Greece › Santorini › Airport
By Santorini Dave • dave@santorinidave.com
Updated: August 26, 2026
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The Santorini Airport (JTR) is on the east side of the island, about 5km from Fira. There are daily flights between Athens and Santorini year-round, plus direct seasonal flights from many European cities.
Getting from Santorini Airport to Your Hotel
- Bus: Cheapest option. The airport bus costs €2.20 and goes directly to Fira. For Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani, Perissa, Kamari, Akrotiri, and most other villages, change buses in Fira and buy another ticket.
- Private Transfer: The easiest option, especially for Oia, Imerovigli, Firostefani, families, and anyone arriving with a lot of luggage. I recommend Welcome Pickups.
- Taxi: Convenient if one is waiting, but queues are common in summer and there are not enough taxis to meet demand when several flights arrive at once.
- Car Rental: If you’re renting a car during your stay, the airport is the easiest place on Santorini to pick it up.
Approximate driving times from Santorini Airport:
- Fira: 10 minutes
- Kamari: 10 minutes
- Imerovigli: 15 to 20 minutes
- Perissa: 20 to 25 minutes
- Oia: 25 to 30 minutes
Traffic can add time, especially in July and August.
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 use Booking.com to reserve cars in advance. If you need an automatic transmission, book early.
Departing Santorini: Santorini Airport is small and gets very busy in summer. I recommend arriving 2 hours before departure in July and August, especially if you’re checking luggage. Outside peak season, 90 minutes is enough for most domestic flights if you’ve checked in online and have carry-on luggage only.
Santorini Airport Transportation
Santorini Airport is small, with one main drop-off and pick-up area in front of the terminal. Meeting a driver or finding the bus and taxi stands is easy.
Santorini Airport Transfers
The easiest way to get directly from Santorini Airport to your hotel is to pre-book with Welcome Pickups. Your driver will be waiting in Arrivals with your name on a sign, the ride is paid in advance, and the driver monitors your flight in case you’re delayed.
Private transfers are especially useful for families and groups. Larger vehicles can be reserved and child seats are available by request.
Many Santorini hotels will also arrange an airport transfer. Ask for the price before booking it, as hotel transfer rates vary considerably.
Santorini Airport Car Rental
Rental car desks are in the Arrivals area at Santorini Airport.
Renting a car is a good choice if you plan to explore the island. The airport is the easiest place on Santorini to pick up a rental car, and Booking.com is the best site for comparing and reserving cars.
Rental agencies with desks at Santorini Airport:
- Avance
- Avis / Budget
- Hertz / Thrifty
- Sixt
- Suntime
Other rental companies meet customers in Arrivals or provide a short shuttle to a nearby lot.
Important: Manual-transmission cars are much more common in Greece. Automatics cost more and sell out first, so reserve well in advance if you can’t drive a manual.
(Read more about renting a car in Santorini.)
International Driving Permit: Most short-term visitors from the US, UK, EU, Canada, and Australia can drive in Greece with their home driver’s license. Rental companies can have stricter requirements, so check the license rules for your specific rental before leaving home.
Santorini Airport Bus
The airport bus is the cheapest way to get from Santorini Airport to Fira.
The bus from Santorini Airport to Fira costs €2.20. Pay on the bus in cash and have coins or small bills handy. The trip takes about 10 minutes.
There are no direct airport buses to Oia or most other Santorini villages. To reach Firostefani, Imerovigli, Oia, Kamari, Perissa & Perivolos, Akrotiri, or Pyrgos, take the airport bus to Fira and change there. You’ll need to buy a second ticket for the connecting bus.
Airport bus frequency changes through the year, with the most service in summer. Check the current schedule before traveling. There is no overnight airport bus.
All public buses to Santorini Airport leave from the main bus station in Fira. If you’re coming from Oia, a beach, or another village, 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 in short supply during the busy months. There is a taxi stand directly outside Arrivals, but queues are common when several flights land close together. If you don’t want to wait, book a private transfer in advance.
For airport trips, confirm the fare with the driver before leaving. A taxi to Fira costs much less than a taxi to Oia, so don’t rely on a single “Santorini Airport taxi fare” quoted online.
Uber is available on Santorini. The app is primarily used to book licensed local taxis and provides cashless payment. It’s convenient, but it doesn’t create more taxis, so pickup times can still be long during busy periods.
Santorini Airport Shuttle
Shared shuttles are most useful for solo travelers. For two or more people, compare the total price with a private transfer.
Shared airport shuttles are available between Santorini Airport and hotels around the island. They cost less than a private transfer for one traveler but make multiple stops, so the trip takes longer. For couples, families, and groups, a private transfer is normally the better value.
Santorini Airport Hotels
Marvarit Suites is one of the closest hotels to Santorini Airport, with a swimming pool, breakfast, and airport transfer service. You can see the airport runways from many of their rooms.
Unless you have a very early departure or late arrival, don’t choose your Santorini hotel based on distance from the airport. The island is small. Fira and Kamari are both about 10 minutes away by car and have a much better selection of hotels, restaurants, and things to do.
If you do want to stay close to the airport, Marvarit Suites in Monolithos is my pick. Nikki Beach Resort & Spa Santorini is the best beachfront resort near the airport.
I don’t recommend walking from Santorini Airport to a hotel with luggage. Roads around the airport are not designed for pedestrians, and a taxi or transfer is much easier.
Santorini Airport Facilities
Santorini Airport is small but has everything most travelers need for a short wait. There is free WiFi, ATMs, currency exchange, phone-charging facilities, first aid, duty-free shopping, and food and drinks both before and after security. Car rental desks are in Arrivals.
Food choices are limited compared with a large international airport, so I wouldn’t plan a long meal here before a flight.
Santorini Airport Information & Photos
Santorini Airport is small and departures get crowded during the summer.
Check-in lines can extend outside the terminal. This is why I recommend arriving two hours before summer departures.
Airline check-in counters at Santorini Airport.
Departure screens show the check-in counter and gate for each flight.
Airport signs are clear and written in Greek and English.
Security at Santorini Airport.
Security lines can be long during the busiest departure periods.
The departure gate area gets very crowded when several flights leave close together.
Food and drinks are available after security.
Free WiFi is available throughout the airport.
There is also an outdoor cafe and restaurant in the public area of the airport.
Passengers are commonly taken between the terminal and aircraft by a short airport bus ride.
Hotel and private-transfer drivers wait in Arrivals with passenger names on signs.
The airport bus stop is immediately outside Arrivals.
An older airport bus fare sign. The current fare between Santorini Airport and Fira is €2.20.
Airport bus schedules are posted at the Fira bus station. Times change through the year.
The taxi stand is directly outside Arrivals.
Rental car desks in the terminal include Avance, Avis/Budget, Hertz/Thrifty, Sixt, and Suntime.
The airport rental car parking area is a short walk from Arrivals.
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