Zagreb got two arrivals in as many days this October as Croatia Airlines pushed ahead with the biggest fleet overhaul in its history. The national carrier welcomed a pair of Airbus A220-300s on 2 and 3 October, taking its count of new A220s to 13.
The first, registration 9A-CAW and christened Karlovac, landed on 2 October. Its stablemate, 9A-CAX, named Sisak, followed a day later. Both seat 149 passengers, and the city-based naming keeps a long-running Croatia Airlines tradition alive, with aircraft named after Croatian towns — a small nod that frequent flyers on domestic and regional routes will recognise.
Karlovac is the 12th new A220 delivered to the airline and its 10th A220-300; Sisak is number 13 overall and the 11th of the larger variant. The current A220 fleet now stands at 13 aircraft in total: 11 A220-300s plus two of the smaller A220-100s.
There's more to come. One further aircraft is expected before the end of 2026, and the whole renewal programme should wrap up during 2027, by which point Croatia Airlines plans to operate 15 new A220s — 13 A220-300s and two A220-100s — gradually replacing its older-generation planes.
Why does this matter if you're planning a trip to Croatia? The A220 is one of the most passenger-friendly narrowbodies flying today: quieter cabins, larger windows, wider seats and better air quality than the older aircraft they replace. For anyone hopping between Zagreb and the coast, or connecting through Zagreb to European cities on the flag carrier, flights over the next couple of years should feel noticeably fresher. The airline also frames the modern fleet as a boost to operational efficiency, which usually translates into better punctuality and more reliable schedules — always welcome in peak summer season when Adriatic routes are at their busiest.
Croatia remains one of Europe's most in-demand summer destinations, and with demand comes pressure on capacity. A young, right-sized fleet at the national airline is good news for travellers who prefer flying direct rather than driving the coast road or relying on budget carriers alone. Watch for the A220 on Croatia Airlines' European network as the rollout completes through 2027 — if the seat map says 149, you've drawn the new plane.
