Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH) is Greece's main airport hub, located about 30 km east of central Athens, near Spata. In 2025 it handled nearly 34 million passengers, ranking as the 15th busiest airport in Europe.
Four practical options for reaching central Athens, Piraeus or nearby locations. Compare prices and book online at the best rates available before you depart.
Over 120 vehicles available at the terminal (Avis, Hertz, Sixt, Europcar, Enterprise, Budget, Centauro). Compact cars, SUVs, minivans, from €30/day with free cancellation.
See offers →Official yellow taxis with a fixed rate of €40 day and €55 night to the city centre. Private Kiwitaxi transfer with English-speaking driver and fixed price from €49.
Rates and booking →Over 7,000 spaces across Short Term, Long Term, Economy and Long Term Value. Aena rates from €5/day with online booking, free shuttle and premium Valet Parking.
All parking options →The Athens Airport Metro Line 3 (Blue) reaches Syntagma Square in 40-45 minutes for €9. Four 24/7 express buses (X95, X96, X93, X97) connect the centre, Piraeus and Elliniko.
Timetables and routes →Check the real-time arrivals and departures board for Athens Airport. Flight status, delays, flight number and airline updated automatically by Avionio.
Data is provided for guidance only. In case of delay or cancellation, check your airline's website. Dedicated pages: Athens Airport arrivals · Athens Airport departures.
Athens International Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (IATA code ATH, ICAO code LGAV) lies within the municipalities of Spata, Koropi, Markopoulo and Loutsa, about 30 km east of central Athens. It was opened on 28 March 2001, in time for the 2004 Olympics, replacing the old Ellinikon airport, which had reached saturation point.
The airport is named after Eleftherios Venizelos, a prominent Cretan political figure and Prime Minister of Greece, who made a significant contribution to the development of Greek aviation in the 1930s. The facility is managed by Athens International Airport S.A., with ownership split between the Greek State (55%) and private investors (45%), including Canada's PSP Investments and the Copelouzos Group.
After surpassing 20 million passengers in 2016, the airport continued to grow, reaching an all-time record of 33,993,746 passengers in 2025 (+6.7% compared with 2024), with 283,589 aircraft movements. It is currently a member of Group 1 of Airports Council International (over 25 million passengers) and ranks as the 15th busiest airport in Europe and second in the Balkans after Istanbul.
The airport is designed to be expanded in a modular fashion across six successive phases. The current expansion plan envisages increasing capacity to 33 million by 2028 and to 50 million passengers by 2045, with the possibility of adding up to five further terminals in the available area. The two current parallel runways, 4,000 m and 3,800 m, have already been designed to handle this volume of traffic.
The airport is the operating base of Aegean Airlines (with a 43.6% market share) and Olympic Air, as well as being an operating base for Ryanair and Sky Express (12% market share). All the major European carriers are also present (Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, ITA Airways, easyJet, Volotea, Wizz Air, Eurowings) as well as intercontinental ones (Emirates, Qatar Airways, Etihad, Delta Air Lines, American Airlines, United Airlines, Air Canada, Air China, IndiGo).
The fastest way to get from Athens Airport to the city centre is the metro: the Blue Line 3 of the Athens Airport metro connects Spata to Syntagma Square in 40-45 minutes, with a €9 ticket. Alternatively, four express buses run 24 hours a day from the Arrivals Level for €5.50.
| Mode | Destination | Duration | Price | Frequency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metro Blue Line 3 | Syntagma centre | 40-45 min | €9 | Every 36 min |
| Proastiakos train | Larissa Station / Piraeus | 34-60 min | €9 | Hourly |
| Bus X95 | Syntagma Square | 60-70 min | €5.50 | Every 15-30 min |
| Bus X96 | Port of Piraeus | 90 min | €5.50 | Every 20-40 min |
| Bus X93 | KTEL Kifissou / Liosion | 70 min | €5.50 | Every 20-40 min |
| Bus X97 | Elliniko Metro (south) | 60 min | €5.50 | Every 20-40 min |
| Yellow taxi | City centre | 35-45 min | €40 day / €55 night | Always available |
| Private transfer | City centre hotels | 35-45 min | from €49 | By reservation |
To explore Attica freely, car rental at Athens Airport is the best option: Cape Sounion, Lake Vouliagmeni and the beaches of the Athens Riviera are less than an hour's drive away. For those arriving late or with luggage, taxi or private Kiwitaxi transfer is the most convenient solution after a long flight.
Athens Airport is organised into two main terminals: the Main Terminal and the Satellite Terminal, connected by an underground passage fitted with moving walkways. All 153 check-in desks are located in the Main Terminal, spread across three levels (Arrivals, Departures, food court overlooking the eastern runway).
Two practical services for organising your arrival and departure: park at the terminal or stay nearby before a morning flight.
Five official parking types managed by Aena: Short Term 2 (1 min walk), Long Term (5 min walk), Long Term Value, Economy (€5/day with free shuttle) and premium Valet Parking at the Departures Level.
See all parking optionsFor morning flights or late arrivals: Sofitel Athens Airport (50 m from the terminal, 5 stars), Holiday Inn Athens Attica Av (8 km, 4 stars), Stone Palace Hotel (3 km, 24-hour shuttle), Comfort Stay (6 km, Spata).
Coming soonAthens Airport is accessible from the Attiki Odos motorway (A6) from central and northern Athens, from Varis-Koropiou Avenue from the west, from Laurio Avenue from the south and from Spata-Loutsa Avenue from the east. A toll applies on the A6, but the route is well signposted.
Address: Attiki Odos, 19019 Spata Artemida, Greece. GPS coordinates: 37° 56′ 11″ N, 23° 56′ 50″ E. Passenger information service: +30 210 353 0000 (24 hours a day). For passengers with reduced mobility (Sin Barreras), contact your airline at least 48 hours before the flight.
The terminal is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Check-in desks usually close 1 hour before domestic flights and 1 hour 30 minutes before international flights. Most shops and restaurants are open from 06:00 to 24:00.
Athens Airport Eleftherios Venizelos (IATA code ATH) is located about 30 km east of central Athens, near the municipality of Spata, in Attica. See also: Athens Airport map, Athens Airport today, Athens Airport official website.
A Blue Line 3 ticket from Athens Airport to the city centre costs €9 for adults and €4.50 for children, students and over-65s. The ticket is valid for 90 minutes across the entire OASA network, including buses and trams.
Official yellow taxis apply a fixed rate of €40 during the day (05:00-23:59) and €55 at night (00:00-04:59). For other destinations the meter applies.
Three options: bus X96 (90 min, €5.50), Proastiakos suburban train (60 min, €9) or taxi (50-70 min, about €60 during the day). Bus X96 is the cheapest choice for those continuing by ferry.
Yes, six international agencies are present at the Arrivals Level between exits 3 and 4: Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Hertz, Europcar, Sixt. They are available 24 hours a day, and over 120 vehicles can be booked online via Localrent.