Zagreb also has significant expansion potential.
DeleteBeautiful pic
ReplyDeleteWhatever happens with the ranking, competition between Split and Zagreb can only be positive for Croatian aviation.
ReplyDeleteWho thinks up of ridiculous comments like this? What industry do you work in? I'm curious.
DeleteYou think Zagreb and split are competing?? How, where, in what sense?
Well Split Airport CEO said they will overtake Zagreb, not me.
Deleteso true and talking about rankings they could fall to Nr.5 ExYu - wide at the end of this year
DeleteDoes anyone know what the old terminal is being used for now?
ReplyDeleteOld terminal in fact serves a purpose of a terminal.
DeleteThanks. I didn't know it was still in use
Deletebit sceptical here. increased in winter because of OUs larger planes?
ReplyDeleteNo word about a (better) taxiway system?
ReplyDelete