How far is Chania airport from the old town?

About 14 km — 20 minutes by taxi (€25-35) or KTEL bus (€2.50). Pre-book transfers in peak season.

Chania or Heraklion airport — which is better?

Choose CHQ for west Crete (Balos, Elafonisi, Samaria). Choose HER for Knossos, Lasithi and east Crete. Open-jaw (CHQ in, HER out) is ideal for full-island trips.

Are there direct flights from the UK to Chania?

Yes — seasonal routes from London, Manchester and other UK airports (May–October). Off-season, connect via Athens (50-minute hop).

How much is Athens to Chania?

From €49 one-way with Olympic Air or SKY express. Peak summer can reach €120+. Book 6–8 weeks ahead.

Can I rent a car at Chania airport?

Yes — all major agencies at arrivals. Essential for west Crete beaches. Pre-book for July–August.

How do I get from Heraklion airport to Elounda?

Taxi €60-75 (45 min) or pre-booked transfer. Rental car recommended for exploring Lasithi.

Is Heraklion or Chania airport cheaper?

Similar domestic pricing. HER has more daily flights; CHQ often has more charter capacity from northern Europe in summer.

How early should I arrive at Heraklion airport?

90 minutes for domestic, 2 hours for international. July–August queues can be long — add 30 minutes.

Flights · Crete arrival airports

Flights to Crete.

Compare flights to Chania and Heraklion, then plan your stay and onward travel across Crete.

Island airports: 3
Shortest from Athens: 50 min · Chania
Starting fares from: €49
From Athens: Aegean · Olympic · SKY express

01Routes

Popular flight routes to Crete.

Starting fares, flight times and frequencies from our route data. Tap a route to search today’s fares.

From Athens, year-round

ATHCHQ
Athens to Chania
Aegean Airlines · Olympic Air · SKY express
Flight
50 min
Frequency
10-15 daily
From
€49
Search fares
ATHHER
Athens to Heraklion
Aegean Airlines · Olympic Air · SKY express
Flight
50 min
Frequency
12-18 daily
From
€52
Search fares
ATHJSH
Athens to Sitia
Olympic Air · SKY express
Flight
55 min
Frequency
1-2 daily
From
€62
Search fares

Direct from Europe, in season

Source: Discover Crete flight route data. Starting fares are indicative one-way economy fares; the search shows the fare you can book.

02Island airports

Choose your Crete arrival airport.

Every island airport links to its own guide: airlines, schedules, fares by month and how to get from the terminal to your hotel.

Browse all islands

CHQ · Chania HER · HeraklionATH · Athens

Coastline: Natural Earth

03Fares by month

When flying from Athens costs least.

Average one-way economy fares from Athens to the three busiest island airports, month by month.

Average one-way fare from Athens (ATH), in euros
Month	Chania (CHQ)	Heraklion (HER)	Season
April	€49	€52	Lowest
May	€68	€68
June	€88	€88
July	€125	€125	Peak
August	€128	€128	Peak
September	€78	€78
October	€62	€62

Averages from our route data, not live prices. Round trips booked together are often cheaper per leg.

042026 aviation outlook

What changes at the island airports.

Compare arrival airports using the destination guides. Check current airport and airline information before travelling.

Runways and aircraft at the Crete airports
Airport	Runway and aircraft	International
Chania CHQ	3,347 m runway · handles A320/B737 and seasonal wide-body charters	Seasonal direct
Heraklion HER	2,680 m runway · handles full narrow-body fleet year-round	Seasonal direct
Sitia JSH	Regional airport · domestic turboprop & small jet operations	Via Athens

05Open-jaw strategy

Fly into one island, home from another.

Two one-way flights to different airports beat a round trip whenever the ferry back to Athens costs you a day. Hop the islands in between.

Skip the 5 to 8 hour ferry back to Athens
See three or four islands instead of one or two
Book each one-way on whichever airline suits

Example route from London

01Arrive at Chania (CHQ)Choose your departure airport and dates in the search.
02Travel across Crete by roadPlan a few days in each base and allow time for mountain roads.
03Depart from Heraklion (HER)Compare a separate return flight and check any one-way car hire fee.

Inter-island travel Ferry tickets

06Airlines

Who flies where.

Compare the airlines listed in our Crete route guides, then search your dates for current availability.

Olympic Air
OA · Regional
Serves CHQ · HER · JSH
SKY express
GQ · Low-cost
Serves CHQ · HER · JSH
Aegean Airlines
A3 · Flag carrier
Serves CHQ · HER
easyJet
U2 · Low-cost
Serves CHQ · HER
Ryanair
FR · Low-cost
Serves CHQ · HER

07Fly or ferry

Decide in ten seconds.

Fly when

Time matters: 35 to 45 minutes from Athens
You are flying in from outside Greece
Your island has an airport: JTR, JMK, PAS, JNX, MLO or JSY
You travel with small children or limited mobility

Take the ferry when

You bring a car or a lot of luggage
You are hopping between three or more islands
Your island has no airport: Ios, Folegandros, Sifnos and more
You want the crossing to be part of the trip

Manage booking

View your flight details

Enter the booking ID from your confirmation to see itinerary, passengers, and status.

FAQ

Flights to Crete, answered.

About 14 km — 20 minutes by taxi (€25-35) or KTEL bus (€2.50). Pre-book transfers in peak season.
Choose CHQ for west Crete (Balos, Elafonisi, Samaria). Choose HER for Knossos, Lasithi and east Crete. Open-jaw (CHQ in, HER out) is ideal for full-island trips.
Yes — seasonal routes from London, Manchester and other UK airports (May–October). Off-season, connect via Athens (50-minute hop).
From €49 one-way with Olympic Air or SKY express. Peak summer can reach €120+. Book 6–8 weeks ahead.
Yes — all major agencies at arrivals. Essential for west Crete beaches. Pre-book for July–August.
Taxi €60-75 (45 min) or pre-booked transfer. Rental car recommended for exploring Lasithi.
Similar domestic pricing. HER has more daily flights; CHQ often has more charter capacity from northern Europe in summer.
90 minutes for domestic, 2 hours for international. July–August queues can be long — add 30 minutes.

Keep planning

The rest of the trip.

Ready when you are

Ready to take off.

Search fares, book your seat and plan the rest of the trip in one place.

Search flights Or browse ferries

Flights to Crete 2026 | Chania & Heraklion Airport Deals

Flights · Crete arrival airports

Flights to Crete.

Compare flights to Chania and Heraklion, then plan your stay and onward travel across Crete.

Island airports: 3
Shortest from Athens: 50 min · Chania
Starting fares from: €49
From Athens: Aegean · Olympic · SKY express

01Routes