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Croatia Airlines (OU) Guide

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Croatia Airlines flies from Zagreb Airport (ZAG) to places such as Zadar and Amsterdam. This guide covers that network, the Croatia Airlines fleet and cabins, baggage, check-in and how to pay less. Ask a question
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In short

Croatia Airlines is the flag carrier of Croatia, based at Zagreb Airport and flying to 36 destinations in Croatia, Europe and the Middle East. Domestic links help travellers reach the coast from Zagreb. A Star Alliance member, it uses Miles & More for points. Flights offer Business and Economy, on Airbus A220, A319 and Dash 8-Q400 aircraft.

Croatia Airlines is the flag carrier of Croatia, headquartered in Zagreb and a Star Alliance member. It flies domestic routes and to European and Middle Eastern cities, with a large summer schedule from Split and Dubrovnik.

Please note: bookingMentor is an independent travel service and is not affiliated with Croatia Airlines. Routes, schedules, fleet and baggage rules change, so always confirm the details of your booking with the airline.

What to expect

Croatia Airlines is the flag carrier of Croatia, headquartered in Buzin, Zagreb, with its hub at Zagreb Airport and focus cities at Dubrovnik, Split and Zadar. It suits travellers flying between Croatia and European cities, and those connecting from Zagreb to the coast and islands. The Croatian state holds about 99.64 percent of the shares. The airline was founded on 7 August 1989 as Zagal (Zagreb Airlines) and took the Croatia Airlines name in June 1990.

Network: year-round and summer

Croatia Airlines serves about 31 destinations, mostly in Europe. Domestic flights link Zagreb with Split, Dubrovnik, Zadar, Pula, Rijeka and the island of Brač. International routes reach Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France, the United Kingdom, Italy, the Nordic countries and the Balkans. Many coastal routes run only in summer, and routes to Tirana and Bucharest have ended.

In July and August the coast is at its busiest. If direct flights to Split or Dubrovnik are full, a connection in Zagreb is often the way in.

The business in numbers

In 2025 Croatia Airlines carried about 2.04 million passengers with a load factor of 66.3 percent. Turnover was about 269.4 million euros, the net loss about 38.8 million euros, and the airline had 994 employees. Its subsidiaries include Amadeus Croatia and the tour operator Obzor Holidays.

Baggage by fare type and summer demand

Check the baggage allowance for your fare on croatiaairlines.com, since it differs by fare type. Book early for July and August, when the coastal routes are busiest.

Fact-checked by the bookingMentor Travel Desk Reviewed · Updated when rules or prices change

Checked against trusted sources:
Croatia Airlines official website

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  1. Croatia Airlines official website
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Good to know

  • Founded1989
  • Other gatewaysSPU / DBV

Everything you should know

Airline codes

OU · CTN

IATA · ICAO · callsign “CROATIA”

Every Croatia Airlines flight number begins with OU. Flight-tracking sites and air traffic control use the ICAO code CTN, and the radio callsign is CROATIA.

Key facts

Main hub

Zagreb (ZAG)

Zagreb Airport

Also flies abroad fromSplit (SPU) · Dubrovnik (DBV)

Network

36 destinations

Croatia · Europe · Middle East

From Zagreb, with focus cities in Split and Dubrovnik, Croatia Airlines flies domestic routes and to major European cities, adding many seasonal routes in summer.

Destinations

Cabin classes

Business

and Economy

Business and Economy on its Airbus A220 and A319 jets; Dash 8s on domestic hops.

Compare cabins

Frequent flyer

Miles & More

Member of Star Alliance

As a Star Alliance member, Croatia Airlines lets you credit flights to another Star Alliance programme or to Miles & More.

How it works

Start a new search

bookingMentor lists OU fares beside the other carriers on the same route, which shows quickly whether Croatia Airlines is the cheaper way to reach Zadar.

Wishing you a smooth trip with Croatia Airlines.

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At a glance

Croatia Airlines (IATA: OU, ICAO: CTN) is the flag carrier of Croatia, based at Zagreb Airport. Founded in 1989 and a Star Alliance member, it flies Airbus A220, A319 and Dash 8-Q400 aircraft to Croatian airports and destinations across Europe.

Key facts about Croatia Airlines
HeadquartersBuzin, Zagreb, Croatia
Fleet typesAirbus A220, A319 and Dash 8-Q400
Frequent flyerMiles & More
Official websitecroatiaairlines.com

Flight routes

Destinations and routes

Direct routes
These are the cities on Croatia Airlines’ published route map. Timetables change through the year, so check the Croatia Airlines schedule before you plan around a route. Search flights

Croatia

Zagreb (ZAG) departures7 destinations

Check all

Fleet and aircraft

The fleet has been almost entirely replaced by the Airbus A220. The first arrived in July 2024, followed by more in December 2024, May 2025 and August 2025. By October 2026 the airline had two A220-100s and 11 A220-300s, with two more A220-300s on order. One Airbus A319 remains and is due to leave by 2027, and one Dash 8-Q400 turboprop is still in service. On most routes you will now fly on an A220. On 16 May 2026 an A220-300 ran off the runway after a rejected take-off at Split. No one was hurt.

  • Airbus A220-100 Narrow-body Most European and domestic jet routes
  • Airbus A220-300 Narrow-body Most European and domestic jet routes
  • Airbus A319 Narrow-body · 4 in service Older jets on European routes
  • De Havilland Canada Dash 8-Q400 Turboprop · 2 in service Domestic routes

Cabin classes

On Croatia Airlines you can choose from Business and Economy, depending on the route and the aircraft.

Business Jet aircraft

Short-haul business

Business class on European flights.

Priority servicesLounge access

Economy All flights

Standard seat

The main cabin on every flight.

Snacks and drinks

Miles & More

Croatia Airlines uses the Lufthansa Group’s programme.

Members earn miles on Croatia Airlines and Star Alliance flights and redeem them for award flights and upgrades.

Croatia Airlines joined Star Alliance in November 2004. It codeshares with about 15 airlines, including Lufthansa, Air France and United. Frequent flyers use Miles & More, the programme shared with the Lufthansa Group, so miles and status work across Star Alliance.

Baggage allowance

On Croatia Airlines, the bag allowance follows your fare type, cabin and route, and the exact figure is printed on your OU e-ticket.

Checked baggage
On your e-ticket
Cabin baggage
Set by your fare
Extra bags
Add online before you fly
Power banks
Cabin bag only

Expect the allowance on Croatia Airlines to change with distance and cabin: higher cabins include more than basic economy on the same flight. Look up your route on the baggage page of croatiaairlines.com.

Pro tip: measure your cabin bag against the Croatia Airlines size limit before you pack, and add any extra checked weight in your booking, where it usually costs less than at the airport.
Travel day

Online Check-in

Here is the order to follow for an OU flight: check in, sort your documents, meet the airport deadline and drop your bags.

  1. Step 1

    Check in online

    Online check-in for OU flights is on the official Croatia Airlines website. You need the OU booking reference or e-ticket number and the passenger’s surname.

    Booking ref + surname
  2. Step 2

    Prepare your documents

    Pack your passport plus any visa, residence permit or entry papers your destination asks for. Domestic OU passengers should bring a photo ID the airline accepts.

    Passport · visa · ID
  3. Step 3

    Arrive early

    Croatia Airlines closes its check-in counters before departure, and passengers who miss the cut-off can be refused boarding. Leave room for bag drop and security at ZAG.

    Check your deadline
  4. Step 4

    Drop your bags

    At the airport, take your bags to the Croatia Airlines bag-drop point. Collect a printed OU boarding pass there if you have not saved one to your phone.

    Croatia Airlines counter
Ready to check in? Check in and manage your booking on the official Croatia Airlines website.
Check in with Croatia Airlines
Save money

Cheap tickets

Ways to pay less for a Croatia Airlines ticket, from the dates you choose to the fare type you buy.

  1. 01

    Try midweek OU flights

    Croatia Airlines fares are often lower on midweek departures. Search a spread of dates around your trip to find the cheaper days.

    Midweek flights
  2. 02

    Avoid peak holiday dates

    Flights to Split and Dubrovnik fill up in July and August. Book early, or travel in May, June or September.

    School holidays · festivals
  3. 03

    Compare Croatia Airlines fare types

    A Croatia Airlines fare that includes a checked bag, seat choice or cheaper changes can cost less overall than adding those extras later.

    Baggage & changes
  4. 04

    Don’t leave busy routes late

    On busy Croatia Airlines routes such as ZAG to Zadar, booking several weeks ahead usually leaves more fares to choose from.

    Popular routes
  5. 05

    Join Miles & More

    Membership of Miles & More lets your Croatia Airlines trips count towards rewards, and members hear about offers first.

    Before you fly

  6. Ready to compare fares?

    Search Croatia Airlines alongside every other airline on your route, with flexible dates.

    Search Croatia Airlines flights

Reviews and questions

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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Everything travellers ask before flying Croatia Airlines.
We checked these Croatia Airlines answers with the airline’s own pages and public airline records on 10 October 2026.

Getting there

Star Alliance. On connecting trips that often means flying with Lufthansa, Austrian Airlines, SWISS or LOT and earning miles as you go.