So yes, flying is the new bus service. And by this I mean that flying has become more of a mainstream transportation option than it was before, making it much easier and faster to travel to your favorite places like Greece!
Many of you ask whether you have to fly to Athens first and then take a ferry to the Greek islands or if flying there is possible. It’s very true, knowing which islands have airports can help you plan a stress-free vacation. Well, the good news is, many Greeks islands now have airports and in this post I’ll give you some useful info about which Greek islands have airports, what to expect, and what you will need in terms of documentation.
Flying to the Greek Islands
In the past, flying to the Greek islands was for the very few. First of all, it was very costly. Secondly, only a small number of islands – mainly the larger ones, such as Rhodes and Crete – had operational airports. And lastly, it was more of a hassle. Today, and following the move in 2001 of Athens International Airport (AIA) from Glyfada to Spata, air travel and connectivity with the Greek islands is easy and
So this means you have to choices:
1) For those traveling from several cities in Europe, you could actually fly directly to the islands listed below on charter flights.
2) For those of you coming to Greece from the US, Canada, Australia or other beautiful parts of the world, you can fly into Athens, and then fly from there to the Greek island of your dreams. That is, if you don’t want to travel by ferry, which takes much more time but is a unique experience. For those of you who do enjoy boat rides; I get it, ferry travel is romantic – do read my ultimate guide to the Greek ferry experience with all the things you need to know.
👉🏼 Find the best hotel deals for you
Which Greek islands have airports?
Let’s start with the Greek islands that handle international flights, which means you can fly directly there especially from the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Ireland, The Netherlands, and Beglium.
So you can fly directly to Corfu, Crete, which has airports in Chania and Heraklion; Kos, Mykonos, Rhodes, Santorini, and Zakynthos.
You can also fly to the following islands but you will need to take a flight from Athens Airport if you’re coming from outside Europe like from the U.S., Canada, or Australia.
This is a good idea if you plan to stay in Athens for a few days before your Greek island adventure. I always recommend travelers plan a few days in the Greek capital, especially first-time visitors, because there is so much to see and do. For starters the Parthenon! More about that in this post.
So from Athens Airport you can fly to:
– Santorini, Mykonos, Paros, Naxos, Milos, Syros, in the Cyclades island netqwork.
– Astypalaia, Kalymnos, Karpathos, Kasos, Kastelorizo, Kos, Leros, and Rhodes (Dodecanese island cluster)
– Corfu, Kefalonia, Kythira, and Zakynthos (Ionian islands)
– Chios, Ikaria, Lesvos, Limnos, and Samos (Aegean islands)
– Skiathos and Skyros in the Sporades
– Crete – Heraklion, Chania, and Sitia (my favorite place! More about there in this post).
In the last couple of years, Flyhoper covers several smaller Greek islands which have no airports but do have helipads. These include Antiparos, Sifnos, Patmos, and Folegandros. Rates start at 170 euros depending on island and you can also book the aircraft.
► Best Greek Island Hopping Cruises & Insider Tips
Should I Fly to the Greek Islands?
Now this is the hard part! Bear with me as I explain.
Experience: If you hate flying then just take the ferry. There’s no point in suffering. I assume you already did that to get here in the first place. So for those of you who get claustrophobic (like I do) in planes (airlines are doing their best to make us hate flying. Delays, smaller seats, no service, no food, extensive checks), taking the ferry to the islands is the best option.
Time: If you don’t want to waste time, then booking a flight to the islands is the best option. It’s much quicker. For instance, in under an hour you’re on Crete from Athens.
Compare this to the ferry which takes 6 to 10 hours! If you’re coming in from London, the flight lasts about 3 hours and 40 minutes. It’s about the same duration to fly to Kythira, which would take almost forever – 6.5 hours – to get to any other way. We even have a song about this!
One more thing you should always have in mind. Gone are the days, when we used to just go to the port of Piraeus or Rafina and hop on a ferry to the Greek islands. Today, you need to be there at least an hour before, especially if you have a car. But even if you don’t, if you want to find a good seat, you have to get to the port earlier. So, in the best-case scenario, you’ll need at least 30 minutes by cab from central Athens, more if you take the metro.
This too applies for air travel. For flights to the Greek islands, you’ll need to be at the airport two hours ahead of the flight time unless you’ve checked in online so you can be there 60 to 90 minutes earlier. You will also need to go to the airport. The ride there by cab is about 35-45 minutes from central Athens and costs about 40-43€ (night rate after midnight to 5am at 55€).
Cost: In the past ferry services in Greece used to be much cheaper. Today, with the price of fuel skyrocketing and the growing demand, rates are expensive too. If you’re going from Athens to Crete, for instance, the price difference is usually smaller than most people expect.
Here’s an example: Typical one-way costs: a flight will cost you somewhere between €30 and €120 depending on when you booked. Booking flights earlier is always better and I would also suggest you check out Aegean – this is Greece’s national carrier – which regularly offers deals sometimes up to 50% off and for 18-25-year-olds, the airline also offers 15% discounts on tickets through its genAIRation program.
The ferry trip comes to about 30-65€ for a basic seat or deck ticket. This does not include a cabin, which you will need because the trip is long. In this case, it adds up to about €90-€180 euros depending on the type of cabin and season.
Yes, when I was younger and ferries much different than they are today, we used to sleep in sleeping bags outdoors on the deck. For those of you wanting your comfort, this is not an option. And since the ferry boats became modernized, it’s hard to find a comfortable spot if you do plan on doing this.
So my conclusion is that the cost for ferry or flight is almost the same.
👉🏼 Dream of visiting Greece? Start planning
Ferry Travel vs Flying: Pros & Cons
I’ve traveled a lot in my life so I can safely say that at the end of the day it’s what makes each of you feel better. This means you know what you can or cannot tolerate.
Ferry travel
– You’ve rented a car in Athens and want to bring it with you. Have in mind that you could always rent on the island of choice.
– You’re a hopeless romantic who loves to watch the islands go by and daydream
– You want to relax, take it slow and be in eager anticipation. This, for me, is the embodiment of the Greece experience. Taking it slow is for many the ultimate meaning of a vacation … to ‘vacate’ the mind of relentless thoughts, noise and meaningless chatter. The long ferry ride is the best way to do this.
– You want to hop on – hop off. Though this requires lots of free time and planning, or none at all, you could always just get off the ferry when it arrives to the first island on the route. Stay there, and then wait for the next ferry to take you to a different Greek island.
This is so much what I used to do when I was younger with plenty of free time and no worries or responsibilities on my mind. This was something many tourists would do too. And yes, if you’re an adventure seeker or young and free, please do this at least once. One word of advice, make sure you’ve booked a room to stay. Years ago, we used to sleep on the beach under the stars! Today, this is no longer allowed.
⚠️ One thing I do need to point out: Very few Greek islands are interconnected by air. This means that you can fly to another Greek island – assuming you are already on one – in some instances only. So yes, you can fly to and from Crete and Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini, Crete and Santorini and maybe some Dodecanese islands via small regional airlines, but these connections are not frequent, they are seasonal and run in the summer from June to August.
Ferries, on the other hand, cover many islands on their routes, which are more regular, and flexible. So, the Cyclades islands are interconnected, so are the Ionian isles, and the Dodecanese islands have impressively regular and reliable local ferry services, which I love.
– You want to save money. If you’ve just come for the Greek island experience and don’t want to spend (and pay for) a night in Athens, going straight to the ferry is the best choice. However, you will still need a cabin to get some rest. There are many who manage to sleep in the chairs.
🚢 Book a ferry to the Greek islands now!
Flying
– You want to get there fast and start your vacation. Suitcase in > suitcase out > hotel > beach time!
– Patience is not your cup of coffee. Lingering ferry trips with endless hours of doing nothing is not your style.
– You want ease and comfort.
– You want to visit a few Greek islands but don’t have so much time to waste on ferry travel.
– You hate sea travel. This is very important because yes, on some of the smaller ferries, the ride can get rough if there are strong winds.
►Off to Greece? Make Sure to Pack These Useful Items
Entry & Passport Control
Readers often ask me if they need a visa for Greece?
If you’re coming from the United States, Canada, and Australia and 58 other countries or territories, you do not need a visa for tourist trips of up to 90 days.
You will however need:
– a valid biometric passport which should be valid for at least 3 months after departure
One thing to have in mind: Greece – as part of the EU – has been rolling out this year the new Entry/Exit System (EES).
What this means for you (non-EU travelers): Your passport will not be stamped, instead on your first trip to Greece, it will be scanned (this is called biometric registration), a face photo is taken, fingerprints are collected, and every entry and exit in the EU and Schengen Area will be recorded.
Additionally, at the end of the year (2026), Greece will be rolling out the ETIAS system, which will require non-EU travelers, including Americans, Canadians, and Australians, to fill out travel authorization online. Not applicable yet.
– Non-EU passport holders will have to wait in line for passport control. They cannot use the passport scan machines.
– If you are flying domestically inside Greece, like from Athens to Santorini or Mykonos, there is usually no passport control. You will however need your passport for boarding.
So that’s it! I hope this post has been helpful and makes your trip to Greece the best ever. Let me know in the comments which Greek island you flew to first.
👉🏼 Dream of visiting Greece? Start planning
♫ I end today’s post with one of my favorite songs from one of my absolute favorite singers: Marinella – the grand dame of Greek music. “I’ll marry a captain, a traveler, a sailor man… who leaves before he gets bored of me, and returns yearning for more,” she sings to the verse of the great Sotia Tsotou and the music of Antonis Stefanidis.
Enjoy!
❤️ Follow The Greek Vibe on TikTok too!
Enjoyed this Post? Share and Pin it!
