Flights to Corfu: How Americans Get There and When to Book

Most travelers manage it with a single connection: they cross the Atlantic to Athens or a big European hub, then take a short flight to the island, such as the 1 hour 15 minute hop from Athens. When you travel shapes your route. From about May to September, dozens of European cities send flights to the island. The rest of the year, the schedule is much thinner.

How do Americans fly to Corfu?

Corfu Airport (Ioannis Kapodistrias, code CFU) is the island's main airport. The usual itinerary starts at a U.S. gateway such as New York, Chicago, Boston or Miami, crosses to a European hub and continues south to the island on a second flight.

Hubs with direct flights to Corfu include Athens, London (Gatwick and Heathrow), Frankfurt, Munich, Amsterdam, Paris, Rome and Zürich. Pick the one that suits your departure city and your patience for layovers. From Athens the final leg takes 1 hour 15 minutes, and from Thessaloniki it takes 55 minutes.

Is Athens the easiest way in?

For a trip in any month, it is. Athens sends more flights to Corfu than any other city and flies all year. The flight from Athens International Airport takes 1 hour 15 minutes, and Aegean Airlines is among the carriers on this domestic run. Thessaloniki also connects year-round, with a 55-minute flight. In October, Athens and London Gatwick together accounted for about 21% of monthly arrivals at Corfu.

Which European cities fly to Corfu?

The list is long, and many of these routes run in season. Beyond the big hubs, flights arrive from Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Dublin, Hamburg, Milan, Budapest and many more. Berlin, Düsseldorf and Prague have routes in October and November, and Vienna is due to start in October 2026. From outside Europe, Flydubai and Israir fly seasonally from Dubai and Tel Aviv.

Full-service airlines at the airport include Aegean, British Airways, Lufthansa, Air France, Iberia, ITA Airways, Finnair, Brussels Airlines, Edelweiss, Aer Lingus and Sky Express. Budget carriers run a large share of the routes. Ryanair alone connects 45 airports to Corfu, and easyJet, Jet2, Wizz Air and TUI Fly help keep fares from around Europe affordable.

When do the flights run?

Athens and Thessaloniki fly all year. Many European routes are seasonal and run mainly in the warmer months, and some start up or wind down in October and November. A route that exists in July may be gone by January, so for an off-season trip, plan on connecting through Athens.

How and when should you book?

Book the transatlantic leg first, then add the flight to Corfu. Check which airport your onward flight uses, since London and Paris each have several. Corfu flights leave London from Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton and Stansted, and leave Paris from both Orly and Charles de Gaulle. Compare options on a large flight search engine. Departure and arrival times at Corfu are listed in Greek local time.

The season matters as much as the fare. Spring is a lovely time to go, when the flowers bloom and the island is less crowded than in summer. From October to May, most of the island closes for tourism. For a fall or winter trip, check the flight schedules and confirm your hotel will be open before you book.

How do you get from the airport to town?

Corfu Airport has passport control, so keep your passport handy when you land. The terminal sits about 2 miles (3 kilometers) south of the Old Town.

Many arrivals take the blue city bus to San Rocco Square and change there to the green buses that cover the rest of the island. Some green buses may run just once or twice a day, so it helps to check the schedule before you count on one.

Taxis wait outside arrivals, and you can also book a private transfer in advance. Taxis wait outside the arrivals terminal, and it is wise to agree on the price before you get in. Outside Corfu Town, order your taxi ahead, because when the island is busy you may have to wait for one.

A rental car gives you the freedom to reach hidden beaches and mountain villages at your own pace. The terminal sits on Route 25, which runs straight into Corfu Town, and the airport has parking. The island is more spread out than people expect, with winding coastal roads and mountain villages, so choose where to stay with the drive in mind.

Can you reach Corfu by sea?

Yes, and the ferries carry cars as well as passengers. No port in Athens connects to the island. The main crossing from the mainland leaves from Igoumenitsa, where the KTEL bus station sits near the port, with buses from Athens and Thessaloniki. Ferries from Igoumenitsa cross daily, with departures from early morning to late evening, and the trip takes roughly 1 hour 20 minutes on average. Lefkimmi Lines and Makedonia IV run from Igoumenitsa to Lefkimmi port in the south of the island in about 50 minutes.

From Italy, ferries sail from Brindisi, the shortest route at around 7 hours, and from Bari, Ancona and Venice, the longest at up to 25 hours. Saranda in Albania is the closest crossing, and it is the shortest sailing from Corfu.