Ruth Haines
Crete has three airports: Heraklion Airport, Chania Airport, and Sitia Airport. The airports make the island easily accessible from most major European cities. Heraklion Airport is the biggest airport on the island and the second-largest in Greece, seeing around eight million passengers a year. Chania Airport, the second-largest airport on the island, is also a popular hub, seeing over a million passengers annually. Lastly, Sitia Airport is the smallest airport in Crete, located in the east of the island, about one kilometre from the city of Sitia.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of Airports | 3 |
| Names of Airports | Heraklion Airport, Chania Airport, Sitia Airport |
| Location of Airports | North Coast, Northwest, Northeast |
| Runway Lengths | 2,714m, 3,800m (planned), 2,074m |
| Passenger Traffic | Heraklion: 8 million; Chania: 3 million; Sitia: 62,000 |
| Flight Destinations | Athens, Thessaloniki, Rhodes, Kos, Greek Islands, European Cities |
| Airport Facilities | ATMs, Currency Exchange, Restaurants, Cafes, Duty-Free Shops |
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What You'll Learn
Heraklion Airport, Crete's busiest air hub
There are three airports in Crete, with the airport in Heraklion being the busiest on the island. Officially named Heraklion International Airport "Nikos Kazantzakis", it is located 4-5 kilometres from the centre of Heraklion, the capital of Crete. The airport is named after the famous author Nikos Kazantzakis.
Heraklion Airport is the second busiest airport in Greece, servicing over 40 airlines and millions of travellers every year. It operates 24 hours a day and offers regular flights to domestic areas in Greece, including the Greek islands of Rhodes and Kos, as well as cities around the world. During the summer, the airport also organises flights to other Greek islands. The airport also receives charter flights from abroad, mainly from European cities.
Heraklion International Airport first opened in March 1939 on a piece of flat agricultural land. During the Second World War, the airfield was the site of the Battle of Heraklion during the Battle of Crete in 1941, causing civilian operations to cease. In the autumn of 1946, traffic resumed and the first small terminal was erected in 1947. Hellenic Airlines commenced commercial flights in 1948.
The airport has undergone several extensions over the years, with the latest extension completed in March 2018 in time for the airport's high season. A new airport at a new site in Kastelli is expected to be ready by the beginning of the 2025 tourist season. The new Kasteli International Airport will serve as the central hub for Crete, providing international links for the entire island.
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Chania Airport, the island's second-largest airport
Chania Airport, also known as Chania International Airport "Daskalogiannis", is the second-largest airport on the island of Crete. It is located on the Akrotiri peninsula, about 14 kilometres (8.7 miles) from the city of Chania, which is often regarded as the most beautiful city in Greece. Chania Airport is named after Ioannis Daskalogiannis, an 18th-century Cretan rebel against Ottoman rule.
The airport serves as a gateway to western Crete, with an increasing number of tourists passing through each year. It is the sixth-busiest airport in Greece, handling nearly 2 million passengers annually. Chania Airport has been in operation since 1967 and offers both domestic and international flights. It provides flights to Athens, Thessaloniki, and other Greek airports, as well as direct charter flights from the UK, Germany, Scandinavia, and other European countries during the peak season.
Chania Airport has a single terminal with various amenities and services, including car rentals, taxi services, and a public city bus that connects the airport to Chania and other destinations on the island. The airport is open 24 hours a day and has a single asphalt runway that is 3,347 meters (10,982 feet) long. It is used by several cargo airlines and the Hellenic Air Force military branch throughout the year.
In terms of business, Chania Airport is considered important, attracting a number of corporate clients. Several major airline companies offer seasonal flights, while Aegean Airlines, Belle Air, Blue Air, and Olympic Air provide year-round services. Chania Airport also serves as a refuelling stop for notable flights, such as Air Force One carrying U.S. President Donald Trump in 2018.
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Sitia Airport, the smallest airport in Crete
Crete is home to three airports, one of which is the small Sitia Airport, also known as Sitia Public Airport "Vitsentzos Kornaros". Established in 1984, the airport is located in the eastern part of Crete, Greece, about one kilometre (0.62 miles) east of the town of Sitia, the capital of the Lasithi regional unit. It is surrounded by agricultural land, with olive groves and vineyards expected in the area. The Sitia Mountains, part of the Cretan mountain range, rise to the north and west of the airport.
Sitia Airport is situated near the Cretan Sea coast, 124.9 kilometres (77.6 miles) east of Heraklion, the largest city and capital of Crete, and 265.4 kilometres (165 miles) southeast of Chania, another major city on the island. The airport is also 59.7 kilometres (37.1 miles) northeast of Ierapetra, a town known for its long beach promenade and the nearby island of Chrissi.
The airport primarily serves the town of Sitia and the surrounding region, providing connections to other Greek cities and islands. It offers domestic flights to Athens and other Greek islands, including Karpathos, Kassos, Rhodes, and Kos. In 2024, the airport also offered direct flights to international destinations such as Milan, Naples, Copenhagen, Alexandroupolis, and Preveza (Aktio).
Sitia Airport is equipped with modern civil aviation systems and essential services to ensure a seamless and comfortable travel experience. It offers check-in counters, efficient baggage handling systems, security screening, a small cafe, free parking facilities, taxi stands, and a bus stop. Passengers can easily access the airport by car, bus, or taxi, and various transportation options are available at the airport, including public buses, taxis, car rental services, and private transfer services.
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Kasteli Airport, a military base with plans to replace Heraklion Airport
There are currently three airports in Crete, Greece: Heraklion, Chania, and a small airport near Sitia (Lassithi). The existing Heraklion International Airport, also known as the Nikos Kazantzakis International Airport, has been operational since 1937 and is Greece's second-busiest airport. However, it has faced severe overcrowding issues, operating at 60% over its designed capacity during peak summer months. From 2015 to 2019, the airport consistently handled between 6.1 and 8.1 million passengers annually, exceeding its capacity. This has led to dissatisfaction among travellers, with the current airport being ranked among the worst in Europe.
To address these issues, plans have been developed to replace the existing Heraklion Airport with a new international airport at Kasteli, also known as the New International Airport of Heraklion, Crete. Kasteli Airport will be located 35-40 kilometres southeast of Heraklion and will be constructed over an area of 600 hectares, adjacent to the current Kasteli Hellenic Air Force Base, a military facility for the Hellenic Air Force. The new airport will feature a longer runway capable of accommodating larger aircraft, a larger passenger terminal, and expanded commercial space. The terminal building will have a capacity of between 57,500 and 65,000 passengers per day, with the entire airport designed to handle nine to eighteen million passengers annually.
The construction of Kasteli Airport is a significant project with a budget of €1.2 billion for construction costs alone, reaching €1.5 billion when including purchase costs, loans, and other expenses. The project is being developed by the Ariadne Airport Group, a consortium of Greek firm Gek Terna and Indian company GMR Airports. Construction was expected to begin in early 2019, with an estimated completion date of 2025, but it is now expected to open by 2027. The foundation-laying ceremony was held in February 2020, marking the official start of construction. The new airport aims to improve Crete's tourism industry and economy, as well as serve the growing air transportation requirements in Greece.
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Flight routes to/from Crete
There are two international airports in Crete, Greece: Heraklion International Airport (also known as Kazantzakis Airport, with the airport code HER) and Chania International Airport (also called Daskalogiannis, with the code CHQ). There is also a small airport near Sitia (Lassithi), which only offers domestic flights to and from Athens and Karpathos during the summer.
Heraklion International Airport is the busiest hub for flights to and from Crete. It offers regular flights to and from Athens and Thessaloniki, as well as other Greek islands such as Rhodes and Kos during the summer. This airport also receives charter flights from abroad, primarily from European cities.
Chania International Airport, located in the northwestern part of Crete, also offers regular flights to and from Athens and Thessaloniki. However, the smaller size of this airport means that it may not have direct flight options from cities like London, Berlin, and Paris, unlike Heraklion.
When travelling to Crete, it is worth noting that many tourists book their flights during the summer, so you may find better deals during spring or autumn. Additionally, if you are already in Greece or feel like a more leisurely journey, you can take a ferry to Crete from Piraeus or Rafina, the main and smaller ports of Athens, respectively.
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Frequently asked questions
There are three airports in Crete: Heraklion Airport, Chania Airport, and Sitia Airport.
Heraklion Airport is the biggest airport in Crete and the second-largest in Greece. It is also the second busiest airport in Greece, serving around eight million passengers in 2019.
Chania Airport, also known as Ioannis Daskalogiannis, is the second-largest airport on the island. It is Greece's sixth busiest airport, serving over a million passengers annually.
Sitia Airport is the smallest airport in Crete. It is located in the northeast of the island and served around 62,000 passengers in 2018, its busiest year on record.
