Croatia Airlines has taken delivery of two Airbus A220-300 aircraft in quick succession, bringing its A220 fleet to thirteen jets as the carrier moves closer to completing the largest fleet renewal programme in its history. The first of the two aircraft, registered 9A-CAW and named Karlovac, arrived in Zagreb in the early hours of Friday following its delivery flight from Airbus’ Mirabel facility near Montreal via Copenhagen. It was followed yesterday by 9A-CAX, named Sisak, which reached the Croatian capital via the same routing.
The two 149-seat jets are Croatia Airlines’ tenth and eleventh A220-300s respectively. They complement two smaller 127-seat A220-100s, bringing the airline’s overall A220 fleet to thirteen aircraft. Croatia Airlines is expected to take delivery of another A220-300 by the end of this year, increasing the fleet to fourteen, while the fifteenth and final aircraft from the current renewal programme is due in 2027. Upon completion, the airline’s A220 fleet will comprise thirteen A220-300s and two A220-100s. The two remaining aircraft are expected to carry the names Varaždin and Vinkovci.
The A319 withdrawal follows the retirement of Croatia Airlines’ final A320 earlier this year. The last aircraft of the type, 9A-CTO, operated its final commercial service between Zagreb and Amsterdam on January 26, ending almost three decades of A320 operations at the carrier. Croatia Airlines’ remaining Dash 8 Q400 turboprops are expected to remain in service throughout the 2026/27 winter season before being withdrawn at the end of March 2027. At that point, the airline will operate an all-A220 in-house fleet, supplemented by wet-leased ATR72 turboprops.
