Heraklion’s Nikos Kazantzakis Airport had another punishingly busy August, with passenger and flight numbers showing just how intense the peak of Crete’s tourist season has become.
The busiest day for passengers so far this year came on August 1, when 68,818 passengers passed through the airport. The following day brought another record, this time for aircraft movements. On August 2, the airport handled 406 arrivals and departures in a single day.
Two consecutive days, two different records, and a pretty good illustration of what the airport is dealing with at the height of summer.
More than 1.85 Million Passengers in August
During August, commercial domestic and international traffic accounted for 10,946 aircraft movements.
Domestic services recorded 1,381 movements, with 95,897 arriving passengers and 106,526 departures.
International traffic was considerably larger. The airport handled 9,565 international movements, involving 812,039 arriving passengers, 836,328 departing passengers and 1,670 transit passengers.
Put together, commercial domestic and international traffic brought more than 1.85 million passengers through Heraklion Airport during August alone.
The numbers also show continued growth compared with August 2025. Domestic arrivals increased from 89,486 last year to 95,897 this August, a 7.16% increase.
International arrivals rose from 784,809 to 812,039, representing another 3.47% increase.
Germany Remains Heraklion’s Biggest Market
The August figures also offer a useful snapshot of where Heraklion’s international visitors are coming from.
Germany remains comfortably in first place. The airport recorded 2,318 aircraft movements connected with the German market, bringing 197,251 arriving passengers and 201,699 departing passengers. Together, that amounts to almost 399,000 passengers.
The United Kingdom followed, with 1,345 movements and approximately 254,000 passengers.
Domestic traffic was also substantial, accounting for more than 202,000 passengers during the month.
France ranked next with more than 163,000 passengers, followed by Israel with more than 123,000, Italy with over 106,000 and Poland with almost 106,000.
The figures underline just how broad Crete’s international tourism market has become, with several major European markets continuing to send large numbers of visitors to the island.
7.28 Million Passengers Through August
August’s numbers are part of a much larger upward trend.
Through the first eight months of 2026, Heraklion Airport has handled 7,288,371 passengers, an increase of 4.5% compared with the same period last year.
Domestic arrivals have reached 644,136, up 2.9%, while international arrivals stand at 3,080,523, an increase of 5%.
Aircraft movements are also rising. The airport has recorded 48,570 movements so far this year, up 5.4% from the same period in 2025.
In other words, the August rush was not an isolated spike. The airport has carried more passengers and handled more flights throughout the 2026 season.
The Tourist Season Isn’t Over Yet
For an airport that routinely feels every bit of Crete’s summer pressure, these figures are impressive. They also remind us that September doesn’t suddenly switch the island’s tourism machine off.
The summer calendar may be winding down, but the tourist season at Heraklion Airport is still very much underway.
Heraklion Airport Director Iakovos Ouranos thanked and congratulated the airport staff for their continued work under demanding conditions, and wished them strength for the rest of the season.
And they will need it.
Because while August may have delivered the biggest crowds and some record-breaking days, Nikos Kazantzakis Airport is not done being busy.
