- Kastelli airport on Crete is scheduled to launch in November 2028.
- The airport is designed for an initial 10m passengers annually.
- Long-term expansion potential reaches 18m passengers.
- The airport features a 3,200-metre runway and a 93,000-square-metre terminal.
- The project targets LEED Gold environmental certification.
Tourism minister Olga Kefalogianni has indicated the new Kastelli airport on Crete will help the island become an international tourism hub capable of receiving direct long-haul flights from markets including the United States and India. The airport is scheduled to launch in November 2028, replacing the current Nikos Kazantzakis Airport in Heraklion. The project is designed to handle an initial 10m passengers annually, with long-term expansion potential of up to 18m passengers.
The airport features a 3,200-metre runway, a 93,000-square-metre terminal across five levels and a LEED Gold environmental certification target. Better road links including connections to the BOAK highway will spread visitors more evenly across Chania, Rethymno, Heraklion, Agios Nikolaos, Ierapetra and Sitia. The new airport will replace the current Nikos Kazantzakis Airport in Heraklion.
The project will support direct long-haul flights from the United States and India. The terminal spans five levels and targets LEED Gold certification. Road connections to the BOAK highway will improve access across Crete.
