When booking flights to Greece, most likely the bulk of what you find will be flights to Athens. Athens is the capital of Greece, and even if you plan to spend the majority of time in the Greek islands, such as Mykonos and Santorini, you’ll first arrive to Greece through flights to Athens. Greece’s second largest city of Thessaloniki is served by an international and national airport, however the relatively short runways are not ideal for long-haul flights.

You are simply more likely to find cheap flights to Greece by way of Athens. The new Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport in Athens has done wonders for the efficiency of travel around the country, and is the prime receiving point for visitors to Greece. Once in Athens, flights to other desired Greek destinations rarely take more than an hour, and the cost is usually less than $300. Major Greek carriers like Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airlines offer a regular series of flights between the cities of Athens and Thessaloniki, and to major posts in the Greek islands. A myriad of other transportation options abound for getting around Athens, and to other destinations in the country.

The best time to find cheap flights to Greece is during the off-season, which is primarily in the winter. During the summer months, specifically July and August, the number of visitors to Greece surges, with most looking to combine sightseeing in the great capital followed by trips to the famed islands. You will be vying with other tourists during the high season at sights like the Acropolis and Lykavittos Hill, and the many Greek beaches swell with sunbathers in the summer. If you don’t mind crowds, and are looking to enjoy the Greek nightlife that picks up around the beaches in the summer, then this is your time to go. The best way to find cheap flights to Greece during the summer is to book as early as possible and ideally you want to be a bit flexible with your dates. Searching different dates through various internet providers can often reveal a hidden discount not found on another site, so if you are willing to put a little effort into it, you should be able to at least save some money by shopping around. By looking as early as possible, especially during the spring, summer and fall, finding cheap flights to Athens is more attainable as airline companies primarily sell tickets in blocks and the cheapest are the first to go.

Greece Map

Although the beauty of the Greek islands is apparent year round, it is in the summer when the season is most busy, and the islands are more expensive especially in July and August. The seas usually begin to warm up for swimming in May, thus causing in influx in tourists looking to enjoy the wonderful Greek beaches around both the mainland and the islands. From major cities across Europe, summer charter flights to Greece can be found that take you directly to the islands. Cheap flights to Greece, including some cheap flights to Athens or Thessaloniki, can be found occasionally with charter flights that are advertised in European newspapers or websites where an attempt to fill a seat and make some money on the flight is the prime goal of the carrier or ticket seller.

Flights to Athens are so ideal because all roads in Greece seem to lead to the splendid capital, and a number of Greece ferries leaving the Port of Piraeus transport visitors to the island chains throughout the Aegean Sea. Many vacation packages to Greece and to the islands involve first flights to Athens, and sometimes finding discount flights to Greece is possible by booking your airfare with a package including accommodations and popular Greece tours.

Make sure you have arranged for a passport if you do not already have one before booking flights to Greece. A passport will be required to enter Greece and with it you can stay for up to 90 days. If you are planning on staying longer for study, work or pleasure, you will need a visa as well.