Greece’s Regional Destinations Keep Flying High
September brought another encouraging signal for Greek tourism, as the country’s regional gateways maintained their growth momentum well beyond the peak summer months. Across the 14 airports managed by Fraport Greece, passenger traffic reached 5.7 million in September 2026, up 4.2% year-on-year, with 229,000 additional travellers.
These figures tell a story of destinations that continue to attract international visitors as the summer season gradually gives way to autumn. International traffic remained the principal growth driver, rising by 4.2% to approximately 4.8 million passengers, while domestic travel also strengthened, up 4.0% to 873,000. Rhodes, Chania, Corfu and Thessaloniki were among the airports contributing to this performance, while Kefalonia and Skiathos stood out with double-digit growth.
Thessaloniki, meanwhile, benefited from increased flight capacity during the city’s International Fair, with passenger traffic rising by 6.2% over the corresponding period last year. Connections with the Middle East also continued to gain ground, recording impressive growth of 31.5% in September.
The positive picture extends beyond a single month. The nine-month performance confirms the resilience of demand for Greece, with Kefalonia and Skiathos reaching a notable milestone by surpassing their respective full-year 2025 passenger totals before the end of September. It is a reminder that the appeal of Greek destinations increasingly extends across a longer travel season.
Behind this progress lies a broader transformation of regional air travel. Since Fraport Greece took over the management of the 14 airports in 2017, the network has welcomed approximately 285 million passengers. Investment in airport infrastructure, operational efficiency and the passenger experience has helped strengthen connectivity and support the tourism economies of destinations across the country.
As the international travel industry gathers at World Travel Market 2026, Greece’s regional airports offer a compelling perspective on the country’s tourism outlook: destinations with enduring appeal, stronger international links and growing potential beyond the traditional summer peak.
