Greece › Santorini › Airport
By Santorini Dave • dave@santorinidave.com
Updated: January 19, 2026
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The Santorini Airport (JTR) is located on the east side of the island, about 5km from Fira. Year-round, there are daily flights between Athens and Santorini; from May to October, the airport serves direct flights from many European cities.
Arriving in Santorini:
- Bus: The cheapest option (€2.00). It is reliable but only connects directly to Fira.
- Transfer: The easiest way to get directly to your hotel (especially in Oia or Imerovigli). I recommend Welcome Pickups.
- Car Rental: The airport is the best place to pick up a car.
My Recommendation: It is much easier picking up a rental car at the Santorini airport than in Fira, Oia, or at the ferry port. The roads are wider and traffic is lighter. I highly recommend using Booking.com to reserve a car in advance (especially if you require an automatic transmission).
Departing Santorini: Though the terminal has been recently renovated, the airport is often crowded. Departing passengers with carry-on luggage should arrive at least one hour prior to their flight; those checking bags should arrive two or more hours in advance.
Santorini Airport Transportation
Santorini airport is small, with only one drop-off/pick-up area that stretches for about 100 metres in front of the terminal. Finding departure and arrival entrances or meeting people or drivers is never difficult.
Santorini Airport Transfers
The easiest way to get a private transfer from the Santorini airport to your hotel is to pre-book with Welcome Pickups. It costs about the same as a pre-booked taxi and a driver will be waiting at the airport for you with a welcome sign. (The above photo is from the Athens airport but it looks similar to the Santorini welcome sign.) When you book, you get a confirmation email with the photo of your driver so you know exactly who to look for.Booking (and paying) ahead avoids the need for cash on hand to pay the driver. Your driver will also monitor your flight to be aware of any changes or delays. This is a great option for families and large groups; larger vehicles can be reserved for parties of more than four people and child car seats are available by request.
Most hotels will pick you up from the airport. Although some hotels provide this service free of charge, generally it will cost more than a taxi or private transfer, and probably more than one day of a rental car.
Santorini Airport Car Rental
Rental car kiosks are found in the small arrivals area at Santorini Airport.
Renting a car is a good option if you plan to explore the island during your stay. Roads on Santorini are generally well-maintained and easy to navigate. Booking.com is the best site for reserving a rental car.
Rental Agencies with Desks in the Terminal
These companies have counters located immediately after baggage claim. You pick up the keys at the desk and walk to the rental car parking lot, which is located just outside the terminal building (a 2-minute walk).
- Avance
- Avis / Budget
- Hertz / Thrifty
- Sixt
- Suntime
- Europcar (Usually has a desk, verify booking)
Rental Agencies with Meet-and-Greet or Shuttle
These companies do not have a permanent desk inside the terminal. A representative will usually wait for you in the Arrivals area holding a sign with your name, or you will take a short shuttle to a nearby lot.
- Alamo / Enterprise / National
- Goldcar
- Surprice
- Yours Car Rental
- Drive S.A.
- Caldera
- Carwiz
- AutoUnion
- Green Motion
Important: Most rental cars in Greece are manual transmission (stick shift). Automatic cars sell out first and cost significantly more. If you require an automatic, book months in advance.
(Read more about our specific advice for renting a car in Santorini.)
It is recommended that you get an International Driving Permit in advance of your trip. These are issued through agencies like AAA (US), CAA (Canada), the UK post office, and AAA Australia. Cost varies by country from about $5 to $25, and IDPs are valid for one year. Greek law requires foreign drivers to carry an IDP in addition to a driver’s license.
Santorini Airport Bus
It’s easy and inexpensive to get from the airport to Fira by bus.
Airport bus service runs regularly from the airport parking lot to Fira and costs around €2.00. Fare is paid in cash only to the driver or conductor inside the bus. Have coins or small bills on hand. (There are ATMs and a currency exchange booth located in the arrivals area). The trip from the airport to Fira takes about 10 minutes.
To get to other villages (Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia, Kamari, Perissa & Perivolos, Akrotiri, and Pyrgos), you will need to switch buses in Fira and buy a separate ticket.
There are 7 to 15 buses every day to Fira, departing from the Santorini airport every hour to 90 minutes from 6:15am to 11pm. Frequency increases in the high season. There are no late-night buses from the Santorini airport to Fira.
All buses to the airport depart from the main bus station in Fira. To reach the airport from the beach or any other village, you must change buses in Fira.
Santorini Airport Taxi & Uber
Securing a taxi at the Santorini airport requires good luck or a long wait.
Taxis in Santorini are difficult to secure without a reservation. There are only about 40 taxis for the entire island. There is a taxi stand directly across from the arrivals hall, but depending on the time of day, there aren’t always taxis available. Be prepared to queue and wait.
Taxis in Santorini are not metered; prices are generally fixed or negotiated before setting out. Taxi fare to Fira or Oia from the Santorini Airport is generally €30-45. Expect fares to increase in the evening and nighttime hours. Fare is paid in cash. There is a strict four-passenger limit in Greek taxis.
Uber is available on Santorini and works well. You generally book a “Uber Taxi” through the app, which hails a standard local taxi. It is usually slightly more expensive than a hailed taxi but eliminates the need for cash payment and provides a reliable pickup.
Santorini Airport Shuttle
Shuttle buses may seem like an inexpensive option, but per-person costs add up quickly.
Shared shuttle service is available to and from the Santorini Airport for about €15-€20 per person. These can be booked in advance or on-site at a kiosk in the arrivals area. Shuttles take multiple passengers and can make up to four stops per route. Although the rate may seem cheaper than a pre-booked car service, per-person fares add up quickly. A shuttle is only cost-effective for solo travelers.
Santorini Airport Hotels
Marvarit Suites is the closest hotel to the Santorini Airport. Free shuttle, free breakfast, fantastic friendly service. (In the photo you can see the two runways at the airport.)
The two closest towns to the Santorini airport are Fira and Kamari. Both are about 10-12 minutes by taxi from the airport and offer hotels in all price ranges. There is no need to pick an actual “airport hotel” as you will still need to take a taxi, bus, shuttle, or car service regardless of where you stay. No hotels are within walking distance of the Santorini airport terminal.
However, the closest hotel to the Santorini airport is Marvarit Suites in the adjacent village of Monolithos. It features a swimming pool and offers a free shuttle to and from the airport. Nikki Beach is the best beachfront hotel close to the Santorini Airport.
Santorini Airport Information & Photos
This is the departures area at Santorini Airport, the airport is small and usually crowded during high season.
Lines for check in and departure can often extend outside the airport and down the sidewalk. Arrive early if you need to check in or check bags.
Check in at the Santorini Airport. Passengers queue at the counter for the airline they’ll be traveling on.
Overhead monitors indicate which counter and which gate departing passengers will use.
There are also airport staff available to offer assistance, if needed.
Signs are clear and written in both Greek and English, making it very easy to figure out where to go.
After checking in and checking luggage, passengers go through security.
The security line can be long, but it usually moves pretty quickly.
The gate area is often busy and standing room only downstairs, in the main waiting area.
There’s a small cafe stand downstairs in the gate area selling beverages and snacks, as well as a handful of fast-casual restaurants selling grilled food, burgers and salads, pizza and pasta, and “artisan” international refreshments.
There’s also free WiFi, which often works.
There is one outdoor restaurant at the Santorini Airport, located to the right of the main entrance and specializing in fast-casual Greek and Mediterranean cuisine. This is the only restaurant in the public, outfacing portion of the airport.
Passengers arriving at and departing from the Santorini Airport take a short 1-minute bus ride between the terminal and the airplane.
After going through customs, arriving passengers exit into the arrivals area. Hotel and private transfer drivers wait here for their customers. There are ATMs and currency exchange here for those who need cash for taxi and bus fare.
Looking out from the arrivals area, you can see more drivers waiting for their customers, as well as signs pointing the way to buses and taxis.
The bus stop at the Santorini airport is immediately outside the Arrivals doors.
The bus between the Santorini airport and Fira costs €2.00. To get to other towns requires switching buses in Fira and buying a separate ticket.
For those catching the bus from Fira to the airport, there’s a posted schedule at the Fira bus station.
The taxi queue is also directly outside the Arrivals doors, just across the street.
Picking up rental cars at the Santorini airport is quick and convenient. Companies with desks inside the terminal include Avance, Avis/Budget, Hertz/Thrifty, Sixt, and Suntime. Other agencies will meet you in the Arrivals area.
The rental car parking lot is a 2-minute walk from the Arrivals area of the Santorini airport.
Looking from the rental car parking lot back towards the Arrivals area.
The parking lot for rental cars at the Santorini airport.
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