Greece › Santorini › Airport
by Santorini Dave • Updated: January 19, 2022
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.
The Santorini Airport (JTR) is located on the east side of the island, about 5km from Fira, Santorini’s scenic capital city and transportation hub. There are year-round daily flights between Athens and Santorini; from May to October, the airport serves direct flights from many European cities. Though it is small and easy to navigate, the Santorini Airport is often crowded and chaotic.
We recommend that departing passengers with carry-on luggage arrive at the Santorini Airport at least one hour prior to their flight; those checking bags should arrive two hours in advance. If possible, check in for your flight ahead online to save some time.
Arriving passengers have many transportation options to get from the Santorini Airport to their destination, including bus, taxi, pre-booked car service, car rental, and private hotel transfer. Taking the bus is the cheapest option and relatively easy, especially if your destination is Fira. Pre-booking a car service is the easiest way to get from the Santorini Airport to your hotel, and costs only a bit more than taking a taxi. We explore all of these options below.
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Santorini Airport Transportation
Santorini Airport Transfer
The easiest way to get a private transfer from the Santorini airport to your hotel is to pre-book with Welcome Pickups. It’s about the same price as a pre-booked taxi and there will be someone 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.Most hotels will pick you up from the airport but 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 line the small arrivals area at Santorini Airport.
Renting a car on is a good option if you plan to explore much of the island during your stay. Roads on Santorini are generally well-maintained and easy to navigate, with adequate signage in both Greek and English.
RentalCars.com is the best site for reserving a rental car from the Santorini airport. Book in advance and your car will be waiting at the airport for you – literally, a 30-second walk from the arrivals door. You can also read our specific advice for renting a car in Santorini.
If you plan to rent a car on Santorini, be sure to obtain 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. Costs vary by country from about $5 to $25, and IDPs are valid for one year. Although many rental agencies may rent to you without one, Greek law requires foreign drivers to carry an IDP in addition to a driver’s license; being caught without one could cause you to incur hefty fines in the case of an accident or citation.
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 €1.80. Buses are cash only, so it’s good to ensure that you have some coins or small bills on hand before you exit the airport – there are ATMs located in the arrivals area. There’s plenty of room for luggage and the bus is comfortable and air-conditioned. The trip takes 10 minutes.
To get to other villages (Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia, Kamari, Perissa & Perivolos, Akrotiri, and Pyrgos), you’ll 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 6:15 to 11pm, with more frequency in the high season. In high season there can also be a bus between the airport and ferry port but this isn’t always a certainty. There are no nighttime buses buses from the Santorini airport to Fira.
All buses to the airport depart from Fira. To reach the airport from the beach or any other village, you’ll need to change buses in Fira (and buy a separate ticket).
Santorini Airport Taxi
Securing a taxi at the Santorini airport requires good luck or a long wait.
Taxis in Santorini are hard to get – there just aren’t that many (only 25) for such a popular island. There is a taxi stand directly across from the arrivals hall of the Santorini airport, but depending on the time of day, there aren’t always taxis. Be prepared to queue and wait.
Uber and Lyft at the Santorini Airport
There is no Uber or Lyft on Santorini.
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 minutes by taxi from the airport. And both have many hotels in all price ranges, from budget to luxury places to stay. There is no need to pick an actual Santorini airport hotel. You will still need to take a taxi or shuttle regardless of where you stay. No hotels are within walking distance of the Santorini airport. Having said all that, the closest hotel to the Santorini airport is Marvarit Suites. It’s actually quite nice. There’s a swimming pool and they offer a free shuttle to and from the airport.
Santorini Airport Information & Photos
The bus stop at the Santorini airport is immediately out the Arrivals doors.
The bus between the Santorini airport and Fira costs €1.80. To get to other towns requires switching buses in Fira and buying a separate ticket.
For catching the bus from Fira to the airport there’s a posted schedule at the Fira bus station.
For both arrivals and departures you take a short 1-minute bus ride between the terminal and the airplane.
Check in at the Santorini airport.
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.
The airport is often busy and standing room only downstairs (in the main waiting area).
Santorini waiting lounge. Upstairs is an outdoor waiting area with snack bar that’s a much more pleasant spot to sit.
The taxi queue is directly outside the Arrivals doors.
Picking up rental cars at the Santorini airport is quick and convenient. The rental car desks are in the Arrivals area and soon as you exit customs.
The rental car parking lot is a 30 second 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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