Independent guide. Not the official website of Heraklion Airport.

Crete has three airports

Crete airports: Heraklion Airport, Chania or Sitia?

Yes, Crete has airports: three with passenger flights. Heraklion (HER) is the big one in the centre-north, Chania (CHQ) serves the west, and Sitia (JSH) is a small airport in the far east. A fourth, Kastelli, is being built to replace Heraklion.

Sitia Airport runway in eastern Crete, one of the three Crete airports with Heraklion Airport
Photo: Schuppi, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
  • Heraklion: centre and eastHER
  • Chania: the westCHQ
  • Sitia: small, far eastJSH
  • Kastelli projected opening2028

Crete airports at a glance

Passenger figures from HCAA for 2025; Crete’s airports together handled about 14 million passengers.

AirportCodeNearBest for
Heraklion “Nikos Kazantzakis”HER / LGIRHeraklion, 5 kmHersonissos, Malia, Agios Nikolaos, Elounda, the south coast
Chania “Ioannis Daskalogiannis”CHQ / LGSAChania, ~14 kmChania, Balos, Falassarna, Elafonisi, west Rethymno
Sitia “Vitsentzos Kornaros”JSH / LGSTSitia, ~1 kmThe far east: Vai, Ierapetra region (few flights)

Which Crete airport suits your trip

  1. 1. Heraklion (HER)

    The main gateway, most flights

    Most choice
    Passengers 2025
    10.0 million
    To city
    5 km
    • Widest choice of airlines and routes
    • Central: 1 h to Agios Nikolaos, 1 h 15 to Rethymno
    • Car rental, transfers and buses on the doorstep
    • Crowded in summer
    • Old terminal
    Heraklion Airport guide

  2. 2. Chania (CHQ)

    Best for western Crete

    To Chania town
    ~20–25 min
    From HER
    ~2 h by road
    • Closest to Chania, Balos and Elafonisi
    • Calmer than Heraklion
    • Fewer routes outside summer
    • Far from the east
    Chania or Heraklion?

  3. 3. Sitia (JSH)

    A small regional airport

    Flights
    mainly domestic
    From HER
    ~2 h by road
    • No crowds
    • Gateway to the quiet east
    • Very few routes
    • Little choice of transport

Flying into Heraklion? Book the ride to your hotel

Fixed-price transfers from Heraklion Airport to anywhere on Crete, including Chania and Rethymno.

Does Crete have an airport?

Crete has three airports with scheduled passenger flights: Heraklion, Chania and Sitia. Heraklion is the one most visitors use and the second-busiest airport in Greece after Athens. If someone says “Crete airport”, they almost always mean Heraklion (HER).

Heraklion Airport or Chania: how to choose

Look at where you sleep. Crete is 260 km long and the national road is slow in places, so landing at the wrong end can cost you three hours. Rough guide: east of Rethymno, fly to Heraklion; Chania and west of it, fly to Chania; Rethymno itself is about 1 h 15 from Heraklion and 1 h from Chania, so pick the cheaper flight. The full comparison is in Chania or Heraklion airport.

The new Kastelli airport

Greece is building a new international airport at Kastelli, about 40 km south-east of Heraklion, to replace HER. Construction passed the halfway mark in 2025; the official target of early 2027 has slipped and recent reports point to 2028. Until it opens, all Heraklion flights use the current airport. More in our article on Kastelli airport.

Sources and official links

Crete airports: frequently asked questions

Does Crete have an airport?

Yes, three: Heraklion (HER), Chania (CHQ) and Sitia (JSH). Heraklion is the main one, with just over 10 million passengers in 2025.

Is there an airport in Crete for international flights?

Yes. Heraklion and Chania both have direct international flights, mostly from April to October. Sitia has very few.

What is the main airport in Crete?

Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis”, code HER, 5 km east of Heraklion city.

What airport is Heraklion airport?

It is Heraklion International Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” (IATA HER, ICAO LGIR), Crete’s largest airport.

How far is Chania airport from Heraklion airport?

About 150 km, roughly 2 hours by car on the national road.

Which Crete airport is closest to Elounda?

Heraklion: about 70 km and 65–75 minutes by road. Sitia is a similar distance but has few flights.

Landing at Heraklion?

Book a fixed-price transfer to any resort on the island.

Book a transfer