As pilots and crew, working through the skies is second nature, but when it comes to landing in Greece during tourist season, the challenges on the ground can rival those in the air. With the country drawing crowds year-round, finding a parking spot for private jets can feel overwhelming. Unlike larger airports, many Greek Island airstrips lack the luxury of overnight parking space, adding complexity to flight plans. But flexibility and foresight are your greatest allies. As you prepare to touch down in this popular Mediterranean destination, ensure that your alternate routes and contingency plans are tuned for the summer. Here’s where trip support in Greece comes in handy.
Greece Flight Support: The Airport Restrictions
The Pilot’s Challenge
Your passengers want to spend their week’s vacation in Mykonos, but Mykonos Airport doesn’t allow overnight parking. Or, some of your passengers want to do island hopping over the Aegean and Ionian seas, but the airports on most of these small, beautiful islands have strict private jet parking restrictions in place. Santorini is the hottest spot because of its iconic blue domes, but does the Santorini airport accept long-time parking? No.
Here are a few airports that do not allow after-hours parking:
- LGMK (Mykonos): The ramp here only accommodate 7 jets at a time. This aircraft facility is equipped with the least parking spaces across all of Greece, yet all the passengers want to fly here. Don’t worry, solutions will come later.
- LGSR (Santorini): Santorini has enough space to accommodate around 20 planes, but, of course, the apron is closed for overnight parking in general aviation traffic.
- LGRP (Rhodes): Rhodes – the largest island in Greece has a well-built functional international airport, but the airfield barely has 30 spots for commercial parking. The tourist rush could never allow jets to stay here for too long.
- LGAV (Athens): Private jets are only allowed to stay for 12 hours. The GA apron has 53 stands dedicated to business jets and a separate heliport with 17 stands.
This presents a particularly delicate predicament. The trifecta of Mykonos, Santorini, and Rhodes, being the crown jewels of Greek tourism, are the most visited destinations. They alone boast 17 million posts dedicated to them on Instagram. Yes, that’s the hype. Plus, Athens is on the global list of welcoming the most travelers annually. Let’s look at the pilot trip support solutions now.
Repositioning Airports in Greece
The Pilot’s Fix
Well, the difference between flying and falling is altitude – and attitude. Let’s build a contingency plan for the trouble you may face while flying passengers to Mykonos, Santorini, Athens, and Rhodes. A few airports that consider overnight parking may be great options for repositioning:
- LGSM (Samos): Private jets can park here overnight, but there are only 13 stands. It’s a recommended repositioning airport because it has the lowest flight times to/from Mykonos and Athens. The airfield is not coordinated through slot timings, and the airport operates 24/7.
Flight Times (in minutes): Mykonos (40), Rhodes (42), Santorini (43), Athens (48).
- LGKO (Kos): There are 21 stands available for private jet long-term parking. Because competition is heavy, make sure to file for PPR and slots exactly 14 days before the flight time. A minute wasted could make you choose some of the other alternatives. Kos is also open 24/7.
Flight times (in minutes): Rhodes (36), Mykonos & Santorini (40), Athens (51).
- LGIR (Crete): One of the best options on this list is Heraklion Airport, with 28 parking spaces in the apron. Chances are that long-term tourist jet stays will be accepted while they specify repositioning for ferry flights is not allowed.
Flight times (in minutes): Santorini (38), Mykonos (46), Athens & Rhodes (50).
Some great repositioning options in Turkey and Cyprus are pretty close, with overnight parking availability that is better than the Greek airports. Other than these options, our trip support team can provide other reasonable alternate airports too. Here are their flight times (in minutes) to our destinations:
- LTFE (Bodrum – Turkey): Rhodes (37), Mykonos & Santorini (45), and Athens (53).
- LTBS (Dalaman – Turkey): Rhodes (35), Mykonos & Santorini (53), and Athens (60).
- LCPH (Paphos – Cyprus): Rhodes (60), Santorini (75), Mykonos (80), and Athens (90).
Avoiding Repositioning – Helicopter Transfer in Greece
If the passengers want to reach Mykonos/Santorini and stay for a few days, it is not a bad idea to completely avoid repositioning and land directly in either Samos, Kos, or Crete. From there, a helicopter ride can be arranged to Mykonos/Santorini. On top of that, travelers can also enjoy other islands through aerial tours on low-flying helicopters. Crete and Kos are some of the top 5 must-visit islands in the region, and the sky view of these landscapes is worth experiencing.
Here are some helicopter transfer rates that can be applicable if repositioning is passed up to reach Mykonos & Athens:
- Kos to Mykonos: 4000 USD
- Crete to Mykonos: 6200 USD
- Samos to Mykonos: 3800 USD
- Kos to Athens: 5700 USD
- Crete to Athens: 5600 USD
- Samos to Athens: 6200 USD
For helicopter transfer prices to Santorini and Rhodes, please contact our agents at +1 888 277 7203 or charter@icarusjet.com.
Icarus Jet provides pilot trip support services in Greece and around the world. Our agents are particularly skilled with up-to-date information on the ever-changing world of general aviation airport regulations across sensitive locations like Greece, France, and Italy. For pilots and crew, we offer holistic packages that include fuel planning, flight planning, ground services, catering, permits, etc. Choose our trip support services today and bid farewell to the hassles of parking, airport requirements, and meticulous trip planning. Let us handle the details while you focus on flying your crew.
