Hong Kong Airlines Has Approval to Fly to Zagreb — So When Do Tickets Go On Sale?

Croatia's capital could be about to get its first direct link to Hong Kong — but don't open a new browser tab for flights just yet. Hong Kong Airlines has secured regulatory approval to operate scheduled services between Hong Kong International Airport and Zagreb, and the news has been picked up widely in the region, including by EX-YU Aviation News and Poslovni Puls.

Here's what's actually happened. Back in May, Hong Kong's Transport and Logistics Bureau confirmed that the city's Air Transport Licensing Authority approved a variation to the airline's operating licence, adding Zagreb to the list of destinations it is authorised to serve. The approval runs until 24 March 2028 and comes with unlimited permitted frequency — the airline could, in theory, fly the route as often as it likes, carrying passengers, cargo and mail.

The catch is that regulatory approval is not a launch. Hong Kong Airlines has not announced a start date, a timetable, or opened sales for a Hong Kong–Zagreb service. The Air Transport Licensing Authority is an independent statutory body that signs off on scheduled air services, but whether the route actually materialises depends entirely on the airline's commercial judgment. Croatia's aviation scene has seen plenty of route speculation over the years, and approvals like this sometimes sit unused.

Still, the possibility matters. A direct connection would give travellers between Croatia and Asia a genuinely new option — currently, getting from Hong Kong or mainland China to Zagreb almost always means connecting through a Gulf or European hub. For Croatian tourism, especially the higher-spending long-haul Asian market that the national tourism board has been chasing for years, a nonstop service would be a meaningful boost. Business travel and air cargo would benefit too.

The honest read: Zagreb is now on Hong Kong Airlines' legal paperwork, and that's often the first step before a route announcement. But until the airline names a launch date and puts seats on sale, this remains a possibility rather than a booking. Travellers hoping to fly nonstop between the two cities should watch for the airline's commercial announcements — that's when this story becomes real.