Ryanair has reinforced its position as Croatia’s largest airline, surpassing Croatia Airlines with a substantial increase in seat capacity and routes. This rapid growth reflects Ryanair’s strategy of affordability and connectivity, which has strongly appealed to travellers in the Croatian market. This has increased the gap with Croatia Airlines to over 1.45 million seats, positioning Ryanair as a significant force in the Croatian aviation.
Ryanair’s success lies in the opening of a new base in Dubrovnik and expanded operations in Zagreb and Zadar as well as flights to Osijek, Pula, Rijeka and Split. In addition, with a cabin load factor averaging 93.8% during the first three quarters of 2024, Ryanair has managed to keep flights full which has strongly appealed to the Croatian market. On the contrary, Croatia Airlines reported a lower load factor of 64.7% across the same period showing the difference in passenger preference between the two carriers.
Impact of tourism in the Croatian market
Ryanair’s growth has had a deep impact on Croatian tourism. More specifically, the airline has brought affordable travel options and has played an important role in driving post-COVID traffic recovery. More particularly, a spokesperson of Ryanair said:
“Ryanair, Croatia’s largest airline, has delivered low fares, connectivity, and tourism to Croatia for over fifteen years and has single-handedly driven Croatia’s post-Covid traffic recovery. Since the pandemic, Ryanair has invested over 800 million US dollars in Croatia, with the opening of its new Dubrovnik (two aircraft) base and aircraft bases at both Zagreb and Zadar. Ryanair also offers flights to four other Croatian airports – Osijek, Pula, Rijeka and Split. Ryanair has continued to deliver Europe’s lowest fares and greater connectivity for Croatian citizens”.
Croatia’s aviation sector supports tourism and provides Croatian citizens with more options for international and domestic travel. The increase in routes and seat availability has allowed Ryanair to account for 27.7% of Croatia’s total capacity, a striking rise from its pre-pandemic 5.7% in 2019. This significant shift illustrates Ryanair’s ability to cater to the rising demand for affordable travel options helping Croatia’s connections with Europe.
Future expansion and competition
While Ryanair has established itself as Croatia’s leading airline, Croatia Airlines is preparing a recovery strategy. With plans to introduce four Airbus A220 by summer 2025 and launch eight new routes, the carrier hopes to reclaim some of the market share it has lost. Furthermore, these plans show Croatia Airlines‘ intent to adapt and compete in a market increasingly competitive. On the other hand, Ryanair plans to add 196.547 seats to the Croatian market for the first half of 2025 and expects to expand further with new routes from Zagreb and a potential aircraft base in Dubrovnik.
As both airlines are fighting for dominance in Croatia, could Croatian Airlines reclaim its position as a leading company or will Ryanair continue to dominate the country’s aviation market? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
