Zadar Airport has already beaten its best-ever year — and it did it by the end of October. By that point, 1,714,335 passengers had passed through the terminal in 2026, comfortably clearing the total for the whole of the previous record year, 2025. That's 74,734 more passengers than all of last year, and a 4.89% rise (about 79,947 extra travellers) on the same ten-month stretch in 2025.

There is one small wobble in the numbers. October saw 95,956 passengers, down 7.58% on October 2025's 103,829, with aircraft movements falling from 532 to 499. It was the first monthly decline of the year — every month before it grew — though seasonal dips at the tail end of the Croatian summer are hardly a surprise.

The headline news for holidaymakers is what's coming next. Ryanair will launch a direct route between Zadar and Friedrichshafen in southern Germany for the summer 2027 schedule, adding another German link to the airport's network. Germany is one of the strongest source markets for the Dalmatian coast, so expect that route to be popular with both German visitors and locals heading the other way.

In the quieter months, Zadar keeps a reduced international schedule, with Munich served on Mondays and Fridays, plus domestic connections to Zagreb and Pula. Anyone planning a winter or early-spring trip to the city — a smart time to see its Roman old town and the famous Sea Organ without the crowds — should build around those limited frequencies.

Away from the runway, there's some management uncertainty. Long-serving director Josip Klišmanić, in charge since October 2017, saw his mandate expire on 14 October 2026, and the government has proposed a temporary appointment of up to six months while a public tender finds a permanent successor. It shouldn't affect day-to-day operations, but it's a subplot worth watching as the airport keeps growing.

For travellers, the numbers are a nudge to book early. Zadar's popularity — fed by Ryanair's extensive summer network from across Europe — means peak-season flights fill up fast, and the record trend suggests summer 2027 will be busier still. The upside is more direct connections and easier access to a city that pairs beautifully with trips to Plitvice Lakes, Paklenica National Park or the Kornati islands.

Story first reported by Total Croatia.