How to travel to Greece from the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, Mexico and Ireland

Travel to Greece from the USA

Most Americans fly into Athens International Airport (Eleftherios Venizelos). Some airlines fly direct from the US east coast to Athens at times, mainly from spring to autumn, and a few routes have also operated from other large US cities in summer. Check current schedules, because seasonal routes start and stop. Outside summer, the usual pattern is one connection in a European hub such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam, Munich, Rome or Zurich, or via Istanbul or a Gulf hub.

Flight time: roughly 9–11 hours non-stop from the east coast, and often 13–18 hours or more door to door with a connection, longer from the west coast. Times vary with the route, winds and layover.

Entry for US citizens

Greece is in the Schengen area. US passport holders can usually visit visa-free for short stays of up to 90 days in any 180-day period, counted across all Schengen countries together. The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records your fingerprints and photo at the first Schengen border, and the planned ETIAS travel authorisation will apply once it starts. Check the current position on travel-europe.europa.eu and read the Greece page on travel.state.gov before you book.

Time difference

Greece is usually 7 hours ahead of New York and 10 hours ahead of Los Angeles. Because the US and Europe change their clocks on different dates, the gap can be one hour smaller for a few weeks in March and in late October or early November.

Tips for the trip

Overnight eastbound flights usually land in the morning or early afternoon. If your group trip starts in Athens, arriving a day early gives you time to sleep off the flight. If you are connecting to an island, leave a generous gap between your long-haul arrival and the onward flight or ferry, and book them on one ticket where you can.

Travel to Greece from the UK

The UK has some of the best connections to Greece in Europe. Several airlines fly direct from London and many regional airports to Athens all year, and in summer there are direct flights from across the UK to islands and resorts such as Crete (Heraklion and Chania), Rhodes, Corfu, Kos, Zakynthos, Kefalonia and Santorini. Thessaloniki also has direct flights from some UK airports. Schedules change each season, so check what flies from your nearest airport.

Flight time: roughly 3.5–4 hours from London to Athens, a little more to Rhodes or Crete and from northern England or Scotland.

Entry for UK citizens

Since Brexit, British passport holders are treated as non-EU visitors. You can usually visit Greece and the rest of the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period, and you will go through the EES border registration. ETIAS will apply once it launches. Under Schengen rules your passport usually needs to be less than 10 years old on the day you enter and valid for at least three months after the day you plan to leave. Check gov.uk/foreign-travel-advice/greece and travel-europe.europa.eu.

Time difference

Greece is 2 hours ahead of the UK all year, because both change their clocks on the same dates.

Tips for the trip

Because the flight is short, many UK travellers fly on the morning the group trip begins. That works if the meeting time is in the evening, but a cancelled or delayed flight can mean missing the first day, so an extra night is safer, especially for island starts. Early morning departures from London often land in Athens by early afternoon.

Travel to Greece from Canada

Canadians usually fly into Athens. Some airlines fly direct from Toronto and Montreal to Athens at times, mostly in the summer season, so it is worth checking current schedules if you are travelling between late spring and early autumn. The rest of the year, a connection in a European hub such as London, Paris, Frankfurt, Amsterdam or Munich is the usual route, and from western Canada you may connect through a US or European hub.

Flight time: roughly 9.5–11 hours non-stop from Toronto or Montreal, and often 14–20 hours with a connection from Vancouver or Calgary. These are rough figures and vary by route.

Entry for Canadian citizens

Canadian passport holders can usually visit Greece and the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Expect EES registration at your first Schengen border, and check whether ETIAS has started. Read the Greece page on travel.gc.ca and the EU's official site, travel-europe.europa.eu.

Time difference

Greece is usually 7 hours ahead of Toronto and Montreal and 10 hours ahead of Vancouver. For a few weeks in spring and autumn, when North America and Europe have changed their clocks on different dates, the gap is one hour smaller.

Tips for the trip

Overnight flights from eastern Canada usually arrive in the morning or early afternoon. If you connect in Europe, check whether your bag is checked through to Athens and that you have enough time to clear passport control at the hub, which is where EES registration may happen. Many Canadians combine Greece with Italy, Croatia or Turkey; if you do, remember that the 90-day Schengen limit covers Italy and Croatia but not Turkey.

Travel to Greece from Australia

There are no regular non-stop flights between Australia and Greece, so almost every trip involves at least one stop. The most common routes connect through a Gulf hub such as Dubai, Doha or Abu Dhabi, through an Asian hub such as Singapore, or through another European city. Melbourne has a large Greek community and good one-stop options. Check current schedules, as airlines adjust their routes.

Flight time: roughly 20–26 hours in total from Sydney or Melbourne, depending on the stopover; a little less from Perth.

Entry for Australian citizens

Australian passport holders can usually visit Greece and the Schengen area visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. EES registration applies at the first Schengen border and ETIAS will be needed once it starts. Some Australians of Greek descent hold Greek or other EU citizenship, which changes the rules, so check your own situation. Read smartraveller.gov.au and travel-europe.europa.eu.

Time difference

The difference changes through the year because the two countries change their clocks in opposite seasons. During the northern summer, Greece is about 7 hours behind Sydney and Melbourne; during the Australian summer it is about 9 hours behind. Perth, Brisbane and other places without daylight saving have a different gap.

Tips for the trip

Jet lag is the biggest challenge on this route. Breaking the journey with a night in the hub city, or arriving in Athens two days before your group starts, makes a real difference. Because the trip is long, many Australians spend several weeks in Europe; keep a simple record of your dates so you do not go over the 90-day Schengen limit.

Travel to Greece from Mexico

Most travellers from Mexico reach Greece with one connection, usually in a European hub such as Madrid, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt or Istanbul, or sometimes via a US city. Mexico City and Cancún have the most long-haul options to Europe. Check current schedules, because some routes are seasonal.

Flight time: roughly 15–20 hours in total from Mexico City, including the connection; the transatlantic leg alone is often around 10–12 hours.

Entry for Mexican citizens

Mexican passport holders can usually visit the Schengen area, including Greece, visa-free for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. EES applies at the first Schengen border, and ETIAS will be required once it starts. If you connect through the United States, check whether you need US transit documents, because the US does not have international transit zones. Read the guidance on gob.mx/sre and travel-europe.europa.eu.

Time difference

Central Mexico, including Mexico City, no longer changes its clocks, so Greece is about 8 hours ahead in the northern winter and about 9 hours ahead in the northern summer. Cancún is one hour ahead of Mexico City, so the gap is one hour smaller from there.

Tips for the trip

Flights to Europe from Mexico usually leave in the evening and arrive the next afternoon, and then you have the onward hop to Athens. Spanish speakers often route via Madrid, which also makes it easy to add a few days in Spain or a short trip to Morocco on the way home. Arrive in Athens at least a day before a group trip starts.

Travel to Greece from Ireland

Ireland has direct flights from Dublin to Athens at times during the year, and in summer there are direct services from Dublin, and sometimes Cork, Shannon or Belfast, to popular islands such as Crete, Corfu, Rhodes, Kos and Zakynthos. Outside summer you may need to connect, often in London or another European hub. Check current schedules for your airport and dates.

Flight time: roughly 4–4.5 hours from Dublin to Athens.

Entry for Irish citizens

Ireland is in the EU, so Irish citizens can travel to Greece with a valid passport or Irish passport card and stay without a visa. EES and ETIAS do not apply to EU citizens. Ireland is not in the Schengen area, so you will still show your document at the border. Read dfa.ie/travel before you go. Non-Irish residents of Ireland should check the rules for their own nationality.

Time difference

Greece is 2 hours ahead of Ireland all year, because both change their clocks on the same dates.

Tips for the trip

With a short flight and no visa paperwork, Greece is one of the easiest trips from Ireland. The main things to plan are flight timing, as some island services run only once or twice a week, and the ferry or domestic flight between islands. If your group starts on an island, check whether a direct seasonal flight runs that week before you book anything else.

Arriving in Greece solo: Athens airport, night arrivals and meeting your group

Athens International Airport is about 30–40 minutes from the city centre by road, longer in traffic. You have three common options: the metro (blue line), which runs straight to Syntagma and Monastiraki; the express buses, which run to the centre and to Piraeus port around the clock; and official yellow taxis from the rank outside arrivals. Taxis from the airport to the centre have generally used a fixed day and night fare, so confirm the current fare with the driver before you set off. The suburban railway also links the airport to Piraeus and other areas.

Arriving at night

If you land late, a pre-booked transfer or the official taxi rank is the simplest choice. Have your accommodation address written down in Greek and English, keep your phone charged, and message your accommodation to say you are on the way, as some small hotels and apartments have no 24-hour reception. Athens is generally safe at night in the central areas, but quiet streets around Omonia and some side streets can feel uncomfortable late; stay on busier roads.

Connecting to the islands

Ferries to the Cyclades leave from Piraeus and Rafina. Do not plan a same-day ferry after a long-haul arrival unless you have plenty of margin. Many travellers spend the first night in Athens and take the morning boat.

Joining a group trip on arrival

Check exactly where and when the group meets, whether an airport pick-up is included, and what happens if your flight is delayed. Save the organiser's emergency number offline. Arriving the day before means you can sleep, buy a local SIM or eSIM, get cash and walk around the Plaka before meeting everyone fresh at the welcome meeting.

Best time to fly to Greece from the northern and southern hemisphere

For travellers from the USA, Canada, the UK, Ireland and Mexico, the most comfortable months on the ground are usually late April to June and September to mid-October. These are also the months when seasonal direct flights to Athens and the islands are running, so you often have the widest choice of routes. July and August bring the most flights but also the busiest airports, the heat and the meltemi wind on the Aegean.

From the southern hemisphere

For Australians, the Greek summer falls in the Australian winter. Many travellers use the June to September period, but the shoulder months of May and September usually give a better balance of warm sea and fewer crowds. Flying to Greece over the Australian summer holidays means arriving in the Greek winter, which is fine for Athens and the mainland but not for island hopping.

Booking pattern

Flights are usually busiest around Orthodox Easter, in July and August, and around Christmas. If your dates are flexible, look at flying midweek and compare arriving in Athens with arriving straight into an island airport.

Jet lag tips

• Eastbound from North America, try to sleep on the overnight flight and stay awake until the local evening on arrival day.
• From Australia, consider a stopover night and shift your sleep a little in the days before you leave.
• Get outside in daylight on your first morning; a walk up Lycabettus Hill or around the Acropolis area helps reset your body clock.
• Drink water, go easy on alcohol on the plane and keep the first day of a group trip light if you can.

Combine Greece with Morocco

Greece and Morocco sit at opposite ends of the Mediterranean, around 3,000 km apart, so you cannot easily travel between them overland or by ferry. The practical way to combine them is by air. Flights between Athens and Morocco may operate at times, but many routes connect through a European hub such as Madrid, Barcelona, Rome, Paris or Lisbon, or through Istanbul. Check current schedules for the dates you want.

A popular pattern for long-haul travellers is to fly into one country and out of the other. For example, travellers from the Americas often fly to Madrid or Lisbon, spend time in Morocco, and then continue to Greece before flying home from Athens. Remember that Morocco is outside the Schengen area, so leaving for Morocco pauses your Schengen days, while Greece, Spain and Portugal count together.

The two countries pair well because they feel so different: Greek islands, ancient sites and tavernas on one side, and medinas, the Atlas Mountains and the Sahara on the other. Spring and autumn suit both. Check Morocco's entry rules for your passport separately.