Athens Airport Expands Global Reach with New Routes
Seville, Spain—Athens International Airport (ATH) is setting its sights on significant route expansions as it seeks to strengthen its global network. Among the key destinations on the airport’s radar are New Delhi and Mumbai, two of India’s largest business and tourism hubs. ATH’s director of marketing and communications, Ioanna Papadopoulou, shared the airport’s goal of branching out to key regions including India, the Far East, Sub-Saharan Africa, and North America, with the aim of catering to growing international demand.
India has emerged as a top priority, with New Delhi and Mumbai positioned as key targets. Papadopoulou noted that both cities serve as crucial financial and tourism centers, which makes them natural extensions of ATH’s expanding network. “We aspire to introduce services to Delhi and Mumbai,” she said, underlining the importance of these cities in bolstering connectivity between Athens and key markets in Asia.
In addition to India, ATH is also eyeing other major destinations in Asia, including Seoul and Guangzhou, China. These cities are viewed as financial powerhouses, serving as essential hubs for business and tourism across the continent. Athens’ position as a gateway to both Europe and Asia strengthens the case for these direct connections, allowing the airport to tap into growing demand for travel between the two regions.
Sub-Saharan Africa is another region ATH believes offers untapped potential. Papadopoulou highlighted the strategic advantage of Athens’ location and its extensive international network, which provides a competitive alternative to existing routes serving Sub-Saharan African cities. By introducing direct services to this region, ATH aims to meet growing demand while also catering to the significant Greek expatriate community in South Africa. These cultural ties could further bolster the potential success of such routes, according to Papadopoulou.
On the North American front, ATH is particularly focused on expanding its services to Florida and Western Canada. Florida’s strong indirect traffic to Athens makes it an ideal candidate for a direct connection, with Miami being a particularly strategic addition. “Miami’s significance as a business and tourism hub, combined with the growing demand from travelers in Florida, makes it an indispensable addition to our network,” Papadopoulou said. ATH is also eyeing Vancouver and Halifax as potential destinations in Canada, beyond the already served Toronto and Montreal, to further boost its North American presence.
ATH’s expansion efforts are well underway, with nine new routes and five new airlines already added in 2025. The airport is also seeing significant growth in its U.S. connectivity, with American Airlines introducing a new route to Charlotte, North Carolina, and Norse Atlantic launching direct flights to Los Angeles. By summer 2025, ATH expects to offer services to nine U.S. destinations and a total of 103 weekly frequencies, marking a major milestone in its global growth.
The airport is also enhancing its European and regional connectivity. Aegean and easyJet are set to launch new routes to Erbil, Iraq; Baku, Azerbaijan; and Las Palmas and Alicante, Spain. Newcomers like Air Haifa and World2Fly are adding destinations such as Haifa, Israel, and Madrid, respectively. Additionally, SkyUp and Air Albania are expanding services to Chisinau, Moldova, and Tirana, Albania. Sichuan Airlines will further diversify ATH’s offerings by introducing flights from Chengdu, China.
According to OAG Schedules Analyser, ATH’s capacity will reach a total of 14 million departure seats in the summer 2025 season, representing a 6.1% year-on-year increase. With continued investment in both long-haul and regional routes, Athens International Airport is positioning itself as a major player in global aviation, connecting more passengers to Europe and beyond.
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