Croatia Airlines

Croatia Airlines (OU) is a Star Alliance member based in Zagreb. It flies within Europe, connecting Zagreb, Split, and Dubrovnik to major hubs like Frankfurt, Munich, Paris, and London. If you are planning a vacation along the Croatian Riviera on Star Alliance miles, your long-haul flight will land you at a European hub, and Croatia Airlines is usually the connection that gets you the rest of the way to the coast.

Croatia Airlines

Which miles can you use to book Croatia Airlines?

Because Croatia Airlines is in Star Alliance, you can book its award space with partner miles, including:

  • United MileagePlus: no fuel surcharges, and united.com is also the easiest place to search
  • Air Canada Aeroplan: good pricing on intra-Europe segments
  • Avianca LifeMiles: often the cheapest, no surcharges
  • Turkish Miles&Smiles

These flights are short, so the miles cost is low. The real value is tacking a Croatia Airlines segment onto a long-haul Star Alliance award so the whole trip prices as one ticket.

How to search for Croatia Airlines award space:

The easiest place to search is the United Airlines website. United displays Star Alliance partner availability, including Croatia Airlines, and you can search without holding any miles.

Step 1

Log in to your United Airlines account on united.com. If you don’t have an account yet, signing up is free.

Step 2

Select the Book Travel box and fill in your trip details:

  • Select either Round Trip or One Way
  • Enter your departure and arrival city. For Croatia Airlines, think routes touching Zagreb (ZAG), Split (SPU), or Dubrovnik (DBV)
  • Enter your dates
  • Select the number of passengers
  • Select Award Travel

Then click Search.

Croatia Airlines Search

Step 3

Pick the flight option that fits your schedule. Watch the connection times carefully, as some options route you through hubs with long layovers.

If you would like to search a different day, use the calendar to scan nearby dates. Summer (June to September) is peak season for the Croatian coast, so award space goes early.

Make sure you select the Saver Award, as standard awards cost far more miles and usually can’t be booked with partner programs anyway.

Croatia Airlines Book

Step 4

Choose your preferred flight and open its details. Write down the following information: flight number, dates, and cabin class.

Step 5

Now book with the program your miles live in. If it’s United miles, book right there on united.com. For other programs (Aeroplan, LifeMiles, Miles&Smiles), check their website first, since most can book Star Alliance partners online now. If the flight doesn’t show, call the program and read the agent the exact flights you found. They should be able to see and book the same space for you.

Tips before you book

  • The screenshots above show an older United site design. Menu names have shifted slightly, but the flow (log in, award search, pick saver space) is unchanged.
  • Croatia Airlines flights are economy or a modest European business class (economy seat with a blocked middle). Don’t spend a premium-cabin level of miles on these short hops.
  • If united.com shows nothing, cross-check the same route on aeroplan.com. Partner sites occasionally disagree on the last seat or two.