Flying from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH): What you need to know
When planning your flight from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH), you'll have a good choice of airports to take off from. Check out London Heathrow Airport (LHR) and London Gatwick Airport (LGW) for your departure options. Other possibilities include Stansted Airport (STN), London Luton Airport (LTN) and London City Airport (LCY).
Jump on a direct London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport flight and you'll be in the air for an average of 3 hours 40 minutes.
Athens is two hours ahead of London. Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is located in Athens, which is in the UTC+2 timezone.
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) is the most popular route. There are 58 direct flights a week to choose from. If you have things to do before heading off, hop on the last flight with Aegean Airlines at 10:15pm. Go for the first LHR to ATH departure operated by British Airways at 6:10am if you're aiming for an earlier start.
To ensure you catch your flight from London to ATH, leave enough time for things like baggage drop and finding your gate. Turning up two hours ahead of international departures and one hour before domestic flights is the standard rule.
During high season, expect longer wait times and show up earlier. Aim for at least two hours ahead for domestic flights and up to four hours for international journeys.
Airports in London
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
London Heathrow Airport (LHR) provides a hassle-free way to reach your destination. Nonstop flights from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) can be booked from this terminal.
British Airways is a well-known carrier that offers direct flights from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport taking off from LHR.
The airline most travellers choose when flying between LHR and ATH is British Airways.
The carrier with the most consistent on-time arrival rate on this route is Aegean Airlines.
We make it a breeze to find cheap flights from London to ATH that include a stopover. To explore all your options departing from London Heathrow Airport (LHR), uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Then, simply select a flight offering a stop long enough to tour your chosen city. Popular stopovers between LHR and ATH include:
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Franz Josef Strauss Airport (MUC)
Vienna International Airport (VIE)
The journey from central London to LHR takes about 1 hour on public transport. If you drive, ride-share or grab a cab, you'll cover the 31 kilometres in 55 minutes or so, depending on traffic conditions.
Catching an early flight from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport? Avoid the stress of rushing to the terminal (and catch some extra z's) by choosing one of these hotels near London Heathrow Airport:
When it comes to London Heathrow Airport's on-time performance, data shows 68.18% of flights arrive within the expected time frame.
London Gatwick Airport (LGW)
You can book a direct London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) plane ticket out of London Gatwick Airport (LGW). See if flying from LGW works better for your plans.
You can pick from a variety of airlines operating direct flights from London to ATH departing from LGW. Get on board with any of these carriers and take a direct route to your destination:
easyJet takes the lead in bookings on the LGW to ATH route.
Flights between London Gatwick Airport and Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport are more likely to be on time with Aegean Airlines compared to other carriers.
Break up your flight from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport with a stop so you can recharge or tick a new place off your list. Some popular stopovers between London Gatwick Airport and ATH are:
Milano Malpensa Airport (MXP)
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)
Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport (LYS)
With public transport, you can travel from central London to LGW in about 30 minutes. The terminal is roughly 80 kilometres away, and making the journey by car will take approximately 1 hour 20 minutes.
Want to treat yourself to an extra night away before your London to ATH flight? Kick back in a hotel near London Gatwick Airport before your break officially starts. These stays have a room with your name on it:
69.26% of flights leaving London Gatwick Airport stick to their scheduled arrival time.
Stansted Airport (STN)
Begin your journey at Stansted Airport (STN) and go straight to your destination without any layovers. You can book direct flights from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport from here.
Get set for takeoff with Ryanair. It offers direct London to ATH plane tickets from STN.
The preferred choice for passengers flying between STN and ATH is Ryanair.
Ryanair is the most consistent performer for punctuality on this route.
Booking a plane ticket from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) with a stop or two can offer you a bigger choice of departure times along with better fares. When leaving from Stansted Airport (STN), here are a few places you can detour to on the way to ATH:
Cologne Bonn Airport (CGN)
Luxembourg Airport (LUX)
Chania International Airport (CHQ)
The trip to STN from central London is around 1 hour 25 minutes by public transport. If you're going by car, it'll take you roughly 1 hour to cover the 64 kilometres or so.
Take the 'what ifs' out of departure day — stay close to Stansted Airport and know you'll reach your gate with time to spare. Check in to one of these hotels the day before if you're catching an early London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport flight:
Airports have an on-time performance rating that tracks how often flights arrive at their destinations without delays. At STN, that rate is 64.73%.
About Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH)
Consider staying in a hotel near ATH if you have a late flight from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport. Select one of these accommodation options and end the night sooner:
Pick up an Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport rental car and explore Athens and beyond with your own wheels. Centauro, Green Motion and Surprice are top outlets to choose from here.
To get the best deal, reserve your vehicle around three weeks ahead of your London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport flight.
Getting from Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) to central Athens
Central Athens is around 40 kilometres from Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport and takes about 35 minutes to reach by car. Explore your options for getting into the city, whether that's with a car hire, cab or ride-share.
It takes around 1 hour to get there using public transport.
How to find the cheapest flights from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH)
R 596 is currently the best price for a one-way ticket from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport. Return flights start at R 1,140. These fares can change based on availability.
To snap up cheap flights from London to ATH, book your plane ticket nine months before your planned departure.
February is when you're most likely to find a bargain on a London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport ticket. If you're looking to travel at a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices across every month.
Finding a cheap plane ticket from London to ATH is a piece of cake with Price Alerts. All you need to do is create one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch as soon as there's a price drop.
Save money on your flight from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport by using filters. Choose your preferred duration, departure time and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
The best time to fly from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH)
Think about the kind of holiday you want when picking your flight dates. February is the quietest month to visit Athens. August is when most people book flights from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH), which may be ideal if you're after more excitement.
Before locking in your London to ATH plane ticket, consider the weather you're most comfortable in. July is the warmest month in Athens, with temperatures ranging from 22ºC (72ºF) to 37ºC (99ºF).
January sees temperatures of between 4ºC (39ºF) and 14ºC (57ºF). Search for cheap tickets from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport around that time if you'd rather travel in cooler conditions.
More about Athens
When it comes to searching for somewhere to lay your head, you'll find the best places to stay in Athens right here. Explore these hotels as soon as you've locked in your flight from London to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport:
Acropolis of Athens and The Parthenon are just the start of the top attractions to put on your Athens travel itinerary. Keep the adventure rolling by checking out Erechtheion.
Explore more of Greece
Athens has plenty going for it, but there are so many other corners of Greece you should also see. About 225 kilometres north-west of Athens, a trip to Larisa will keep your itinerary busy. Check out popular attractions like Ancient Theatre A, War Memorial and Larissa Ancient Ruins.
If you're ready to explore another major destination in Greece, head for Kalamaria, roughly 306 kilometres north of Athens. Thetidos Park, Nautical Club of Thessaloniki and Kalamaria Marina Recreational Park are among its highlights.
