Greek Airports See Record 9.3% Growth in Passenger Traffic for 2024

Greek airports experienced a significant surge in passenger traffic in 2024, marking a 9.3 percent increase compared to 2023, according to the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) and Hellenic Aviation Service Provider (HASP).

During January–December 2024, the country’s 39 airports collectively handled 79,403,911 passengers, up from 72,616,584 in 2023. This figure includes traffic from Athens International Airport (AIA), 24 state-managed airports, and 14 regional airports operated by Fraport Greece.

Flight operations (domestic and international) also saw growth, with 603,931 flights recorded in 2024, a 7.6 percent rise from 561,366 in 2023.

State-managed airports: Passenger traffic up by 8%

The 24 airports under the HCAA’s management (Heraklion, Kalamata, Alexandroupoli, Limnos, Astypalaia, Ioannina, Chios, Kozani, Kastoria, Karpathos, Kythira, Milos, Skyros, Nea Anchialos, Paros, Syros, Araxos, Naxos, Kalymnos, Ikaria, Kastelorizo, Kasos, Leros, Sitia) saw passenger traffic increase by 8 percent year-on-year. Total traffic reached 11,975,632 passengers, compared to 11,092,141 in 2023.

Athens International Airport breaks records

Athens International Airport (AIA) recorded 31.85 million passengers in 2024, a 13.1 percent increase from 2023, surpassing its previous record of 28 million. Domestic passenger traffic rose by 7.3 percent, while international traffic surged by 15.7 percent.

Fraport Greece airports hit milestones

The 14 regional airports managed by Fraport Greece welcomed over 36 million passengers in 2024, representing a 6.4 percent increase from 2023. This included an additional 2.1 million passengers compared to the previous year.

These airports (Aktion, Kavala, Thessaloniki, Corfu, Crete/Chania, Kefalonia, Kos, Lesvos/Mytilene, Mykonos, Rhodes, Samos, Santorini, Skiathos and Zakynthos) performed well across both domestic and international markets.

Outlook for 2025

The strong performance of Greek airports in 2024 signals continued growth for the tourism sector. Early indicators suggest that 2025 could surpass all previous records, further solidifying Greece’s position as a leading destination for global travelers.