Athens International Airport (AIA) processed a record 420,000 round-trip passengers from Canada in 2025, marking the strongest year yet for air travel between the two countries. The trend has carried into 2026, with traffic rising 6.7% in the first eight months compared to the same period last year. The growth is driven by direct flights from Montreal and Toronto, reinforcing Canada’s position as Athens’ ninth-largest international market and its second-biggest long-haul market based on data through August.
Ioanna Papadopoulou, AIA’s Director of Communications and Marketing, highlighted the 2025 figures during a media briefing in Athens. She noted that demand now extends beyond the traditional summer season, with winter travel, covering November through March, growing from 23,000 passengers in 2018/19 to 45,000 in 2025/26. That represents a 16% year-over-year increase, while US-Athens winter traffic also climbed to 313,000 in 2025/26, up 9% from the prior winter.
Air Canada remains a key player in the Athens-North America corridor, ranking as the second-largest carrier after Delta. The airline’s direct traffic to Athens surged from 46,000 passengers in 2010 to 366,000 in 2025, with a 13.5% increase in the first eight months of 2026. Of that traffic, 73% originates in Canada, while 26.5% comes from the US, reflecting Air Canada’s role in connecting US travelers through its Canadian hubs.
Canadian visitors to Athens skew older, with an average age over 45, and 88% travel for holidays. Their stays average 16 days in Greece, including about four days in Athens. Most, 59%, prioritize sea tourism, while 33% combine an Athens visit with an island trip. Popular destinations include Santorini, Crete, and Paros. In Athens, 95% visit museums, particularly the Acropolis Museum and the National Archaeological Museum, and 83% explore archaeological sites. The Athens Riviera draws 26% of visitors, and 21% head to the Argosaronic islands.
Satisfaction among Canadian travelers is high: 69% said Athens exceeded expectations, and 99% plan to return. Greece’s Net Promoter Score among Canadians stands at +61, classified as excellent. The market shows a near-even gender split, with 51% male and 49% female. Most travelers, 66%, go as couples, while 15% book through travel agents, and 73% purchase tickets directly on airline websites.
Beyond Canada, Athens International Airport handled 23.71 million passengers in the first eight months of 2026, a 4.4% increase year-over-year. Aircraft movements rose 3.9% to 198,600, and foreign arrivals held steady at 5.91 million, despite ongoing geopolitical challenges.
Greek passengers on the route stay an average of 15 days, booking 80 days in advance, compared to 20 days and 112 days for non-Greek travelers.