Greece: 2026 Business Aviation Destination Guide
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Greece’s popular island destinations, exclusive summer resorts and sustained tourism growth continue to drive strong demand for business aviation. Operations are generally manageable from both a planning and day-of-operation perspective, but peak-season constraints can make flexibility essential.
“Greece is straightforward operationally, but during the summer peak, parking and slots can become the limiting factor,” said Dimitra Kiriakopoulou, a representative of Universal Aviation Greece. “Operators should plan early and avoid assuming they can extend stays or adjust times at the last minute.”
Executive Summary: Key Operational Considerations
- Peak season congestion: June through September brings heavy demand across mainland and island airports. Parking and slots are often the primary operational constraint.
- LGAV slot coordination: Athens (LGAV) is slot coordinated during the Summer season. Long-term parking requires an additional PPR. Slots can only be requested and confirmed the day before the date of flight.
- GA lounge fees: At LGMK, LGKR and LGKO, use of the dedicated GA CIQ lounge is mandatory and costs 2,000 euros per live leg plus VAT.
- Non-EU cabotage limits: Non-EU charter operators may not conduct domestic passenger sectors within Greece.
- Eurocontrol suspension risk: Flights operating without a valid slot or outside the 15-minute tolerance may be automatically suspended.
- Pet entry restrictions: Certain airports, including LGPZ, are not approved pet entry points for non-EU origins or destinations.
Permits
Landing permits are not required for most private non-revenue operations to Greece unless landing at a joint-use civil/military airport. At most airports, locally issued PPR and slots are required for landings.
However, under European Union regulations, landing and overflight permits are required if the operator is a Stage 2 flight, flying on an experimental certificate, or operating with temporary documents (Permit to fly).
Charter Permits
The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority requires a landing permit for non-European Union registered aircraft conducting non-scheduled commercial operations to Greece.
The minimum lead time is five working days. During the busy summer season, processing times may increase due to higher workload within the CAA departments handling permit applications. Required documentation includes the company operating license, certificate of airworthiness, registration certificate and security program approval.
EU insurance limits differ from those in the United States. Insurance certificates must comply with EC Regulation 785/2004.
This permit authorizes international flights only. “Non-EU charter operators cannot perform domestic passenger sectors within Greece due to cabotage rules,” Dimitra said. “They may operate technical or positioning flights domestically, but not passenger-carrying domestic legs.”
UK commercial operators are also subject to this permit following Brexit, effective Jan. 1, 2021. Under the EU-UK Trade and Cooperation Agreement, charter operations are permitted only on UK–Greece–UK or EU–Greece–EU routings. UK charter operators are not authorized to operate from third countries to Greece.
Ferry flights and technical stops are permitted regardless of origin or destination.
Private vs. charter requirements
Procedures are the same for private non-revenue and charter (non-scheduled commercial) PPRs.
Starting March 2025, Athens (LGAV) became slot coordinated during the Summer season. Runway movements and parking approvals for turnarounds are managed by the Hellenic Slot Coordination Authority. This has significantly affected parking availability and schedule flexibility during peak periods.
Slot coordination is strict and inflexible, with no allowance for exemptions or last-minute changes, Dimitra said. Long-term parking remains regulated and requires an additional PPR in addition to the mandatory slot approval. Slots may only be requested and confirmed the day prior to the date of flight.
For joint-use civil/military airports such as Preveza (LGPZ) and Kalamata (LGKL), private operations require an additional permit with four business days’ prior notice.
Cabotage
Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority procedures require passengers on private flights to sign a declaration confirming the flight is private and that no fare has been paid. This is required before departure. If it is not completed, the general declaration will not be stamped and passengers will not be permitted to proceed to the aircraft.
Dimitra said non-EU charter operators also face cabotage limitations. “Non-EU charter operators cannot perform domestic passenger trips within Greece,” she said. “Only technical stops or positioning flights may be operated domestically.”
CIQ Overview
The customs, immigration and quarantine experience in Greece is generally quick, professional and user-friendly. If arriving from outside the EU, operators should confirm that all documentation and required visas are in order prior to arrival, as visas cannot be issued on arrival.
CIQ Locations
Outside of LGAV, where CIQ is typically cleared quickly within the general aviation terminal, crews should expect CIQ to occur in the main terminal alongside scheduled commercial passengers. Priority clearance may be possible at CIQ’s discretion, allowing clearance at a separate counter in the main hall.
At Mykonos (LGMK), Corfu (LGKR) and Kos (LGKO), there is a small separate lounge designated for GA and business aviation traffic. Security, customs and immigration are available there, and use of the lounge is expensive but mandatory for all GA and business aviation flights, private or non-scheduled commercial.
The lounge in Mykonos became available in July 2022, in Corfu in July 2023 and in Kos in May 2024. These facilities improve privacy and handling but add significant cost. A flat fee of 2,000 euros per live leg plus VAT when applicable is charged for lounge use.
Ground handlers transport crew members, passengers and luggage to the appointed facility, general aviation terminal or main terminal for international arrivals from outside the EU. This usually takes only a few minutes.
Arrival and Departure Requirements
CIQ is not required for arrivals from within the EU unless customs or border police conduct a random check.
For departures to non-EU destinations, CIQ clearance is required. For intra-EU departures, the only requirement is to show a passport or other identification document to airport police. On departure, all luggage is X-rayed and all individuals are screened. At airports other than LGAV, LGMK and LGKR, both CIQ and security screening are completed in the main terminal.
Crew and Passenger Processing
CIQ must confirm IDs for every arriving or departing crew member and passenger. Where permitted, ground handlers may arrange expedited clearance through a separate line or priority processing within the standard line.
Crew members and passengers undergo security screening for all departures regardless of destination both international and domestic.
Onboard Clearance
CIQ clearance cannot be performed onboard in Greece. Clearance is completed only at the GATs at LGAV, LGMK, LGKR and LGKO or via main terminals at other locations.
Fees and Documentation
No CIQ fees apply at LGAV, Thessaloniki (LGTS), or Iraklion (LGIR). Fees may apply at airports where CIQ is available only with prior notice.
CIQ requires presentation of a general declaration, which ground handlers can arrange in advance.
No arrival or departure cards are required in Greece.
Documentation requirements & Visas
A valid passport is required for all non-EU nationals. EU nationals should carry a national ID, passport or driving license. Depending on nationality, visas may be required.
Visas cannot be obtained on arrival. Passengers without required visas may face fines or deportation. If Schengen visas are required, they must be obtained before arrival. If a visa is not required, passports must be valid for the intended length of stay unless immigration rules state otherwise.
Crew members may enter with valid International Air Transport Association crew IDs for a maximum stay of 72 hours. Alternatively, a valid passport and in some cases a visa will be required.
Agricultural considerations
There are no current agricultural restrictions related to bringing catering into Greece, but operators should confirm requirements with their ground handler.
Pets
Bringing pets to Greece is often simpler than in many international destinations, but operators must confirm airport-specific entry approvals in advance. Pets are permitted with a pet passport, microchip, and valid veterinary health certificate.
Dimitra highlighted a key limitation at Preveza. “LGPZ does not accept pets to or from non-EU origins or destinations at the moment,” she said. “They do not have a veterinarian on site and are not an approved entry point for pets. There are other Greek airports that are not pet entry points as well, and while issues are not always encountered, operators should not assume it will be accepted. We encourage all passengers traveling into a summer destination from/to non-EU origins / destinations to contact our ops first and reconfirm pet entry procedures.”
Weapons
Bringing hunting weapons into Greece requires licensing, proper documentation and advance notification to coordinate required arrangements.
Flight planning
Flight planning procedures in Greece follow Eurocontrol policies and are generally straightforward for business aviation. It is typically best to have the ground handler assist with flight plan filing so they can monitor issues and make on-the-spot revisions if needed to avoid delays.
All IFR flight plans for Greece are filed and controlled via Eurocontrol’s Network Manager Operations Centre. Last-minute flight plan changes may be handled via Eurocontrol while on the ground, and Eurocontrol can assist with route changes while airborne.
At Athens (LGAV), air traffic control provides directions on where to land and taxi. At other Greek airports, ATC provides parking positions. During high season, ATC may be unable to provide detailed arrival assistance in some cases. Operators may need to follow a follow-me vehicle to the parking position and be parked by a marshaller.
GA/BA Flight Plan Suspension Procedure
For this procedure, an allocated and confirmed airport slot for general aviation, business aviation and air taxi flights is defined as the time confirmed by the Hellenic Slot Coordination Authority, with a tolerance of plus or minus 15 minutes. The slot ID must be included in Item 18 of the flight plan in ASL format.
Eurocontrol monitors flights operating into and out of Greece, matches approved slots against filed flight plans, and suspends flights without a valid slot or filed outside the 15-minute tolerance. Flights arriving from airports outside Eurocontrol’s area of operation cannot be affected or suspended by this process, but operators should note that operating outside an approved slot or without a slot may result in heavy fines.
In previous years, Eurocontrol would sometimes contact the operator or handler to advise of an upcoming suspension and allow an adjustment. Starting in 2024, that outreach was no longer reliable due to workload, Dimitra said.
A pattern has been observed in past summer seasons in which operators converted flight plans to VFR, Y, or Z to try to avoid suspension procedures. This might remove the flight from Eurocontrol monitoring but does not eliminate slot violation risk, and the flight may still be subject to heavy fines.
Aircraft Equipment Requirements
Aircraft operating in this region need area navigation and required navigation performance 5 capability when conducting flights on air traffic service routes. VHF radio 8.33 kHz channel spacing is mandatory for all IFR flights in the EU region. Operators will also require a Mode C transponder, ACAS II and an ELT.
Day-of-operation procedures
Ground handlers verify and confirm required pre-departure services, confirm that flight plans are filed and ensure there are no restrictions such as airway slot delays or CTOTs that may impact the flight plan.
Ground handlers can assist when crews have flight plans to file. Alternatively, crews may submit flight plans at the airport tower. Another filing option, if crews have ICAO flight plan information ready, is for the ground handler to forward the information to Eurocontrol via SITA.
All IFR flight plans must be filed via Eurocontrol. VFR flight plans are filed via the aeronautical fixed telecommunications network at the nearest tower.
There are VFR lower-level restrictions over many historical sites in Greece, including the Acropolis in Athens.
Several smaller airports in Greece do not have ATC towers. These airports are typically controlled by a surrounding airport.
Pushback requirements in Greece
Many airports have shifted to nose-in parking to increase ramp space. Operators of Category B aircraft and above must carry their tow bar and tow head onboard and offload it for use if equipment is not available from a local ground handler.
Tow bars for several popular general aviation aircraft types are available in Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, Corfu, Thessaloniki and some other high-traffic airports. Operators should include tow bar and tow head availability information when submitting handling requests to help expedite PPR processing.
Tech stops
Tech stops in Greece are generally quick, often around 30 minutes. If the tech stop is the first entry to or exit from the EU, CIQ may be required.
Onboard CIQ clearance may be requested, but because it is not typical, it is at the discretion of the customs officer on duty.
Athens (LGAV) is the preferred location for international tech stops. Tech stops remain subject to slot coordination that may affect schedule approval on the peak of the day, but servicing remains smoother as fuel services are 24/7, and quick turns are typically efficient.
Other tech stops to consider include Thessaloniki (LGTS) and Iraklion (LGIR), both 24-hour airports of entry with sufficient infrastructure and services to support quick turn fuel uplifts.
Thessaloniki
Peak season/high-traffic events
June through September is peak season for Greece and routinely drives congestion. Airports across the mainland and islands can see heavy traffic from around the world. Authorities may implement restrictions to accommodate demand, affecting general aviation.
Our Greek Islands Business Aviation Destination Guide article has more on operating to Greece during peak season.
Cultural considerations
Greece is known for friendly people and a vibrant culture. Security and safety concerns are comparable to other European destinations, and basic security awareness is recommended. Certain small areas of Athens and Thessaloniki should be avoided due to petty crime.
English is widely spoken, and many residents also speak French, Spanish, German and Italian. Communication issues are uncommon even on smaller islands.
Universal Aviation Greece can help
Universal Aviation has had a presence in Greece for more than 30 years. Primary locations are in Athens and Mykonos, and Paros. The team also provides on-airport supervision at destinations across Greece and all the Greek Islands. More information and team contact info are available on the company’s website.
