-More than 600,000 passengers passed through Heraklion Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis” in May, with international arrivals up by 9.78%, while total passenger traffic since the beginning of the year reached 2.25 million.
Crete is entering the peak of this year’s tourist season with strong momentum, as data from the Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority for May 2026 record a significant increase in air traffic at Heraklion Airport “Nikos Kazantzakis.”
According to official data, international arrivals increased by 9.78% compared with May 2025, while total passenger traffic rose by 7.7%, confirming the sustained strong demand for the country’s largest tourist destination.
From the beginning of the year until the end of May, Heraklion Airport handled a total of 2,248,448 passengers, recording an increase of 8.15% compared with the same period in 2025.
Over 521,000 international arrivals
The May figures show that the growth is mainly driven by international markets.
International arrivals reached 521,782 passengers, compared with 475,281 in May 2025, representing an increase of 46,501 passengers or 9.78%.
By contrast, domestic arrivals stood at 79,127 passengers, compared with 81,321 last year, marking a slight decrease of 2.7%.
Passenger traffic in May
| Categories | 2026 | 2025 | Change |
| International Arrivals | 521.782 | 475.281 | +9,78% |
| Domestic Arrivals | 79.127 | 81.321 | -2,7% |
| Total Arrivals | 600.909 | 556.602 | +7,96% |
Germany remains the largest market
The German market maintained its dominance in Crete in May 2026 as well.
A total of 171,592 arrivals from Germany were recorded, confirming the long-standing relationship between the destination and Europe’s largest outbound tourism market.
The United Kingdom ranked second with 100,909 arrivals, followed by France, the Netherlands, and Poland.
The main markets in May at Heraklion Airport
| Country | Arrivals |
| Germany | 171.592 |
| UK | 100.909 |
| France | 59.195 |
| Netherlands | 30.904 |
| Poland | 27.171 |
| Austria | 16.921 |
| Belgium | 16.119 |
| Switzerland | 16.552 |
| Israel | 14.945 |
| Lithuania | 10.096 |
| Italy | 9.985 |
Strong momentum from France, the Netherlands and Poland
The outlook from markets that have been steadily strengthening their presence in Crete in recent years is particularly encouraging.
France approached 60,000 arrivals, while the Netherlands exceeded 30,000 and Poland surpassed 27,000 arrivals, confirming the continued expansion of the geographical base of Cretan tourism.
At the same time, significant flows were recorded from Israel, Austria, Belgium, and Switzerland.
Over 7,100 international flights
The increase in passenger traffic was also accompanied by a significant rise in air traffic operations.
In May, a total of 7,182 international aircraft movements were recorded, while total airport activity exceeded 8,300 movements, including domestic flights.
