November the 9th, 2026 – Zadar Airport has smashed its previous records in 2026 despite having a somewhat weaker October than usual. A brand new route from Zadar to German will also operate next summer.
In the first ten months of this year, almost 80,000 more passengers were recorded by Zadar Airport than in the same period last year. For summer 2027, a brand new Ryanair line to Friedrichshafen has also been announced. as eZadar reports, Zadar Airport has already by the end of October surpassed the number of passengers achieved during the whole of last year. According to official statistics, in the first ten months of 2026 1,714,335 passengers were recorded, or 74,734 more than in the entire record year of 2025. Compared to the same ten-month period last year, traffic rose by 4.89 percent, or by 79,947 passengers. The new annual record was thus set while two months still remain until the end of the year.
8,000 fewer passengers in october
October itself, however, finished in a weaker way than October last year. 95,956 passengers passed through Zadar Airport, while in October 2025 there were 103,829. That is a drop of 7.58 percent, or 7,873 fewer passengers. The number of aircraft in the official records was also reduced: from last year’s 532 to this year’s 499, which represents a drop of 6.20 percent. The October result is thereby the first monthly drop in the number of passengers this year compared to 2025. All previous nine months recorded growth.
a new line for summer 2027
In addition to the traffic results, the question of the director’s mandate is currently topical at Zadar Airport. Josip Klišmanić, who has been at the head of the company since October 2017, had his existing mandate, according to data available at the Commission for Deciding on Conflict of Interest, expire on the 14th of October 2026. The government has proposed his temporary appointment for a maximum of six months, until the appointment of a director through a public tender.
This period of the year is always quieter at Zadar Airport. The direct international connection is reduced to Munich, on Mondays and Fridays. Domestic connections are maintained via Pula and Zagreb. For the next summer season an expansion of the destination network has also been announced. The Irish low-cost carrier Ryanair in the summer flight schedule 2027 will connect German Friedrichshafen with Zadar, whereby Zadar Airport gains yet another direct connection with the German market.
