The total passenger traffic across Greek airports surged in the first 11 months of 2024, marking an all-time high even before the year’s end. Based on figures from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA), 76,249,626 passengers passed through the nation’s airports between January and November 2024. This represents a 9.3% rise compared to the same period in 2023, which recorded 69,774,369 passengers.
- Overall Passenger Traffic (Jan-Nov 2024):
- 2024 Total: 76,249,626 passengers
- 2023 Total: 69,774,369 passengers
- Increase: 9.3%
Notably, airports across the country have already broken annual passenger records. Data for the 10-month and 11-month periods in 2024 surpassed traffic recorded throughout the full 12 months of 2023.
Heraklion Airport Takes the Lead
Heraklion Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” (IATA: HER, ICAO: LGIR, CAA: ΚΑΗΚ) stood out in November 2024, handling 225,234 passengers—an impressive 26.3% increase from the 178,376 passengers recorded in November 2023. As the busiest among Greece’s regional airports, it continues to lead in serving both domestic and international travellers.
- Heraklion Airport (Nov 2024):
- Passengers: 225,234
- Passengers in November 2023: 178,376
- Year-on-Year Growth: 26.3%
Increase in Aircraft Movements
Across 39 Greek airports, aircraft movements also rose substantially. For the January-November period, 577,118 flights (arrivals and departures) were recorded, marking a 7.5% jump compared to the 536,679 flights reported during the same window in 2023.
- Aircraft Movements (Jan-Nov 2024):
- 2024 Total: 577,118 flights
- 2023 Total: 536,679 flights
- Increase: 7.5%
Passenger Traffic Growth Across Regional Airports
At the 24 airports managed by HCAA, passenger volumes grew by 8.1% from January to November 2024 compared to 2023. These airports, serving destinations like Heraklion, Kalamata, and Naxos, saw total passenger numbers climb from 10,849,363 to 11,733,395.
- HCAA-Managed Airports (Jan-Nov 2024):
- 2024 Total: 11,733,395 passengers
- 2023 Total: 10,849,363 passengers
- Increase: 8.1%
Heraklion Airport’s consistent performance and rising trends across major and smaller airports underscore a thriving aviation sector in Greece. With record-setting traffic ahead of year-end, 2024 is shaping up as a milestone year for travel across the country.
