Private jet to Croatia

Croatia has about 1,800 km of coast and 1,244 islands, islets and rocks, but only a handful of runways where a business jet can land. That makes the choice of airport more important than the choice of aircraft: Pula and Dubrovnik are a little over an hour apart by air and a long day apart by road. Most private flights go to the coast between May and October, to Split for the central islands and the marinas, to Dubrovnik for the walled Old Town and Cavtat, and to Pula for Istria. Zagreb, the capital and business centre, has traffic all year.

Nine airports receive flights from abroad with border and customs services: Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, Rijeka, Brač, Osijek and Mali Lošinj. In July and August the limit at Split and Dubrovnik is less the slot than the parking, so the aircraft often drops its passengers and flies on. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and plan the airport, the parking and the boat or car in one quote.

Tell us the route, the dates, the number of passengers and the island, villa or marina, and a consultant will reply with aircraft, airport and parking options:

Why go to Croatia by private jet

How long it takes to fly to Croatia

Citation CJ3 times from the main table, with taxi, climb and descent counted:

The coast runs from north-west to south-east, so the further the destination, the longer the flight from northern Europe: from London, Split takes 2:38 h and Dubrovnik 2:54 h in a light jet, while a Challenger 350 saves 12-14 minutes. Inside the country, Zagreb - Dubrovnik is 1:18 h in a Pilatus PC-12 against about six hours by road. From the Gulf, a long-range jet reaches Dubrovnik non-stop in about five hours.

Private jet prices to Croatia

Prices are one way for the whole aircraft, assume a free aircraft near the departure airport, and exclude handling, airport charges and passenger taxes. Flight times are for the first aircraft column.

From the major European cities

Vienna - Zagreb is the cheapest sector here at EUR 8,000, and Munich or Zurich to Pula costs EUR 9,000 in a light jet. From London a Citation CJ3 costs EUR 13,500 to Split and EUR 14,500 to Dubrovnik; for six to eight people with holiday luggage the Citation XLS+ at EUR 18,000-19,000 is the more usual choice.

Domestic hops, Brač and the neighbours

Croatia is in the EU, so EU operators may fly between two Croatian airports. A turboprop is the cheapest choice on these short sectors, and the Pilatus PC-24 and Citation XLS+ can use the 1,760 m runway on Brač after the operator's weight check:

Split - Dubrovnik takes 54 minutes in a Pilatus PC-12 for EUR 6,500, and Venice - Pula 47 minutes for the same price. Vienna - Brač costs EUR 8,000 by turboprop and lands within reach of Bol, without the ferry from Split. From Rome a PC-12 crosses to Dubrovnik in 1:28 h.

From Scandinavia and Poland

Long-haul flights

Dubrovnik's 3,230 m runway and Split's 2,550 m both take long-range jets, though in summer they rarely find a stand for more than a short stop. Each of the three types flies these sectors without a stop:

Flight time drives the price, with a set share added for positioning the aircraft and crew to the departure airport. In July and August a stay of several days at Split or Dubrovnik usually means two one-way flights or a positioning sector to Zadar or Zagreb, because parking is scarce; the quote shows it as a line of its own. Croatian airport charges, handling and the per-passenger fee of a general aviation terminal are listed as well. Departure taxes are set by the country the flight leaves from: France about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet and about half on a turboprop; Italy EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km on flights to or from Italy, which covers every Italian route to Croatia; Austria EUR 12 per passenger, or EUR 30 up to 350 km, as on Vienna - Zagreb. Germany and Norway levy their own departure taxes; the Dutch tax applies to aircraft of 5.7 t or more. UK Air Passenger Duty does not apply below 5.7 t; aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher private-jet rate and other jets the standard rate. Sweden has no passenger tax.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

What a real trip costs

Price per passenger

The aircraft is chartered as a whole, so the cost per seat falls as the group grows:

Online calculator

Enter the route, the date and the number of passengers, and the calculator sends a first estimate by e-mail:

Airports and business aviation terminals

Six airports carry most private traffic, and each covers one stretch of the country. Our airport pages for Zagreb, Split, Dubrovnik and Pula give the full detail:

Mali Lošinj has a runway of only about 900 m and takes turboprops and the smallest aircraft. Rijeka airport stands on the island of Krk, 44 km by road from Opatija, and has no de-icing. Tivat in Montenegro is the nearest alternate to Dubrovnik, but the drive crosses the external Schengen border, with long waits in summer, so for the Croatian coast we land at Čilipi.

Which aircraft suits the trip

Luggage decides more than the seats. Yacht crews travel with soft sailing bags and diving kit, because hard suitcases are hard to stow on a boat as well as in a small hold. Four people with soft bags fit a light jet; six to nine with diving or golf equipment are better in one of the midsize jets. If the trip continues to Brač, choose a type cleared for its runway from the start.

Want to discuss parking, Brač or the best airport for your villa? Leave your number and a consultant will call you back.

The Croatian year month by month

The coast has a short, sharp season, while Zagreb works all year. July and August, and Saturdays above all, are the hardest time for slots and parking; June and September give warm water with far less pressure, and Istria stays busy into October. Empty Legs are most frequent in September, when aircraft leave the coast for the north, and on summer weekends after the yacht changeovers.

From the airport to the island, villa or yacht

Hvar, Vis and Korčula have no runway for jets, so the last leg is by boat or helicopter; we book the catamaran or the speedboat with the flight. The Kornati islands can be reached only by boat. Montenegro and Bosnia and Herzegovina are outside Schengen, so a day trip from Dubrovnik to Kotor or Mostar involves border checks; on the road to Kotor they add 30-90 minutes in summer.

Empty Legs to and from Croatia

An Empty Leg is a sector the operator flies without passengers, for example after dropping a family in Split. Croatia produces many of them, because most coastal trips run in one direction at a time. Typical directions:

The operator fixes the date and time of an Empty Leg, so it suits flexible plans. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we will forward matching flights.

Taking a dog or cat

Croatia applies the EU rules and has no quarantine. Your pet flies in the cabin beside you, and the operator must approve it in advance:

• ISO microchip, fitted no later than the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination from the age of 12 weeks; after a first dose, wait 21 days before travelling.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain need an animal health certificate issued within ten days of arrival in the EU.
• Up to five animals per owner.
• No tapeworm treatment for Croatia.

Ferries, charter yachts and national parks set their own rules for animals, which we check before booking the transfer. Dogs heading home to the UK, Ireland, Malta, Finland or Norway are treated against tapeworm by a vet 1-5 days before arrival; on a UK round trip of up to five days, a British vet can do it before you leave.

Entry rules, permits and customs

Checklist before take-off

• A valid passport or ID card for each traveller, including children.
• Full names, dates of birth and document numbers by the day before departure.
• Arrival time checked against the hours of Pula, Zadar, Brač or Dubrovnik.
• Number of suitcases, sailing bags, diving kit and golf bags.
• Final address: the marina and berth, the villa, the hotel or the ferry port.
• Pet passport or health certificate, and the yacht's or ferry's pet rules.
• Invoice details: company name and VAT number.

How to book

1. Send the destination, the dates, the number of passengers and their luggage, with the marina or the island if there is one.
2. We choose the airport: Split, Dubrovnik, Pula, Zadar, Brač or Zagreb, with a second one for parking in summer.
3. We request the slot and the parking together; if parking is refused, we plan the aircraft to fly home or to Zadar or Zagreb between the legs.
4. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with the operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, plus the car, boat or helicopter.
5. After you sign with the operator and pay, we confirm handling, the terminal and the transfer, and send the final schedule.

Questions about private flights to Croatia

• • How much does a private jet to Croatia cost?

  • A Pilatus PC-12 from Split to Dubrovnik or from Venice to Pula costs EUR 6,500 one way. A Citation CJ3 costs EUR 9,000 from Munich to Pula and EUR 13,500 from London to Split, for the whole aircraft; handling, airport charges and taxes are added in the quote.

• • Which airport for Hvar or Brač?

  • For Hvar, land at Split and continue by catamaran, about an hour, or by helicopter, about 20 minutes. For Bol and Zlatni Rat, light and midsize jets can land on Brač itself.

• • Can the aircraft stay at Split or Dubrovnik in summer?

  • Often not for several days. From June to September stands are scarce, so the aircraft flies home or to Zadar or Zagreb and comes back for the return; the quote shows this in advance.

• • Is it cheaper to land in Zagreb?

  • Zagreb suits business and trips inland. For a holiday it is usually cheaper to fly straight to Split, Dubrovnik or Pula, because a domestic leg from Zagreb to the coast adds at least EUR 7,000.

• • How long does it take from London?

  • About 2:38 h to Split and 2:54 h to Dubrovnik in a Citation CJ3, non-stop.

• • Can we land at Dubrovnik late at night?

  • In summer the airport is open 06:00-23:00 and in winter until 22:00. A later movement needs a permit, which we request in advance.

• • Can a foreign aircraft fly us between Croatian airports?

  • Yes, if the operator holds an EU air operator certificate. A UK or other non-EU operator cannot fly passengers between two Croatian airports.

• • Do we need passports?

  • Croatia is in Schengen, so there is no check from other Schengen countries, but the operator needs a valid passport or ID card for every passenger. Arrivals from the UK pass border control at the first airport.

• • Can our dog come with us?

  • Yes. It travels in the cabin and needs a microchip, a current rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. Pit bull terriers not registered with the FCI may not enter.

• • When are Empty Legs most likely?

  • In September, as aircraft leave the coast, and on summer weekends after the yacht changeovers. Send the route and dates to empty-legs@jets.flights.

• • When is the best time to fly to the coast?

  • June and September give warm water with less pressure on parking and prices than July and August. Istria stays busy into October for golf and truffles, and Zagreb works all year.

• • How far ahead should we book for August?

  • For a Saturday in July or August, several weeks ahead, because the slot and the parking at Split and Dubrovnik run out first. A Thursday or Sunday arrival leaves more choice.