Heraklion Airport: Greece’s Silent Powerhouse

Heraklion Airport has quietly yet decisively cemented its position as Greece’s second-busiest airport. Surpassing Thessaloniki’s 7.2 million passengers with an astounding 9.2 million in 2024, it widened the gap by two million travelers—enough to populate an entire metropolis. Who would have thought a mid-sized island airport could wield such influence?

Heraklion Airport’s Relentless Growth

The momentum continues into 2025. In February alone, Heraklion’s “Nikos Kazantzakis” Airport recorded a remarkable 30% surge in passenger traffic compared to the same month in 2024. Numbers soared from 96,267 to 125,533, reflecting Crete’s tourism boom. Nationwide, Greek airports welcomed 5.32 million passengers between January and February 2025, a 6.1% increase from 5.02 million the previous year. Leading the 24 facilities overseen by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), Heraklion Airport alone posted a staggering 14% rise in the first two months of the year.

Key Figures and Highlights

• Domestic Air Traffic: From 45,464 flights in early 2024, Greece saw 46,900 takeoffs and landings in the first two months of 2025, marking a 3.2% increase.
• Total Aviation Traffic (2024): Greece handled 79.4 million passengers, a 9.3% rise over 2023.

Top Airports in Greece (2024)

• Athens: 31.8 million passengers—because the Acropolis isn’t Greece’s only major draw.
• Heraklion: 9.2 million sun-seekers armed with SPF 50.
• Thessaloniki: 7.2 million, possibly debating whether five gyros are necessary for the flight home.
• Rhodes: 6.9 million, en route to ancient ruins (or escaping modern regrets).
• Corfu: 4.3 million, bravely tackling “Kerkyra” pronunciation.
• Chania: 3.9 million, proving Crete has space for all.
• Kos: 3.1 million, some wondering if it’s Rhodes’ cooler cousin.
• Santorini: 2.8 million battling for a single sunset photo.
• Zakynthos: 2.2 million asking, “Where’s the shipwreck beach?”
• Mykonos: 1.6 million—an average Tuesday by Mykonian standards.

In a surprising twist, Heraklion now operates more European flights than Athens, rivaling major continental hubs and reigning supreme over the Greek islands.

March Madness: A Surge in Travel Demand

While summer marks the official start of the tourism season, airlines aren’t waiting. Heraklion’s flight schedules are already surpassing last year’s figures, signaling another record-breaking year. Expect a wave of arrivals starting March 27 when the first charter flights touch down. Airlines are rapidly expanding their networks to accommodate surging demand:

• Sun d’Or Airlines: Launching two seasonal routes from Israel to Heraklion and Mykonos starting March 30.
• TUI Group: Introducing 70,000 extra seats for Greece in 2025, including expanded Heraklion routes to Istanbul and seven domestic destinations.
• New Markets: Poland strengthens ties with added flights from Warsaw and Krakow, while Spain, historically lukewarm toward Crete, now connects directly to Madrid and Barcelona.

Yet, some things remain constant. Germany, the UK, France, and the Netherlands continue to be Crete’s tourism bedrock, contributing the lion’s share of visitors year after year.

With construction of the new Kastelli Airport underway, Heraklion Airport is poised for its next evolution. As expansion surges, its role as a gateway extends beyond Crete, bridging Europe’s diverse travel markets with unwavering ambition and an air of inevitability.