Thessaloniki (SKG) Airport & Passenger Statistics 2024

Page last updated: 30 September 2025

Thessaloniki “Makedonia” Airport (SKG) is Northern Greece‘s main travel hub and the country’s third-busiest airport. It connects the region to 90 international destinations in 31 countries and maintains key domestic routes throughout Greece.

Overview

How many passengers pass through Thessaloniki Airport each year?

Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) serves over 7 million passengers annually and is a major regional hub in the Eastern Mediterranean.

SKG served 7.38 million passengers in 2024 (new all-time record), a 5.0% increase from 7.03 million in 2023.
The airport exceeded its pre-pandemic high of 6.9 million (2019) passengers by 7.0%.
Due to the pandemic, traffic dropped to 2.3 million in 2020. It gradually recovered to 3.4 million in 2021 and 5.9 million in 2022.

Domestic vs International Passengers

International travelers make up the bulk of passengers at Thessaloniki Airport.

In 2024, international passengers made up 67.1% of total traffic (4.95 million).
Domestic passengers accounted for 32.9% (2.43 million travelers).

Aircraft Operations at Thessaloniki Airport

Thessaloniki Airport (SKG) handles over 50,000 aircraft movements annually.

In 2024, there were 57,080 takeoffs and landings, up 4.4% from 54,658 operations in 2023.
The airport reached its pre-pandemic operations peak in 2019 with 55,738 movements, followed by a decline to 24,966 in 2020 due to the pandemic.
Recovery has continued steadily: 37,224 operations in 2021, 49,019 in 2022, and further increases in 2023 and 2024.

Which airlines operate the most flights out of Thessaloniki Airport?

Thessaloniki Airport is served by 32 scheduled airlines. Greece’s national carrier and Europe’s largest low-cost airline share the leading market positions.

Ryanair leads by destination count, operating 36 routes mostly to European leisure destinations.
Aegean Airlines operates about one-third of scheduled departures during peak months, serving 31 destinations primarily to European hubs.
SKY express provides important domestic competition, particularly on routes to Athens and Heraklion.

Monthly Trends in Passenger Traffic

Passenger traffic at Thessaloniki Airport is highly seasonal. Summer months show the highest volumes.

In 2024, the busiest months were August with 834,774 passengers, July with 817,924, and September with 774,971 Passengers.
In contrast, the least busy months were January (406,355 passengers) and February (387,420 passengers).

How many routes are there at Thessaloniki Airport?

The airport serves 90 international destinations across 31 countries
Domestic network includes 17 routes connecting major Greek cities and islands
Total network encompasses approximately 107 destinations served by 32 scheduled airlines
International routes are heavily concentrated in European leisure markets, particularly Germany, UK and emerging Central/Eastern European markets.

Car Rental in Greece

Which destinations are the most popular from Thessaloniki Airport?

The most popular international destination from Thessaloniki Airport in 2024 was Germany, with 1.63 million passengers.
It was followed by the UK with 481,467 passengers and Cyprus with 440,594 passengers.
Italy recorded 334,937 passengers, while Poland had 233,373 passengers.

Notable Incidents at Thessaloniki Airport

July 4, 2000: A Malev Hungarian Airlines Tupolev Tu-154B-2 landed gear-up after an unstable approach. The aircraft was badly damaged, but there were no fatalities.
December 17, 1997: Aerosvit Flight 241, a Yakovlev Yak-42, crashed into the Pierian Mountains during approach due to crew disorientation. All 70 people on board died.
August 12, 1997: An Olympic Airways Boeing 727-230 overran the runway during a thunderstorm landing. The aircraft was written off, with no fatalities.
August 31, 1995: A Force Aérienne du Mali Antonov An-26 crashed into a mountain 4 km from the airport during a visual approach in poor weather, killing 6 people.

Thessaloniki Airport Fast Facts

Thessaloniki Airport is the third-largest airport in Greece after Athens International Airport and Heraklion International Airport.
The airport consists of two terminals
The airport has two runways
- 10/28: 3,440 m (length)
- 16/34: 2,424 m
There are 22 stands for narrow-body aircraft and 20 for light aircraft.

Other Airport Statistics

References

SKG: Thessaloniki Airport Air Traffic Statistics
FC: Routes from Thessaloniki Airport
ASN: Incidents at Thessaloniki Airport