Did you know Athens airport is run under a 50-year public-private concession and opened in March 2001?

Athens International Airport was set up as a pioneer public-private partnership rather than as a conventional state-run airport. Athens International Airport S.A. was established in 1996 as a société anonyme operating under private-economy rules, and its concession agreement, known as the Airport Development Agreement, was ratified by Greek Law 2338/95.

Under that agreement the company holds a 50-year concession with exclusive rights to design, finance, build, operate, maintain and expand the airport. Operations began on 29 March 2001, and the company has been listed on the Athens Exchange since 7 February 2024.

The airport has two independent runways and operates 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The company's profile lists several milestones: in 2016 it became Greece's first carbon-neutral airport, and by mid-2019 a five-level, 15,000 m² South Wing Extension had been added to the Main Terminal Building. An Airport Expansion Programme now under way includes terminal expansions, a new VIP terminal, a multi-storey car park and a northwest apron, with a target capacity of 40 million passengers a year by 2032.

The company reports 12.23 million passengers in the first five months of 2026, 5.3% more than in 2025, and about 18,900 people working at the airport.

Passengers using Athens while the expansion programme continues should check the airport's official information on terminal access and parking before travelling.