jeanned

We are arriving in Athens from the US midday. How much time should we allow for immigration, customs, and transferring to domestic flights? Is two hours enough time?
Thanks.

stanbr

Two hours is perfect.

brotherleelove2004

2 hours is good.

Heimdall

Agreed! Passport control never takes much time on the flights I use, but flights from the US where most passengers are non-EU may take longer. Customs is merely walking through the green "nothing to declare" door, and I've never seen anyone questioned or stopped.

If you are flying with Aegean Airlines/Olympic Air, check in online and print out your boarding passes before you leave home. Then, after collecting your bags from the carousel in Arrivals, go up one level to the separate baggage drop-off point next to the check-in desks where your bags will be tagged. Walk to the domestic departure gates with your boarding passes. Domestic departures is at the opposite end of the terminal from international departures.

Last time I took a domestic flight at Athens Airport, security was very busy. They used to have security checks at the individual gates, but now seem to have consolidated into one. Once past security at domestic departures there are only little kiosks selling drinks and snacks, so if you have time and are hungry, stop at a cafe before you enter the secure area.

jeanned

And are the international flights generally on time into Athens?

Thanks so much for your assistance!!
Jeanne

travelerjan

The nonstops from N. America (American, Delta, Canada Air and ???) always arrive on time, even if they are delayed more than an hour waiting on the runway. That's because they all leave late afternoon, and have all that time over the ocean to make up time.

Where any delays occur would be in a Europe connection, if there's a take-off delay in Ch DeG, Frankfurt, Amst, etc. Again, not so much earlier in day ... as day drags on, more chance. You might look up the on-time record of the particular airline you're taking.

travelerjan

Also any delay after you arrive is due to standing in line for non-EU passport control .... the EU line SPEEDS through, ours is slower. But remember, if u speed thru the line, you may still have to fidget at the carousel till your bags appear.

greg

>>> And are the international flights generally on time into Athens?

You can find out recent empirical data at a site like Flightsaware. For example, JFK-ATH statistics is like this: http://flightaware.com/live/flight/D...135Z/KJFK/LGAV

However, what are you going to do if you see that they are not GENERALLY on time? If your action is the same, it is not a useful information. It is more productive knowing what you are going to do if you miss the connection, so that you already know if you need to act even leaving the U.S.

For example, my last trip to Greece, my flight was on time or earlier for three weeks. But my flight was 4 hours late. I already knew that if that happened, I needed to zip to the home airport to take an alternate flight two hours earlier to have any chance of arriving in Athens on the same day. I was ready to execute plan B if I got that dreaded schedule change email. Many people never encounter foul ups and think silly being prepared for one perhaps because the halcyon days would continue, while those saved by a plan B would probably always travel with fall back plans.

crazyh

I have never spent a lot of time waiting for customs or luggage. For the most part it's rather quick and a lot less stressful and over-the-top security like Charles de Gaul in Paris or Heathrow in London. You get off the plane, go through customes and pick up your luggage and head out the gate and you are in Athens, albeit about 45 minutes subway or taxi ride.

It seems Athens is one of those airports that doesn't put you through the ringer as far as security or long lines which may or may not be a good thing.

However, I have never had any issues with security checks, delays or inconveniences.

I do travel off-season and whether that makes a difference compared to High Season I can't say.

Still, it's a lot quicker and less stressful than many other major airports.