One map, pinned from each airport’s published coordinates.
Category scores
Overall is the published weighted sum. A highlighted score is ahead; a tie stays plain.
Ease of use
25% · Wayfinding, security wait, and layout.
ZAD8.0+0.2
SPU7.8
Comfort & amenities
20% · Seating, Wi-Fi, cleanliness, and quiet.
ZAD6.8+0.1
SPU6.7
Food & retail
Best for
ZAD
Summer leisure arrivals and departures for Zadar, Nin, Pag, and northern DalmatiaRyanair / easyJet passengers using the compact single-campus layoutTravellers taking the €5 Liburnija bus into Zadar Old Town
Watch out for
ZAD
Extreme seasonality — August crush vs near-empty winter banksClassic EU 100 ml liquids; no published CT leave-liquids-in-bag lanesBusiness Lounge winter seasonal closure roughly mid-November through late March
Amenities and tips
ZAD
Zadar Airport Business Lounge (airside)Liburnija airport bus to ZadarDuty Free & Travel Value ShopSunset Café / airport restaurant / airside café
ZAD · Northern Dalmatia’s Ryanair leisure base at Zemunik: a compact single campus with a July 2026 departures hall, classic 100 ml security, a seasonally closed Business Lounge, and a €5 Liburnija bus into Zadar — easy to walk, easy to underestimate in August.
SPU · Dalmatia’s peak-summer leisure gateway at Kaštela: one expanded terminal, classic 100 ml security, a flight-timed Business Lounge upstairs, Platanus or Promet into Split — easy to walk, easy to underestimate in July and August.
15% · Food and retail quality and variety.
ZAD5.8
SPU6.0+0.2
Ground access
15% · Transit, taxi, and parking to the city.
ZAD7.4+0.2
SPU7.2
Reliability
15% · Delays, cancellations, and weather resilience.
ZAD6.2+0.4
SPU5.8
Lounges
10% · Worth-it density and access quality.
ZAD6.3
SPU6.4+0.1
Priority Pass holders when the Business Lounge is in its summer open window
SPU
Summer leisure arrivals and departures for Split, Trogir, and central DalmatiaTravelers using the Platanus €10 shuttle or Promet Zone 4 buses into SplitCroatia Airlines Business / Star Alliance Gold passengers using the Business LoungeShoulder-season trips when the single terminal is calm and walkable
Peak-summer check-in/security queues that outgrow the compact campus
SPU
Extreme seasonality — July/August crush vs near-empty winter banksClassic EU 100 ml liquids; no published cheap public Fast Track for all ticketsPriority Pass is not advertised on the airport Business Lounge pageSingle runway 05/23 plus summer road congestion into Kaštela (airport advises ~90 minutes extra)
Free passenger Wi-Fi
Hidden Disabilities Sunflower
Summer Ryanair banks own this airport — winter is almost another place
Peak-summer ZAD is a leisure crush; winter ZAD is a quiet regional strip — pad for the season you actually fly.
One compact campus — new departures hall, still follow Schengen signs
Single Zemunik campus with a July 2026 departures expansion — easy to walk, hard peaks when leisure banks stack.
Sunset Café + restaurant landside; airside café by Duty Free
Café and restaurant cover the basics — budget for peak prices and summer queues, not a food hall.
SPU
Business Lounge (airside floor 2)Platanus airport shuttle to SplitFree passenger Wi-FiKupola / Ikar / Jug café clusterAirline PRM assistanceNorth Kiss & Fly + South Parking
Summer banks are the real SPU product — winter is a different airport
Peak-summer SPU is a leisure crush; shoulder/winter SPU is compact — pad for the season you actually fly.
One terminal, no jet bridges — follow Schengen vs non-Schengen holds
Single expanded terminal with upstairs Business Lounge — easy layout, hard peaks when leisure banks stack.
Kupola + café cluster — not a food hall
Kupola / Ikar / Jug / Promenade / Sjever cover the basics — budget for café prices and peak queues.
