Greece › Flights
Updated: December 5, 2025 • By Santorini Dave

See Also

• Greece Travel Guide
• Santorini Travel Guide
• Mykonos Travel Guide
• Crete Travel Guide
• Athens Travel Guide

Flights to Greece: The Complete 2026 Guide

Flying to Greece is easier than ever, but choosing the right route can save you a full day of travel. Most first-time visitors make the mistake of booking a round-trip ticket to Athens, forcing them to backtrack at the end of their trip. I always fly into one airport (e.g. Athens) and then out of a different airport (Mykonos, Santorini, or Heraklio) and avoid backtracking to Athens.

Quick Tips for 2026

• Best Flight Search Site: Kayak.com or Google Flights. Use the “Multi-City” search option, not “Round Trip.”
• When to Book: For travel in July or August 2026, book your flights by January or February. Demand is at record highs. If you wait until May, you will pay more.
• The “Open-Jaw” Strategy: This is the secret to an efficient trip. Fly into Athens and out of Santorini (or Mykonos/Crete). This saves you the hassle and cost of a ferry back to Athens just to catch a flight home.
• Direct Island Flights: You do not have to go through Athens. During the tourist season (May–October), there are direct flights from London, Paris, Rome, Frankfurt, and many other European hubs straight to Santorini (JTR), Mykonos (JMK), Crete (HER/CHQ), and Rhodes (RHO).

Flights to Athens (ATH)

Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos) is the main gateway for Greece. It is modern, efficient, and connected to the city center by Metro and Express Bus.

Direct Flights from the USA & Canada

North American travelers have excellent nonstop options for 2026.

• New York (JFK/EWR): Delta, United, American, Norse Atlantic (Low Cost).
• Chicago (ORD): United, American.
• Boston (BOS): Delta.
• Philadelphia (PHL): American.
• Washington D.C. (IAD): United.
• Atlanta (ATL): Delta.
• Toronto (YYZ) & Montreal (YUL): Air Canada, Air Transat.

Note: There are currently no direct flights from the USA/Canada to the Greek Islands. You must connect in Athens or a European hub.

Direct Flights from Australia

There are no non-stop flights from Australia to Greece. The most popular one-stop routes are via:

• Dubai (DXB): Emirates.
• Doha (DOH): Qatar Airways.
• Singapore (SIN): Scoot (Budget friendly) or Singapore Airlines.

Flights to the Greek Islands

Many travelers are surprised to learn they can bypass Athens entirely.

Direct Flights from Europe (UK, France, Germany, Italy)

From May to October, the islands are connected directly to major European cities.

• From London: EasyJet, British Airways, Ryanair, Jet2, and Wizz Air fly direct to Santorini, Mykonos, Crete (Heraklion & Chania), Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Zakynthos, and Skiathos.
• From Paris: Air France, Transavia, and Aegean fly direct to Santorini, Mykonos, and Crete.
• From Rome/Venice/Milan: Vueling, EasyJet, Ryanair, and ITA Airways fly direct to most major islands.

Domestic Flights (Island to Island)

There are very few direct flights between islands.

• Santorini to Mykonos: Most years, there are no scheduled direct commercial flights. You must fly via Athens or take the ferry (2 hours).
• Crete to Santorini: Rarely any direct flights. Take the high-speed ferry (2 hours).
• The Exception: A small boutique airline called Cycladic Air operates small Cessna planes between islands (Mykonos, Santorini, Paros, Milos, Crete) in the summer. It is expensive but fast.

Cheapest Flights to Greece (2026 Estimates)

Prices fluctuate wildly, but here is a realistic baseline for a round-trip ticket booked 4 months in advance.

Route	Avg. High Season Cost	Best Airline Options
NYC to Athens	$900 – $1,300	Norse, Delta, Emirates
London to Athens	£150 – £300	EasyJet, Wizz Air, Ryanair
London to Santorini	£200 – £450	EasyJet, British Airways
Paris to Mykonos	€200 – €400	Transavia, Air France
Athens to Santorini	€80 – €150 (One Way)	Volotea, Sky Express, Ryanair
Athens to Naxos	€100 – €180 (One Way)	Aegean, Sky Express

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the minimum connection time I need at Athens Airport?

This depends entirely on whether your flights are on one ticket or separate tickets.

• One Ticket (Protected Connection): If you booked a single itinerary (e.g., JFK -> Athens -> Santorini on one Delta/Aegean ticket), the airline will transfer your bags. You only need 60 to 90 minutes. If you miss it, they rebook you.
• Separate Tickets (Self-Transfer): If you booked a flight to Athens and a separate Ryanair/Sky Express flight to an island, you are on your own. You must collect bags, go through Customs, go upstairs to Departures, and re-check in. You need a minimum of 2 hours buffer. If your first flight is late, you lose the second ticket.

Should I rent a car at the airport or in the city/port?

At the Airport: Yes. For 90% of travelers, picking up your rental car at the airport (Athens, Santorini, Mykonos, Crete) is the best choice.

• Why? Airports have the largest inventory (crucial for finding automatic transmissions), the longest opening hours (often 24/7), and usually the easiest access to the main highways, allowing you to bypass narrow city streets.
• Athens Tip: Never pick up a car in downtown Athens if you can avoid it. The traffic is intense and navigation is difficult. Pick it up at the airport and head straight to the highway.
• Island Tip: Avoid picking up cars at ferry ports (especially Santorini’s Athinios Port). The ports are chaotic, crowded, and stressful. It is almost always better to take a transfer to your hotel or the airport and pick up your car there.

The “One-Way” Hack: In Athens, you can often pick up your car at the Airport and drop it off at the Piraeus Ferry Port (or vice versa) for a small fee. This is a fantastic way to handle logistics if you have a lot of luggage.

Which Greek Islands have airports?

• International Airports (Direct flights from Europe): Santorini, Mykonos, Crete (Heraklion, Chania, Sitia), Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Zakynthos, Kefalonia, Skiathos, Samos, Lesvos, Lemnos, Karpathos.
• Domestic-Only Airports (Must fly via Athens/Thessaloniki): Naxos, Paros, Milos, Syros, Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Kythira, Ikaria, Skyros, Leros, Kastellorizo.
• Islands with NO Airport: Ios, Folegandros, Sifnos, Hydra, Spetses, Tinos, Andros, Amorgos, Patmos. You must take a ferry.

Can I fly directly between the islands (e.g., Mykonos to Santorini)?

Generally, no. There are almost no direct commercial flights between islands.

• The Reality: To fly from Mykonos to Santorini, you usually have to fly Mykonos -> Athens -> Santorini. This takes 4-5 hours. The high-speed ferry takes 2 hours.
• The Exception: A small airline called Cycladic offers inter-island flights on small Cessna planes in summer, but they are expensive (€200+).

Do island hopper planes have normal overhead bins?

No. This is a major trap.
Flights to smaller islands (Naxos, Milos, Paros) use ATR-42/72 turboprops. The overhead bins are tiny. They will not fit a standard US “Carry-On” roller bag. You will almost certainly be forced to gate-check your roller bag. Soft duffel bags or backpacks are safer.

Is Business Class worth it on domestic Greek flights?

The seat is rarely different (just a standard economy seat with the middle seat blocked out), but it is worth it for the perks if you are stressed about time.

• The Perks: You get “Fast Track” security lane access in Athens (huge in summer) and priority check-in. This can save you an hour of standing in line.

How do I get from Athens Airport to the Ferry Ports?

• To Piraeus (Main Port): Take the Metro Blue Line 3 directly from the airport to Piraeus station. (1 hour, €9).
• To Rafina (Secondary Port): Take the KTEL Orange Bus from the Arrivals curb. (30 mins, €4). Or a taxi (€35-€40).

What is the cheapest month to fly to Greece?
November, February, and March are the cheapest months.
For “good weather” travel, May and October are significantly cheaper than July/August.

How far in advance should I book?

• For Summer (July/Aug): Book 6 to 9 months in advance.
• For Shoulder Season (May/Sept): Book 3 to 5 months in advance.
• Domestic Island Flights: Book these ASAP. Planes to islands like Naxos, Milos, and Paros are tiny and sell out weeks before the ferries do.

Which airlines fly within Greece?

The two main domestic carriers are Aegean Airlines (and its subsidiary Olympic Air) and Sky Express. Both are reliable, safe, and offer modern fleets. Budget carriers like Volotea and Ryanair also fly specific routes (like Athens-Santorini) in the summer.

Is it better to fly or ferry to the islands?

• Fly if: You are going to a distant island (Rhodes, Crete, Corfu) or get seasick.
• Ferry if: You are going to a nearby island (Mykonos, Syros, Hydra) or hopping between islands in the same group (e.g., Santorini to Naxos).

Do I need a visa to fly to Greece?

• US, Canada, UK, Australia: No visa is required for tourist stays up to 90 days.
• Passport Rule: Your passport must have at least 3 months (ideally 6) validity remaining beyond your planned date of departure from the Schengen zone. Airlines will deny boarding if you don’t.