{"id":10873,"date":"2026-03-19T10:00:10","date_gmt":"2026-03-19T09:00:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/?p=10873"},"modified":"2026-03-18T20:41:50","modified_gmt":"2026-03-18T19:41:50","slug":"greek-islands-improving-interconnection","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/greek-islands-improving-interconnection\/","title":{"rendered":"Greek Islands: Improving interconnection"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"
In 2026 Heraklion gains preponderance as a connecting hub between the Cyclades islands (photo: Fernando Puppio).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

For decades, the classic air travel route between the Greek islands was marked by a crucial bottleneck: almost all domestic flights had to stop over in Athens or Thessaloniki.<\/p>\n

If you wanted to travel from Mykonos to Santorini, you would spend hours layovers at Athens airport, or face port chaos and the usual unreliability of the ferries. However, a significant change is underway in commercial aviation in the Aegean Sea for the 2026 season: Direct routes are opening that eliminate layovers, revolutionizing the way tourists travel between the islands by air.<\/p>\n

Direct connections between the Aegean Islands<\/b><\/h3>\n

The main new feature for 2026 is the new direct connection between Syros and Heraklion, Crete. This Aegean Airlines flight, with two weekly frequencies (Mondays and Fridays), directly connects the capital of the Cyclades with Greece’s largest island, significantly reducing travel time that previously required a stopover in Athens or a long ferry journey.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Syros already has two connections, the usual one with Athens and the seasonal one with Heraklion (photo: Fernando Puppio).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\n

Furthermore, Heraklion is increasingly establishing itself as a major connecting hub in the southern Aegean Sea. For the 2026 season, airlines will operate the following routes:<\/p>\n

    \n
  • Heraklion (Crete) to Santorini: Several daily direct flights.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Heraklion to Mykonos: At least one daily direct flight.<\/span><\/li>\n
  • Heraklion to Rhodes: Daily direct connections between the two largest islands in the south.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Island Hop-On Hop-Off<\/b><\/h3>\n

    Beyond these connections between major cities, there are also direct routes with multiple stops.<\/p>\n

    Sky Express operates an essential “air bus” service (the “Agonas” line) that travels around the Dodecanese archipelago. This allows travelers to fly directly between Rhodes, Kos, Kalymnos, Leros, and Astypalaia without having to return to a major airport.<\/p>\n

    \"\"
    The five airports of the Agonas line in a single image: Rhodes, Kos, Kalimnos, Leros and Astypalaia (all photos: Fernando Puppio).<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n

    Olympic Air does the same, connecting Sitia (Crete) with Kasos and Karpathos, ending its route in Rhodes.<\/p>\n

    Is flying the best option?<\/b><\/h3>\n

    While direct flights save a lot of travel time, they aren’t always the best option. If flights aren’t purchased on sale, the cost of flying between islands is almost always higher than the ferry. There are also certain baggage restrictions, as these routes are typically operated with turboprop aircraft (ATR-42\/72, Dash 8\/Q400), which have stricter weight limits for carry-on and\/or checked baggage than international flights.<\/p>\n

    \"\"
    Several Sky Express ATRs with old and current liveries on the remote parking apron in Athens. These aircraft are very popular in the islands because their performance and capacity make them ideal for this type of operation (photo: Fernando Puppio)<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
    \n

    Seasonal availability is a critical factor, as these direct routes virtually disappear from November to March (outside of the tourist season). By 2026, air travel between the Aegean islands will offer unprecedented convenience for those who prioritize speed. However, it is essential to book these direct flights at least three to four months in advance, as the capacity of these smaller aircraft fills up quickly.<\/p>\n

    While the ferry remains the quintessential romantic element of travel to Greece, Greek airlines are finally offering a direct and viable alternative for those traveling between islands.<\/p>\n

    \n

     <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    While the ferry remains the preferred mode of transport for traveling around the Greek islands, several direct inter-island connections are being inaugurated this summer, offering a faster and more comfortable alternative to the traditional radial connection model.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":10875,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2},"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[9],"tags":[239,75,240],"class_list":["post-10873","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-transport","tag-greece","tag-olympic-air","tag-sky-express"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/chios4.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p1JKRl-2Pn","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":6261,"url":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/from-the-pampas-to-the-aegean-the-dash-8-that-served-in-southern-winds-and-olympic-air\/","url_meta":{"origin":10873,"position":0},"title":"From the Pampas to the Aegean: The Dash 8 that served in Southern Winds and Olympic Air","author":"Fernando Luis Puppio Guzm\u00e1n","date":"Thursday 14 October 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"A group of Dash 8 aircraft that arrived in Argentina in the late 1990s for Southern Wings continued their operational life in Greece flying for Olympic. In 2021, some of them are still braving the Aegean winds.","rel":"","context":"In "Commercial air transport"","block_context":{"text":"Commercial air transport","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/category\/transport\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/OA1.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/OA1.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/OA1.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/10\/OA1.jpg?fit=800%2C533&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":10883,"url":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/10883-2\/","url_meta":{"origin":10873,"position":1},"title":"War in Iran: Significant drop in traffic in the Eastern Mediterranean","author":"Fernando Luis Puppio Guzm\u00e1n","date":"Monday 6 April 2026","format":false,"excerpt":"The significant disruption that the Iran War has caused, and continues to cause, to the major hubs of the Persian Gulf is well known. It's also common knowledge that European airlines cancel flights and suspend routes at the slightest provocation. What is less well known is how the countries of\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Airports & airfields"","block_context":{"text":"Airports & airfields","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/category\/airports\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/atenas110.jpg?fit=800%2C363&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/atenas110.jpg?fit=800%2C363&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/atenas110.jpg?fit=800%2C363&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/atenas110.jpg?fit=800%2C363&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":8869,"url":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/the-first-sky-airline-airbus-a319\/","url_meta":{"origin":10873,"position":2},"title":"Low-fare pioneer: SKY Airline’s first Airbus A319","author":"Carlos Ay","date":"Thursday 14 September 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"A typical low-cost (or rather \"low-fare\") European-built and operated airliner, A319 c\/n 2283 was the first of its kind to join Chilean carrier SKY Airline for a five-year stint in Southern Cone routes. 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This more complete variant reviews more than 35 exercises, simulations and drills totalling more than 220 days of activity on the field. An apparently \u201cinternational\u201d\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Defence & security"","block_context":{"text":"Defence & security","link":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/category\/defence\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/AF_photo_65711a.jpg?fit=680%2C466&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/AF_photo_65711a.jpg?fit=680%2C466&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/wp-content\/uploads\/2012\/10\/AF_photo_65711a.jpg?fit=680%2C466&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":7563,"url":"https:\/\/www.gacetaeronautica.com\/gaceta\/wp-102\/a-gray-ghost-in-the-san-francisco-bay-area-a-visit-to-the-uss-hornet-museum\/","url_meta":{"origin":10873,"position":4},"title":"A gray ghost in the San Francisco Bay Area: Visiting the USS Hornet Sea, Air & Space Museum","author":"Carlos Ay","date":"Monday 16 January 2023","format":false,"excerpt":"The Alameda Naval Aviation Museum houses several and interesting surprises, both for the gate guardians on land, as well as the mythical aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CVS-12). 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