50m²
Honeymoon Suite
Cave suite with caldera-facing veranda, designed for couples and milestone trips.
View roomQuick answer: Santorini Airport (JTR) is a small, single-runway airport with one terminal building. There are no jet bridges, so you walk across the tarmac. Fira is about 6 km away: a taxi costs a flat EUR 25-35 by day (about 10 minutes), the KTEL bus EUR 2.20 (about 15 minutes), and a pre-booked private transfer EUR 30-50 per vehicle. The airport has limited amenities, so eat before you arrive and charge your devices on the plane.
Santorini Airport is small, charming in a postcard kind of way, and very busy at peak times. It goes by the IATA code JTR, its official name is Santorini (Thira) National Airport, and it's the only airport on the island. If you're not arriving by ferry, this is where your trip begins. Our complete Santorini travel guide covers the wider planning picture. This page is specifically about JTR, what the terminal looks like, how to get from the tarmac to your hotel, and how to avoid the most common arrival mistakes.
Santorini airport basics
Photo: Ad Meskens, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
The airport sits on the eastern side of the island near Kamari, about 6 km southeast of Fira. Managed by Fraport Greece. Handles both domestic flights from Athens and seasonal international routes from across Europe and the Middle East.
The essentials:
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Official name | Santorini (Thira) National Airport |
| Airport code | JTR (IATA) / LGSR (ICAO) |
| Runways | 1 (2,125 meters) |
| Terminals | 1 |
| Distance to Fira | 6 km (~10 min by car) |
| Distance to Oia | 18 km (~25 min by car) |
| Open year-round? | Yes, though winter schedules are Athens-only |
That single runway limits aircraft size. No wide-bodies. Flights arrive on A320s or similar narrow-body planes, which is a big part of why capacity gets crushed during peak season.
What to expect when you arrive
If you're used to big international airports, JTR will feel like a different planet.
Photo: Lacu Schienred, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
You walk on the tarmac. No jet bridges at Santorini. Step off the plane, walk across the apron to the terminal. It's one of the nicer parts of arriving. The Aegean light hits you the second you step out. On a clear day you can see the volcanic landscape stretching out from right there on the tarmac. Wear shoes you can walk in comfortably.
The terminal is tiny. One building handles everything: arrivals, departures, domestic, international. There's a single baggage carousel for most flights (two during peak hours). Bags can take 15 to 30 minutes, especially when multiple flights land close together. Patience required.
Don't expect much inside. One cafe in the arrivals area. A few ATMs. Car rental desks. No luggage storage. If you arrive before check-in time, your hotel is your best option for bags, most Santorini hotels, including our cave suites in Fira, hold luggage without a problem.
Passport control is quick for EU/Schengen arrivals from other Schengen destinations. Non-Schengen arrivals go through border control, which can add 10-20 minutes during busy periods.
Airlines that fly to Santorini
The route network explodes between April and October, then contracts to Athens-only in winter.
Year-round (Athens flights)
- Aegean Airlines, Greece's flag carrier. Multiple daily flights from Athens. 45-minute flight. The most reliable domestic option.
- Sky Express, Greek regional airline. Several daily Athens flights. Usually costs a bit less than Aegean.
- Olympic Air, Operated by Aegean. Occasional Athens routes.
Seasonal routes (April-October)
- EasyJet, Gatwick, Milan, Berlin, Geneva, others
- Ryanair, Milan Bergamo, Rome Ciampino, Athens, others
- British Airways, Heathrow (peak summer)
- Transavia, Amsterdam, Paris Orly
- Volotea, Athens, Venice, Bordeaux, Nantes
- Wizz Air, Abu Dhabi, Budapest, Vienna, Luton
- Lufthansa, Frankfurt (seasonal)
- Norwegian, Oslo, Stockholm
- SAS, Copenhagen
- Jet2.com, Manchester, Leeds Bradford, other UK airports
- TUI Airways, Various UK charter flights
- FlyDubai, Dubai
- Qatar Airways, Doha (seasonal)
- Gulf Air, Bahrain
- Finnair, Helsinki
Can't find a direct flight? Fly to Athens (ATH) and connect. Athens to Santorini runs multiple times daily and takes 45 minutes. Aegean has the most frequencies and best connection times.
Getting from Santorini airport to Fira
Fira is the capital and the closest major town, just 6 km away. Your options, in order of how much hassle they save:
Private hotel transfer (recommended)
- Cost: EUR 30-50 per vehicle (or free, keep reading)
- Time: 10 minutes, door to door
- How it works: Driver meets you in arrivals with your name on a sign. Handles luggage. Takes you straight to the hotel. Done.
Aroma Suites offers a free one-way airport transfer for stays of 4 or more nights booked direct. We meet you at arrivals and you're at your caldera-view suite in Fira in 10 minutes. Easiest possible start to a holiday. Book direct to qualify.
Taxi
- Cost: EUR 25-35 to Fira by day (meters are required by law, but drivers usually quote a flat price, so confirm it before getting in)
- Time: 10 minutes
- Availability: limited, especially in summer.
Santorini has only about 35 to 40 licensed taxis. For the whole island. Thirty-five to forty taxis for an island that sees over two million visitors a year. When three flights land within an hour during July, the airport taxi queue stretches to 30-45 minutes. Some people have waited over an hour.
If you're planning on a taxi, adjust your expectations. The queue is organized but painfully slow. Uber does operate here, though not the way you might expect. The app simply hails one of the island's licensed taxis rather than a private driver, at the same fares as a regular taxi, and with only a few dozen taxis serving all of Santorini, a car can be genuinely hard to summon in peak season. Bolt, Lyft and the other rideshare apps you rely on at home are not dependable here. During peak months, pre-booking a private transfer saves real stress.
Public bus (KTEL)
- Cost: around EUR 2.20 per person (carry small change for the conductor)
- Time: 15 minutes to Fira
- Schedule: roughly hourly, from about 06:00 to 22:00 in summer, and not timed to flights. Check the KTEL Santorini schedule before you arrive.
- Where to find it: Turn right as you exit arrivals. Bus stop is a short walk along the road.
Lowest fare. Works well if you're traveling light. Drops you at the central Fira bus station, from which most caldera-view hotels are a 5-15 minute walk (some uphill, some with stairs). Heavy luggage or a late-night arrival? Skip it.
Car rental
- Cost: From EUR 35-60/day depending on season
- Pickup: Several agencies have desks in arrivals (Hertz, Avis, local operators)
- Book online ahead. Walk-up availability in July/August is unreliable, and online rates run 20-40% below airport desk prices.
Not necessary for a short Fira-based stay. Buses and taxis cover most places. But 4+ days with plans to explore beaches, villages, and wineries at your own pace? A car gives freedom. Fair warning: Santorini's roads are narrow, parking in Fira and Oia is scarce, and the local driving style takes some getting used to.
Getting from Santorini airport to Oia
No direct bus runs from the airport to Oia. Your options:
| Option | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Private transfer | EUR 45-60 per vehicle | 25 min | Pre-book, driver meets you |
| Taxi | EUR 35-50 | 25 min | Subject to availability (see above) |
| Bus via Fira | EUR 2.20 + EUR 2.20 | 45-60 min | Bus to Fira, change, bus to Oia |
For Oia, pre-booking a private transfer is especially worth it. No direct bus, limited taxis, 25-minute drive. Winging it is a frustrating way to start a holiday.
Departure tips: leaving Santorini
Leaving JTR takes more patience than arriving. Plan accordingly.
Get to the airport at least 2 hours before your flight. The airport is small, which sounds like it should be fast. It isn't. Limited check-in counters. Security lines that crawl when the terminal fills up. For international flights, 2.5 hours is safer.
Check-in and security are on one level. Enter, check in, go through security, you're airside. Linear process but it bottlenecks at each stage.
What's past security:
- Duty-free shop (Hellenic Duty Free), decent for spirits, cosmetics, Greek souvenirs
- A few small cafes (Bonheur, Holy Burger, Il Maestro, So Very Greek)
- A handful of retail shops
- Free charging stations
- No airport lounge whatsoever
There is no lounge. Priority Pass and business class tickets don't help here, because JTR has no lounge facilities for any airline or program. The cafes are all you've got. Bring a book. Charge your phone before you leave your hotel.
Airport food is airport-priced. Eat a proper meal in Fira or Oia before heading out. What's airside is fine but nothing to get excited about.
The taxi situation on Santorini (important)
For a complete guide to every transport option on the island, see Getting Around Santorini. This section covers what you need to know specifically about taxis, because it blindsides people.
About 35 to 40 licensed taxis. Uber only hails those same taxis, and there's no Bolt or Lyft. In July and August, demand for taxis crushes supply. Everywhere, the airport, the port, restaurants, everywhere.
What this means in practice:
- Airport arrival: expect a 15-45 minute queue during busy windows
- After dinner: calling a taxi can take 30-60 minutes at night
- Even your hotel concierge can't guarantee immediate availability during peak times
What to do about it:
- Pre-book a private transfer for airport arrivals and departures, especially in July and August
- Rent a car if you're moving around the island a lot
- Use buses for major routes (Fira-Oia, Fira-Perissa, Fira-Akrotiri)
- Walk. Fira is walkable. The caldera path connects Fira, Firostefani, and Imerovigli on foot.
- Stay at a hotel that includes transfers. Aroma Suites provides a free one-way airport transfer for 4+ night stays booked direct.
Connecting to the ferry port
Combining Santorini with other Greek islands, Mykonos, Crete, Naxos, Paros? You'll need to get between the airport and the ferry port. They're not the same place. If Crete is next, our ferry guide from Santorini to Crete covers the crossing. Heading north instead? Our Santorini to Mykonos ferry guide and Santorini to Naxos ferry guide cover those routes.
Athinios Port (the main ferry port) sits on the west coast, about 25 minutes by car from the airport. No direct bus between the two. Your best route:
- Airport to Fira by bus or taxi (10-15 min)
- Fira to Athinios Port by bus (20 min, EUR 2.70, timed to ferry departures)
Or a private transfer straight from airport to port (EUR 30-45, 25 minutes).
The Old Port (Skala) in Fira is where cruise tenders dock and where the donkey path and cable car are. This is NOT where inter-island ferries go. Don't mix them up. If you're arriving by sea from Athens instead, our Athens to Santorini ferry guide covers the crossing and getting up from Athinios.
Peak season at JTR: July and August
Santorini Airport was not built for the traffic it handles during peak season. Between early July and late August, it runs near or over capacity most days.
What you'll deal with:
- Flights arriving back-to-back with limited gate space
- Longer check-in and security queues
- Delays are common, one runway means one late departure cascades into everything after it
- Taxi queue after landing: possibly 45+ minutes
- Car rental desks potentially out of vehicles for walk-ups
How to handle it:
- Book the earliest flight of the day (fewer cascading delays)
- Get to the airport 2.5 hours before departure
- Pre-book transfer and car rental
- Download entertainment. Bring snacks. If your flight is delayed, airside options are limited.
- Download the Aegean Airlines app for real-time updates and mobile boarding passes
Dates flexible? Consider late May, June, or September. The airport is calmer, taxis are easier to find, and the island is still warm and beautiful.
Pro tips for Santorini airport
Small things that make a real difference:
-
Download the Aegean Airlines app before your trip. Mobile boarding passes, flight updates, seat selection. If your Athens connection changes, you'll know immediately.
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Charge everything before leaving your hotel. The airport has charging stations but they're limited and often occupied. Arrive with a full battery.
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Bring entertainment. Download a few episodes of something. JTR's gate areas have no screens and patchy Wi-Fi.
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Pack a water bottle. Fill it after security. Airside cafes charge EUR 3-4 for water.
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Wear walkable shoes. Tarmac on arrival. Standing in queues on departure. Possibly carrying luggage down steps.
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Save duty-free for departure. The Hellenic Duty Free shop has a reasonable selection, Greek spirits (ouzo, tsipouro, Metaxa), olive oil, cosmetics. Better than you'd expect for an airport this size.
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No luggage storage at JTR. Late flight and early checkout? Ask your hotel to hold your bags. Most will. Aroma Suites included.
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Screenshot your hotel address and phone. Mobile data can be spotty right after landing. Taxi drivers may need your hotel name.
Frequently asked questions
Are there two airports in Santorini?
No. Santorini has one airport, Santorini (Thira) National Airport, IATA code JTR, located on the eastern side of the island near Kamari beach. There is no second commercial airport. The confusion comes from people mixing up the airport with the port (Athinios) on the opposite side of the island.
How do I get from Santorini Airport to Fira?
Three options. (1) Public bus to Fira station, around 6 km, 15 minutes, EUR 2.20, runs roughly every hour from about 06:00 to 22:00 in summer. (2) Taxi, usually a flat EUR 25-35 to Fira by day (more after midnight). (3) Pre-booked transfer through your hotel or a service like Welcome Pickups, EUR 30-50 depending on vehicle. Aroma Suites offers a free one-way airport transfer for stays of 4 or more nights booked direct.
How much is a taxi from Santorini Airport to Fira?
Roughly EUR 25-35 during daytime hours. Higher between midnight and 05:00 (night supplement applies under Greek law). Meters are required by law, but most drivers quote a flat price to common destinations. Always confirm the price before getting in.
Is it worth booking an airport transfer in advance?
Yes, especially if you arrive after 22:00 or with a late or delayed flight. The taxi queue at JTR can stretch to 45 minutes during the late-evening arrival peak (May to October). A pre-booked transfer means a driver is waiting in arrivals with your name, no queue, no language friction. For solo travelers or daytime arrivals on a quiet day, the bus or a taxi-on-arrival is fine.
What is the airport code for Santorini?
JTR (IATA). LGSR is the ICAO code. Search for JTR or "Santorini" on any booking platform, both work. Official name: Santorini (Thira) National Airport.
How far is Santorini Airport from Fira?
About 6 km. Roughly 10 minutes by taxi or private transfer. The public bus takes about 15 minutes and costs EUR 2.20. If you're staying in Fira, the airport is closer to you than to any other major town.
Is there an Uber or Lyft in Santorini?
Sort of. Uber works on Santorini, but only as a taxi-hailing app. It connects you to one of the island's licensed taxis rather than a private driver, at the same fares and with the same waits. With only about 35 to 40 taxis serving the whole island, the most dependable option in high season is a pre-arranged private transfer or the public KTEL bus network.
Can I get a direct bus from Santorini Airport to Oia?
No direct bus. Take the bus to Fira (15 min, EUR 2.20) then change to the Fira-Oia bus (25 min, EUR 2.20). For Oia, a pre-booked private transfer (EUR 45-60 per vehicle, 25 minutes) is much simpler.
Does Santorini Airport have a lounge?
No. No airline lounges. No Priority Pass. No credit card lounges. Nothing. A few cafes and a duty-free shop. That's it. Eat at your hotel or in town before heading to the airport.
Start your Santorini trip the easy way
The simplest way to handle the airport transfer question: don't handle it at all.
Book 4 or more nights direct with Aroma Suites and your one-way airport transfer is on us. We meet you at arrivals, handle your bags, and you're at your caldera-view suite in Fira in 10 minutes. No taxi queue. No bus route to decode. No app to download. Just step off the plane and let someone who knows the island take over.
For more arrival tips, check our guide to things first-time visitors should know about Santorini.
Planning your Santorini trip? Start with our complete Santorini travel guide, or read our picks for what first-time visitors need to know. If you're planning a multi-day stay, our 3-day Santorini itinerary covers the highlights. Deciding where to base yourself? Our Fira guide explains why the capital is the smartest base for most travelers, and our where to stay guide compares every area on the island. Already know when you're visiting? Check the best time to visit Santorini for month-by-month details.
