Flying to Greece in 2026 – new routes and airport upgrades

Find out where in Greece you can fly to, new routes from the UK and USA and which airports are being improved.  

High demand from summer tourists and a growing interest in flights out of season are encouraging airlines to increase flights and lengthen the season all across Greece. Meaning more direct flights to the places you love.

In 2025, regional airports saw a 3% increase in passengers compared to 2024. In fact, in the last ten years the number of people choosing to arrive at regional airports has almost doubled.

How many people flew to Greece in 2025?

In 2025, a staggering 34m people came through Athens airport, with international traffic up 8.6%. On top of this, more than 37m passengers arrived at Greece’s 14 regional airports. 

Which airlines fly to Greece from the UK?

The main airlines with flights to Greece are easyJet, Ryanair, Jet2, TUI, British Airways and Aegean Airlines.

Are there new flights UK to Greece in 2026?

In 2026, several airlines are either resuming seasonal summer flights, adding more flights, extending their summer season dates or introducing new routes.  For example:

• New direct flights to Kos from Exeter, Bournemouth and Stansted with TUI
• New direct flights to Samos from Birmingham with Jet2
• New direct flights to Thessaloniki from Bristol with EasyJet
• New direct flights to Thessaloniki from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, East Midlands, Leeds Bradford, Manchester, Newcastle International and London Stansted with Jet2
• New direct flights to Chania from Bournemouth with Ryanair
• New direct flights to Chania from London Gatwick with British Airways
• Increase in flights to Chania from Birmingham with Jet2
• New direct flights to Rhodes from Bournemouth with Ryanair
• New direct flights to Kalamata from London Gatwick with British Airways
• New direct flights to Preveza to reach Meganisi and Lefkas. Fly from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, East Midlands, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle International with Jet2
• Increase in flights to Santorini from Birmingham with Jet2

Greek airports expanding

When buying a property in Greece it is essential that you will be able to easily reach your place in the sun. Good connectivity increases the value of your property, as well as enabling you to make the most of your Greek home.

Growing tourism, more flights and the development of airports are all good signs that an area will remain accessible in the future. However, an increase in tourists arriving on your idyllic island is not welcomed by everyone, preferring their island home to remain quiet and unspoilt. Therefore, it pays to be aware of future developments and airport closures while work is carried out.

Which Greek airports are being upgraded?

New airport on Crete

If you are travelling to Crete, you currently have the option of arriving at Heraklion Airport (HER) or Chania Airport (CHQ). With an increase in tourism to the island, Heraklion airport has struggled to cope. But hopefully, this time next year (February 2027) the island will boast a shiny new state-of-the-art airport to replace the old one.

After several delays, the Kastelli International airport construction work is now underway, and is predicted to open by February 2027. This will be a big boost to Crete’s tourist offering, as it has been designed to cope with over 15m passengers a year. Therefore, when viewing property on Crete you should take into consideration the drive times to its location in Kastelli (39km southeast of Heraklion).

New terminal for Paros Airport

In a bid to handle more direct international flights, it was hoped that Paros airport would have a new modern terminal building by now. The plans include a larger passenger hall, more parking, longer runways and a new control tower. The initial plan was to have it operational from July 2025. However, there has been delay after delay, with no clear finish date.

Another terminal for the Peloponnese

Since the start of 2026, Kalamata airport has been under new management. The plan is to invest over €75m in a new terminal. The Peloponnese is of great interest to house buyers seeking a golden visa, as it is still possible to spend a minimum of €400,000 on a property over 120 sqm. In addition, you can reach Athens by road, which is useful in the winter months.

Download the golden visa guide

Athens airport is expanding

The Athens International Airport (AIA) is doubling its space in a €1.3bn expansion project. Passenger traffic at Athens airport in 2024 was 31.9m. By 2032 the aim is to have an annual capacity of 40m. They intend to increase terminal space by 68% and provide more parking.

More space at Corfu airport

In January 2026, Corfu airport closed for a couple of weeks to carry out upgrades to paving, its safety area and infrastructure. The plan is to also extend the terminal to accommodate more check-in desks and more security lanes, and space for food outlets and shops.

Thessaloniki’s new cultural space

Thessaloniki has expanded on the cultural experience as you pass through their airport.  A new museum has been installed in the departure area of Thessaloniki airport. Called “MOMUS Air”, the installation creates a modern and original cultural experience encompassing art and technology with artwork, video walls and documentaries.

Airport closures in Greece for improvement works

When looking at flight schedules in the winter months, don’t worry if there are some unusual gaps. This is probably due to airport improvements being carried out during quieter periods. Fraport, which operates 14 Greek airports, announced that the Island airports that have received construction work on their runways already this winter are Kefalonia (EFL), Corfu (CFU), Samos (SMI) and Santorini (JTR).  Other scheduled dates requiring runways to close are:

• Zakynthos (ZTH) on 2 February – 16 February, 2026
• Mykonos (JMK) for 48 hours every Tuesday 12:01am to Wednesday 11:59pm, from 18 November, 2025 to 18 March, 2026
• Mytilene (MJT) for 24 hours every Tuesday 12am-11:59pm, from 18 November, 2025 to 24 March, 2026
• Rhodes (RHO), for 24 hours every Tuesday 6pm to Wednesday 5:59pm, from 18 November, 2025 to 24 March, 2026

 Homes for sale in Greece

Which Greek airports receive direct flights from the UK?

The 17 international airports in Greece that receive flights from the UK are: Athens (ATH), Thessaloniki (SKG), Zakynthos (Zante ZTH), Crete: Heraklion (HER), Chania (CHQ), Kalamata, Peloponnese (KLX), Corfu (CFU), Argostoli, Kefalonia, (EFL), Kos (KSG), Lesvos (MJT), Rhodes (RHO), Santorini (JTR), Skiathos (JSI), Samos (SMI), Mykonos (JMK), Preveza (PVK) and Kavala (KVA).

The largest is Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos ATH), which is located 33km southeast of Athens. It is a major hub from where you can continue your journey to other parts of Greece by plane, bus, hire car, suburban railway and metro. Public transport also offers good connections to the ports of Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrion. 

Athens from London, Bristol, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh

• Athens is located in the Attica region
• Known for its Historic sites

Mykonos from London or Manchester

• Mykonos is an island in the Cyclades, in the South Aegean region
• Known for beaches and nightlife

Chania from Nottingham, London, Newcastle. Bournemouth, Leeds, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow

• Chania is in the west of Crete
• Known for mountains, gorges, beaches, history

Heraklion from 15 UK airports

• Heraklion is located on the central north coast of Crete
• Known for Ancient Minoan site of Knossos, Koules fortress, old harbour

Corfu from 15 UK airports including Aberdeen, Durham, Cardiff, Belfast and Bournemouth

• Part of the Ionian islands, off the northwest coast of Greece
• Known for scenery, Venetian-influenced Old Town (a UNESCO site), history, British and French influences

Zakynthos (Zante) from London, Glasgow, Nottingham, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Cardiff,  Belfast, Exeter and Edinburgh

• In the Ionian Sea, west of the Peloponnese
• Known for landscape, Shipwreck Beach, loggerhead turtles

Rhodes to London, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Manchester, Bournemouth, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle, Leeds, Belfast, Glasgow, Norwich, Cardiff, Exeter and Liverpool

• Part of the Dodecanese Island group in the Aegean sea
• Known for history, beaches, UNESCO-listed Old Town

Preveza to London, Manchester, Edinburgh, Birmingham, Newcastle, Bristol and Nottingham

• In Epirus region of northwest Greece
• Known for its old town, Venetian history, ancient ruins, beaches, gateway to Lefkada

Kalamata from London, Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Birmingham

• Southern Peloponnese region
• Known for cultural events, castle, squares, olives

Santorini from London, Edinburgh, Bristol, Manchester and Birmingham

• Island in the southern Aegean Sea, Cyclades island group
• Known for the Caldera, views, and whitewashed villages

Kos from Glasgow, London, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, Bournemouth, Nottingham, Exeter, Newcastle and Cardiff

•  Kos is an island in the Aegean Sea close to Turkey, in the Dodecanese
•  Known for beaches, ancient ruins

Thessaloniki from London, Manchester, Bristol, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Newcastle, Nottingham and Leeds

• Thessaloniki is a city in northern Greece
• Known for Olympus Riviera

Argostoli from London, Edinburgh, Nottingham, Leeds, Glasgow, Bristol, Birmingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Cardiff and Bournemouth

• Argostoli is the capital and main port of Kefalonia, located in the Ionian Sea
• Known for a picturesque waterfront, Koutavos Lagoon, loggerhead turtles

Skiathos from Bristol, London, Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, Birmingham and Nottingham

• Skiathos is a Greek island in the northwest Aegean Sea, part of the Sporades archipelago
• Known for natural beauty, sandy beaches, clear waters

Samos from Manchester, Birmingham and London

• Samos is an island in the Eastern Aegean sea
• Known for green landscape, mountains, ancient history, UNESCO site Heraion

Kavala from London, Birmingham and Manchester

• Kavala is a city in northern Greece situated on the Bay of Kavala, looking out to the island of Thasos. One hour 45 minutes’ drive from Thessaloniki
• Known for having a castle and pretty town on the sea

Lesbos, Mytilene from London, Birmingham and Manchester

• Mytilene is on the southeastern coast of the island of Lesbos (Lesvos), located in the North Aegean

• Known for beaches, petrified forest, castles

Can I fly to Greece from the USA?

Yes, the main airlines offering flights from the USA to Greece are United airlines, American Airlines, Norse Atlantic Airways, Delta, Emirates and Aegean Airlines. Flight times from New York to Athens average around 9 hours 20 minutes.

New flights from the USA to Greece in 2026

• Dallas/Fort Worth to Athens – New service with American Airlines
• Washington (Dulles) to Athens with United Airlines have increased capacity with bigger planes from 30 April 2026

Direct flights from the USA to Athens

Direct flights to Athens depart from New York JFK and Newark, Chicago, Boston, Charlotte, Dallas, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Washington. Mostly these flights are seasonal, but you can fly from New York and Chicago to Athens in December.

Flights from Athens to other Greek airports

When you fly into Athens but want to reach another location in Greece, you could head to a port to catch a ferry. Or alternatively, you can take a domestic flight to reach one of the following incredible destinations:

Santorini, Corfu, Zakynthos (Zante), Crete (Heraklion and Chania), Mykonos, Rhodes, Chios, Argostoli, Naxos, Lemnos, Kavala, Alexandrupolis Dimokritos, Ionnina, Mytilene, Kos, Sitia, Skiathos, Paros, Thessaloniki, Samos, Kithira, Kalamata, Milos, Karpathos, Ikaria, Skiros, Syros, Kozani, Astypalaia, Leros and Kalymnos. Twenty of these have airports that receive flights from Athens in December.

Seaplanes are back!

Imagine flying to your dream island and touching down on the sparkling blue sea. Well now you can. Seaplanes have been relaunched in Greece to reach those beautiful remote islands. Hellenic Seaplanes now offers flights across Volos, the Sporades, Patmos, Alimos, Tinos and the Ionian Sea. Among the new routes expected to be announced soon are some of the beautiful small islands in the Cyclades.

Fly to Greece for house viewings in 2026

Greece’s history, culture, cuisine and beautiful seafront locations make it a popular destination for home buyers. It particularly appeals to those seeking a safe and relaxed lifestyle or a holiday retreat with sun, sea, great food and stunning scenery.

The increase in tourists wanting to holiday in Greece has given airlines the confidence to expand their flight schedules and airports are being upgraded to cope with the demand. With flights from the UK to Athens taking a little over three and a half hours and costing as little as £45 one way in the spring, now is a great time to book a viewing trip.

* Data and flight information sourced from Travel media network GTP (Greek Travel Pages), Skyscanner and individual airlines. Flight information may be subject to change, therefore you should always check with the websites of the individual airlines.