Private jet to Greece

Most Greek airports are on islands, and most of them take business jets. Private traffic splits into three kinds of trip: meetings in Athens and Piraeus, summer stays on the Cyclades, Crete, Rhodes and the Ionian islands, and yacht charters that begin or end a short drive from the runway. Athens has a separate general aviation terminal and works around the clock. Fourteen regional airports, among them Thessaloniki, Corfu, Chania, Rhodes, Mykonos and Santorini, are run by Fraport Greece under shared procedures.

The runway is rarely the problem. From June to September the islands ration slots and stands: on Mykonos and Santorini a business jet may stay on the ground only for a short stop, so it drops its passengers and waits in Athens, Heraklion or Thessaloniki. As a broker, we compare aircraft from operators across Europe, including those based in Athens, and quote the slot, the empty positioning legs and the onward helicopter or boat together.

Tell us the island, the hotel or villa, the dates and the number of passengers, and we reply with aircraft options, the slot situation and a price.

Why clients fly privately to Athens and the islands

Flight times from the main hubs

Times for a Phenom 300 light jet, taken from the price tables, including taxi, climb and descent:

Every main Greek airport is within non-stop reach of a light jet from western and central Europe. The Ionian islands are the closest: Corfu is under two hours from Milan. The south-east is the far end of the map: Hamburg - Rhodes takes 3:40 h, Madrid - Heraklion 3:56 h, and Stockholm - Athens 3:44 h. On sectors of more than three hours a midsize or super midsize jet gives a stand-up cabin and a larger hold; from London to Corfu a Challenger 350 needs 3:04 h.

What a private flight to Greece costs

Each price is for the whole aircraft, one way, with an aircraft available near the departure airport, plus handling, island lounge fees and passenger taxes. The flight time is that of the first aircraft in the row. Rows go to different Greek airports to show the spread of distances.

From the European hubs

Apart from Larnaca, 1:44 h from Athens, the nearest hubs are in northern Italy and Austria: Milan - Corfu costs EUR 13,500 in a Phenom 300, Vienna - Santorini EUR 15,000. From London a light jet to Corfu costs EUR 18,000, and a Challenger 350 with a wider cabin EUR 27,000. Paris - Mykonos is EUR 18,500 in a light jet, but a stay on the island usually adds empty legs, as explained below.

Between Athens and the islands

Inter-island legs are short, and a turboprop or a light jet covers them. Any operator licensed in the EU may fly between two Greek airports. In summer each leg needs its own slot and permission, so a trip over several islands is planned as a whole.

A turboprop costs EUR 6,500 on each of the short Cycladic legs and EUR 7,500 from Athens to Rhodes or Corfu. Paros, Naxos and Syros have short runways that suit turboprops rather than jets, so the last stretch there is often a PC-12, a helicopter or a boat.

From the UK regions, Scandinavia, central Europe and Istanbul

Copenhagen - Rhodes and Stockholm - Athens are both just over 2,400 km, a long sector for a light jet at 3:45 h and 3:44 h. For a family with summer luggage the Praetor 500 at EUR 24,000 adds a stand-up cabin and a larger hold. Istanbul - Athens is a short international hop of 1:15 h with passport control at both ends.

Long-haul flights

From the Gulf all three types fly non-stop: Dubai - Athens takes 4:21 h in a Falcon 900EX. From New York the Falcon 7X and the Global 7500 reach Athens without a stop in 9:38 h and 9:19 h, while the Falcon 900EX needs one fuel stop.

Prices move with the season and with the position of the nearest free aircraft. In July and August a stay on Mykonos or Santorini usually adds two empty legs, because the jet must leave the island after the drop-off and come back for the return. Greek airport charges and island lounge fees are listed in the quote. The departure country adds its own taxes: France about EUR 420 per passenger on a jet and about half on a turboprop, Italy EUR 100 per passenger up to 1,500 km and EUR 200 beyond on flights to or from Italy, Austria EUR 12 (EUR 30 up to 350 km). Germany and Norway charge departure taxes, and the Netherlands taxes passengers on aircraft of 5.7 t or more. UK Air Passenger Duty does not apply below 5.7 t; aircraft of 20 t or more with fewer than 19 seats pay the higher private-jet rate and other jets the standard rate. Sweden has no passenger tax.

Business jet price per flight hour

Heavy Jets from EUR 8,300 / hour

Light Jets from EUR 3,200 / hour

Ultra Long Range Jets from EUR 12,000 / hour

Super Midsize Jets from EUR 6,300 / hour

Very Light Jets from EUR 2,500 / hour

Long Range Jets from EUR 9,800 / hour

Midsize Jets from EUR 4,500 / hour

Turboprops from EUR 2,000 / hour

Three trips worked through

Price per person

A private jet is hired as a whole, so the share per seat falls with each extra passenger. Light jet prices from the main table:

Calculator

For another island or a return trip, the calculator gives an estimate in a few seconds:

Airports and business aviation terminals

The arrival airport is chosen by the address and by the summer rules, not by the size of the runway. Athens takes every class at any hour; on the islands the slot, the prior permission and the number of free stands decide where the aircraft lands and where it waits.

Other airports for business jets

Thessaloniki has runways of 3,440 and 2,410 m, works around the clock and is often where a jet waits during a stay on the northern islands or in Halkidiki. The other fields below serve particular islands or coasts:

Some places have no runway for jets at all. Naxos has a strip of about 900 m, Ios, Folegandros and Spetses have no airport, and Porto Heli is reached by helicopter from Athens in about 25 minutes. A helicopter from the general aviation terminal at Athens reaches Mykonos in about 35-37 minutes, in daylight only.

Two neighbours often share a trip with the Greek islands. The Turkish Aegean coast is close to the Dodecanese: Dalaman is 72 km from Rhodes and Bodrum 101 km, see Turkey. Cyprus is a short light-jet flight from Rhodes to Paphos. Both are outside Schengen, so passports are checked in each direction.

From the airport to the address

Which aircraft for which part of the country

The island runways set a ceiling: Mykonos and Santorini take jets up to super midsize, while a heavy jet there depends on a performance calculation for the day. Diving gear, golf bags and summer luggage are the usual reasons to move up a class. For the choice between classes, see the catalogue pages for turboprops, light jets and midsize jets.

When to fly: the year month by month

For the islands, late May, June and September combine a warm sea and open hotels with easier slots than July and August. Athens and Thessaloniki work all year, and the winter months are the simplest for a short business trip. Empty Legs are most frequent from late August to October, when aircraft leave the islands for their northern bases.

Empty Legs between Greece and the rest of Europe

An Empty Leg is a positioning flight without passengers, sold at a reduced price. The Greek summer creates many of them, because island airports send aircraft away after each drop-off. Typical patterns:

The operator fixes the date and time and can withdraw an Empty Leg if the original booking changes, so it suits a flexible trip. Send the direction and a range of dates to empty-legs@jets.flights, and we write back when a matching flight comes up.

Flying with a dog or cat

Greece applies the EU rules for pets, and on a private jet the animal travels in the cabin beside you. The operator must approve it in advance, so tell us the species, breed and weight with the passenger list.

• Microchip, implanted before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination.
• Rabies vaccination at least 21 days before travel for a first vaccination.
• EU pet passport for animals from the EU; up to five dogs, cats or ferrets per person on a non-commercial trip.
• From Great Britain: an animal health certificate from an authorised vet, issued no more than 10 days before arrival in the EU.
• From outside the EU the animal enters through a designated travellers' point of entry, and not every island airport is one, so we confirm the arrival airport before the flight.
• Greece requires no tapeworm treatment.

In July and August island aprons get very hot, so with animals on board we prefer morning or evening slots. Helicopter and ferry companies set their own rules for pets, and we check them separately for the last leg.

Documents, borders and taxes

Before departure

• Passport or EU ID card for every passenger; a passport for anyone arriving from the UK or from outside Europe.
• Passenger names and document numbers to us no later than the day before the flight.
• The address of the hotel, villa or yacht, which decides whether we land on the island or in Athens.
• The time of the return: island slots leave little room for delay, so leave the villa with a margin.
• Number of suitcases, golf bags and diving equipment, so the hold is checked against the aircraft.
• Pet documents and the operator's written approval for the animal.

How to book

1. Send the island or city, the dates, the number of passengers and the luggage. For July and August, say how long you stay.
2. We check the slot, the permission and the parking at the airport you need, and suggest Athens, Heraklion or Thessaloniki where the island rules do not allow the aircraft to stay.
3. You receive aircraft options from several operators with prices, flight times and the cost of any empty positioning legs.
4. After you confirm, the handler requests the slot and the permission, and we book the helicopter, boat or car for the last stretch.
5. On the day, the handler meets you at the aircraft, and the onward transport waits at the terminal or on the apron.

Questions about private flights to Greece

• • How much does a private jet to Greece cost?

  • The cheapest rows in our tables are the island hops at EUR 6,500 by turboprop, for example Athens - Mykonos. From the European hubs a light jet costs from EUR 12,500 (Larnaca - Athens) and EUR 13,500 (Milan - Corfu), from London to Corfu EUR 18,000. Prices are for the whole aircraft, one way, plus fees and taxes.

• • Can the aircraft stay on Mykonos or Santorini during my holiday?

  • In summer, usually not. A NOTAM limits ground time to a short stop, so the jet drops you off and waits in Athens, Heraklion or at its base. The empty legs are shown in the quote.

• • Which airport is best for Crete?

  • Heraklion for Knossos, Elounda and the east, Chania for the old harbour and the west. Chania is a military field and needs a landing permit four working days ahead.

• • How long is the flight from London?

  • London Farnborough - Corfu takes 3:15 h in a Phenom 300, and a Challenger 350 needs 3:04 h. Crete and Rhodes are further: Frankfurt - Heraklion takes 3:19 h, Hamburg - Rhodes 3:40 h.

• • Can a jet land on Paros or Naxos?

  • Paros has a runway of about 1,400 m for turboprops and some light jets, and only for flights from inside Schengen. Naxos takes small turboprops only, so most guests land on Mykonos or in Athens and continue by helicopter or boat.

• • Do I need a passport for Greece?

  • From a Schengen country there is no passport check, but every passenger needs a valid passport or ID card. From the UK, Cyprus or Turkey the border check takes place at the first Greek airport.

• • Can I fly from one island to another with the same aircraft?

  • Yes, with an EU operator. Each leg needs its own slot and permission in summer; Mykonos - Santorini takes 0:44 h in a PC-12.

• • Can my dog fly with us?

  • Yes, in the cabin, with a microchip, a valid rabies vaccination and an EU pet passport, or an animal health certificate from Great Britain. The operator must approve the animal before the booking.

• • When should I book for July and August?

  • Several weeks ahead, especially for weekends and the days around 15 August. In May, June and September a few days are usually enough.

• • Are there Empty Legs from Greece?

  • Yes, many from late August to October, when aircraft fly home after the season. Write to empty-legs@jets.flights with the direction and dates.

• • Is there a time difference?

  • Greece is two hours ahead of London and one hour ahead of Paris, Berlin and Rome all year.