Getting to the Greek Islands: Flights, Ferries & Travel Options

Getting to the Greek Islands is easier than it might first appear. Some of Greece’s most popular islands have international airports with direct flights from cities across Europe, while hundreds of other islands can be reached by ferry from the Greek mainland or neighbouring islands.

The best route depends on where you are travelling from and which island you want to visit. For some destinations, flying directly to the island is the quickest option. For others, the journey involves flying to Athens and continuing by domestic flight or ferry.

If you are visiting several islands, a combination of flights and ferries can often provide the most practical itinerary.

This guide explains the main ways to reach the Greek Islands and how to choose the best route for your trip.

Flying to Greece

For international visitors, flying is usually the first stage of a Greek island holiday.

Athens International Airport is Greece’s principal international gateway and provides connections with destinations throughout Europe and beyond. From Athens, travellers can continue to the islands by domestic flight or travel to one of the city’s ferry ports.

However, Athens isn’t always necessary.

Several Greek islands have airports receiving international flights, particularly during the European summer season. Flying directly to your chosen island can save considerable travelling time.

Greek Islands With International Airports

Some of the major Greek island destinations receiving international flights include:

• Crete
• Rhodes
• Corfu
• Kos
• Santorini
• Mykonos
• Zakynthos
• Kefalonia
• Skiathos
• Samos

The number of international services varies considerably by island and season. Many routes operate primarily between spring and autumn.

Crete is unusual because it has two major airports serving Heraklion and Chania, giving travellers considerably more choice.

Direct flights can be particularly attractive if you’re spending your entire holiday on one island or using a major island as the starting point for an island-hopping trip.

Flying via Athens

Travelling through Athens provides access to a much wider range of Greek islands.

After arriving at Athens International Airport, you can either take a domestic flight to an island airport or continue to one of the ferry ports serving the Aegean.

Domestic flights can be particularly useful when travelling to distant islands such as Rhodes, Kos or Crete, where travelling from Athens entirely by ferry takes considerably longer.

Athens can also be worth incorporating into the holiday itself. Spending a night or two in the capital before travelling to the islands avoids the stress of trying to coordinate an international flight with a ferry departing shortly afterwards.

Getting to the Greek Islands by Ferry

Ferries are an essential part of transport in Greece and provide access to islands that don’t have airports.

They range from large conventional ferries carrying passengers and vehicles to faster passenger vessels connecting popular destinations.

During summer, an extensive network connects the mainland with the islands and links many islands with one another.

Ferry frequencies generally decrease outside the main tourist season, so an itinerary that works easily in July may be considerably more difficult in winter.

The Main Ferry Ports Near Athens

There are three important ferry ports in the Athens region: Piraeus, Rafina and Lavrio.

Piraeus

Piraeus is Greece’s largest passenger port and the most important starting point for many Greek island journeys.

Ferries from Piraeus serve numerous destinations in the Cyclades, Dodecanese, North Aegean and Crete.

It is well connected with central Athens and is often the most practical port for travellers spending time in the capital before heading to the islands.

Rafina

Rafina lies on the eastern side of Attica and is much closer to Athens International Airport than Piraeus.

It is particularly useful for ferries to parts of the Cyclades and can sometimes provide a more convenient connection for travellers arriving by air and heading directly to an island.

Lavrio

Lavrio is southeast of Athens and serves a smaller selection of routes.

It can nevertheless be useful for certain Cycladic destinations, particularly when planning routes involving islands in the western part of the group.

Ferries From Other Parts of Greece

Athens isn’t the only gateway to the islands.

Ferries leave from ports throughout mainland Greece. Depending on your destination, travelling from another regional port may be considerably more convenient.

The Ionian Islands, for example, are primarily connected with ports on the western side of mainland Greece rather than Athens.

Northern Greece also provides ferry connections to islands in the northern Aegean.

This is why it is important to plan your route around the geographical island group rather than assuming every island is most easily reached from Athens.

Travelling Between Greek Islands

Ferries make island hopping possible, but one of the most common planning mistakes is assuming that every nearby-looking island has a convenient direct connection.

Greek ferry routes are organised around established transport networks rather than purely according to geographical distance.

Travelling between islands within the same group is generally easier. For example, a journey combining several Cycladic islands will normally be simpler than an itinerary jumping between the Cyclades, Ionian Islands and Dodecanese.

If you are planning several destinations, our Ultimate Guide to Island Hopping in Greece explains how to build a practical itinerary.

Should You Fly or Take the Ferry?

There isn’t one answer for every journey.

Flying is usually better when:

• Your island has convenient direct flights.
• You have limited holiday time.
• You are travelling a long distance from Athens.
• You don’t particularly want the ferry experience.

Ferries are usually better when:

• The island doesn’t have an airport.
• You’re travelling between neighbouring islands.
• You’re taking a vehicle.
• The ferry route fits naturally into an island-hopping itinerary.
• You want to enjoy the experience of approaching the islands by sea.

Many Greek holidays work best using both.

You might, for example, fly directly to one island, travel between several islands by ferry and then fly home from a different airport.

Getting to the Cyclades

The Cyclades include some of Greece’s best-known destinations, including Santorini, Mykonos, Paros and Naxos.

Piraeus and Rafina provide important ferry connections to the group, while Santorini and Mykonos have airports receiving international flights.

Several other Cycladic islands have domestic airports.

The relatively dense ferry network makes the Cyclades one of the easiest regions for first-time island hopping.

Getting to the Dodecanese

The Dodecanese lie in the southeastern Aegean and include Rhodes, Kos, Leros and Patmos.

Rhodes and Kos are the group’s major air gateways and receive numerous seasonal international flights.

Ferries connect the islands with one another and with Piraeus, although the distance from Athens means journeys by sea can be long.

Flying into Rhodes or Kos and then continuing by ferry can therefore be an excellent way to explore the Dodecanese.

Getting to the Ionian Islands

The Ionian Islands lie west of mainland Greece and include Corfu, Kefalonia, Zakynthos and Lefkada.

Their transport geography is quite different from that of the Aegean islands.

Corfu, Kefalonia and Zakynthos have airports with seasonal international services, while ferries generally connect the islands with ports on Greece’s western mainland.

Lefkada is unusual because it is connected to mainland Greece by road, meaning you don’t need to take a ferry to reach the island.

Getting to Crete

Crete is Greece’s largest island and one of the easiest to reach.

International and domestic flights operate to Heraklion and Chania, while ferries connect Crete with Piraeus and several other islands.

Its size makes Crete particularly suitable for travellers who want the Greek island experience without necessarily island hopping.

It can also be used as part of a larger itinerary involving destinations in the southern Aegean.

How Far Ahead Should You Book?

During July and August, booking important flights, accommodation and ferry journeys in advance is sensible, particularly when travelling on popular routes.

Outside peak season, travellers often have greater flexibility.

Nevertheless, ferry schedules can change between seasons and aren’t always released far in advance. Check your actual travel dates rather than assuming that a route operating today will run on exactly the same schedule several months later.

Planning Your Journey

Start by deciding which island or island group you want to visit. Then work backwards to determine the most convenient gateway.

For a single-island holiday, a direct flight may be the simplest solution.

For island hopping, consider flying into one major island or Athens and using ferries to travel through a geographically logical group of islands.

And don’t automatically assume you need to return by the same route. An open-jaw itinerary — arriving through one airport and departing through another — can eliminate unnecessary backtracking and give you more time on the islands.