ATH is Athens International Airport: code, terminals and travel guide
The IATA code for Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” is ATH. Its ICAO code is LGAV, and the airport is in Spata, Attica, serving Athens and the wider region.
What is the Athens Airport code?
ATH is the IATA airport code for Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos.” This is the code most passengers see while booking flights, reading departure boards and checking baggage labels.
The airport’s ICAO code is LGAV. The current Greek aeronautical publication identifies the aerodrome as “Athinai / Eleftherios Venizelos,” operated by Athens International Airport S.A., with its address in 19019 Spata.
Airport live checks & travel tools
Use current local conditions, official live-status links and planning calculators before you travel. Airline gate, terminal and flight times can change; your carrier remains the final source for flight-specific details.
Live flight center
Check the airport's official flight board, then confirm any last-minute gate or timing change with the airline.
Current airport-area weather
Useful for planning your trip to the airport. This is model-based local weather, not an aviation METAR or an airline operational forecast.
Quick official checks
Open the source that matches the decision you are making right now.
When should I reach the airport?
A planning estimate based on flight type and common time buffers. Always increase the buffer for severe weather, major holidays, unusual airport alerts or airline instructions.
Connection-risk checker
This is a planning heuristic, not an airline minimum-connection-time rule. International arrivals that require U.S. entry processing, baggage claim and security can need substantially more time.
Parking cost estimator
Uses the airport-specific rates stored in this article's configuration. Rates can change; verify availability and final pricing on the official parking page before driving in.
Passenger pickup readiness
Landing time is not curb-ready time. Add time for taxiing, deplaning, baggage claim, customs when applicable and walking to the correct pickup zone.
Allow extra departure time in 2026
Athens International Airport’s current notice says the EU Entry/Exit System has been fully deployed for third-country nationals travelling to and from the Schengen Area since 30 March 2026. Passport-control processing can therefore take longer.
The airport currently advises departing passengers to arrive at least 2.5 hours before scheduled departure so there is time for check-in, security and passport control where required. Its general travel instructions otherwise advise at least two hours, so the current EES notice is the safer planning reference while it remains active.
Plan for 2.5 hours
Use the current airport notice as your baseline, then follow any earlier arrival requirement issued by your airline.
Check Line 3 at night
STASY has temporary 2026 evening works affecting parts of Line 3. Airport services continue with modifications, so late-evening travelers should check the live timetable before leaving.
Keep power banks in cabin baggage
AIA currently states that power banks must not be placed in checked baggage. Your airline may also apply capacity or quantity restrictions.
Main Terminal and Satellite Terminal
Athens Airport uses a Main Terminal Building and a Satellite Terminal Building. They are connected airside, but the Satellite Terminal is not a separate landside check-in terminal.
Gates A and B
The current AIA passenger guidance places A1–A27 and B1–B31 in the Main Terminal Building.
Always use the flight-information monitors for the final gate because assignments can change.
Gates C15–C40
The Satellite Terminal contains gates C15–C40. Access is through the Main Terminal using the underground link.
AIA says the moving-walkway journey to the Satellite gates takes about 15 minutes, so do not leave the transfer until boarding time.
Check your airline and check-in area
On arrival at the Main Terminal, use the flight-information monitors if you still need a boarding pass or baggage drop.
Use the gate shown on the live monitors
If you already have a boarding pass and no bag to drop, follow the current gate information rather than relying on a saved screenshot or older itinerary.
Leave extra time for C gates
For C15–C40, follow Satellite Terminal signage near the corridor by check-in counter 70 and continue through the underground connection.
Metro, buses and rail from ATH
The best transport depends on where you are staying and when you arrive. Metro Line 3 is usually the simplest direct rail option for central Athens, while the airport express buses are useful for late-night travel and several major interchange points.
Airport → Syntagma → Piraeus
Line 3 connects ATH with central Athens and continues toward Piraeus and Dimotiko Theatro. STASY currently lists approximately 40 minutes to Syntagma.
Airport → Syntagma Square
The X95 airport express bus is the direct OASA bus connection for central Syntagma. OASA airport express buses operate 24 hours.
Airport → Piraeus
Use X96 for the Port of Piraeus. AIA lists an estimated journey of about 90 minutes, but road traffic can significantly change that.
Airport → intercity bus stations
X93 serves the Kifissos and Liosion intercity bus station areas, making it more useful than going through central Athens for some onward coach journeys.
Airport → Elliniko area
X97 connects the airport with Elliniko Metro Station, with the official airport page noting Dafni as the night-hours routing point.
Suburban Railway
The suburban railway provides airport links toward Piraeus and other rail connections. Check the current rail timetable if your destination is outside the central Metro corridor.
Taxi and ride-hailing at Athens Airport
The official taxi waiting area operates 24 hours a day at Arrivals Exit 3. Athens Airport publishes fixed fares between the airport and the Athens city-center inner ring.
Day flat fare: €40
The current official airport fare is €40 between ATH and the defined Athens city-center inner ring during the daytime tariff period.
Night flat fare: €55
The current overnight flat fare is €55. AIA says the applicable rate is determined by the time you arrive at the destination.
The published flat fare includes applicable surcharges and extras, and Greek law requires the taxi driver to issue a receipt. If you use Uber, the airport currently designates its pickup zone opposite Arrivals Exit 4; Uber in Athens operates with licensed local taxi drivers.
Parking, pickup and drop-off
Athens Airport’s parking layout has changed while airport development work continues. Current products include Economy, Long Term Value, Long Term, Short Term 1, Short Term 2 and Valet, so drivers who remember an older layout should check the current map before leaving home.
Longer stays
The current Economy area is at the Retail Park, is online-booking only and uses a free shuttle to the Main Terminal. AIA currently advertises it at €5 per day.
30 minutes free
The relocated Short Term 1 area is around the pedestrian bridge within Long Term parking. AIA currently allows 30 minutes free for up to two entries per day.
Closest quick parking
Short Term 2 is at Arrivals and is about a one-minute walk from the Main Terminal. The current free period is 20 minutes for up to two entries per day.
Curbside pickup and drop-off
The controlled curbside Arrivals and Departures zones allow 10 minutes free, with a limit of two entries per day. If you stay longer, AIA currently charges €5 for the additional period up to 20 minutes, then €1 per minute after 20 minutes. The curbside zone has a maximum stay of 60 minutes.
Security, liquids and departure preparation
Athens Airport’s current hand-luggage liquid rule allows containers of 100 ml or less inside one transparent resealable bag with a maximum capacity of 1 litre. Each passenger may carry one such liquids bag.
Necessary liquid medicines, baby food and sterilized water for baby milk are exempt from the normal size rule, but security may carry out additional checks. For medicines or medical equipment, check your airline’s documentation requirements before travel.
Accessibility and reduced-mobility assistance
Passengers who need disability or reduced-mobility assistance should notify their airline or travel agent when booking if possible, or at least 48 hours before the flight. The airport says it will still make reasonable efforts when assistance was not pre-booked, but advance notice gives the service provider time to prepare.
The service covers travelers with mobility needs as well as passengers who are blind or have low vision, are deaf or hard of hearing, have non-visible disabilities or otherwise need airport assistance.
Before travel
Tell the airline what assistance you need, including any wheelchair, scooter or assistance dog. Individual airlines may have their own procedures.
At the airport
Follow the airline or airport instructions for the designated meeting point. Specific assistance points can be temporarily moved or closed during construction, so verify the current accessibility page.
Common Athens Airport problems and what to do
Your gate is different from your itinerary
Follow the airport’s live flight-information monitors. Gate assignments can change, and C gates require additional walking time to the Satellite Terminal.
Your checked bag did not arrive
Baggage handling is the responsibility of the airline and its ground handler. Use the appropriate baggage-service desk and keep your baggage tag.
You lost something in the terminal
Items lost in terminal areas are handled separately from baggage or items left on an aircraft. For aircraft items, contact the airline; for terminal property, use the airport’s lost-property route.
Your Metro plan no longer works
Check STASY for service changes. The 24-hour airport express buses provide alternatives to Syntagma, Piraeus, intercity bus stations and Elliniko when rail timing is unsuitable.
Athens Airport code FAQs
What is the IATA code for Athens Airport?
The IATA code for Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos” is ATH. This is the three-letter code used for passenger bookings, airport listings and baggage routing.
What is the ICAO code for Athens Airport?
The ICAO code is LGAV. ICAO identifiers are four-letter codes used primarily in operational and aeronautical contexts.
Is ATH the same as Eleftherios Venizelos Airport?
Yes. ATH refers to Athens International Airport “Eleftherios Venizelos,” the international airport at Spata in Attica serving Athens.
How early should I arrive at Athens Airport in 2026?
Athens International Airport currently advises passengers to arrive at least 2.5 hours before scheduled departure because the EU Entry/Exit System can increase passport-control processing times. Follow any earlier time required by your airline.
How much is the Metro from Athens Airport?
OASA currently lists the full-price one-way Metro Airport ticket at €9 and the two-way ticket at €16. Fares can change, so verify the current OASA price before traveling.
Does Athens Airport have two terminals?
Athens Airport has a Main Terminal Building and a Satellite Terminal Building. Passengers reach the Satellite Terminal from the Main Terminal through an underground link; it is not a separate landside check-in airport terminal.
How much is a taxi from ATH to central Athens?
AIA currently publishes a flat fare of €40 from 05:00 to 24:00 and €55 from 00:00 to 05:00 between the airport and the defined Athens city-center inner ring.
Official Athens Airport information sources
Operational information can change after publication. These are the primary sources used for the travel details above.
Information checked against official sources on 24 September 2026. Fares, construction arrangements, transport timetables, gate assignments and passenger-processing rules remain subject to change.
Before you leave for ATH
Confirm your flight status and airline requirements, allow the airport’s currently advised 2.5-hour departure window, and check live Metro or road information if you are traveling during construction or late in the evening.
For the airport code itself, the answer is straightforward: ATH is Athens International Airport’s IATA code, and LGAV is its ICAO code.