Dubrovnik and Zadar See Growth, Split Only Airport with Passenger Decline in July
Ruđer Bošković and Zadar airports report increases, while Split's St. Jerome Airport saw a slight drop compared to last July.
Ruđer Bošković and Zadar airports report increases, while Split's St. Jerome Airport saw a slight drop compared to last July.
Among the three largest airports on the Croatian Adriatic coast, those in Dubrovnik and Zadar recorded an increase in passenger numbers during July, while Split was the only one to see a decrease compared to the same month last year. Statistical data published on the airports' websites on August 6, 2026, reveal divergent trends in the midst of the tourist season.
Ruđer Bošković Airport in Dubrovnik served just over 558,500 passengers in July, nearly 18,000 more than in the same month in 2025. The total number of passengers from the beginning of 2026 to the end of July thus exceeded 1.7 million. Along with the rise in passengers, the number of aircraft operations also increased, 4,576 were recorded in July, 42 more than in July last year.
Although it remains the busiest airport on the Croatian Adriatic during the summer months, St. Jerome Airport in Split recorded a decline in July. It handled just over 770,100 passengers, about 16,700 fewer than in July last year. From the start of the year to the end of July, Split Airport still reached nearly 2.1 million passengers, but data on aircraft operations were not published on its website.
Zadar Airport served just over 367,900 passengers in July, representing a 5.2 percent increase compared to the same month last year. From the beginning of 2026 to the end of July, Zadar Airport handled 970,500 passengers. Interestingly, the number of aircraft operations in July did decline, 1,557 were recorded, 1.8 percent fewer than in July last year, suggesting higher load factors on flights.
