Chania International Airport
Chania International Airport: The gateway to West Crete
Chania International Airport (IATA airport code: CHQ) is the second biggest airport in Crete and the biggest in West Crete. It is called “Ioannis Daskalogiannis”, after the famous local rebel against ottoman rule of the 18th century.
As Crete Island is the most visited part of Greece from tourists from all over the world, the airport is busy during the summer season. Chania International Airport serves more than 2 million passengers every year. It is estimated that in the peak of the summer season its hourly traffic sometimes exceeds 2.500 passengers.
The long history of Chania International Airport
Chania International Airport is both a civil and a military airport. It started its operations in 1954 in Maleme, but in 1959 it moved to Akrotiri in its present place.
Its first terminal was built in 1967, and in 1974 the first international flight came to Chania Airport. As the tourists to Chania increased year by year, the old terminal had to be replaced by a new, bigger one. The new terminal building was completed in 1996.
In 2005 the final airport extensions were completed. The new Chania International Airport has a total surface of about 15.000 square metres and six aircraft stands.
Getting to and from Chania International Airport
Chania International Airport is located in Akrotiri Peninsula, at a distance of 14 kilometres from the centre of Chania city.
The easiest way to get to and from the airport is by a taxi, as the bus service from Chania International Airport to Chania city and vice versa is not regular at all – there are only 2-3 bus routes every day.
If you want to rent a car, there are offices of several car rental agencies inside the airport terminal. Regarding parking your car, there is ample car parking space in Chania International Airport.
Chania International Airport – flights and services
As Chania and Rethymno regions have many visitors every year, Chania International Airport is served by a multitude of international airlines, including EasyJet, Air Berlin, Thomson Airways, TUIfly and many more. The domestic flights in Greece are served by Aegean Airlines and Olympic Air. There are about 6 to 10 daily domestic flights, depending on the season.
Inside the terminal of Chania International Airport you can find shops, some of which are selling Cretan products and local art, ideal for souvenirs and gifts. There are also restaurants, cafeterias, ATM cash machines and a duty free shop.
Chania International Airport has also security police constantly monitoring the area of the airport and the terminal. In the airport there is also a fully equipped medical centre in case of emergencies.
Chania International Airport is one of the most modern airports in Greece, and it has been built and organized in order to handle large volumes of passenger traffic. When travelling to West Crete, your experience of Chania International Airport will most possibly be that of a small but fully functional airport, with very friendly staff.