October Flights to Greece Up 5.3%, Extending the Tourist Season

Greece’s dream of a longer tourist season is turning into reality. According to INSETE’s Airdata Tracker, international flight capacity to Greece in October 2025 rose by 5.3% compared to last year, confirming that the country’s tourism momentum now stretches well beyond summer.

Key Highlights

• Overall increase: +5.3% in scheduled international (non-charter) flight seats
• Total capacity: 3.05 million seats — 10.7% of total summer (March–October) traffic
• Top inbound markets: Germany, UK, Israel, Italy, France
• Fastest growth: Moldova (+146%), Tunisia (+81%), China (+44%), Georgia (+40%)
• Standout market: Israel (+33.8%) — an additional 47,445 seats year-on-year

October: Greece’s New “High Season”

Once viewed as the start of the off-season, October is now a strong performer for Greek tourism. Airlines are maintaining robust schedules across Athens, Heraklion, and Thessaloniki, with 3.05 million incoming seats — roughly one-tenth of summer’s total traffic.

Germany continues to lead with 674,600 seats (+3.4%), followed by the UK with 583,700 seats (−1.1%). Despite the slight dip, British travellers remain among the most faithful autumn visitors.

The real success story, however, comes from Israel. With 187,700 seats (+33.8%), Israeli demand is extending the tourism season deep into autumn, benefiting both islands and city destinations.

Italy and France also posted solid increases — +5.9% (185,294 seats) and +6.1% (184,929 seats) respectively — each adding around 10,000 additional seats. Smaller but steady growth came from Switzerland (+0.4%), the Netherlands (+2.8%), and Cyprus (+13%).

Rising Eastern and Emerging Markets

Greece’s skies are also seeing new players and returning markets making a substantial impact:

• Moldova: +146% (~7,500 seats)
• Tunisia: +81%
• China: +44% (13,648 seats, up from 9,500)
• Georgia: +40.4% (14,200 seats)
• Croatia: +31% (11,600 seats)
• Sweden: +27% (33,900 seats)
• Slovakia: +26% (5,800 seats)
• Albania: +23% (17,760 seats)

China’s rebound is particularly noteworthy, as direct connections and eased travel restrictions have reignited the flow of visitors.

A Year-Round Destination

The latest data reinforces a clear trend — autumn is no longer an afterthought for Greek tourism. With strong demand from Israel, resurgent interest from China, and fresh contributions from emerging markets like Moldova and Georgia, October 2025 cements Greece’s position as a truly year-round destination.