We just booked our Greece trip for April. We'll be touching down in Athens at 18:50 on a Sunday. I'd like to take the advice here and start the trip with flying to Santorini. I wonder if this late timing, though, puts me out of the running of getting an evening flight? And I hear that the later in the day your flight to Santorini is, the more likely it could be canceled. Wondering if we should bunk at the airport on our first night, but would rather not do that.
Posted by
Atlanta, GA area (USA)
18 posts
If you really want to get to Santorini that night Kayak shows a Ryanair flight at 22:50 and an Aegean Airlines flight at 23:30 on at least some days in April. You can check and see if they’re available the day you’re arriving. If something goes wrong Ryanair also has a 7:00 AM flight and Aegean has several morning flights that they could rebook you to, but you might wind up sleeping on the airport floor.
Posted by
France Southwest
2350 posts
Flight rotations during the day may cause delays in evening flights but not cancellations. On Sunday there is no Ryanair flight to Santorini at 10:50 p.m.
There are 2 possible flights taking into account a connection time of at least 2 hours:
Volotea at 9:35 p.m.
Aegean at 11:30 p.m.
Personally I would take the Aegean flight, the Greek airline.
Volotea, a Spanish low-cost airline, is renowned in Europe for being unable to properly manage cancellations or significant delays of flights.
Aegean has 10 flights per day to Santorini while Volotea only has 2 flights maximum, in the unlikely event that the last Aegean flight is canceled you will be reassigned more easily to a flight the next morning
According to European law, in the event of flight cancellation by the airline, the airline must provide you with the necessary assistance: refreshments, catering, telephone, hotel accommodation, transport from the airport to the accommodation, etc.
This assistance is due when the delay in flight departure is 2 hours or more for a flight up to 1,500 km,
Posted by
Freedonia
16315 posts
I agree with JoLui about taking the Aegean flight. Or if you are flying from North America, get a hotel run and break up the trip.
If you take the late flight to Santorini, make sure your hotel knows of your late arrival. Otherwise they might consider you a no-show.
Posted by
Centennial, CO, US
2187 posts
I also recommend pushing through and taking that late Aegean flight to Santorini. Much better to awake on a Greek island than in an airport hotel room, facing another flight.
Your Santorini hotel might be able to arrange taxi pickup for you at the airport.
Posted by
2798 posts
My young adult children went to Santorini from Athens and arrived near midnight. They made the choice to push through and wake up on an island rather than an airport hotel. We were able to arrange pickup from the airport. It is the way to go as there are limited number of taxi on the island.
I got some complaining texts that night as it had been a very long day but nothing but delight at the view and breakfast the next morning when we met them!
Posted by
Houston, Texas
984 posts
I am making the presumption that you are flying on separate tickets. I would recommend that you breakup the trip and overnight in Athens. All you need is for your inbound flight to ATH to be delayed. There is a hotel adjacent to the airport which we have used on several occasions and would stay there again.
If you are going to go on to Santorini on the same day, definitely book the 11:30 PM Aegean flight.