Naxos Airport (JNX): A Small Island Airstrip That Gets You to Town in Minutes

Naxos Airport is small, close to Chora (the island's capital) and almost entirely a link to Athens. You can be on the road into town within minutes of landing. Taxis wait out front and a KTEL bus stops a short walk away. There are no car rental desks, so arrange a car before you fly.

Where is Naxos Airport, and what is it like?

Its official name is Naxos Island National Airport, and it also carries the name Apollo, after the Olympian god the ancient islanders especially worshipped. It opened in 1992, and its code is JNX.

The airport is small and easy to handle. The airport's buildings cover about 300 square meters, which makes for a very small terminal. The runway is short, at about 2,950 feet (900 m), so the airport handles small propeller planes. The Civil Aviation Authority plans to lengthen the runway and add new facilities. It is one of the smaller airports in Greece, with tens of thousands of passengers passing through.

Which flights go to Naxos?

Most of the traffic comes from flights to and from Athens. Olympic Air and Sky Express fly to Athens in about 45 minutes, and that route carries most of the traffic, with roughly 88 flights a month. Aegean flies to Heraklion on Crete, Rhodes and Thessaloniki, though those routes can drop to zero flights in some months. With no scheduled international service, travelers from the US connect in Athens. To fly into Naxos you connect through Athens, so plan your trip around that leg.

Book as early as you can. Last-minute fares to Naxos are a poor bet in any season, and the discounts go to early buyers. Shop around, too: a ticket from elsewhere in Europe to Naxos sometimes costs less than the Athens to Naxos leg alone, despite the far greater distance.

The schedule is fairly reliable, but delays happen on both arrivals and departures. A tracker such as FlightAware shows when a flight will actually land.

How do you get from the airport to Naxos Town?

You can take a taxi, ride the KTEL bus or book a private transfer.

Taxi

The taxi rank sits right in front of the building and operates whenever the airport is open. The ride to Chora takes about 15 minutes without traffic. To call a cab, Naxos Radiotaxi answers at +30 22850 22444.

Bus

KTEL buses are the public transport on the island, and they are a budget-friendly way to get around. The stop is at the Naxos Camping station, about 1,640 feet (500 m) (a third of a mile) away on the left side of the airport, and the ride into town takes around 20 minutes. Suitcases ride free in the hold underneath. Tickets are sold at the main bus station in town, opposite the port.

Private transfer

Private transfers run around the clock, with a driver waiting for you in arrivals. They are worth booking if you land late or travel with kids and a pile of bags.

Can you rent a car at Naxos Airport?

No rental companies have desks at the airport. You can usually arrange to leave the car in the same lot when you fly out, for the company to collect. Confirm the handover details before you arrive.

A car makes more sense for some plans than for others. If you are staying in Naxos Town, Agios Georgios, Agios Prokopios, Agia Anna or Plaka mainly for beach time, the bus covers you, though it limits late dinners, remote beaches and spontaneous detours. Naxos is large enough that a car is very useful for villages, mountain roads, inland tavernas, the Temple of Demeter and quieter beaches. Driving here is easy.

How far are the main areas from the port?

The port in Chora is the island's hub, and distances are usually measured from there. The airport is 2.4 miles (3.8 km) away, Agios Prokopios 3.7 miles (6 km), Agia Anna 4.3 miles (7 km) and Mikri Vigla 7.5 miles (12 km).

Chora itself is compact. From a hotel in the old town, the bus station, restaurants and ferry pier are all within walking distance. Beyond the beach areas, you will need a taxi, the bus or a car to get into town.

What should you know before departing?

Get to the airport at least an hour before your flight. Facilities and staff are limited, and the small terminal gets crowded because many travelers arrive about 30 minutes before takeoff.

With the ferry port in Chora, a short drive from the airport, it is easy to fly one way and sail the other. Ferries from Piraeus take from a little over 3 hours on SeaJets to about 7 hours on Blue Star Ferries, compared with roughly 45 minutes in the air.

For questions about your departure, call the airport operator office at +30 22850 23969.