Athens Eleftherios V. Airport (ATH) Flights & Information

Athens International Airport (ATH) has only existed since 2001, but it’s already the second busiest in the Balkan region and one of the top 20 busiest airports in all of Europe. Next time you find yourself flying through this important southern European hub, use these expert tips for navigating ATH to improve your experience.

Going from and to ATH by car

As with any destination, the most convenient way to reach the city center from Athens International Airport is by car. Taxis are abundant in Athens, including at ATH, where you’ll usually find a line of cabs ready to go. If you’re headed to the city center, you’ll pay a convenient flat rate from the airport.

If you choose taxi transport, know that the flat rate increases considerably between midnight and 5:00 am, and that this charge is based on your final arrive time (not the time you begin the trip). It’s still a reasonably priced option and you’ll find your pick-up outside Door 3 of the arrivals area.

Ridesharing in Greece is not common, but Uber does operate in a few select parts of the country. Athens is one of them, but it’s not the traditional Uber service you’re used to. The Uber app can only hail taxis for you, but I still choose this option for several reasons.

Using the Uber app for a taxi, I can pay directly through the app and avoid language barriers with my destination address. I also have more reliable access to customer support if anything goes wrong. Keep in mind that taxi drivers can charge you an extra fee for each piece of luggage over 22 pounds, and that extends to taxis booked through Uber, so your final fare may be higher than your original Uber estimate.

Public transportation from ATH

There are three options for taking public transportation to and from Athens International Airport, and they’re all fairly straightforward and convenient.

The easiest, and my personal preference between the three, is to take the Athens Metro. It’s a simple system with just three lines labeled by color, so it’s easy to navigate, even in a country with such a unique alphabet that can be hard for US travelers to decipher.

From the airport, head to the second level departures area and follow signs to the elevated passageway leading to the metro station building. Buy a ticket from the machine before boarding – you don’t need to show it to board, but you’ll pay a steep fine if you’re caught without one during one of the frequent random inspections.

The Blue Line picks up at ATH every 30 minutes and will deliver you to Syntagma station in the city center in about 30 minutes. As long as your luggage is not excessively heavy, this is an easily managed route.

The bus is the least expensive way to travel between the airport and the city center, though it takes about double the time of the metro. While the metro trains stop running from the airport before midnight, the four express buses that service ATH run 24 hours. To find them, exit arrivals at Door 4 or Door 5 – the buses pick up between them.

You can buy tickets directly from the driver using cash or by tapping a contactless credit card, but this will only get you an adult one way. Whether you take metro or bus, I recommend buying the three-day tourist pass if you’ll be sticking around and using public transportation during your stay.

The pass is inexpensive and covers all trips on any mode of public transport, so it doesn’t matter which you take from the airport to start with. For this, you’ll need to purchase from a kiosk, not onboard. To reach the city center, take the X95 bus to Syntagma Square. If you’re headed to the port for a cruise, take the X96 to Piraeus instead. This will take about 90 minutes.

Your third option is to take the Suburban Rail, which also directly connects the airport to the city center, this time at Larissis Station. This is the most expensive of the three options, but it’s only slightly more expensive than the metro and trains run more frequently. If Larissis Station is more convenient for your accommodation, this is your best bet. Trains arrive at the same airport station as the metro.

Security lines at the airport

Like most major world airports today, security lines at ATH are fairly well managed and wait times are typically not long. On a normal travel day, you can expect to wait between 10 and 20 minutes to clear security on arrival. Of course, if you’re traveling during a peak period, this wait can grow to over an hour.

If you’re connecting through Athens from an international destination, you’ll need to pass through immigration before collecting your luggage and rechecking for your onward flight. While this process can be quick, it’s equally likely to be long, and there’s no way of predicting your experience ahead of time. I haven’t waited more than an hour for immigration here (and have often passed through much quicker), but wait times of over two hours have been reported.

Keeping this in mind, I recommend budgeting at least three full hours of connection time at ATH, just in case. If you have multiple bags, it wouldn’t hurt to add another hour to be sure you can collect them all and recheck them in time to reach your onward boarding gate.

Airline lounges and alternatives

Athens International Airport is home to many lounges that offer access to a variety of passengers, both free and paid. The only two airlines with dedicated lounges here are Aegean Airlines – the national flag carrier of Greece and a Star Alliance member – and Lufthansa, further benefitting Star Alliance passengers with qualifying tickets or memberships. If you don’t have free access through these methods, you can purchase a day pass to either.

Also of note, while the main terminal of ATH is divided between secured Schengen Zone flights and others, and you can’t travel between them, Aegean Airlines has a lounge in each section.

For Priority Pass members, there are several additional lounges operated by third parties. There is at least one available in each distinct area of the airport, so you’ll have potential access no matter where you’re flying. Both Skyserv and Goldair host lounges in the Schengen and non-Schengen areas of the airport. I prefer the vibe of the Goldair lounges, which is also what you’ll find in the satellite terminal.

All of these third-party lounges also offer day passes, pending capacity restrictions. While the amenities and food options are less extensive than those offered in the airline lounges, the price of entry is correspondingly lower too. While I’m typically not a fan of paying for day passes to lounges because the reward is often not worth the cost, these third-party lounges at ATH are an exception, especially for longer layovers.

Free Wi-Fi at ATH

Free Wi-Fi is offered throughout all the commonly traveled areas of Athens International Airport, including all boarding gate areas. There’s a 45-minute limit, but you just need to reconnect when your time is up and you’ll be able to resume using the service without charge.

Usually, the service is solid, but I’ve had my connection drop on occasion, so I wouldn’t recommend it for important video calls or other tasks that can’t be interrupted. It’s just not quite reliable enough to risk it for these. For casual users, you can just reconnect the same as when your time expires.

Most major airports today offer free Wi-Fi, but I love that ATH goes a step further. If your devices are uncharged or having trouble connecting for any reason, you can still access the free Wi-Fi here. ATH provides multiple internet kiosks around the airport, hosting computers that provide free connection for up to 15 minutes at a time.

Pet relief area

Until recently, it was necessary to exit the airport and take your dog outside for a potty break, but ATH has now added a pet relief area to the main terminal. This dedicated indoor space is right next to gate A15, giving your pup a post-security chance to go before boarding a long flight. This is in the non-Schengen, secured area of the airport after passport control.