Crete's New Kastelli Airport Opens 2028 with 18M Capacity

Saturday, 23 May 2026/Source: Google News/1 min read

Crete is building a major new international airport near Kastelli, located approximately 25 kilometres east of Heraklion. The new facility, officially named Heraklion International Airport, is designed to replace the current Nikos Kazantzakis Airport, which has long operated beyond its capacity. Kastelli airport is planned to handle up to 18 million passengers per year, making it one of the largest airports in Greece. The opening is currently expected around 2028, though construction timelines have shifted previously. For visitors, this means future arrivals will land further from the city centre, so travellers should plan for longer transfer times to Heraklion and factor in updated transport connections. Car rental pickups, bus routes, and taxi fares will all change once the new terminal opens. Until then, all flights continue to use the existing Heraklion airport as normal.