Heraklion airport sets back-to-back records, tracks toward more than 10 million passengers in 2026
Heraklion’s Nikos Kazantzakis Airport handled 68,818 passengers on August 1, 2026, the highest number ever recorded there in a single day, according to airport director Iakovos Ouranos. The following day, August 2, the airport logged 406 aircraft arrivals and departures, a new record for daily flight movements, Ouranos told the Athens-Macedonian News Agency (ANA-MPA).
Ouranos said the two consecutive records reflect the intensity of the airport’s traffic this year. Through August 23, total passenger traffic had reached 6.81 million, up 4.6% year-on-year, while international arrivals rose 5.1% to 2.88 million.
In August alone, through the 23rd of the month, the airport handled 1.38 million passengers, an increase of 3.1%, on 8,413 flights, also up 3.1%. Domestic arrivals reached 72,790, up 4.9%, and international arrivals reached 615,656, up 3.6%.
“When we talk about percentages like these in August, you understand they translate into very large absolute numbers,” Ouranos said, adding that the figures indicate 2026 will set a new record for passenger traffic at the airport.
In 2025, Nikos Kazantzakis Airport surpassed 10 million passengers for the first time in its history, reaching 10,033,151. Ouranos said this year’s trends suggest that mark could not only be matched but exceeded.
“In practice, our momentum has remained strong. Despite the war in Iran, which began in late February, our numbers are up even compared with 2025. I should remind you that 2025 was a landmark year for our airport, as it surpassed 10 million passengers for the first time in its history. This year, everything points to an even higher total,” Ouranos said.
Infrastructure under strain
Ouranos noted that the growth is occurring at an airport that still operates with significant infrastructure constraints despite the high traffic volume. Passenger totals at the airport have risen alongside broader gains for Crete’s tourism sector, with Heraklion accommodation revenue also posting growth this year, according to ELSTAT data reported separately.
“It’s true that, as a mainly seasonal airport, the pressure increases along with passenger traffic. Our infrastructure and staff are tested hard, especially during the summer months, when the airport operates at its limits. Despite these difficulties, the airport consistently fulfills its mission, actively supporting tourism and the local economy,” Ouranos said.
Season expected to extend into November
Ouranos said the outlook for the rest of the season is positive, with September and October traditionally strong months and current data suggesting traffic will continue through mid-November. “In recent years, the tourist season traditionally continues with high numbers in September and October, gradually winding down by mid-November. I expect these months to remain at high levels again this year. Crete’s excellent climate is a strong draw for many tourists in the autumn period as well,” he said.
On international arrivals, Ouranos said Germany leads with 780,809 passengers, followed by the United Kingdom with 483,998 and France with 310,171. Poland (169,434), the Netherlands (149,953), Israel (137,792) and Italy (131,912) round out the top nationalities. “The nationalities that traditionally favor Heraklion remain stable in the top seven,” he said, though he noted significant increases and decreases from other markets.
He cited a more than 20% rise in passengers from Israel despite the absence of flights in the early months of the season due to the war, alongside sharper increases from smaller markets: Cyprus arrivals rose 172% (16,933 versus 6,223), Turkey rose 72% (14,256 versus 8,272), Lithuania rose 42% (39,465 versus 27,807) and Austria rose 12.6% (89,237 versus 79,221). By contrast, arrivals from Serbia fell 50% (6,961 versus 13,965) and from Belgium fell 14% (77,745 versus 90,564).
Winter flights and new domestic routes
Ouranos said early signals for 2026 emerged during the winter, when international flights and slot requests from airlines pointed to a strong season ahead. He also pointed to an expanded domestic network as a contributing factor: alongside established routes to Athens, Thessaloniki and Rhodes, direct flights were added this year to Corfu, Naxos, Santorini, Paros, Syros, Kalamata, Mytilene, Kos, Mykonos and Volos.
Nikos Kazantzakis Airport is expected to keep absorbing this rising traffic until the new international airport at Kastelli officially begins operations. “The goal for all our staff is to keep offering the maximum in the coming years, until the official opening of the new international airport at Kastelli. To that end, we are working closely with the management of the Civil Aviation Authority, planning and carrying out all the necessary interventions and improvements required at our existing facilities,” Ouranos said.
