Flights to Rhodes: How Americans Get There, and What to Book

Many travelers from the U.S. change planes at least once on the way to Rhodes, often in Athens or at a European hub such as Zurich, Helsinki, Munich or Vienna.

How do you fly from the U.S. to Rhodes?

Many itineraries pair an overnight Atlantic crossing with a short onward flight. Boston, Washington, Chicago, Seattle, Los Angeles and San Francisco also connect, with one or two stops. You land at Rhodes International Airport Diagoras, in Paradisi, about nine miles (15 km) from Rhodes Town.

Athens is the simplest link. Several airlines fly nonstop from the U.S. to Athens, and a short connecting flight carries you on to Rhodes. Newark to Athens to Rhodes is one routing you will see often. Zurich, Helsinki, Munich and Vienna also work as single-stop connections. On momondo, Emirates, Aegean Airlines and Finnair rank as the top three airlines for this trip, and Emirates draws 39% of bookers. SWISS and Lufthansa are also popular carriers on the route.

You can also finish the journey by sea. For most visitors, the connecting flight is the more practical choice. Ferries also link Rhodes with Symi, Kos, Tilos, Karpathos and Kastellorizo, which helps if Rhodes is one stop on a longer island trip.

How long does the flight take?

Some of the quickest one-stop itineraries from the New York area, through Athens or Helsinki, run roughly 13 to 15 hours. Fares at a similar price can differ by half a day of travel, so compare total journey time as closely as the fare. Times shown for Rhodes Airport are Greek local time, on Eastern European Time.

What does a ticket cost?

Fares move with the season and with how much flexibility you have. On momondo's search data, accepting an extra stop could save up to 14%.

A few tools help you catch a good fare:

• Price alerts on momondo, or Best Price Alert on SWISS, email you when fares drop.
• Verified students can get special SWISS fares on selected routes.

Which flights serve Rhodes from Europe?

Diagoras takes flights from many European cities, and from the U.K. the flight is about four hours direct. These routes thin out sharply outside the April-to-October season.

When is the best time to fly?

Late April through October suits Rhodes well, and June and September tend to be especially pleasant months to go. September also brings the three-day Medieval Festival of Rhodes. July and August are the hottest and busiest months, with the liveliest resorts, so book accommodation well ahead. The sea stays warm enough for swimming well into October, after the summer crowds have thinned.

Winter is quiet. Many hotels and restaurants close or cut their hours, some ferry routes are reduced, and flights are fewer. In that season, Rhodes Town makes a better base than the beach resorts.

What happens after you land?

A direct public bus runs between the airport and Rhodes Town. The stop sits between the old and the new terminal, and the ride takes about 40 minutes, depending on traffic. It ends at the bus terminal on Averof Street. The airport bus does not go to the east-coast resorts. For Lindos, Faliraki or Kolymbia, ride into Rhodes Town and change there to a KTEL bus.

Taxis charge fixed fares from the airport. A rental car is worth it if you plan to explore the west coast, the south or inland villages. If you are staying in the Old Town or in Lindos, where the lanes are car-free, allow extra time to haul your luggage the final stretch.

For any change to your flight schedule, contact your airline or travel agent directly.