Do you visit Crete often, or plan to buy a home in Crete, Greece’s largest island? The island will be getting a big upgrade, and it might get a lot easier for you to get to the island.
The Crete 2030 Development Plan includes 480 infrastructure projects, including new roads, hospitals, marinas, ports, and the 2nd biggest airport in Greece.
New Airport in Crete Is 40% Ready
Recent updates from January 2025 show that construction is now 40% complete. The Kastelli Airport will handle millions of passengers per year and will create hundreds of jobs. The Kastelli Airport will replace the international airport of Heraklion, the “Nikos Kazantzakis Airport,” which is currently the second-largest airport in Greece and handles six million passengers every year.
Where Will Crete’s New Airport Be?
It will be just a 25-minute drive from Heraklion.
It will connect the North and South of Crete through the North Road Axis (BOAK) and the South Road Axis (NOAK), with a new modern highway of two express lanes and one emergency lane in each direction. This is the first interconnection of North and South Crete with a modern road network. Before, the two areas were meaning it will easier for you to travel back and forward between the north and south of the island.
The new airport will also connect travelers from Chania, Rethymno and Sitia in much shorter times.
When Will Crete’s Airport Be Ready?
In December 2024, Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis said that the airport will be ready by February 2027. There will be 19 boarding gates. 29 percent of the terminal is now complete. The runway is 43 percent complete. Pavement work is advancing to connect the airport with Crete’s main north-south road axes (BOAK and NOAK).
Current Progress
The terminal building is 90% complete, the 3200 meter runway is almost 50% complete, and the control tower is 10% complete.
If I Own a Home in Crete, How Does This Affect Me?
It will become easier to get to and from Crete for visits, and especially if your home is near Heraklion. The airport will eventually have a 18 million person capacity, which is three times larger than the capacity of the current airport. That likely means more flight options and fewer waiting times for you.
Kastelli Airport Features
Mitsotakis calls it “the largest construction site of Greece – one of the largest airports built in the whole of Europe”. Among the features, one terminal building will be almost 100,000 square meters in size, with LEED SILVER certification. It is worth noting that the project focuses on the reduction of Co2 emissions. A museum space inside will feature Cretan history and mythology, with archaeological remains found during the construction on display.
The new airport will also have biometric and automated control procedures, facilities for entertainment, leisure, catering, prayer, baby and mother support, and more.
Crete Development Plan 2030
The whole Crete Development Plan 2030 will cost 7.7 billion euros and in addition to new infrastructure, it will improve agricultural production and sustainability. 191 million euros will be spent on upgrading the research facilities at the Hellenic Center for Marine Research (HCMR) and the Centre for Technological Research of Crete.
About Crete
Crete is the largest island in Greece, with immense cultural and archaeological heritage, and gems like the Palace of Knossos. The environment in Crete is stunning, with spectacular beaches, gorges and mountains and Mediterranean olive groves and vineyards. Crete is the fifth most visited destination in Greece, and it ranks seventh in the world in terms of the number of tourists, according to data from the World Tourism Organisation.
New Roadway in Crete
The new motorway of Crete will be called “VOAK” and its building is already started. The construction is split into three parts: The eastern section (Neapolis to Agios Nikolaos), the middle section (Chersonissos to Neapolis), and the western section (Chania to Hersonissos). The Western section is, of course, the largest. The Eastern section will be completed first.
What Will Crete’s New Motorway be Like?
The new highway in Crete will become the most intelligent highway in the country, with some of the newest technology as well as “Motorist Service Stations” where you can rest, buy Cretan products, and eat at a cafe or restaurant. Some charging stations will be available for electric vehicles, and rest stops will be available next to the highway with toilets.
What are the Benefits of a New Motorway in Crete?
A new motorway in Crete means lower travel times. If you’ve spent a lot of time on Crete, you know that traveling long distances in Crete takes a lot of time. Tourists in many cases do not visit places far from their stay, exactly for this reason. The new road will help develop tourism further on Crete, while also make the road more safe.
