Zadar Airport - Spotting Guide

Zadar Airport – Spotting Guide

December 8, 2025 - last modified on November 20, 2025

Zadar Zemunik Airport (ZAD/LDZD) is a small international airport located 13 km north of Zadar. The airport serves about 1,2 million passengers a year (2023). It is a minor base for Ryanair and also home to several military aircraft (along the northern runway) of the Croatian Air Force, including the Pilatus PC-9, Air Tractor, and Canadair.

As of October 2025, it is under construction and will recieve a new departure terminal soon.

Written by Marco Materlik – thanks to Benedek Petrus for providing pictures and info. Last Update: Summer 2025

Rating
Movements
Airline Variety
Photo Locations
Weather
Airport Information
Runways
04/22	2000m / 6562ft
13/31	2500m / 8202ft
Terminals
T1	There is one terminal handling all flights.
Spotting Information
Ladder	Normally you can shoot over the fence easily or use a small ladder with 1 or 2 steps.
Car/Public Transport	Most spots are better reachable by car. From the town, you can take bus 131 though.
Drinks/Food	Inside the terminal you will find plenty; otherwise there is a supermarkt and bakery in Zemunik.
Hotels	A lot in the town. Personally recommend “Villa D Palace” in the village Zemunik. Possible via AirBnB.
Season	Summer is way busier: best from May till September – especially for general aviation.
Security	Keep a low profile as ZAD is an active military air base.
Runway Usage
04/22	04 only due to strong winds or blocked northern runway due in- or outbound. No landings on RWY 22.
13/31	13 mainly used for landings, 31 mainly used for depatures (31 only very rare for landings).

	Spot #1 – Fence front 13/31 south – 13/31 Movements
WHERE	Park your car at the small parking next to the dirt road, then walk to the northeast, cross the street 422 and position yourself along the fence here.

WHAT	13/31 movements.

TIME	Early morning till sunset.

MISC.	All facilities in the terminal

FOCAL LENGTH	Should be 70-300mm

During our visit, we had no movements at this spot. Please send us some exmaples if you were able to take some.
Parking:

	Spot #2 – Terminal Fence – Apron
WHERE	Park your car at the same spot as for spot 1 and then follow the path to the other side/to the south. Once you arrive at the fence, position yourself along the fence.

WHAT	Apron with parked aircraft and movements.

TIME	Sunrise till later morning.

MISC.	Keep a low profile, the police has clear sight on you. Ladder would be useful, but we recommend live view which works well as well. Nothing nearby.

FOCAL LENGTH	18-400mm Taxiway: 18-100mm / Runway 100-400mm B738 on runway = 380mm

	Spot #3 – 22 Threshold – 04/22 Movements
WHERE	From road 422 follow the signs to Debeljak: once you reached the 22 threshold, simply park your car by the roadside and shoot from along the fence simply.

WHAT	Line ups onto runway 22 plus aircraft vacating after 04 arrival. Southernmost spots of the newly build GAT is visible from here (new GAT is located south of the terminal).

TIME	Sunrise till later noon.

MISC.	Bakery, supermarkets and cafe in the village Zemunik. Airport authorities got full sight on you: Keep a low profile. Ladder is recommended but easy to shoot with live view. GAT parking is quite far away; in summer you will have haze here quickly.

FOCAL LENGTH	100-500mm B738 Departure = 120mm / A223 line-up = 220mm / GAT parking = 450mm

Example view after 04 vacting:

	Spot #4 – Gate P7 – 04 Movements
WHERE	On road 422, carry on from spot 3 towards the south in direction of Debeljak. After 2km, you will reach Gate P7 in the fence: park your car by the roadside and simply shoot from along the fence.

WHAT	04 arrivals and line-ups.

TIME	Sunrise till later noon.

MISC.	Bakery, supermarkets and cafe in the village Zemunik. Airport authorities got full sight on you: Keep a low profile. Ladder is recommended but easy to shoot with live view.

FOCAL LENGTH	70-500mm A320 = 100mm

	Spot #5 – 04 Head – 04 Movements
WHERE	Carry on again on road 422 from spot #4 and after roughly 1km, turn right/west onto a small dirt road: follow this path until you get to the runway’s head. Park your car on the left side, not at the the fence to avoid attention, and position yourself along the fence depending on subject and sun angle.

WHAT	04 arrivals and line-ups.

TIME	Line-ups later morning till sunset. Arrivals afternoon till sunset.

MISC.	Bakery, supermarkets and cafe in the village Zemunik. Ladder is recommended but easy to shoot with live view.

FOCAL LENGTH	Line-Up B738 = 160mm / Beech arrival = 210mm

Parking on the field:

Spot itsself:

	Spot #6 – Highway turnoff – 04 Arrivals
WHERE	From spot 4/5 carry on on road 422 to the south: just before you reach the highway turnoff, you will find a small dirt should on the western roadside where you could stop and enjoy nice views onto the arrival path.

WHAT	04 arrivals only.

TIME	Sunrise till early afternoon.

MISC.	Bakery, supermarkets and cafe in the village Zemunik. Nothing around here.

FOCAL LENGTH	Should be 100-400mm