Private jet to Zagreb

The Croatian capital is above all a business destination: ministries, company head offices, banks and conferences, with a historic centre split between the medieval Upper Town and the Habsburg-era Lower Town around Ban Jelačić Square. Private flights here are short. From Vienna a small jet lands in under an hour, from Munich in about 1:10 h, from Frankfurt or Geneva in about 1:40 h, so a meeting and the flight home fit into one working day.

Franjo Tuđman Airport lies in Velika Gorica, south-east of the city, and is open around the clock. Business jets use a separate general aviation terminal on the west side of the field, and the 3,252 m runway is the longest in the country. Croatia is in Schengen and uses the euro, so flights from most of Europe arrive without a passport check. Many clients also use Zagreb as a calm first stop before the coast, when Split and Dubrovnik are crowded in summer. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe and quote the price for the whole aircraft.

Send the route, the date and the times of your meetings through the form, and a consultant will reply with aircraft options and the price.

Why go to Zagreb by private jet

Flight times to Zagreb

Times for the Citation M2 in the first column of the main price table, including taxi, climb and descent:

From the hubs:

• Vienna: 0:55 h, 266 km
• Munich: 1:10 h, Milan Linate: 1:19 h, Zurich: 1:26 h
• Frankfurt and Nice: 1:38 h, Berlin: 1:40 h, Geneva: 1:41 h
• Hamburg: 2:00 h, Brussels: 2:05 h, Paris Le Bourget: 2:10 h
• Amsterdam: 2:11 h, Copenhagen: 2:14 h, London Farnborough: 2:37 h
• Madrid: 3:06 h, Larnaca: 3:26 h

A faster jet saves little on these distances: from London the Citation XLS+ needs 2:16 h against 2:37 h in the M2, from Munich 1:03 h against 1:10 h. Neighbouring capitals are closer still, with Bratislava, Venice and Budapest about 0:55 h away in a Phenom 300 and Prague 1:10 h. From Tel Aviv a Challenger 350 takes 3:17 h, from Dubai 5:43 h, and from New York a Falcon 7X needs 8:27 h non-stop.

Prices for a flight to Zagreb

All prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus handling, airport charges, waiting time and passenger taxes, and assume an aircraft available near the departure airport. The flight time column refers to the first aircraft in each row.

From the European hubs

On short sectors the two smaller jets cost almost the same: from Vienna, Frankfurt or Nice the M2 and the CJ3 are priced identically, and the CJ3 takes one or two more passengers. The Citation XLS+ costs EUR 2,500-5,500 more than the M2 and offers a cabin where you can work at a table on the way.

From Central Europe, the Balkans, Italy and Stockholm

From the neighbouring capitals a turboprop is the cheapest option, while the Challenger 350 suits a board travelling with a larger team:

Between the coast and the capital

Many trips combine meetings in Zagreb with a few days on the Adriatic. Flights in the other direction, from Zagreb to the coast, are priced on the same basis:

Long-haul

The 3,252 m runway takes every long-range type. From the Gulf the route depends on the airspace open on the day, and the operator confirms time and price in the quote:

The table price covers the flight time and the positioning of the aircraft to the departure airport. On a day trip the waiting time of the crew is added; for a stay of several days we compare parking with a flight home to base and back. Passenger taxes depend on the departure country: about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet from France; Italy charges EUR 100 per passenger on flights between Italy and Zagreb, all of them within 1,500 km, and Austria EUR 12 (EUR 30 on sectors up to 350 km, which covers Vienna - Zagreb). Germany and the UK charge departure taxes, and Sweden has none. Charges in Zagreb are listed in the quote.

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

Sample trips and their cost

Price per seat

The aircraft is hired as a whole, so the price per seat falls with each passenger. Passenger taxes are added per head:

Estimate your own route

For your own route, date and group size, the calculator sends an estimate to your e-mail.

Zagreb airport and the general aviation terminal

Zagreb Franjo Tuđman Airport (ZAG, LDZA) is the largest airport in Croatia and the base of Croatia Airlines. It lies in Velika Gorica, about 10 km in a straight line south-east of the main railway station and about 17 km by road from the centre. Its single runway, 04/22, is 3,252 x 45 m and takes every business jet, including the largest long-range types. The airport, border police, refuelling, handling and de-icing work 24 hours.

Business jets use the general aviation terminal on the west side of the airport, with its own border and customs desk. It is open daily from 07:00 to 21:00. Outside those hours passengers go through the passenger terminal, or the general aviation terminal is opened on request for an hourly fee. From 19:00 the general aviation terminal can no longer be reached from the city side, so drivers bring evening passengers to the departures hall of the passenger terminal. Private cars may drive onto the apron only with prior written permission from the airport, so the driver normally waits at the terminal exit.

Visiting aircraft park on the apron, as assigned by the controllers; the airport offers no hangars to visiting aircraft and carries out only minor repairs. For a trip with a fixed return time we ask the operator in advance where a replacement aircraft would come from if needed.

Alternates and other airfields

Zagreb is the only airport for jets near the capital. Lučko, the city's second airfield, has two grass runways of about 850 m and is used only for light aircraft in visual flight; commercial air transport is not allowed there. With a long runway and a precision landing system, diversions are rare. If one is needed, the usual alternates are, straight-line from Zagreb:

Picking the right aircraft

For most day trips two to four people fly in a very light jet or a light jet, because on a one- or two-hour sector the cabin matters less than the price. The CJ3 and Phenom 300 carry more luggage and one or two more passengers. A midsize jet makes sense when the group wants to prepare a meeting at a table, or for the longer flights from Madrid and Cyprus.

Questions about the timetable, the terminal or the aircraft? Leave your number, and a consultant will call you back.

When it gets busy in the capital

Zagreb has no beach season, so demand follows the meeting calendar, a few large events and the weather:

The Advent market has won the European Best Destinations vote for the best Christmas market in Europe several times. For its weekends and for INmusic, book the hotel and the aircraft together. The airport itself rarely has capacity problems.

From the airport into the city

Empty Legs to and from Zagreb

When an aircraft returns to base without passengers, the operator sells the sector at a reduced price. Business jets often move between Central Europe and the Adriatic, so empty sectors via Zagreb come up regularly. Typical directions:

The operator decides the date and the time, so an Empty Leg suits a flexible trip. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and a range of dates, and we will send matching flights when they come up.

Dogs and cats on board

On a private jet the dog or cat travels in the cabin with you, and the operator must approve it in advance. Croatia applies the EU rules:

• Microchip to ISO standard, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination, given when the animal was at least 12 weeks old.
• EU pet passport; pets from Great Britain travel with an animal health certificate.
• Up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• No tapeworm treatment needed to enter Croatia.

At the general aviation terminal it is a few steps from the car to the aircraft. Tell us the species, breed and weight when you ask for a quote, so we choose an operator that accepts the animal.

Border, customs and passenger taxes

What to prepare

• Valid passport or ID card for every passenger, a passport for flights from outside Schengen.
• Passenger list with names, dates of birth and document numbers, sent the day before.
• Times of the first and last meeting, so we plan the waiting time and the return.
• Whether the return falls after 21:00, so the terminal opening can be booked.
• Address of the meeting or hotel for the car.
• Pet passport or health certificate, microchip and rabies record.
• Company name and VAT number for the invoice.

Booking a flight to Zagreb in five steps

1. Send the route, the date, the number of passengers and the time by which your last meeting will end.
2. We check the terminal hours, the waiting time and whether the aircraft should stay in Zagreb or fly back to base.
3. You receive 2-4 aircraft options with operator, model, cabin photos and the price for the whole aircraft, including waiting time.
4. You sign the contract and pay; we book handling, the car and, if needed, the terminal opening after 21:00.
5. On the day, the driver meets you at the general aviation terminal; for the return, arrive 20-30 minutes before take-off.

Our team

Charlotte McKinney

Commercial Director

charlotte.m@jets.flights

Henry Richter

Head of Aviation Department and Data Protection Officer

henry.r@jets.flights

Emma Miller

Director of Development

emma.m@jets.flights

Liam Bishop

Senior Aviation Consultant

liam.b@jets.flights

Oliver Davis

Aviation Consultant

oliver.d@jets.flights

Anna Laurent

Aviation Consultant

anna.l@jets.flights

Zagreb by private jet: frequent questions

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

  • A Citation M2 costs EUR 8,000 one way from Vienna, while from Munich it is EUR 8,500 and from London EUR 12,500, for the whole aircraft. Waiting time on a day trip, handling and passenger taxes are added in the quote.

• • Can I fly there and back in one day?

  • Yes. From Munich the flight takes about 1:10 h and from Frankfurt about 1:40 h, and the airport is open 24 hours. The aircraft and crew wait while you hold your meetings.

• • Where do private jets land in Zagreb?

  • At Franjo Tuđman Airport in Velika Gorica, at the general aviation terminal on the west side, open from 07:00 to 21:00.

• • What happens with a departure after 21:00?

  • The airport stays open, and you go through the passenger terminal, unless we book the general aviation terminal to stay open for a fee.

• • How far is the airport from the city centre?

  • About 17 km by road, usually 20-25 minutes by car to Ban Jelačić Square and the Lower Town.

• • Is fog a problem?

  • Autumn mornings can be foggy, but the runway has a Category IIIb landing system. We check the aircraft and crew certification when choosing the aircraft.

• • Do I need a passport for Croatia?

  • Flights from Schengen countries have no passport check, but every passenger needs a valid passport or ID card. From the UK, Serbia or Bosnia and Herzegovina passports are checked on arrival.

• • Can we continue to Split or Dubrovnik with the same aircraft?

  • Yes. Split is 0:50 h away in a Citation CJ3 and Dubrovnik about an hour; the leg needs an EU operator, and the return can start from the coast.

• • Can my dog fly with me?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport. Croatia does not require tapeworm treatment.

• • Are there Empty Legs to Zagreb?

  • Yes, mainly from Vienna, Munich, Budapest, Venice and the Adriatic coast. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with your direction and dates.

• • When are hotels hardest to find?

  • During Advent, from late November to early January, and during INmusic in late June. For those dates, book the hotel early and the aircraft at the same time.