Direct Flights to Croatia from the USA | Haute Retreats
To travel to Croatia from the USA, the simplest route in summer is United’s nonstop from Newark to Dubrovnik or Split: about nine hours overnight, landing on the Adriatic the next morning. From any other US city, and outside the summer season, you connect once in a European hub to Dubrovnik, Split or Zagreb. Croatia is in the Schengen area and uses the euro, and a US passport is all you need for now; the new travel authorization, ETIAS, is not in operation yet. For the villa, summer 2027 is already the season to book: for June to September we suggest nine to twelve months ahead. See our Croatia villa rentals.
Travel to Croatia from the USA at a glance
| Nonstop from the US | United, from Newark to Dubrovnik and from Newark to Split, in season. In 2026 United was the only airline flying nonstop between the two countries. |
|---|---|
| Flight time | About nine hours from Newark; evening departures land in Croatia the next morning. |
| From other US cities | One connection in a European hub, such as Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam, London or Istanbul. |
| Which airport | Dubrovnik for the Old Town and the Dubrovnik Riviera; Split for Split, Trogir and the islands of Hvar and Brač; Zagreb for the capital, with year-round connections to the coast. |
| Time difference | Croatia is six hours ahead of New York and nine ahead of Los Angeles. |
| Money | The euro, since 2023. |
| Border | Croatia has been in the Schengen area since 2023. The Entry/Exit System (EES) takes your fingerprints and a photograph at your first entry into Europe. |
| Paperwork | A passport valid for at least three months after you leave Europe. ETIAS is not in operation yet. |
Nonstop flights from the USA to Croatia
Both nonstops leave from Newark and both are seasonal. These were the 2026 dates; United confirms the 2027 schedule over the winter, and has already confirmed that the Split flight returns for summer 2027.
| Route | Season in 2026 | Flights | Flight time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Newark to Dubrovnik (United) | April 30 to October 23 | Daily in summer | About 9 hours, overnight |
| Newark to Split (United) | April 30 to September 6 | Three a week, on a Boeing 767 | About 9 hours, overnight |
Newark to Dubrovnik is the established route: United has flown it each summer since 2021. Newark to Split was new in 2026: Split’s first scheduled transatlantic flight. From Canada, Air Transat flies to Zagreb in summer. We check the current flights for your dates when we plan the trip.
From other US cities: one connection in Europe
From Los Angeles, Chicago, Miami, Boston or Dallas, and from New York outside the season, you connect once in Europe. The simplest connections are in the Schengen area, in Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Vienna, Paris, Amsterdam or Rome: you clear the border there, and the flight to Croatia lands like a domestic one, with no passport control on arrival. Through London or Istanbul, you clear the border when you land in Croatia instead.
Dubrovnik and Split have many more flights from April to October than in winter. Zagreb, the capital, is served all year and has year-round flights on to Split and Dubrovnik. For a group of eight or ten, a private jet can fly straight to Dubrovnik or Split, and it gives back most of a day.
Dubrovnik, Split or Zagreb: which airport to fly into
| Airport | Fly here for | From the airport |
|---|---|---|
| Dubrovnik (DBV) | The Old Town, Cavtat and the Dubrovnik Riviera | About 21 km to the Old Town, 25 to 40 minutes by car; Cavtat is about 6 km away |
| Split (SPU) | Split, Trogir and Kaštela, and the islands of Hvar, Brač, Šolta and Vis | About 24 km to Split, around 30 minutes, longer in peak summer; Trogir is about 6 km away |
| Zagreb (ZAG) | The capital, and a year-round connection to the coast | Flights on to Split and Dubrovnik all year |
Pick the airport by where you are staying, not by the fare. Dubrovnik and Split are three and a half to four hours apart by road, so landing at the wrong end of the coast costs most of the first day.
From Split to Hvar and Brač
| Island | Crossing from Split | Keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Hvar Town | Catamaran, about 55 to 65 minutes | Some direct sailings are seasonal, from spring or June to mid-October; one operator sails all year |
| Hvar, Stari Grad | Car ferry, about 2 hours | Year-round, with more sailings in summer |
| Brač, Supetar | Car ferry, about 50 minutes | The shortest crossing to the island |
| Brač, Sumartin | Car ferry from Makarska, about 50 minutes | For the east of the island |
The easiest arrival is a private boat from Split, waiting at the quay when the car from the airport arrives, and taking you straight to the villa’s own landing where it has one. We book it to your flight, so no one queues for a ferry with the luggage.
The border in 2027: EES now, ETIAS later
The Entry/Exit System (EES) has been fully operational at Europe’s borders since April 2026. Instead of a passport stamp, border officers take your fingerprints and a photograph at your first entry into Europe; there is no fee and nothing to apply for in advance. It takes longer than a stamp, so leave at least three hours for a connection in Frankfurt, Munich, Vienna or any other Schengen hub on your way in.
ETIAS, the new travel authorization for visitors who do not need a visa, including US citizens, is not in operation yet. The European Union says it will announce the start date several months before launch, and there will be a small application fee. If it opens before your summer 2027 trip, apply only on the official ETIAS website, not on look-alike sites that charge more.
Passport check: your passport must be valid for at least three months after the day you leave Europe and have been issued within the last ten years. If yours expires in 2027, renew it before you book.
When to go, and when to book for summer 2027
- May and June. The nonstops are running, the sea is warming and the coast is calm before the school holidays.
- July and August. The longest days, every beach club and restaurant open, and the busiest weeks on the roads and the ferries. These are the weeks that book first.
- September and October. A warm sea and a gentler pace. The Split nonstop ended in early September in 2026; Dubrovnik’s ran until late October.
- Booking the villa. Nine to twelve months ahead for June to September, six to nine months for spring and autumn. For summer 2027, that means now.
- Booking the flights. Most airlines open their seats about eleven months ahead; hold the villa first, then the flights around it.
Month by month, see the best time to visit Croatia.
What to watch out for
- Split tickets. Two separate bookings mean no protection if the border queue makes you miss the second flight, and you collect and re-check your bags. Book the whole journey on one ticket, or spend a night in the hub city.
- Summer traffic. In July and August the coast road and the car ferries are busy; a private boat or an early start avoids most of it.
- Wind. A strong bura or jugo can delay catamarans for a few hours. Keep the arrival day free of fixed plans.
- Luggage. Catamarans and small boats have real limits, especially for groups with golf bags or sports equipment.
- Late arrivals. Tell us your flight times in advance, so the driver and the villa team are waiting, whatever the hour.
Where to stay once you land
Four villas from our collection, chosen by the airport you fly into. For the whole coast, see our Croatia villa rentals and the best places to visit in Croatia.
Villa Nikita
Split Riviera, above Kaštel Stari · 5 bedrooms · sleeps 10
The closest of the four to an airport with a US nonstop: Split Airport is about 6 kilometers away, ten to fifteen minutes by car. A newly built house on the hillside above Kaštela Bay, with a 70 square meter heated infinity pool, a jacuzzi, a gym and five en-suite bedrooms. Trogir is 15 to 20 minutes away and Split 30 to 40. For groups of up to 20, it can be taken with its sister villa next door.
Staff and service: our concierge is included; a private chef, transfers, massages and boat rental are arranged on request.
Aqua Vista
Hvar, Majerovica · 10 bedrooms · sleeps 20
At the water’s edge a kilometer west of the main square of Hvar Town, facing the Pakleni Islands, with a heated infinity pool and a private swimming platform below the terrace. A boat pontoon is a hundred meters away, so a boat from Split can drop you a short walk from the door. Eight of the ten bedrooms are en suite, all with double beds: best for a group of couples or a multigenerational family, and not for parties or events.
Staff and service: housekeeping every day and a villa manager on call; a private chef, provisioning before you arrive, boat charters and transfers are arranged on request.
Villa Sea Gem
Island of Brač · 4 bedrooms · sleeps 8
On the water on Brač, steps from a pebble beach, with a heated infinity pool, a sauna, an outdoor gym and a mooring for a boat. Four en-suite bedrooms on two floors, the two on the ground floor with private terraces. Brač is the island closest to Split: about 50 minutes by car ferry to Supetar, or less by private boat.
Staff and service: our concierge is included; a chef and grocery pre-stocking are arranged on request.
Villa Pearl
Stikovica, Dubrovnik Riviera · 7 bedrooms · sleeps 14
For the Dubrovnik nonstop: a modern house of glass and white stone that steps down the rocks to its own beach plateau and a berth, northwest of the Old Town, so you can go into Dubrovnik by boat and skip the traffic. An infinity pool, a hot tub, a sauna and an elevator; five bedrooms in the house and two apartments behind it, and it can be rented with five or seven bedrooms.
Staff and service: a house manager and daily cleaning are included; a private chef, pre-stocking and the airport transfer are arranged on request.
More Croatia guides
- Croatia villa rentals
Our collection, with a shortlist in 24 hours. - Best places to visit in Croatia
Coastlines, old towns and island life. - The best time to visit Croatia
Season by season, and how far ahead to book. - Is Croatia safe?
What to know before you book. - The best beaches in Croatia
From Dubrovnik to the islands. - Game of Thrones in Croatia
Dubrovnik, Split and the locations on the coast.
Travel to Croatia from the USA: your questions answered
Are there direct flights from the USA to Croatia?
Yes, in season. United flies nonstop from Newark to Dubrovnik and from Newark to Split. In 2026 the Dubrovnik flight ran from April 30 to October 23, daily in summer, and the Split flight from April 30 to September 6, three times a week. United has confirmed that the Split flight returns for summer 2027.
How long is the flight from the USA to Croatia?
About nine hours from Newark to Dubrovnik or Split. The flights leave in the evening and land in Croatia the next morning. From other US cities, add a connection of about three hours in a European hub.
Which airport should I fly into, Dubrovnik or Split?
Fly into Dubrovnik for the Old Town, Cavtat and the Dubrovnik Riviera, and into Split for Split, Trogir and the islands of Hvar and Brac. The two cities are three and a half to four hours apart by road, so choose the airport by where you are staying.
Do US citizens need a visa for Croatia?
No. US citizens can visit Croatia without a visa for up to 90 days in any 180-day period across the Schengen area. Your passport must be valid for at least three months after you leave Europe and have been issued within the last ten years.
Do I need ETIAS to travel to Croatia in 2027?
Not yet. ETIAS is not in operation, and the European Union says it will announce the start date several months before launch. If it opens before your trip, US citizens will need it, and you should apply only on the official EU website.
What is the EES?
The Entry/Exit System has been fully operational since April 2026: at your first entry into Europe, border officers take your fingerprints and a photograph instead of stamping your passport. There is no fee. It takes longer than a stamp, so leave at least three hours for a connection in a Schengen hub.
How do I get from Split Airport to Hvar?
Drive about 30 minutes into Split, then take the catamaran to Hvar Town, about 55 to 65 minutes, or the car ferry to Stari Grad, about two hours. The easiest arrival is a private boat from Split timed to your flight, which our concierge arranges.
What currency does Croatia use?
The euro, since January 2023.
When should we book a villa in Croatia for summer 2027?
Now. We suggest nine to twelve months ahead for June to September, and six to nine months for spring and autumn. July and August are the weeks that book first.
Updated October 2026 for summer 2027. Sources: United Airlines; 2026 seasons and 2027 plans as reported by EX-YU Aviation News; ETIAS status from the official EU website; crossing and drive times are typical in-season figures. We confirm the current schedules for your dates when we plan your trip.
Plan your summer 2027 in Croatia
Tell us your dates, who is coming and where you fly from. A Croatia specialist replies within 24 hours with three to five villas that fit, their current rates, and the transfers timed to your flights.
Request a Tailored SelectionWhatsApp +1 305 432 1731
Toll-free, US and Canada +1 888 279 6444 · Miami +1 305 432 1731
