Getting to Greece

Getting to Greece from North or South America

If you live in the Americas, the only way to get there is by airplane. There are few airlines that offer non-stop flights to Athens from New York (usually JFK airport).

The Greek carrier, Olympic airways, offers non-stop service from JFK to Eleftherions Venizelos airport in Athens Greece. Delta is the other airline which flies directly to Athens. A traveler can find indirect flights to Athens with many major and minor airlines, an option that is usually preferred by budget conscious travelers.

Air France, Alitalia, Lufthansa, British Airways, KLM, and many other major European carriers offer connection flights to Athens via their respective countries. If you choose KLM for instance, you will fly from New York JFK to Amsterdam, and once you board another plane you will fly from there to Athens.

Getting to Greece from Europe

From Europe a traveler can either fly or drive to Greece. All major European airlines and fly to Athens on a daily basis. In addition, large ferry boats connect Italy with the west coast ports of Greece.

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Greece borders to the North with Albania, FYROM, and Bulgaria, and to the east with Turkey.

Many western European visitors who decide to drive to greece travel through Italy to take advantage of the highways, and then board a ferry to either Igoumenitsa in northern Greece, or Patra in the western Peloponnese.

Buying Tickets to Greece

Using a travel agent is probably the easiest way to make sense of the complexities of connecting flights and ticket restrictions. Travel agents can save a traveler money on airline tickets because they can route a trip through the lowest cost flights. Large travel agencies can also offer special prices through special deals they strike with air carriers and ferries. Some also offer their own charter flights for substantial savings.

Contacting airlines directly is also an option, although they might be more inclined to accommodate your needs strictly through their own flights or affiliates. Airlines provide incentives to travel agents in the form of discounts, which might not be available directly through the airline.

Buying through an internet company is also a great way to save money and to put together a custom travel schedule.

Some travel agents offer discounts for cash payments, but paying with a Credit Card for airline tickets provides some security in case something goes wrong. Purchasing insurance for the flight is also a good idea.

Full time students and young people under 26 can get better fares by showing proof of age or student status.

Greece Airports

There are many airports designated as "International" but very few receive international flights on a regular basis.

The new Eleftherios Venizelos airport outside Athens receives the bulk of international flights. Airports at Thessaloniki and Heraklion also serve international airlines less frequently.

Many other international airports in Greece accommodate mainly charter flights from western Europe and the Americas. Such airports are found in --or near-- major tourist hubs like Mykonos, Santorini, Aktio (near Lefkada), Corfu, Hania, Kos, Karpathos, Kefalonia, Zakynthos, Samos, and Skiathos.

Map of Greek airports

Greece Ports

Greece is surrounded by sea. To the west the Ionian Sea is the southern extention of the Adriatic sea and home to major ports like Igoumenitsa, Corfu, Kefallonia, and Patra. Igoumenitsa and Patra are destinations for ferries coming from the Italian ports of Brindisi, Ancona, Bari, Trieste, and Venice.

To the east, the Aegean Sea connects Greece with Turkey. There are several regular ferries sailing between the Turkish coast and the Greek islands. Travelers must buy tickets in advance, and usually must surrender their passport which is returned the next day before boarding the ferry.

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Other ways of Getting to Greece

Yachting is a great way to get to Greece. Sailing the Ionian and Aegean islands can take a traveler to places inaccessible by regular transportation.