2026 China to Croatia Air Freight Guide

Air freight from China to Croatian airports has prominent advantages, with numerous flights, fast customs clearance, customizable charter flights, flexible pricing, and is suitable for various types of goods and budgets.

Airports for air cargo services from China to Croatia

For air cargo shipments from China to Croatia, commonly used departure airports include Shanghai Pudong (PVG), Beijing Capital (PEK), Zhengzhou Xinzheng (CGO), Shenzhen Bao'an (SZX), Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN), and Hong Kong (HKG). These airports have dense flight routes, covering major destination airports such as Zagreb (ZAG), Split (SPU), and Dubrovnik (DBV).

Category	Airport Code	Airport Name	City/Region
Main departure airports in China	PVG	Shanghai Pudong International Airport	Shanghai
	CAN	Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport	Guangzhou
	PEK	Beijing Capital International Airport	Beijing
	SZX	Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport	Shenzhen
	HKG	Hong Kong International Airport	Hong Kong
	CTU/XIY	Chengdu Tianfu / Xi'an Xianyang	Chengdu / Xi'an
Destination Airport in Croatia	ZAG	Zagreb Airport	Zagreb
	SPU	Split Airport	Split
	DBV	Dubrovnik Airport	Dubrovnik
	PUY	Plat Airport	Plat
	RJK	Rijeka Airport	Rijeka

Destination Airport in Croatia

Zagreb Airport (ZAG): The capital airport and the largest air hub in the country, handling over 90% of freight, with the most convenient customs clearance and delivery.
Split Airport (SPU): A southern tourist city, suitable for flights to coastal areas.
Dubrovnik Airport (DBV): A popular tourist destination, suitable for low-volume cargo.

Airlines providing air cargo services for goods from China to Croatia

There are no direct flights for air freight from China to Croatia; all flights are via transit. Major cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen can serve as departure points, first flying to large airports in Europe or the Middle East (such as Istanbul, Belgrade, Dubai, etc.), and then transferring to Zagreb (ZAG), Split (SPU), or Dubrovnik (DBV) in Croatia. Multiple domestic and international airlines operate on this route, with frequent flights and convenient shipping.
Airlines for Air Freight Services from China to Croatia

Destination	Airline	Departure Airport	Flight Frequency	Route
ZAG Zagreb	Turkish Airlines TK-235	CAN Guangzhou	Daily Flights	CAN-IST-ZAG
	Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	Every Monday and Friday	CAN-BEG-ZAG
	Air China CA-999	SZX Shenzhen	Daily Flights	SZX-PEK-MUC-ZAG
	Turkish Airlines TK-235	HKG Hong Kong	Daily Flights	HKG-IST/ZAG
SPU Split	Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	Every Monday and Friday	CAN-BEG-SPU
DBV Dubrovnik	Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	Every Monday and Friday	CAN-BEG-DBV

Summary

Turkish Airlines TK is the "main airline" in the market with the most stable positioning and lowest prices, operating daily flights on all routes.

Serbian Airlines JU offers direct flights from Guangzhou to Belgrade, suitable for travel to tourist airports such as Split/Dubrovnik.

Air China CA, China Southern Airlines CZ, and Hainan Airlines HU all have regular flights in Beijing, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, and charter rates for heavy cargo can be negotiated.

UAE EK, Singapore SQ, and Thailand TG can serve as alternative channels for charged goods, e-commerce, and bulky goods.

UPS Airlines (5X) uses the express delivery channel, can deliver to the door in 2-4 days, is suitable for urgent shipments ≤200 kg, and has a high price.

Time required for air cargo from China to Croatian airports

When shipping by air from China to Zagreb Airport in Croatia, the total "door-to-door" time is approximately 5 to 10 working days. The following is a detailed breakdown and influencing factors:
If the goods are urgent, it is recommended to prioritize direct all-cargo flights from Shanghai; for Guangzhou / Shenzhen, Turkish Airlines or Serbian Airlines with one stopover can be considered to balance timeliness and cost.

Airline	Departure Airport	Flight Frequency	Timeliness
Turkish Airlines TK-235	CAN Guangzhou	Daily Flights	3–7 days
Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	Every Monday and Friday	2–5 days
Air China CA-999	SZX Shenzhen	Daily Flights	5–7 days
Turkish Airlines TK-235	HKG Hong Kong	Daily Flights	3–5 days
Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	Every Monday and Friday	2–5 days
Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	Every Monday and Friday	2–5 days

Influencing Factors

Flight Routes and Number of Transfers: Direct flights are the fastest, with each additional transfer adding 1-2 days.
Departure airports: Hubs such as PVG, CAN, and SZX have numerous flights and stable timeliness.
Season and Capacity: During peak seasons, cabin space is tight, and warehouse allocation may be delayed by 1-3 days.
Customs clearance efficiency: General ordinary goods will be cleared within 1 day, while special goods may take longer.

Freight charter flights from China by air to Croatia's airports

Currently, cargo charters from China to Croatia are mostly concentrated in Zagreb (ZAG), and during peak seasons, they can be extended to Split (SPU) and Dubrovnik (DBV), mainly through direct flights by all-cargo aircraft or transit via European hubs. The transport capacity is sufficient and can be flexibly adjusted according to the volume of goods.
Main charter flights

Airline / Operator	Departure Airport	Model	Reference Time Limit	Remarks
SF Express Airlines O3	PVG Shanghai Pudong	B747-400	1-2 days	Scheduled to commence operations in July 2026, with a plan to operate 7 flights, and a full load capacity of approximately 80 tons
Jinpeng Airlines Y8	PVG Shanghai Pudong	B747	1-3 days	Multiple ZAG chartered flights were operated in 2020, including flights to Amsterdam
China Post	PEK Beijing	multiple	2-5 days	Invitation to Tenders Announcement in February 2025, with partner airlines including TK, MU, and OZ
Croatia Airlines OU	Major Cities in China	passenger-to-freighter conversion	2-4 days	Can adjust the aircraft according to demand, with flexible cabin space

Charter Flight Process

Requirement Confirmation: Clearly define the cargo volume, weight, origin, destination, and time requirements.
Inquiry and Proposal: The charter flight agent searches for suitable aircraft and provides quotations and flight plans based on the requirements.
Contract Signing and Application: After confirming the plan, sign the contract, and the agent will start applying for air rights, flight permits, and takeoff and landing slots.
Execute and operate: Dispatch the aircraft to a Chinese airport for loading, customs declaration, flight, customs clearance after arriving in Croatia, and unloading.
Subsequent Delivery: Arrange truck delivery from the airport to the final destination as needed.
The following is the detailed information, operating procedures, and precautions regarding this type of chartered flight that have been compiled for you:
Overview of Charter Flight Core Information

Project	Description
Common Models	Boeing B757-200F (approx. 30 tons), Boeing B767-300F (approx. 50 tons), Airbus A330-200F (approx. 60 tons)
Main departure airport	Shenzhen / Guangzhou Airport (SZX / CAN): Distribution center for high-value products such as electronics in South China. Shanghai Airport (PVG): Major hub in East China. Beijing Airport (PEK).
Primary Destination Airport	Zagreb Airport (ZAG): The only airport in Croatia capable of reliably handling large wide-body freighters.
Flight Time	Approximately 10-12 hours (excluding stopover and transfer time, for non-stop flight endurance)
Core Cost	Aircraft positioning fee + Flight hour fee + Takeoff and landing fee + Parking fee + Crew fee + Air rights application fee + Agency service fee, etc.
Estimated cost range	Approximately $500,000 - $1,000,000+ (varies significantly due to factors such as aircraft model, market supply and demand, difficulty of air rights, length of stay, etc.)
Applicable Goods	Emergency supplies, high-value goods (such as electronic products), medical apparatus, pharmaceuticals, live animals, special projects (such as performance equipment), military supplies, etc.

Reference for air freight prices from China to Croatia's airports

There is no fixed standard for the air freight price from China to Croatian airports, which is affected by various factors. For example, airlines, type of goods, weight, season, etc. If you need to inquire about air freight, you should provide core elements such as product name (whether it is a dangerous good), weight and volume, packaging method, destination airport, timeliness requirements, and transportation service needs, etc., in order to obtain an accurate quote.
Reference Air Freight Rates from Major Chinese Cities to Croatia

Destination	Airline	Departure Airport	Freight Rate (≥300kg) CNY/kg	Estimated Total Price (167kg) CNY	Remarks
ZAG Zagreb	Turkish Airlines TK-235	CAN Guangzhou	¥36.30	¥6,641.00	Delivered in Guangzhou, general goods, recommended low price
	Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	¥39.84	¥7,199.00	Direct flight on wide-body 330, with faster transit time
	Air China CA-999	SZX Shenzhen	¥32.90	¥8,112.50	Departing from Shenzhen, with multiple transfers and average timeliness
	Turkish Airlines TK-235	HKG Hong Kong	¥45.36	¥9,030.01	Departing from Hong Kong, with the highest price and tight positioning
SPU Split	Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	¥39.84	¥7,199.00	Same as ZAG route, different destinations
DBV Dubrovnik	Serbian Airlines JU-115	CAN Guangzhou	¥39.84	¥7,199.00	Same as ZAG route, different destinations

Summary and Recommendations:

Lowest price: Turkish Airlines (Guangzhou → Zagreb) ¥6,641.00
Fastest delivery time: Air Serbia (2–5 days), suitable for goods with high timeliness requirements
Shipping Recommendation: Shipping from Guangzhou (CAN) offers the highest cost-effectiveness
Note: All quotations are based on 167kg, 1CBM, general cargo, 1 piece. Positioning and final price need to be confirmed before actual shipment.
The following is a reference for air freight prices from major Chinese airports to Croatia in January 2025:
Air freight prices from Beijing Capital International Airport to Croatia are approximately between $2.50 and $3.80 per kilogram.
The air freight price from Shanghai Pudong International Airport to Croatia is approximately between $2.80 and $3.50 per kilogram.
The air freight price from Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport to Croatia is approximately between $3.50 and $4.00 per kilogram.
The air freight price from Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport to Croatia is approximately between $2.50 and $4.00 per kilogram.
The air freight price from Xiamen Gaoqi International Airport to Croatia is approximately between $3.00 and $4.50 per kilogram.
The air freight price from Hong Kong International Airport to Croatia is approximately between $2.20 and $3.20 per kilogram.