Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport
Spata-Artemida, Greece
Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport
Greece's primary international gateway serving Athens and beyond.
- ›Opened in March 2001, replacing the outdated Hellinikon International Airport ahead of the 2004 Athens Olympics.
- ›Named after Eleftherios Venizelos, a prominent Greek statesman and Prime Minister of the early 20th century.
- ›The airport campus also includes a hotel (Sofitel Athens Airport) and a commercial mall within the terminal complex.
- ›It has won multiple ACI Europe awards for airport service quality in its size category.
- ›Runway configuration includes two parallel runways oriented roughly east-west to accommodate simultaneous operations.
Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, opened in 2001 ahead of the 2004 Olympic Games, is Greece's largest and busiest international airport. Named after the revered Greek statesman Eleftherios Venizelos, it serves as the primary hub for Aegean Airlines and a key gateway to the Mediterranean. Located in Spata-Artemida, about 35 kilometres east of central Athens, it handles tens of millions of passengers annually and connects Greece to destinations worldwide.
- Main Terminal — A single integrated terminal building housing all departures, arrivals, check-in halls, retail, and dining across multiple levels.
- Satellite Terminal — Connected to the main terminal via an underground walkway, primarily serving Schengen and select international gates.
- Metro Line 3 (Blue Line) direct to central Athens (Syntagma/Monastiraki) in approximately 40 minutes
- Suburban Railway (Proastiakos) connecting to Athens city centre and Piraeus port
- Express buses X95 (Syntagma), X96 (Piraeus), X97 (Dafni Metro) operating 24 hours
- Licensed taxis with fixed flat-rate fares to central Athens day and night
- Car rental desks from major operators including Hertz, Avis, Europcar, and Sixt
- Private transfer and ride-hailing services available curbside
- Sofitel Athens Airport
- Athens Airport Marriott Hotel
- Holiday Inn Athens Attica Avenue
- Avtel City Resort Spata
- Novotel Athens
Inside the terminal, travellers will find a solid mix of Greek taverna-style eateries, international fast food chains, and coffee bars, with options airside and in the departures hall. The airport features local brands alongside familiar names such as Everest and Goody's for a quick Greek-influenced bite. For a broader dining experience, the town of Spata and surrounding areas offer traditional Greek tavernas a short taxi ride away.
- Purchase an Athens Airport Metro ticket in advance or use a contactless card — the ride to Syntagma Square takes about 40 minutes and is the most cost-effective option.
- Fixed taxi fares apply between the airport and central Athens (day and night rates differ), so confirm the rate with your driver before departure.
- Duty-free shopping is available both before and after passport control, but non-EU travellers should keep receipts for VAT refund claims.
- Allow extra time during summer peak season (June–August) as check-in queues and security lanes can be significantly longer than usual.
AI-assisted overview, verified against public sources.
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Stay, Eat & Explore: Athens
The cradle of Western civilisation
- •Acropolis & Parthenon — The 5th-century BC citadel that defined classical architecture.
- •Acropolis Museum — Glass floors over excavations, marbles in Attic light.
- •Plaka & Anafiotika — Island-style lanes beneath the sacred rock.
- •Ancient Agora — Where Socrates argued and democracy was practised.
- •Lycabettus Hill — Funicular to the city's highest sunset view.
Getting around: Metro Line 3 runs airport to Piraeus port; trams reach the coast. Ferries fan out to the islands from Piraeus and Rafina.
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Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos, commonly initialised as AIA, is the largest international airport in Greece, serving the city of Athens and the region of Attica as well as connecting traffic. It began operation on 28 March 2001 and is the main base of Aegean Airlines, as well as other smaller Greek airlines. It replaced the old Ellinikon International Airport.
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