ATHENS AIRPORT (ATH) INFORMATION

Athens Airport is recognised by its official IATA code of ATH, and is also commonly referred to as the Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, in honour of a prominent Cretan political figure and Prime Minister of Greece. The airport is a public establishment operated by Athens International Airport S.A., and is a hub for several airline companies. Its passenger traffic stands at approximately 24.1 million per annum, and it is therefore considered as a major gateway to the famous city of Athens. Arriving and departing passengers will find many facilities at their disposal, and will have access to a number of forms of ground transportation as well. Several awards have also been allocated to the airport for its excellent design and services.

Olympic Air, Aegean Airlines, Cyprus Airways and Hellenic Imperial Airways all use the airport of Athens as a hub location, and offer several year-round and seasonal flights to various destinations. The airport is also served by a large variety of other airline companies, some of which only handle seasonal flights, but many that offer regular, scheduled flights. A few of the prominent airline companies present, besides those just mentioned, include British Airways, KLM, Lufthansa, EasyJet, Emirates, Etihad Airways, Belle Air, Air France, Air China, Air Malta, Alitalia, EgyptAir, Iberia, Scandinavian Airlines and Swiss International Air Lines. Seasonal flights are also offered to the United States of America by US Airways (Philadelphia) and Delta Air Lines (New York City).

Passenger traffic stands at approximately 24.1 million during 2018, a significant increase on volume over 2011, when the airport handled approximately 14.4 million passengers. Passenger traffic is only expected to increase, and the airport has ongoing plans for expansion in order to handle greater passenger statistics. The upgrades to the airport are planned in a six-phase framework. Initial development phases have made it possible for the airport to handle the current 24 million passengers per annum, but by the time all phases are complete the airport will have the capacity for up to 50 million passengers per annum. The runways of the airport will be capable of handling such traffic as well.

Currently there are two runways on the airport’s grounds, each with a length of approximately 4km, or 2.5 miles. The airport is also designed to accommodate the largest aircraft carrier in the world, the Airbus A380. An A380 airplane had to make an emergency landing at Athens Airport in April of 2011, as a passenger had a heart attack, but the first official A380 flight from the airport took place in October of the same year, and was operated by Emirates.

Athens International Airport is regarded as the 27th busiest airport in Europe, and its busiest domestic routes are to Thessaloniki, Heraklion (Crete), Rhodes, Chania (Crete), Santorini, Mytilene, Corfu, Alexandroupolis, Mykonos and Kos. Almost 1.5 million passengers travel between the airport and Thessaloniki every year. The busiest international routes flown are to London in the United Kingdom, Larnaca in Cyprus, Paris in France, Rome in Italy, Munich and Frankfurt in Germany, Istanbul in Turkey, Madrid in Spain, Amsterdam in the Netherlands, Zurich in Switzerland and Brussels in Belgium.

Athens International is located nearby the towns of Markopoulo, Koropi, Spata and Loutsa, and approximately 20 km, or 12 miles east of central Athens, although the drive to the airport will cover a distance of about 30 km. The drive could also take up to forty-five minutes, depending on traffic conditions. The airport is in the Attica region of Greece and its main access road is the E94. Athens is located to the far south of Thessaloniki and Larissa. Areas nearby to Athens and the airport include Mandra, Glifada, Kalyvia Thorikou and Artemida. Passengers arriving by private vehicle can park at the airport, in either short-stay or long-term parking areas. The short-term car park is within walking distance of the terminal, but the long-term car park is served by free shuttle buses (or is about a ten minute walk over a pedestrian bridge).

Passengers can also reach the airport by bus, train or taxi. The airport’s train station is on the Athens Metro Blue Line 3, and provides a convenient connection to central Athens. The station is also served by suburban trains. Frequent public bus connections are available from a couple of locations in the city, as well as from a few regional locations, and taxis can be used at any hour of the day or night. A significant number of car rental companies are also present both in and near the airport.

The airport began it’s operations in 2001, and is therefore a new airport development. It was primarily built to replace the older Athens Ellinikon International Airport, which is now closed. The new Athens Airport has a Main Terminal with the majority of airport facilities, as well as a Satellite Terminal. The satellite building is reached by an underground foot tunnel with moving walkways. A recent addition to the airport in 2009 was the above-ground link from the main terminal to the mid-field satellite building, from where all Schengen flights are now handled. The Schengen facility of the airport has two levels, one for arrivals and the other for departures.

Athens Airport facilities for passengers include shops and restaurants, banks, ATM's, currency exchange services, a post office and pharmacy, wireless internet connections, a business center, baby rooms and children’s play areas and several airline lounges operated by British Airways, Lufthansa, Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air. Duty-free shopping is available at the airport, and the entire complex of passenger buildings are accessible to persons with mobility challenges.

Athens Airport information centers are available inside the terminals for the convenience of passengers, or the airport’s call center can be contacted for further details at +30 210 3530000.

Arrivals and Departures at Athens Airport

• See live flight arrivals information at Athens Airport
• See live flight departures information at Athens Airport

Hotels near Athens Airport

There are a number of hotels to suit all budgets and requirements at or near Athens Airport.

Parking at Athens Airport

See options for parking services at Athens Airport.

Additional Services and Amenities at Athens Airport

At Athens Airport you will find the usual array of bars and restaurants, airport lounges and shops.

• See all bars and restaurants inside Athens Airport
• See and book airport lounges at Athens Airport
• Plan your shopping in advance - see all the shops (including duty-free) at Athens Airport

Things to do in Athens

There are a number of activities to suit all ages and interests in the region - see a selection of tourist activities in Athens, Greece.