If you are traveling to the Northern part of Greece, you will have to use Thessaloniki’s Macedonia Airport (SKG). The international airport is modern and offers full services to travelers, including customs services.

Location and Transfer to City

Thessaloniki International Airport is located 13 km / 8 miles east of the city. In order to get to the city, take 78 bus which runs every 60 min. The fare is €0.45/person and the journey takes about 50 minutes. Alternatively you can take the taxi and get to Thessaloniki in 30 min for a €6-9.

Facilities and Customs

Within the airport you can find a restaurant, a bar, a duty-free shop, other shops, a bank and an exchange office, post office, pharmacy and a VIP lounge. Unfortunately there is no Internet access available. However there are other telecommunication services available (such as fax and Greek SIM cards).

Finding the appropriate channel to take can be a bit confusing. Since most of the travelers are from a EU country you might be directed to the EU channel. But if you come from the United States, you need to be on the “non-EU” channel and Non-Schengen. However, if you are taking a domestic flight you need to take the “Intra Schengen Channel” because you are, for the time being, traveling Intra-Schengen.

When arriving at Thessaloniki airport, exchange just enough money to get to the city (about €10-20 would be enough). Generally, the banks/exchange offices in airport favor the banks so it makes sense to wait and exchange the bulk of the money in the city.

>> more information on the banks and exchange rates

When leaving Thessaloniki, make sure to get to the airport about 2 hours before your flight. Check in immediately and find the gate where you need to go. During the summer, the airport can get pretty crowded.

Airlines

Currently there are 25 airlines serving Thessaloniki airport, including: Alitalia, Aerosvit Airlines, Austrian Airlines, British Airways, Czech Airlines, Cyprus Airways, Hapag-Lloyd Express, LTU International Airways, SWISS, TAROM. They connect Thessaloniki to cities around the world, such as Bucharest, Budapest, Kiev, Larnaca, London, Milan, Munich, Prague, Rome, Stuttgart, Vienna, Zurich.

Thessaloniki Airport is also important airport for the domestic flights, connecting the city to other Greek islands and cities, including: Athens, Chania, Heraklion, Kalamata, Kerkyra, Limnos, Mytilene and Rhodes. The airlines serving these destinations are Olympic Airlines and Aegean Airlines.

Prices and Booking your flight

In additional to the major airlines that serve Thessaloniki airport, during the summer season, there are a lot of low-cost airlines which serve the Greek airports. Therefore, checking for a flight well in advance is the best option, offering the possibility to find really low prices.

The ticket price depends on the airline, class, weather it’s a direct flight or not and when you book the seat. Obviously, the longer you wait to book your flight, the more you will pay for it. Another good idea is to catch the “summer sales” which are usually offered when the new prices for the summer season are made public.