Chania Airport

Chania Airport has the airport code of CHQ and is officially known as the “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” International Airport, in honour of the 18th-century Cretan rebel against the Ottoman Empire.

Chania Airport is on the Akrotiri (or Souda) peninsula, about 20 minutes’ drive (14 kilometres) from Chania. Chania Airport hosts domestic flights to and from Athens, Thessaloniki and other Greek airports. From April to early November there are also many direct charter flights to Chania Airport from Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and other European coutrues.

Chania airport is especially popular with Americans visiting relatives stationed at the Souda Bay NATO base nearby.

Approximately 2,500,000 passengers use Chania Airport each year. This passenger traffic means that the infrastructure needs to be improved further. It should be noted that the airport can serve 1,100 passengers per hour, while actual traffic in July and August reaches 2,500 passengers per hour.

Today the plans for the modernisation of “Ioannis Daskalogiannis” Airport at Chania are complete, and now it is just a matter of time before the building of the new passenger building and the new Control Tower begins.

Historical facts on Chania Airport

Chania Airport was constructed in 1954 at Maleme and served only domestic flights until 1959.

In 1959 it moved to the existing military airfield on the peninsula of Akrotiri or Souda, which also began to be used for passenger flights.

In 1967 the first terminal was built, with two aircraft stands.

In 1974 came the first international flight to Chania Airport. Increased tourism in Chania meant that a new building had to be constructed, as flights to Chania increased rapidly.

In 1996 the new terminal building was completed in a different location, with six aircraft stands.

In 2005 the work on extending the airport was completed and it was officially named the “Ioannis Daskalogiannis National Airport of Chania”.

The new airport has a total surface of 14,650 m2 and six aircraft stands.

Chania Airport Services

Shops and restaurants: Chania Airport has snack bars and cafeterias.

Duty Free Shops: Chania Airport has both duty free shops and tourist shops selling Cretan products and folk art.

Car Park: The car park outside Chania Airport is open at the same times at the airport.

Information Desk: The Chania Airport Information Desk is open 24 hours a day. the contact telephone is 28210 83800 – 83805.

Banks – Exchange: Chania Airport has several ATM cash machines but no bank branches.

Airport Security: The Chania Airport security police monitor the airport during opening hours.

Medical Assistance: Chania Airport has a fully-equipped Medical Centre in case of passenger emergencies.

Luggage: There are no luggage lockers at Chania Airport. There is a Lost Luggage Office to which the public can apply for lost luggage or other lost items.