Flights to Crete

Flights to Crete, Greece are frequent in the summer months, so getting to Crete is easy. Unlike many of the small Greek islands, Crete has 3 airports: Heraklion, Chania and Sitia.

Rules and fees last checked: October 2026. Always confirm with the official source before you act.

Flying to Crete from the UK is easy from spring to autumn, and you can often pick up cheap flights. Direct flights from many other European countries land in Crete in the same season.

Winter flights to Crete

Direct winter flights from the UK to Crete are few, and most UK routes pause from December to February. The 2026–27 timetables of easyJet from London Gatwick and Jet2 from Bristol, for example, show flights to Heraklion in October, November and again from March, but none in December, January or February. Ryanair has said it will suspend its Chania and Heraklion flights for winter 2026, according to HuffPost UK (May 2026). Check the airline's own timetable for the dates you want, because winter schedules change every year.

Athens is the year-round gateway to Crete. Aegean Airlines and Sky Express both fly from Athens to Heraklion, and Sky Express also flies from Athens to Chania, including in winter. Travellers from outside Europe usually connect through Athens too.

Athens to Crete flights normally take around 1 hour, and Thessaloniki to Crete flights usually take about 1½ hours.

The new Heraklion airport at Kastelli

The new Heraklion International Airport at Kastelli, inland south-east of Heraklion, will replace the present Nikos Kazantzakis Airport at Heraklion. The new airport is expected to open in 2028, with construction more than 67% complete in January 2026, according to GTP Headlines. Until it opens, all Heraklion flights use the existing airport described below.

Crete Airports

Heraklion Airport

Heraklion Airport is the largest and busiest of the 3 Crete airports and is centrally located towards the east of the island, about 5K east of Heraklion Town.

Heraklion Airport is useful for getting to popular beach resorts such as Ammoudara, Elounda, Hersonissos, Istron - Kalo Horio, Malia, Sissi and Stalis, and the popular towns of Agios Nikolaos, Sitia and Ierapetra.

You’ll probably be flying into Heraklion Airport if you are staying in and around Rethymnon too, with the popular holiday resorts of Adelianos Kampos, Agia Pelagia, Amoudara, Analipsi, Anissaras, Gournes, Kokkini Hani, Panormos or Platanes within easy access.

Heraklion Airport is the most popular destination airport for flights to Crete from airports all over Europe.

Direct flights from the UK to Heraklion Airport leave from at least 13 UK airports in season. In October 2026, Jet2 showed Heraklion flights from Belfast International, Birmingham, Bristol, East Midlands, Glasgow, Leeds Bradford, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton, London Stansted, Manchester and Newcastle. easyJet flies to Heraklion from Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Liverpool, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester. Routes change each season, so check the airline before you plan around a particular airport.

Heraklion Airport has a car park opposite the terminal, and it fills up in summer. Some people park by the perimeter fence along the west end of the airport, but you can get a ticket doing that.

On arrival, you can leave by hire car, taxi or bus. There are several hire car companies with kiosks just off the arrivals area. Local buses are frequent too, and there is a taxi rank just outside.

The resorts most easily reached from Heraklion International Airport, with approximate transfer times, are listed below.

Tips for Flying Home from Heraklion Airport

Heraklion Airport gets very busy in the summer season, so arrive early. We have flown to the UK from Heraklion even while living 15 minutes from Chania, because it had cheaper and more frequent flights.

The terminal is small for the number of passengers it handles. On busy days the queues for check-in can stretch outside under the canopies. These 3 habits save stress:

• Arrive ahead of the coaches that bring holidaymakers back from the resorts.
• Allow time for separate queues at check-in, baggage screening and passport control.
• Go through passport control as soon as your bags are checked in, because non-EU passport checks take longer.

Chania Airport

Chania Airport is the other international airport on Crete and is located in the west of the island.

Chania Airport has direct flights from many European countries in season, which makes getting to west Crete very easy indeed.

Chania Airport is useful for getting to popular west Crete beach resorts such as Agia Marina, Almyrida, Gerani, Kalyves, Kissamos, Maleme and Platanias.

Direct flights from the UK to Chania Airport leave from fewer UK airports than Heraklion flights. In October 2026, Jet2 showed Chania flights from Birmingham, Bristol, Leeds Bradford, London Stansted and Newcastle, and easyJet flies to Chania from Bristol, Glasgow, London Gatwick, London Luton and Manchester. Jet2's Manchester to Chania timetable showed no flights from November 2026 to February 2027.

Some of the resorts most easily reached from Chania Airport are listed below, with travel times by car.

Sitia Airport

Sitia Airport is the smallest of the Crete airports. It is located in the far east of the island. Sitia Airport has few flights, and most of them are Greek domestic routes.