
Athens International Airport, officially named El. Venizelos, is the largest airport in Greece and the Balkan peninsula. It is located 33km from Athens city centre, in the Spata area. The airport is also known as AIA and has the airport code ATH.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Airport Name | Athens International Airport |
| Airport Code | ATH |
| Location | Spata, Attiki, Greece |
| Elevation | 300 feet |
| Coordinates | 37°56'34"N 23°57'26"E |
| Time Zone | GMT +2 (GMT +3 from last Sunday in March to last Sunday in October) |
| IATA Code | ATH |
| ICAO Code | LGAV |
| Runway Length | 13,123 feet |
| Website | Athens International Airport |
| Phone | +30 21 0353 0000 |
| Address | Attiki Odos, Spata Artemida 190 04, Greece |
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What You'll Learn

Athens International Airport's IATA code is ATH
Athens International Airport, officially named "El. Venizelos" and abbreviated as AIA, is the largest airport in Greece. It is located 33km (20.5 miles) away from Athens city centre, in the Spata area. The airport is named after Eleftherios Venizelos, a prominent Cretan political figure and Prime Minister of Greece. Athens Airport's IATA code is ATH.
The airport is the main base of Aegean Airlines and a focus airport for some smaller, mostly budget airlines. El. Venizelos opened in 2001, replacing the old Ellinikon International Airport. It was constructed to meet the risen passenger needs during the 2004 Olympic Games. The airport has continued to see an increase in passenger traffic since then.
Athens Airport has two terminals, the main terminal and the satellite terminal. The main terminal has three levels, one for arrivals, one for departures, and a food court level with a view of the eastern runway. The airport has 153 check-in desks, fourteen jet bridges, and eleven belt conveyors for luggage. Hall A handles flights to non-Schengen and non-European countries, while Hall B handles flights to Intra-Schengen countries and domestic services.
The airport offers a wide range of amenities and quick and effective services to its passengers. It houses several cultural attractions, including the Acropolis Exhibition, a small museum with exhibits found during the airport's construction, and an exhibition dedicated to El. Venizelos. Various art collections and events are also displayed and organised on its premises. Athens Airport is easily accessible by bus, metro, or suburban train from the city centre and other major areas of Athens.
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The airport is named after Eleftherios Venizelos
Athens International Airport, with the airport codes ATH (IATA) and LGAV (ICAO), is named after Eleftherios Venizelos, a prominent Cretan Greek statesman and leader of the Greek national liberation movement. Venizelos played a significant role in Crete's struggles for political autonomy from the Ottoman Empire and its eventual integration into Greece. He was also a prominent figure in the modernisation of Greece, serving as Prime Minister for over 12 years, spanning eight terms from 1910 to 1933.
Eleftherios Venizelos is widely considered one of the greatest statesmen in the history of modern Greece. He was born in Chania, Crete, in 1864 and displayed a combination of radical ideas and moderate actions that helped Crete move closer to its union with Greece. Venizelos' government rapidly modernised the state and the military, preparing for potential conflicts with neighbouring countries, which he saw as necessary for Greece's growth.
Venizelos was a key figure in the founding of the "Liberal Party" in Greece, serving as the party's leader. He initiated constitutional and economic reforms that laid the foundation for the modernisation of Greek society and reorganised the Greek Army. He also played a catalytic role in helping Greece gain entrance to the Balkan League, an alliance of Balkan states against the Ottoman Empire. Through his diplomatic skills, Greece doubled its area and population with the liberation of Macedonia, Epirus, and most of the Aegean islands.
In addition to his domestic contributions, Venizelos also made significant contributions to the development of Greek aviation and the Hellenic Air Force in the 1930s. His efforts expanded Greece's territory and marked a shift in the country's orientation from East to West. Venizelos is often referred to as "The Maker of Modern Greece" for his transformative role in shaping the nation's political and economic landscape.
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It is the largest airport in Greece
Athens International Airport, officially named "El. Venizelos", is the largest airport in Greece. It is also the most widely-known airport in the country and the busiest aviation hub in the Balkans. The airport first opened its doors in 2001, replacing the old Ellinikon International Airport. It is located 33km (20.5 miles) away from Athens city centre, in the Spata area.
Athens Airport is listed among the busiest airports in Europe, serving both domestic and international flights. It is the home base for Aegean Airlines, the Greek flag carrier, and a key hub for other smaller airlines. The airport has two terminals, the main terminal and the satellite terminal, which are connected through an underground link. The main terminal is spread across three levels, one for arrivals, one for departures, and a food court level with a view of the eastern runway. All of the airport's 153 check-in desks are located in the main terminal.
Athens Airport covers an expanse of 16,000 acres (25.0 sq mi; 64.7 km2), making it one of the largest airports in Europe and the world in terms of land area. The airport is accessible by the Attiki Odos toll highway from central and northern Athens, Varis-Koropiou Avenue from the west, Laurio Ave. from the south, and Spata-Loutsa Avenue from the east. A variety of parking options are available on-site, with short-term parking offered in lots P1 and P2 and a long-stay car park also available.
Athens Airport is known for its cleanliness, efficiency, and friendly staff. It offers a wide range of amenities and quick and effective services to its passengers. The airport also houses several cultural attractions, including the Acropolis Exhibition, a small museum with exhibits found during the airport's construction, and an exhibition dedicated to El. Venizelos. Various art collections and events are also displayed and organised on its premises from time to time.
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It is located in Spata, about 20-33km from Athens city centre
Athens International Airport, officially named "El. Venizelos" and abbreviated as AIA, is located in the region of Spata, about 20-33km from Athens city centre. The airport is named after Eleftherios Venizelos, a prominent Cretan political figure and former Prime Minister of Greece who played a significant role in the development of Greek aviation and the Hellenic Air Force in the 1930s.
Athens International Airport is the largest and busiest airport in Greece and is ranked among the busiest airports in Europe. It serves both domestic and international flights, connecting hundreds of destinations in Greece and worldwide. The airport is easily accessible from the city centre and other areas of Athens by bus, metro, or suburban train. It is also accessible by the Attiki Odos toll highway from central and northern Athens, Varis-Koropiou Avenue from the west, Laurio Ave. from the south, and Spata-Loutsa Avenue from the east.
The airport has two terminals, the main terminal and the satellite terminal, which are connected through an underground link. The main terminal has three levels: one for arrivals, one for departures, and a food court level with a view of the eastern runway. It houses 153 check-in desks, fourteen jet bridges, and eleven belt conveyors for luggage. Hall A handles flights to non-Schengen and non-European countries, while Hall B manages flights to Intra-Schengen countries and domestic services.
Athens International Airport offers a wide range of amenities and services for passengers, including various food outlets, shops, and parking options. It also features cultural attractions such as the Acropolis Exhibition, a museum showcasing exhibits found during the airport's construction, and an exhibition dedicated to El. Venizelos. The airport is well-equipped and modern, accommodating the millions of travellers who pass through each year.
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The airport has two terminals
Athens International Airport, officially named "El. Venizelos", is the largest airport in Greece. It is located 33km (20.5 miles) away from Athens city centre, in the towns of Spata, Markopoulo, Koropi, and Loutsa. The airport is currently a member of Group 1 of Airports Council International (serving over 25 million passengers). It is the second busiest and second-largest airport in the Balkans and is listed among the busiest airports in Europe.
The airport is named after Elefthérios Venizélos, a prominent Cretan political figure and Prime Minister of Greece. He made significant contributions to the development of Greek aviation and the Hellenic Air Force in the 1930s. The airport was constructed to replace the now-closed Athens (Ellinikon) International Airport, as the latter had no physical space for further growth.
Athens International Airport is the main base of Aegean Airlines and other smaller, mostly budget, air carriers. It offers its passengers a wide range of amenities and quick and effective services. It also houses cultural attractions such as the Acropolis Exhibition, a small museum with exhibits found in the nearby area during the airport's construction.
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Frequently asked questions
The airport code for Athens International Airport is ATH.
Athens International Airport, Eleftherios Venizelos, commonly initialised as AIA. The airport is named after Elefthérios Venizélos, a prominent Cretan political figure and Prime Minister of Greece.
Athens Airport has two terminals, the main terminal and the satellite terminal, with 153 check-in desks and three levels for arrivals, departures and a food court. The airport also has a small museum with exhibits found during the airport's construction, an Acropolis Exhibition, and a chapel, both located on the second floor.











































