United Has a New Nonstop Daily That Makes It Easier to Visit the ‘Sunniest Island’ in Croatia

There are places where time seems to stretch out like a sun-drenched afternoon, where the clamor of modern life softens to the murmur of waves and the clink of glasses under vine-shaded pergolas. Hvar, a slender Croatian island adrift in the Adriatic, is one such place. Long favored by yachters and sunseekers, Hvar is known for being Croatia’s sunniest island, particularly during the summer months of June, July, and August.

The island—and the whole of Croatia—just got twice as easy to visit thanks to new daily flights that connect Newark, New Jersey (EWR) and Dubrovnik (DBV). The expanded route, operated by United Airlines, builds off of a seasonal service that previously ran between the two cities four times weekly. Now, Americans can travel directly to Croatia daily on a nine-hour nonstop red-eye flight that arrives in Dubrovnik the next morning.

The expanded nonstop service started in early May 2025 and ends in late August 2025, reflecting “a more than doubling of available seats,” for the summer, according to a November 2024 press release shared by Dubrovnik Airport. 

The Newark to Dubrovnik flight is currently the only nonstop flight connecting the U.S. and Croatia. The overnight flight lands in Dubrovnik just after 10 a.m. local time, allowing U.S. travelers time to explore the coastal city before heading to the island of Hvar. Dubrovnik, which sits on the Adriatic Sea, is known for its charming Old Town and surrounding 16th-century stone walls.

From Dubrovnik, getting to Hvar is as easy as hopping on a ferry that runs between the two destinations four times daily during the peak season. The ferry ride takes just over three hours. 

Upon arrival into the ferry port in Hvar Town, the island’s main hub, travelers will be welcomed by sun-drenched marble streets and Renaissance architecture. Further afield are hillsides covered with lavender and tiny stone villages tucked among olive groves.

The seasonal flight also serves as an entry point to other islands: many travelers take ferries to the Pakleni Islands, which are just off the southwest coast of Hvar and renowned for their secluded beaches and rocky coves.