Greek Island Airports

[Adah Orhenkowski]

Greeceboasts a string of picturesque islands that continue to rank among some of the most beautiful places in the world. However, before you draft that itinerary, you want to ensure that the island you select is easily accessible. Luckily, a good number of the Greek islands have local and international airports, making it easier for you to fly in and out. Unless you are after the off-the-beaten-path, these 12 Greek islands with airports will make your transport much easier.

Being the largest and the most populous island in Greece, Crete has three airports you can fly in and out of. The Chania and Heraklion Airports offer regular trips to and from Athens, which take approximately 45 minutes. You can also fly to other Greek islands and to many major European cities via these airports.

The third airport, Lassithi (Sitia), only offers local flights to Athens and other Greek islands during summer. And yes, many major European airlines fly these routes. Take advantage of this high accessibility and experience the iconic pink Elafonissi Beach, tour Chania Old Town, explore the ancient civilization in Knossos, and visit the Heraklion Archaeological Museum.

The Rhodes International Airport (Diagoras) conveniently serves Rhodes Island. Many airlines fly in and out of Rhodes Airport, including Olympicair, Aegeanair, British Airways, Lufthansa, Ryanair, Transavia, and Germanwings.

Fly into Rhodes and explore the majestic Acropolis of Lindos, the medieval streets of Rhodes Old Town, swim and bask in the crystal clear waters and beaches like Faliraki, Tsambika, and Anthony Quinn Bay, explore the valley of Butterflies, and even take a boat trip to neighboring islands such as Symi and Halki, which are absolute picturesque hidden gems.

It is the perfect getaway for travelers to explore its stunning beaches, vibrant nightlife, and picturesque Cycladic architecture. Ensure you see and experience Paradise Beach, Super Paradise Beach, Psarou Beach, Agios Ioannis Beach, the windmills, and Panagia Paraportiani.

Paros National Airport has daily local trips to Athens that are around 40 minutes long. You can use Sky Express, Aegean Airlines, and Olympic Air. You, however, may have to use a ferry if you need to come from other islands to Paros.

Santorini, one of the most popular and most-visited Greek islands, is served by the Santorini International Airport (Thira). The island receives daily flights from Athens International Airport. However, seasonal flights come in from over 20 European cities, the Middle East and other international destinations.

Naxos is the largest and most visited island in the Cyclades. It can be accessed via a 40-minute flight from Athens through Naxos National Airport Apollon. You can also catch flights to and from Astypalaia and Syros from this airport.

Some must-visit beaches include Sarakiniko, Firiplaka, Tsigrado, and Paleochori. Visiting Milos is also an excellent opportunity to tour charming fishing villages such as Klima, Mandrakia, and Firopotamos. Ensure you see and experience the breathtaking panoramic view from the Ancient Theatre of Milos.

Sky Express is the only airline that flies to Syros, and the journey takes approximately 35 minutes. To get the most out of your Syros trip, explore the stunning neoclassical architecture and relax on its pristine beaches, such as Galissas, Kini, and Azolimnos Beaches.

Zante (Zakynthos) is home to the world-famous Navagio Beach and the elusive and endangered Caretta Caretta turtle species. The Zakynthos International Airport (also called Dionysios Solomos Airport) serves the island. You can fly to Zakynthos from Germany, the UK, France and Italy.

Locally, you can fly in from Heraklion, Corfu, Cephalonia, and Athens. While in Zante, experience the dramatic and staggeringly beautiful Shipwreck Beach, The Blue Caves, and Laganas Bay. While you can do many water activities in Zante, a must-do is taking boat rides around the coastline to discover the hidden coves.

The International Airport of Corfu (Ioannis Kapodistrias) receives local flights from The International Airports of Athens and Thessaloniki. These flights last around an hour. There are also seasonal international flights that come in summer.

Cephalonia (or Kefalonia) has an international airport that is alternatively called Anna Pollatou Airport. This airport has direct flights to Athens, Zakynthos, and Preveza international airports. There are also flights from several other airports across Europe.

Cephalonia is recognized as one of the most beautiful islands in Greece. A must-see in Kefalonia is Myrtos Beach, renowned for its turquoise waters, white pebbles, and dramatic landforms and cliffs. Also, explore Assos (a picturesque village), the underground Melissani Cave, and the irresistible fish village called Fiskardo.

Skiathos International Airport (also called Alexandros Papadiamantis) receives local flights from Athens and Thessaloniki, which last around 1 hour. In summer, Skiathos receives charter flights from abroad. Some of the must-sees in Skiathos include the postcard-worth Lalaria Beach, Koukounaries Beach, and Agia Paraskevi Beach.

Georgia Konidari is a nationally syndicated writer and the creator of World Wild Schooling, a digital platform dedicated to travel. She is on a mission to explore the globe and share her experiences with fellow travelers. She has been featured on MSN, the Associated Press and more. You can follow Georgia on Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest and YouTube.

The airports of Greece serve millions of locals and visitors from abroad throughout the year, making it possible to reach various locations on the Greek mainland or the islands in no time.

The biggest airport in Greece is the International Airport of Athens, which is located right outside the capital and can be easily reached by bus, suburban railway, or metro from the city center. Athens International Airport receives the majority of foreign visitors arriving in Greece; from there, most of them catch a connecting flight to travel to the Greek islands by plane or get to one of the ports of Athens to travel to the islands by ferry.

It is good to know that the majority of airports in Greece are not connected via direct flights; to get from one place to the other, most of the time you will have to get a connecting flight at the Airport of Athens or take a bus, train, private transfer or ferry.

Greece boasts some International Airports, which serve domestic and international flights, and National Airports which only serve domestic flights (maybe some charter flights from abroad from time to time, too).

Below, you will find more information on both types of airports in Greece.

Situated at various locations in Greece and the Greek islands, the country's International Airports have been designed to receive domestic flights, as well as scheduled or charter flights from abroad.

The largest and busiest International Airport in Greece is the International Airport of Athens "Eleftherios Venizelos", near the city center of Athens. This airport is connected to all the airports of Greece, while it also receives direct flights from most European capitals and some smaller European cities. Intercontinental direct flights between Athens and the US, Canada, China, Egypt, Ethiopia, Israel, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Tunisia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates are also available.

The second biggest International Airport in Greece is the Airport of Thessaloniki, which is quite popular among those spending their vacation in the northern part of the country.

Other notable international airports include the ones of Heraklion, Santorini, and Mykonos, which get quite crowded during the summer, as they serve several seasonal flights from abroad.

Note: International Airports on the Greek islands make it possible to get there directly from several locations outside Greece, without having to get a connecting flight at the airport of Athens. However, if a flight from the capital is required to reach an island, keep in mind that depending on your destination, travel time is usually between 40 and 60 minutes.

Islands that have international airports, such as Santorini, Mykonos, Crete, Rhodes, Kos, Skiathos, Corfu & Kefalonia, are usually connected to other islands via ferry crossings, which tend to be cheaper than plane tickets.

National Airports are generally smaller than International ones. They are situated in various locations, including many islands and a few cities on the mainland. Most of them serve only domestic flights directly from Athens and a few ones from Thessaloniki, allowing travelers to reach another location easily.

Domestic flights are highly recommended to visitors from abroad who arrive at Athens International Airport and wish to travel to the islands. In this way, you will save a lot of time by not having to go to the port to catch a ferry.

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Do you have a question about Greece and the Greek islands? Where to stay? Where to eat? And more?

Do not hesitate to ask the community! Greeka team and its community members will be delighted to help you!

Chania Airport, in the western part of Greece, serves approximately 3 million visitors. Sitia Airport is a smaller airport on the eastern coast of Crete, that operates during the summer months. Charter flights from Olympic Air, Sky Express, Jet Time and Scandinavian Airlines fly through Sitia Airport.

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