Flights time London to Athens Greece
Airlines that fly from London to Athens
Five airlines currently offer direct flights to Athens from three of London's Airports: Ryanair from London-Stansted, Aegean Airlines and British Airways from London-Heathrow, and Aegean Airlines, easyJet and Small Planet Airlines from London-Gatwick.
Terminal Information – Departing
This is only a guideline. Always check your boarding pass for up-to-date terminal information.
From Gatwick: Flights to Athens depart from Gatwick's South Terminal. The terminal has a great range of restaurants, which are mostly located on the first floor of the airport, and shops to browse on the ground floor. There's a huge World Duty Free store in addition to high-street brands like Zara, Accessorize and Fat Face.
From Heathrow: Aegean Airlines depart from Terminal 2 (The Queen's Terminal) while British Airways fly from Terminal 5. Check your boarding card before heading to the airport, as Terminal 5 is an extra stop. Some trains stop at Terminal 4 instead so it's a good idea to look at the train route before boarding. Both terminals have a great variety of high-end shops and places to dine.
From Stansted: Stansted Airport only has one terminal. There's a good range of places to eat and drink, whether you're in the mood for some take-away sushi (Itsu), a burger (Giraffe), or something a little fancier (James Martin Kitchen, Blanc et Noir Champagne Bar).
Terminal Information – Arriving
The airport is about 17 miles from the city centre. The Metro serves the airport and tickets cost €8* (about £6). Tickets are transferable and can be used on other forms of public transport, such as buses, for up to 90 minutes after validation. Speaking of which, you'll need to stamp your ticket in the validation machine before boarding the train or you could face a hefty fine: up to €120* (over £90). Express buses X93, X95, X96 and X97 go to different parts of the city and one-way tickets can be purchased for €5* (just under £4). There's a taxi rank at the airport, and cabs offer a flat-rate of €38* (about £30) during the day and €50* (just under £40) at night for trips into the city centre. Car rental is also available at the airport: remember to compare prices with Skyscanner.
Practical Information
You need a valid passport to visit Greece. We recommend arriving at the airport 90 minutes before scheduled departure.
What to expect in Athens
Athens is two hours ahead of London and the currency is the Euro (€). If you're planning on doing a lot of sightseeing it's best to visit the city in the winter, when the mercury hovers around 10°C. The average summer temperature is 29°C, which can be a bit hot to handle if you're doing a lot of walking. Athens is a lot cheaper than London: you can enjoy dinner for two for well-under £30* while a pint of beer is less than £3.*
