The key answers about Heraklion Airport: getting there, terminal, car hire, taxis, parking and flights, concise and quotable.
The Greek state operates Heraklion Airport through the Hellenic Aviation Service Provider (HASP, in Greek YPA). The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority is the regulator and certified HASP as the aerodrome operator in January 2025. Heraklion Airport is not one of the regional airports run by Fraport Greece.
Just over 10 million passengers used Heraklion Airport in 2025, the first time the airport passed that mark, after about 9.4 million in 2024. That makes Heraklion Airport the second-busiest airport in Greece after Athens.
About 4 km separate Heraklion Airport from the centre of Heraklion; the terminal stands in the suburb of Nea Alikarnassos on the coast east of the city. A taxi usually needs 10 to 15 minutes outside rush hour.
City bus lines 6, 10, 11 and 12 start at the Heraklion Airport terminus in the winter 2026/27 timetable. Line 12 is the most frequent, running roughly every 10 to 15 minutes from about 06:00 until after midnight on weekdays.
A city bus ticket costs €1.30 when bought in advance from a kiosk or machine and €2.30 when bought from the driver, according to the operator's Zone A tariff. Day tickets cost €5.00 and a 24-hour ticket €6.00.
About €17 to €22 is what a taxi from Heraklion Airport to the centre of Heraklion costs, with the higher figure applying at night. No official fare board for Heraklion Airport is published online, so ask the driver for the price before setting off.
About €37 to €40 is the usual range to Hersonissos and about €45 to €55 to Malia. These are guide prices collected from local taxi firms and fare estimates, not an official tariff.
Yes, taxis in Greece have been legally required to accept card payments since 1 April 2024. In practice some drivers still prefer cash, so say that you want to pay by card before the journey starts.
Yes, but only some departures call at the KTEL stop on the road outside Heraklion Airport. A KTEL notice of February 2026 lists seven eastbound departures a day that serve the airport stop; all other buses leave from the Central Bus Station at Ikarou Avenue 9.
Yes, several local Cretan companies hand over cars at Heraklion Airport against a debit card or cash and with no deposit. The international brands in the terminal normally still ask for a credit card in the main driver's name.
No, a UK photocard driving licence is accepted in Greece and no International Driving Permit is needed, according to the UK government's travel advice. Holders of an old paper licence may need a 1968 permit, and individual hire companies can set their own conditions.
The default limit in built-up areas is 30 km/h under the Greek traffic code of 2025, rising to 50 km/h on wider urban roads where signed. Outside towns the general limit is 90 km/h, on expressways 110 km/h and on motorways 130 km/h; on the north-coast road follow the posted signs.
One open-air car park opposite the terminal serves Heraklion Airport; the municipal company DEPANAL runs the car park. Twenty-four hours cost about €11 and the first few minutes are free.
Yes, free Wi-Fi covers the whole terminal of Heraklion Airport; the airport's director confirmed in November 2026 that the network expansion had been completed.
Yes, pay-per-use lounges run by the ground handlers Goldair Handling and Skyserv operate at Heraklion Airport, in both the Schengen and the non-Schengen departure areas. Access is sold through airlines and lounge programmes; opening hours follow the flight schedule.
British Airways, easyJet, Jet2.com and TUI Airways fly seasonally from UK airports to Heraklion Airport, and Aer Lingus flies from Dublin. The flight from London takes about four hours.
Yes, Heraklion Airport is open all year. Aegean Airlines and Sky Express fly to Athens, Thessaloniki and Rhodes throughout the winter, while most direct flights from the UK run only in the summer season.
November 2028 is the opening target named by the Greek infrastructure minister in November 2026, when construction was about 70 % complete. The concession company states only that trial flights begin in 2027, so the date can still move.
Yes, the new airport at Kastelli is officially planned to replace Heraklion Airport, so flights will move once Kastelli opens. Until then Heraklion Airport remains the main airport of Crete and every booking to HER stays valid.
No, heraklion-airport.eu is an independent information site with no connection to the airport operator, the Greek civil aviation bodies or any airline. Binding information on flights, baggage and security comes only from the operator and the airlines.
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