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.
