According to Fraport, a major transport provider and owner of 14 of Greece’s airports, Greece had record passenger traffic in 2023. More specifically, international passenger traffic boosted by 6.5 percent compared to 2022 and 14 percent over pre-pandemic 2019. The total number of passengers (national and international) handled was 33,800,000, which was a 8.6 percent boost compared to 2022.
One of the strongest months was December, when Fraport airports welcomed 754,000 passengers, which was 12.7 percent higher than December in 2022. Statistically, international arrivals grew more than domestic arrivals in this period.
Travel to Mykonos
Paradoxically, Mykonos’s airport was the only airport out of Fraport’s 14 in Greece that had slightly lower traffic this year, dropping 1.7 percent compared to 2022. This could likely reflect a shift to other islands in the Aegean, or an increase in boat arrivals instead of flights.
Travel to Santorini
Santorini was the opposite. It saw an 18.7 percent rise in domestic traffic. Thessaloniki was also a winner, with arrivals up 18.7 percent to 7 million. Chania, Lesvos, and Kavala also saw increases of more than 10 percent. Athens characteristically also saw an increase, with Athens’s International Airport handling over 28 million travelers in 2023, a 24 percent increase from 2022.
Airports in Greece
Greece’s 14 airports operated by Fraport offer 900 routes to 42 countries. Experts expect 2024 to also see growth similar to 2023. Greece has a total of 38 airports. 14 are the above that are managed by Fraport Greece, and 24 are managed by the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA).
Crete is also building one of the largest airports in the country as part of its multi-year infrastructure boost. Read more about it here.
Direct Flights to Greece
Are you planning a trip to Greece soon? Click here to see all direct flights to Athens.
