Athens Eleftherios V. Airport (ATH) Flights & Flight Status

Athens International Airport (ATH) is the largest in Greece and is a major international gateway to the country. You can fly direct to Athens from a number of UK airports including London (Luton, Stansted, Heathrow, and Gatwick), Manchester, Leeds, Newcastle, and Edinburgh. These direct flights are offered by a wide range of carriers, from British Airways to Ryanair, including the local low-cost carrier Sky Express, which has its base at ATH.

Its single-terminal-plus-satellite design makes it easy to navigate. It’s well-connected to public transport, although in peak periods you’ll want to leave plenty of time to get through departures. Here are the rest of my expert tips for travelling via Athens International Airport.

Terminal and layout of ATH

Athens International Airport consists of one main terminal where all check-in, security, passport controls, customs, and baggage claim are found, plus a satellite terminal with some additional gates. They’re connected via an underground walkway. Overall, it’s a relatively new space, but it can still get very crowded at peak times.

Greece is within the European Schengen Area single-border zone, so flights within these countries are treated like domestic flights. These use area B in departures, while area A is used by flights to non-Schengen countries like the UK and US. The satellite terminal is mainly used by low-cost carriers, and it’s quite the walk via the underground tunnel, taking about 10 to 15 minutes depending on your walking speed.

The widest range of shops, restaurants, and bars are found in the main terminal, so I recommend stocking up before heading over to the satellite terminal if you want anything. If you or anybody you’re travelling with has mobility restrictions, I’d also certainly recommend asking for assistance from your airline if it’s one that uses the satellite terminal.

There’s 1 hotel within the airport area – the Sofitel just across the road from the main terminal. It’s fine as far as airport hotels go, but a little dated and the pricing tends to reflect that it’s the only one within the airport itself. There are a few more options outside the airport, but most are quite a distance away and are therefore not as convenient.

Arriving in Athens

Passengers arriving into Athens from a Schengen Area country simply proceed through the terminal and down to the baggage claim section of the arrivals hall.

Passengers arriving from outside the Schengen Area will need to pass through passport control before picking up their bags and visiting customs. Passport control and baggage claim wait times can vary, especially in peak periods during summer holidays, and particularly on summer weekends – something to keep in mind if you’re connecting internationally.

One practical note: Athens can get very, very hot in summer. If you’re sensitive to the heat, I’d recommend choosing flights that arrive in the early morning or late evening, when temperatures are relatively cooler, though still hot.

Getting to and from Athens Airport by rail

Athens International Airport is well-connected by rail, with both the Proastiakos (Athens Suburban and Regional Railway) commuter train network and the Athens Metro just across the car park from the main terminal. These are connected via an elevated walkway. Both are excellent, modern systems that work much like in any other major global city.

Lines A1 and A2 of the Athens Suburban Railway serve the airport, with Line A1 likely to be the one most visitors to Athens use. It travels alongside the airport motorway and then into central Athens before extending out towards Piraeus, the port city from which ferries and cruise ships depart. Line A2 turns off for the SKA (Acharnes Railway Centre) interchange and Ano Liosia.

Getting to and from Athens Airport by 'metro'

Metro Line 3 also serves the airport, running initially on the same tracks as the suburban railway but branching off to take a different route through central Athens towards the port of Piraeus. If you’re heading into central Athens, pick whichever one of the metro or suburban rails gets you closer to your final destination.

If you’re traveling to Piraeus, both take about the same time and their stations are quite literally across the road from each other at the port, so just pick whichever one is leaving first. Note that Piraeus has many cruise and ferry terminals, some of which are quite a distance from the metro and train stations. Check yours carefully.

Getting to and from Athens Airport by bus

If you’re taking a cruise from Piraeus, most cruise lines will offer you a transfer bus from the airport for a substantial fee – often more than a taxi would cost the whole way – but this can be a lower-stress option.

There are also 4 express bus lines run by local operator OASA: X93, X95, X96 and X97. The X95 to the central Syntagma Square and X96 to Piraeus port are likely to be the most useful for visitors, but you might find X93 to the intercity bus station or X97 to the Elliniko metro station useful in a pinch. They’re a little cheaper than the metro or train but traffic makes timing a lot less predictable.

How to get to and from Athens Airport by car

Taxis are usually plentiful at the airport taxi stand by door 3 on the arrivals level, and there are flat fares between the airport and the Athens city centre. Athens taxis are generally safe to use and are usually either saloon cars, estate cars, or minivans. You may find that the card machines are broken or 'broken', so I always double-check that I can pay by card before getting in.

You can also use the FREENOW or Uber apps to summon a taxi, which can be very helpful in getting to the airport. I recommend setting up both accounts well in advance for ease of use. A variety of pre-booking apps including Welcome Pickups, founded in Athens, also operate, and I’ve used them when arriving late at night to make sure that I don't have to wait for a taxi.

Check-in, security lines, and departures at ATH

Most airlines departing from Athens allow some kind of online check-in – some low-cost carriers will actually charge you extra if you don’t check in online and present an electronic or printed boarding pass. If you do need to get a boarding pass or drop off checked baggage, verify your airline’s check-in area as you enter the terminal.

If you’re being dropped off by car, you might want to check which desks your airline uses on the airport website before you arrive so that you can be delivered to the closest door. Desk numbering starts at 1 at door 1 and goes up to 160 at door 4. Desk 70 is near door 2, while desk 90 is near door 3.

Security rules are similar to most of the world, with the same liquid restrictions you’re used to (no more than 100ml per item, all in a single resealable clear plastic bag). Lines can be pretty long at peak times but tend to flow quickly. Check with your airline whether they include the fast lane option with your ticket, as a frequent flyer benefit or even for a fee if you want to fast-track it.

ATH lounges and free Wi-Fi

For its size, Athens airport sure does have a lot of lounges. There are four lounges in each of the two departure areas in the main terminal, plus another in the satellite building. Business class passengers and frequent flyers should check which ones they're entitled to use with their airline.

For non-Schengen departures (area A) there’s an Aegean Airlines lounge and three lounges run by third parties – Skyserv (the Aristotle Onassis lounge), Goldair, and Swissport. Schengen departures (area B) is home to airline lounges from Aegean and Lufthansa, plus one each from Goldair and Skyserv (the Melina Merkouri lounge). The satellite terminal lounge is run by Goldair.

Priority Pass members are welcome at any of the Skyserv or Goldair lounges – these are pretty similar and can get very busy, with caps on Priority Pass members at times. The Aegean lounges are the best of the lot in my opinion, especially the one for Schengen flights in area B.

Star Alliance business class passengers and frequent flyers should be aware that they have access to the Aegean (and Lufthansa) lounges even if they’re flying another airline. Some Star Alliance airlines contract with the third-party lounges, too.

Free Wi-Fi is available across the airport terminal – just look for the 'ATH Free Wi-Fi' network. Each connection is limited to 60 minutes, after which you can reconnect if there’s still time before your flight.