United Airlines considering Zadar flights as US demand for Croatia grows

ZAGREB, 8 April 2026 – United Airlines is exploring the possibility of launching flights to Zadar as demand from American travellers to Croatia continues to rise, Poslovni dnevnik reports.

The US carrier is set to strengthen its presence in Croatia this month by launching seasonal flights between Newark and Split, adding to its existing services to Dubrovnik.

According to aviation data based on indirect traffic flows, the busiest unserved market between the United States and Zadar is New York.

Other major US cities generating strong demand for travel to the Dalmatian city include Detroit, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Chicago, Miami and Boston.

United Airlines recently noted that interest in travelling to Croatia among American passengers continues to grow steadily.

“We have truly established ourselves as a leader by launching flights to bold and trending destinations,” the airline said, highlighting its strategy of expanding routes to emerging tourism hotspots.

The airline also pointed to the importance of its transatlantic joint venture with Lufthansa, which connects passengers through Frankfurt and Munich from major US hubs.

However, United emphasised that travellers increasingly prefer direct flights rather than connecting services.

“With more aircraft joining our fleet, we are able to add a greater number of destinations,” the airline said.

Officials in Croatia’s tourism sector are also optimistic about continued growth from the US market.

Zadar

Leila Krešić-Jurić, director of the Croatian National Tourist Board office for North America, said the United States remains Croatia’s most promising long-haul market, particularly in premium and luxury tourism segments.

She noted that several major investments are strengthening Croatia’s high-end tourism offer. These include international hotel brands such as Hyatt Regency and Curio by Hilton, as well as the wellness-focused Materra hotel near Osijek.

Additional developments announced by domestic tourism groups including Maistra and Valamar are also expected to further boost the sector.

The United States is currently Croatia’s largest long-haul tourism market.

In 2025, Croatia recorded around 850,000 arrivals from American tourists and 2.4 million overnight stays, representing a year-on-year increase of 9% in arrivals and 10% in overnight stays.