Flight Review: Croatia Airlines A220-300 Business Class

Croatia Airlines Review A220-300 Business Class Dubrovnik to Zagreb and Zagreb to Madrid

If you book flights to Croatia using Aeroplan, chances are you will pass through Zagreb at some point. There are a handful of direct long-haul flights to other Croatian cities like Dubrovnik or Split, but when booking with points, routing through Zagreb provides significantly more options. This is especially true if you want to add flights within Croatia, since Zagreb is the main hub for Croatia Airlines.

Croatia Airway Flights

Our plan was to visit Zadar, Split, and Dubrovnik. Although Croatia is not a big country, we still wanted to avoid long drives and maximize the time we spent actually enjoying where we were staying. Flying between some cities made sense, especially when it could be booked as part of the same Aeroplan redemption for no additional points.

We flew into Zadar, then drove to Split, and finally reached Dubrovnik before heading home. In Zadar, we stayed at the Hotel Preko. In Split, we chose the AC Hotel Split, which was slightly outside the main tourist area but offered good availability and a chance to use some Marriott points we had. Finally, in Dubrovnik, we stayed at the Hilton Imperial, an excellent property that made for a relaxing end to our trip.

Our flight home to Toronto included two segments on Croatia Airlines and one on Air Canada:

OU661 Dubrovnik (DBV) to Zagreb (ZAG)

OU372 Zagreb (ZAG) to Madrid (MAD)

AC 825 Air Canada MAD to Toronto (YYZ)

I had read plenty of mixed reviews about Croatia Airlines. Some people were perfectly happy. Others made it sound like an airline to avoid at all costs. That was enough to make me curious to see what my experience would actually be like.

A Very Short Connection That Actually Worked

One part of this itinerary gave me pause. Our connection time in Zagreb was just 30 minutes. I was genuinely surprised the Aeroplan booking engine even allowed it. Thirty minutes sounds aggressive, especially if you’re used to larger European hubs where connections can involve long walks and multiple security checks.

At first, I considered changing it, but there weren’t many other options that fit our schedule. In the end, we decided to treat it as a small adventure. And it turned out to be a complete non-issue.

Zagreb Airport is small and easy to navigate. Connections between Croatia Airlines flights are straightforward, and we never felt rushed. In fact, we arrived at the gate with time to spare, wondering what all the concern had been about. Looking back, I’m fairly confident a 15-minute connection would have worked just fine. I was quickly learning that things operate differently in Croatia, in a good way.

Boarding, Croatia Airlines Style

Boarding was where things felt the least polished. There was almost no staff at the gate until about five minutes before boarding. Then suddenly, everyone tried to board at once. There were no clear lines, and business class and economy were treated exactly the same.

Everyone boarded together and was loaded onto a bus. On our flight from Zagreb to Madrid, things got even stranger. The bus drove us a minute to another part of the airport, we got off, climbed a set of stairs, and then somehow boarded through a jet bridge anyway. I’m still not entirely sure why it was necessary.

It didn’t make much sense, but it worked. That ended up being a recurring theme: slightly chaotic, but functional.

Boarding a bus to our flight at Zagreb Airport

A First Look at the A220

Both Croatia Airlines flights were on the brand-new A220-300. Croatia Airlines only started taking delivery in 2024, and the cabins were in excellent condition. Nothing felt worn or tired, which is always a good sign.

Business class is located in the first four rows. On the three-seat side, the middle seat is blocked. On the two-seat side, one seat is blocked. It’s a standard European narrow-body business class setup that works well for flights of this length.

On both flights, we were the only four passengers in business class. Having the entire cabin to ourselves made the experience feel far more relaxed than it might have otherwise.

The seats themselves were comfortable enough. This is not a luxury product or lie-flat setup, but it’s perfectly fine for short- and medium-haul flights. For longer domestic legs within Croatia, it’s more than adequate.

Food and Service Onboard

Service was consistent on both flights. It wasn’t luxurious or fancy, but it was reliable.

After takeoff, drinks were served, followed by a boxed meal. The presentation was basic, with no attempt to make it feel more premium than it actually was. That said, the food was better than expected for a boxed meal. Simple, but genuinely tasty. I especially enjoyed the tuna spread, which was surprisingly flavorful for a short-haul flight.

Why I Would Fly Croatia Airlines Again

I went into these flights with fairly low expectations. By the end, I was pleasantly surprised.

The aircraft were new, the flights were on time, connections were easy, the food was ok, and the service was friendly.

That said, I didn’t really see the value in business class. Priority boarding didn’t make much difference, and the lounge in Zagreb was crowded and nothing special. I probably wouldn’t pay extra for business class, though as part of an Aeroplan redemption, it was fine. There’s probably a reason we were the only passengers in business class on both flights.

Would I go out of my way to fly Croatia Airlines? Probably not.

Would I happily fly them again when traveling within Croatia or connecting through Zagreb? Absolutely.

For travelers using points and miles or wanting to explore Croatia’s cities efficiently, Croatia Airlines is a solid, no-nonsense option. The A220 makes for a smooth ride, and the airline gets you where you need to go with minimal stress.