August the 24th, 2025 – Zagreb International Airport is set to be connected to an impressive 70 destinations this year.
As Poslovni Dnevnik/Sinisa Malus writes, Ljubljana Airport served more than 181,000 passengers in July this year, which is 12 percent more than in July last year. From the beginning of the year to the end of July, over 870,000 passengers were recorded, which is a seven percent increase compared to the same period last year.
By the end of the year, approximately 1.5 million passengers are expected to have been served in Ljubljana, which is about three percent more than in the record year of 2019, writes the Ljubljana-based Dnevnik.
This year, Brnik has gained six new connections: Eurowings flies to Düsseldorf, KLM to Amsterdam, Air Albania to Tirana, Airbaltic to Las Palmas, Easyjet to Manchester and Vueling to Barcelona. The latter company will fly twice a week from November the 16th, and three times per week over the festive period.
zagreb airport is always full of slovenians flying elsewhere…
We checked how much one-way flights to four major European cities would cost this weekend if you were flying from Ljubljana or Zagreb. The Ljubljana-London flight would cost 260 euros, while Zagreb-London costs significantly less with a price tag of 162 euros.
A ticket on the Ljubljana-Madrid route costs 237 euros, while the Zagreb-Madrid route amounts to just 175 euros. The biggest difference is on routes to Paris. While a flight from Ljubljana to the French capital costs 279 euros, a flight from Zagreb is almost half the price (a mere 143 euros).
ryanair changed zagreb airport’s game
The arrival of Ryanair at Zagreb Airport opened up the Croatian capital to the rest of Europe in a way that has never been done before. One way tickets to the likes of London Stansted can be purchased for less than 20 euros on many occasions, something almost impossible to compete with.
For several years now, the Slovenian Government has been supporting the country’s air connectivity by subsidising selected routes. In 2025, 1.35 million euros are available for that, and in 2026 and 2027, 1.2 million euros will be available. Four connections are currently supported: Norwegian Air (Copenhagen), Luxair (Luxembourg), Eurowings (Düsseldorf) and Airbaltic (Riga). In the latest tender, Airbaltic was selected for Las Palmas, and Air Albania for Tirana, which will be directly connected to Ljubljana again after a six year pause.
The Slovenian Chamber of Commerce of (GZS) has emphasised that a quality air network is one of the foundations of a competitive economy, especially for a very small and export-oriented country like Slovenia. It has also been noted that being so close to an excellently connected airport like the one in Zagreb has seen Slovenian companies far too reliant on neighbouring airports.
It has also been stated that Slovenia’s fragmented and limited offer of connections in comparison to that offered by Zagreb and Croatia as a whole affects not only travel habits, but also the speed and efficiency of business processes, the attraction of foreign investors and the development of Slovenian tourism.”
zagreb airport dominates with 70 destinations connected
A comparison with Zagreb Airport clearly shows this gap. This year, the capital’s busy airport will be connected to 70 destinations – six domestic and 64 international. It will be served by 20 airlines, including many large global carriers.
A price comparison shows that the difference between Ljubljana and Zagreb is not only in the number of destinations, but also in the costs for travellers. If Slovenia wants Brnik to become the first choice for domestic and international travellers, it will need to ensure that the choice of flights is wider, schedules more convenient, and prices competitive – and back this up with a clear strategy that goes beyond short-term measures.
It’s very difficult to see how any of the above could be done with the popular Zagreb Airport so close to Slovenia, and with the likes of Ryanair dominating across Europe with unbelievably cheap prices.
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