There's something delightfully counterintuitive about routing through Munich or Istanbul to reach a small Istrian coastal town, but that's precisely the reality of booking business class from Fort Myers to Pula. No airline flies this pairing directly—unsurprising given that Pula Airport handles seasonal leisure traffic rather than long-haul metal—so the real strategy lies in choosing your connection wisely. Lufthansa via Munich and Turkish Airlines via Istanbul represent the two dominant paths, while Croatia Airlines (OU) typically enters the picture only for the final short-haul leg into Pula itself, usually from Frankfurt, Munich, or Zagreb. Fact worth remembering: there is no nonstop service between Fort Myers and Pula, so every itinerary requires at least one, often two, connections.
Having routed through both hubs repeatedly, I lean toward Lufthansa's Munich connection when Allegris-configured aircraft are in play on the transatlantic segment—the new suite doors and adjustable privacy panels are a genuine upgrade over the older long-haul business product, though Allegris rollout remains uneven, so it's worth checking your specific aircraft before booking. Turkish Airlines, flying RSW travelers first through a domestic gateway before Istanbul, offers a compelling alternative with its lie-flat business seats and the brand's famously generous catering, plus access to the Istanbul Lounge if your layover stretches long enough. My insider tip: build in a two-hour buffer in Munich or Istanbul specifically for the connection to Croatia Airlines, since Star Alliance transfers to this regional Croatian legacy carrier aren't always seamless, and Pula's tiny terminal means the last flight of the day sometimes fills up fast with summer charter overflow.
Shoulder season—April, May, September, and October—rewards patient travelers with softer fares and a Istria that's blissfully free of peak-August crowds, plus better availability on those coveted business seats out of Munich and Istanbul. Given the routing complexity and fluctuating award space across three carriers, setting up automated fare alerts is genuinely the smartest way to catch this itinerary when premium inventory briefly opens up.
