Crete’s New Heraklion Airport to Become Mediterranean Hub

Photorealistic depiction of the new International Airport of Heraklion. Photo source: Fairbanks Arquitectos.

Works on the highly anticipated Kastelli Airport to handle initially 15 million passengers a year and create hundreds of jobs are moving ahead as scheduled, said Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis during his visit to Crete this week.

Mitsotakis visited the island to present the Crete 2030 development plan which includes 480 major infrastructure projects, including road works, hospitals, marinas and ports in addition to the airport.

Construction works on the site of the Kasteli International Airport on Crete. Photo source: Prime Minister’s Press Office.

The new international airport of Heraklion in the Kasteli area, budgeted at 522 million euros and set to create 2,000 jobs, will once completed replace the existing “Nikos Kazantzakis” airport, the country’s second largest currently handling over six million passengers a year. The new airport, scheduled to launch operations by the end of 2027 or early 2028, will be able to reach a capacity of 18 million passengers a year.

During an inspection visit of airport works, Mitsotakis noted that it was the largest construction site currently in Greece. “Crete is getting an airport worthy of its development potential,” he said, adding that Kastelli will also be “one of the largest airports built in the whole of Europe”.

Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis speaking to the press at the construction site of Kasteli International Airport on Crete. Photo source: Prime Minister’s Press Office.

The design, construction, financing, operation, maintenance and exploitation of the new airport on Crete, as well as the design, construction and financing of its connecting 24km road network have been undertaken by GMR Group and Greek infrastructure company Terna SA for a period of 35 years including a five-year construction phase.

“Crete will have a modern airport which can be visited by up to 15 million passengers. This will be the most modern airport in the Mediterranean,” said Transport Minister Kostas Karamanlis, adding that the project was moving ahead of schedule.

Photorealistic depiction of the new International Airport of Heraklio (Check-in area). Photo source: Fairbanks Arquitectos.

Mitsotakis also pledged to make good use of the Heraklion Airport once the new one at Kasteli begins operations. “This is a very important area located in the urban fabric of the city of Heraklion. We will listen to the thoughts and suggestions of the local community and I believe this space can be used immediately for the benefit not only of Heraklion residents, but also of the whole of Crete,” said Mitsotakis.

As part of airport works, a number of other key infrastructure projects, including the completion of the so-called north road axis and peripheral roadway networks as well as water and sanitation works are in the pipeline.