The Inside Scoop by our Local Expert
Located 19 miles east of the capital city, Athens International Airport began operation in March 2001. This new facility replaced Ellinikon International, which was built in the late 1930s. The airport is named in honor of prominent Cretan political figure Eleftherios Venizelos. A former Prime Minister of Greece, he made influential contributions to the development of Greek commercial aviation and the Hellenic Air Force.
The current airport layout consists of two terminals. The three-level Main Terminal is connected to the Satellite Terminal by underground and aboveground walkways that are equipped with moving sidewalks. The terminals offer lounges, baggage services, banking facilities, a business center and free wireless Internet access. Passengers traveling with children will find a complimentary, supervised play area on the second floor of the main terminal. There are specially designed restrooms and nurseries for changing and feeding younger children. The airport has services available for unaccompanied minors. It also has a pharmacy, fully equipped first aid stations and 24-hour medical services. The airport has over 7,100 parking spaces dispersed among its short-term and long-term parking lots. A valet parking service is available as well as a consolidated rental car facility.
The airport has a permanent exhibit honoring Venizelos. In an effort to make travelling through the terminals aesthetically pleasing, the airport frequently hosts cultural events and rotating displays of paintings and photographs. The Museum of the Acropolis also sponsors an exhibit in the Main Terminal.
The design plans for the airport provide for the ability to upgrade the facilities as needed to accommodate increases in passenger traffic. This transcontinental gateway to Greece is the hub for Olympic and Aegean Airlines and serves more than 14 million passengers each year. The airport is capable of servicing all next generation aircraft including the Airbus 380.