The national airline, Croatia Airlines, has entered a new phase of its fleet's strategic transformation with a ceremonial welcome for the sixth new Airbus A220-300 aircraft at Zagreb Airport. This event, which took place on September 2, 2025, represents a key step in one of the most ambitious projects in the company's history – the complete unification and modernization of the fleet that will define the future of Croatian air traffic in the coming decade.

The latest addition to the fleet, an aircraft with an impressive capacity of 149 passenger seats, bears the registration mark 9A-CAP and is proudly named "Zadar," continuing the tradition of naming aircraft after Croatian cities. The aircraft arrived at its new home base directly from the Airbus factory in Mirabel, Canada, the global center for the production of the technologically advanced A220 family of aircraft. Its arrival further strengthens the company's operational capacities in the midst of the key tourist season, but also lays the foundation for long-term sustainable and profitable business.

Strategic modernization in the peak of the season

With the arrival of "Zadar," Croatia Airlines now has six modern Airbus A220-300s in its fleet. This brings the total fleet for the 2025 summer season to 16 aircraft. Alongside the new A220s, the airline continues to use proven models: four Airbus A319 aircraft, two larger Airbus A320s, and four Dash 8-Q400 turbo-prop aircraft that have proven themselves on shorter regional routes. This transitional period, although operationally demanding, has been carefully planned to ensure full reliability and continuity of the flight schedule, with the gradual introduction of new aircraft to an increasing number of European and domestic destinations.

The fleet renewal project does not stop here. By the end of the current year, the delivery of another, the seventh new aircraft, is expected. It will be the first unit of the smaller model from the same family, the A220-100, which has a capacity of 127 passenger seats. The introduction of this model will allow the company greater flexibility in route planning and adapting capacity to demand, especially outside the main tourist season, thereby optimizing costs and increasing efficiency.

Airbus A220: New generation technology

The decision to select the Airbus A220 aircraft as the sole type in the future fleet is based on a series of technological, economic, and environmental advantages. This is an aircraft that sets new standards in the 100 to 150-seat aircraft segment. Thanks to advanced aerodynamics, the use of lighter composite materials, and, most importantly, the latest generation Pratt & Whitney PurePower PW1500G engines, the A220 achieves up to 25% lower fuel consumption per seat compared to the older generation aircraft it replaces. This directly results in a significant reduction of CO2 and nitrogen oxide emissions, through which Croatia Airlines actively contributes to global efforts for the decarbonization of air transport and meets the goals of the European Green Deal.

An equally important advantage is the significant noise reduction. The noise footprint of the A220 aircraft is as much as 50% smaller, making it ideal for flights to airports located near urban centers that have strict noise restrictions. The aircraft's range of nearly 6,700 kilometers opens up the possibility of introducing new, longer routes, connecting Croatia with more distant destinations without the need for a stopover.

A revolution in the passenger experience

Passengers will feel the change most in the aircraft cabin itself. The Airbus A220 is designed with a focus on maximum comfort. It offers the widest seats in its class, more space between rows, and more legroom. High ceilings and large panoramic windows, with several in each row, create a sense of spaciousness and fill the cabin with natural light. The 2-3 seat layout is particularly popular because as many as 80% of passengers get a window or aisle seat, eliminating the unpopular middle seat for most passengers. The overhead luggage bins are among the largest in their class, providing enough space for the hand luggage of all passengers.

As a complete novelty in the operations of Croatia Airlines, these aircraft are equipped with a high-speed internet access system (Wi-Fi), which will allow passengers to stay connected during the flight, whether for business or personal purposes. The introduction of this service raises the quality of travel to a new level and places the Croatian national carrier alongside leading European companies.

A look towards 2027 and a unified fleet

The entire transition process should be completed during 2027, by which time the Croatia Airlines fleet will be fully unified and consist exclusively of aircraft from the A220 family. The plan is for it to eventually number a total of 15 aircraft – thirteen larger A220-300 models and two smaller A220-100s. The switch to a single-type fleet brings enormous operational advantages: it simplifies maintenance, reduces the need for spare parts inventories, optimizes crew scheduling, and significantly lowers the cost of pilot and cabin crew training, as they will hold a single type rating for both models. In the long term, this strategic decision will ensure greater profitability, strengthen competitiveness in the extremely dynamic aviation market, and position Croatia Airlines as a modern, efficient, and environmentally conscious carrier, ready for all the challenges the future brings.