Heraklion Airport has confirmed 290 international flights over the Easter weekend. ravelers swarmed the place as if Crete were handing out free mythological creatures with every sunbed. Between Holy Thursday and Easter Sunday alone, the airport managed 290 international flights. You’d expect the staff to buckle under such weight—but according to airport director Iakovos Ouranos, that’s just another weekend on the island.
“Our infrastructure and teams are tested every year, but the results speak for themselves,” said Ouranos, looking suspiciously refreshed for a man overseeing a small city of suitcases and sandals. “This year is proving as busy as the last, maybe even busier—unless international events conspire to slow us down. July and August remain our busiest months but, as the statistics show, even the so-called ‘limits’ manage to inch a bit higher every season.”
Who are the culprits behind this invasion? The usual suspects. Germany, the UK, and France still fill most seats. Poland, not content with pierogi, is clearly on a mission to see every last Greek beach. The Netherlands is also muscling its way into the top five, presumably tired of all that flat land. “Countries like Italy, Switzerland, Israel, Romania, Belgium, Austria, and the Czech Republic consistently bring over 100,000 arrivals each,” Ouranos added, as if rattling off Eurovision scores. “There’s curiosity this year about Saudi Arabia, Azerbaijan, Armenia, and Turkey—they’re dipping toes too.”
Why Did Everyone Decide to Visit Crete at the Same Time?
The answer, naturally, starts with Easter—and ends with people’s insatiable need to redecorate Instagram feeds with the same blue-and-white backdrops. Yet there’s another culprit: the calendar itself. In 2025, Catholic and Orthodox Easters aligned on April 20. This synchrony meant holidaymakers arrived in unison, creating the statistical equivalent of a traffic jam with suntan lotion.
Those looking for hard numbers found plenty. Passenger traffic has jumped by 8.4% since the start of 2025. Quote Ouranos: “From the beginning of the year, total passenger numbers are up 8.4%.” Last March, Europe’s holiday seekers filled Heraklion after the earlier Catholic Easter; this year, the late April surge did the trick instead. Anyone thinking the summer months could get even hotter? Don’t bet on it. “There’s little room for more increases in July and August unless flights spread throughout the week and the day. Our real chance to grow is by making the season start in mid-March and extend into late November,” he explained. Because nothing says ‘Greek holiday’ like a November thunderstorm in your beach drink.
Last year wasn’t exactly a quiet one. “In 2024, the airport saw more than 9.34 million passengers,” Ouranos confirmed. For six months, they moved over a million people every month—peaking at 1.6 million in July and August. June and September each brushed 1.4 million. If the airport gets any busier, travelers may have to start booking a spot just to stand in the baggage claim.
- Passenger numbers up by 8.4% since the start of 2025.
- March was quieter than last year, but April made up for it thanks to the overlapping Catholic and Orthodox Easters.
- In 2024, the airport served over 9.34 million travelers.
- Summer months see more than a million people passing through every month.
- The only real way to grow? Extend the tourist season, but brace for exhausted staff and worn-out facilities.
The relentless growth comes with a price. The existing infrastructure looks ready to shuffle off its mortal coil, as more travelers pile in. And just when everyone was hoping for shiny new terminals, an official swoops in. “The Deputy Minister of Infrastructure announced a slight delay in completing the new international airport at Kasteli,” Ouranos concluded, his optimism as sheer as an airplane snack. “Until then, we’ll keep working to improve what we have and hope we don’t need to start issuing tickets for the line at security.”
Crete: where the sun is hot, the beaches are packed, and the airport is only ever one suitcase away from breaking news.
