IATA · HERCrete · Greece

Heraklion Airport

Just over 10 million passengers used Heraklion Airport in 2025, more than in any year before.

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Heraklion Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” (HER) lies about 4 km east of the Cretan capital in Nea Alikarnassos, is run by the Greek state and is the gateway to northern and eastern Crete with Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos and Elounda.

10.0 mpassengers in 2025
about 4 kmto Heraklion centre
1terminal
2028planned move to Kastelli

Facts & figures

Heraklion Airport in figures

Official name: Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis”
IATA / ICAO: HER / LGIR
Operator: Hellenic Aviation Service Provider (HASP / YPA), a state body
Opened: March 1939
Passengers: 10,033,151 (2025) · about 9.4 million (2024)
Distance to centre: about 4 km to Heraklion
Location: Nea Alikarnassos, on the coast east of the city
Elevation: 35 m (115 ft) above sea level
Runways: 09/27, 2,714 m × 45 m asphalt · 12/30, 1,566 m
Successor: New airport at Kastelli, under construction

Getting there

From Heraklion Airport to Heraklion and the resorts

About 4 km lie between Heraklion Airport and the city centre, so bus and taxi both reach town quickly. City buses leave from the terminus at Heraklion Airport; long-distance KTEL buses to the resorts leave mainly from the Central Bus Station, and only some of them call at the stop outside the airport. Bus times below are from the winter 2026/27 timetables; prices marked “about” are guide values.

Transport	Destination	Duration	Price	Frequency
City bus line 12	Heraklion (city)	about 15-30 min	€1.30 in advance · €2.30 on board	every 10-15 min, about 06:00-00:30 (weekdays, winter)
City bus lines 6, 10, 11	City, Ammoudara, Gazi, university hospital	varies by line	€1.30 in advance · €2.30 on board	line 6 every 20-30 min, lines 10 and 11 about hourly
KTEL coach (airport stop)	Hersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos	about 1 h to Malia	fare not published online	7 selected departures a day, 07:30-20:45
KTEL coach (Central Bus Station)	Rethymno, Chania	about 1 h 30 / up to 2 h 45	fare not published online	hourly, 05:30-20:30 (weekdays, winter)
Taxi from the rank	Heraklion centre	about 10-15 min	about €17-22	rank outside arrivals
Hire car	all of Crete	handover at the terminal	depends on season	desks in the arrivals hall

With your own car you do not depend on timetables: car hire at Heraklion Airport. For groups and late arrivals a fixed transfer price is worth it.

Taxi rank outside the arrivals hall of Heraklion Airport

Live

Live flights at Heraklion Airport

On the busiest day of 2026, Sunday 2 August, Heraklion Airport handled 406 aircraft movements and almost 68,000 passengers. The live board shows arrivals and departures at Heraklion Airport with flight number, airline, origin or destination and current status, which is most useful for anyone timing a pick-up from the city or from Hersonissos.

Full boards: Arrivals · Departures

Onward from the terminal

Getting around from Heraklion Airport

Four things matter in the first twenty minutes after landing at Heraklion Airport: collecting a hire car, finding the taxi rank or a pre-booked driver, catching the city bus and, for those meeting passengers, parking. Heraklion Airport is compact, with the car hire desks in the arrivals hall and the taxi rank outside the arrivals exit. The four pages below go into the detail.

Most flexible

Car hire

Collect your car right at Heraklion Airport and compare offers with no deposit.

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Taxi & transfers

Fixed prices, official taxis and private transfers to your hotel or the port.

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Parking

Official car parks, charges and cheaper alternatives nearby.

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Bus & getting there

Public buses, journey times and fares to the centre and the resorts.

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Terminal

Terminal and services at Heraklion Airport

One terminal handles every scheduled and charter flight at Heraklion Airport, with arrivals and departures in the same building. Departing passengers are split after security into a Schengen area and a non-Schengen area; flights to the United Kingdom and Ireland leave from the non-Schengen gates after passport control. The latest extension of the terminal, opened in March 2018, added about 2,900 m² and eleven gates.

Free Wi-Fi covers the whole terminal of Heraklion Airport, a network expansion that the airport's director reported as complete in November 2026. Pay-per-use lounges are run by the ground handlers Goldair Handling and Skyserv, with lounges in both the Schengen and the non-Schengen area; opening hours follow the flight schedule. A duty-free shop, cafés and snack bars are found after security.

Heraklion Airport is busy for the size of the building: August 2025 alone brought about 1.79 million passengers, against about 126,000 in February. Queues at check-in and security are therefore longest on summer weekends, and airlines generally advise arriving two to three hours before departure. No terminal expansion is planned before the move to Kastelli; the works announced for winter 2026/27 cover toilets, fencing and apron lighting.

Services in the terminal

Free Wi-Fi throughout the terminal
Pay-per-use lounges (Goldair Handling, Skyserv) in the Schengen and non-Schengen areas
Duty-free shop after security
Cafés and snack bars
Car hire desks in the arrivals hall
Taxi rank outside arrivals
City bus terminus with ticket sales
Municipal car park opposite the terminal

Departure hall of Heraklion Airport with check-in desks

History & airlines

The history of Heraklion Airport

Heraklion Airport opened in March 1939, when a Junkers Ju 52 made the first flight to the new airfield at Nea Alikarnassos. Civil flying stopped in May 1941, when the airfield became one of the objectives of the Battle of Heraklion during the German airborne invasion of Crete. Civil traffic resumed in autumn 1946, a first small terminal followed in 1947 and a paved runway of 1,850 m in 1953.

Between 1968 and 1971 the runway of Heraklion Airport was lengthened to 2,680 m and a new terminal was built; the first charter flight from abroad landed in March 1971 and the official inauguration followed on 5 May 1972. Heraklion Airport is named after the writer Nikos Kazantzakis, author of “Zorba the Greek”, who was born in Heraklion. Traffic grew from 2.4 million passengers in 1987 to 4.2 million in 1998 and about 7.9 million in 2019; the most recent terminal extension, with eleven additional gates, opened in March 2018.

The year 2025 brought 10,033,151 passengers, the first time Heraklion Airport passed 10 million, and by early November 2026 the airport had already exceeded that total. Because the terminal has worked beyond its planned capacity for years, a replacement is being built at Kastelli, south-east of Heraklion, by a concession company owned 45.9 % by the Greek state, 32.5 % by GEK TERNA and 21.6 % by GMR Airports. According to the concession company the new airport has a 3.2 km runway and a terminal designed for up to 15 million passengers a year. The Greek infrastructure minister said in November 2026 that construction was about 70 % complete and named November 2028 as the opening target; the concession company itself states only that trial flights begin in 2027. What will happen to the present site in Nea Alikarnassos has not been decided.

Airlines at Heraklion Airport

Aegean Airlines
Sky Express
British Airways
easyJet
Jet2.com
TUI Airways
Aer Lingus
Ryanair
Condor
Eurowings
Lufthansa
Discover Airlines
TUI fly
Austrian Airlines
Edelweiss Air
SWISS
Transavia
Marabu

Terminal building of Heraklion Airport by day

Location

Location, access and distances

Heraklion Airport stands on the coast in Nea Alikarnassos, about 4 km east of the centre of Heraklion, and is reached from town along Ikarou Avenue. The north-coast highway of Crete passes just south of the airfield, so drivers heading for the resorts do not have to cross the city. In the morning rush hour the short run into town can take twice as long as at other times.

Eastbound, the north-coast road leads from Heraklion Airport to Hersonissos, Malia and Agios Nikolaos; the first 10 km or so of the rebuilt highway between Neapoli and Agios Nikolaos were handed over in October 2026, while the section between Hersonissos and Neapoli is still under construction. Westbound the same road runs to Rethymno and Chania. For the south coast around Matala, drivers leave the highway at Heraklion and cross the island through the hills.

Distances from Heraklion Airport

Heraklion centre – about 4-5 km · about 10-15 min
Hersonissos – about 25 km · about 25 min
Malia – about 34 km · about 35 min
Agios Nikolaos – about 65 km · about 1 h
Rethymno – about 80 km · about 1 h 10 min
Chania – about 145 km · about 2 h

Address: Nea Alikarnassos, 716 01 Heraklion, Crete, Greece · Phone: +30 2810 397800 · GPS 35.3397, 25.1803

Apron of Heraklion Airport with parked aircraft

Parking at Heraklion Airport

One open-air car park opposite the terminal serves Heraklion Airport, run by DEPANAL, a company owned by the municipality of Heraklion. Twenty-four hours cost about €11 and a week about €47 to €51.

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Taxi & transfers

About €17 to €22 is what a taxi from Heraklion Airport to the centre of Heraklion costs, and about €37 to €40 to Hersonissos. The taxi rank is outside the arrivals exit of Heraklion Airport; Heraklion taxis are grey.

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Questions & answers

Frequently asked questions about Heraklion Airport

How far is Heraklion Airport from the city centre?

About 4 km separate Heraklion Airport from the centre of Heraklion. A taxi takes about 10 to 15 minutes and costs about €17 to €22; the city bus costs €1.30 with a ticket bought in advance.

Who operates Heraklion Airport?

The Greek state runs Heraklion Airport through the Hellenic Aviation Service Provider (HASP / YPA). Unlike Chania, Rhodes or Corfu, Heraklion Airport is not operated by Fraport Greece.

When will Heraklion Airport be replaced by Kastelli?

November 2028 is the target the Greek infrastructure minister named in November 2026 for opening the new airport at Kastelli. Until that day Heraklion Airport stays in full operation, and tickets to HER remain valid.

Which airlines fly from the UK to Heraklion Airport?

British Airways, easyJet, Jet2.com and TUI Airways serve Heraklion Airport from UK airports in the summer season, and Aer Lingus flies from Dublin. The flight from London takes about four hours.

Can I hire a car at Heraklion Airport with no deposit?

Yes, local Cretan companies at Heraklion Airport offer rates with no deposit and accept a debit card or cash. Our partner's comparison lets you filter for exactly these offers.

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