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Island hopping by air
Island hopping by air
Athens, Mykonos, Santorini and the islands around them are minutes apart by air. Here is how the hops work, which aircraft suit the smaller island runways, and when the ferry is the better choice.
Plan a hop
The islands at a glance
Airports, aircraft and ferries
Flight times are approximate airborne times by turboprop or light jet. Ferry times are for fast summer services and vary with the timetable and stops.
| Island | Airport | Runway and ramp | From Athens by air | Fast ferry from Athens |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mykonos | JMK | Business jets up to large cabin; small apron, usually drop-off only from May to September | ≈ 30 to 35 min | Roughly 2½ to 3 hours from Piraeus or Rafina |
| Santorini | JTR | Longer runway for most jets; the apron gets busy in summer | ≈ 40 to 50 min | Roughly 4½ to 5 hours from Piraeus |
| Paros | PAS | Short runway; turboprops are the usual choice, some light jets case by case | ≈ 35 min | Roughly 3 hours from Piraeus |
| Naxos | JNX | Very short runway; small turboprops only | ≈ 35 to 40 min | Roughly 3½ hours from Piraeus |
| Milos | MLO | Very short runway; small turboprops only | ≈ 35 min | Roughly 3 to 3½ hours from Piraeus |
| Crete (Heraklion) | HER | Large airport; any business jet | ≈ 45 to 55 min | Overnight or long day ferries |
| Rhodes | RHO | Large airport; any business jet | ≈ 50 min to 1h 10m | Long ferry crossing; flying is usual |
Which aircraft for small island ramps
Island airports come in three broad sizes. Athens, Heraklion and Rhodes take any business jet. Mykonos and Santorini take jets up to large cabin, with the limit in summer being apron space rather than runway. Paros, Naxos and Milos have short runways where turboprops are the practical choice, and the shortest suit only small turboprops. The operator confirms every aircraft and airport combination before quoting.
For a hop of half an hour, a turboprop or light jet costs far less than repositioning a large jet between islands. Many travellers fly the long leg in a larger aircraft into Athens or Mykonos and switch to a smaller one for the islands.
Ferry or fly?
Fast ferries connect the main islands several times a day in summer and are part of island life. Flying wins when time is short, when the sea is rough, or when the ferry route needs a change in Piraeus. A thirty-minute flight against a three-hour crossing also leaves a whole afternoon on the island.
The summer wind
From July into August the meltemi blows from the north, strongest in the afternoon. It cancels ferries more often than flights, but it can make approaches bumpy and occasionally delays smaller aircraft. Morning departures are usually smoother. More on the meltemi.