While private jet activity across Europe has largely stabilized, Greece stands out as one of the Mediterranean’s top destinations, driven by luxury tourism
Record arrivals and flight numbers in Greece’s tourism sector reveal another striking trend, with a private jet or helicopter landing at one of the country’s 39 airports on average every 30 minutes over a 24-hour period. In practice, the frequency is even higher, as such flights are rare at night.
Provisional data from the Civil Aviation Authority show that private aircraft carried out about 19,500 flights in 2025, up 38.5% from 2023, the first post-pandemic year of normal travel. These figures do not include helicopter movements to and from helipads or private landing sites, which are estimated to number several thousand more.
Despite the volume of flights, fewer than 22,000 passengers disembarked at the 39 airports, averaging under two passengers per flight, a reflection of the business and high-end leisure nature of much of this traffic.
Growth has slowed slightly compared with the sharp rise seen in 2024, a trend attributed partly to limited aircraft parking capacity at Greek airports. Even so, private aviation growth is outpacing that of commercial flights.
While private jet activity across Europe has largely stabilized, Greece stands out as one of the Mediterranean’s top destinations, driven by luxury tourism and demand from high-net-worth individuals.
The season now stretches from May to October, with demand expanding beyond established cosmopolitan destinations such as Mykonos and Santorini to Paros, Athens, becoming an all-year attraction, Corfu, Kefalonia and Kalamata, supported by upgraded airport infrastructure and improved services.