We’re scheduled to arrive 9:15am on Sunday, August 14th (assuming busy time of year). How much time do we need to get through everything, including getting bags, before flying to Santorini? I also haven’t yet looking into prices for bags (well each have a carryon and probably one checked bag), but need to first better understand timing. Any advice appreciated, thank you!
I was looking at 3 flights between 11-1.
1 - Aegean at 11:10am
2 - Volotea at 12pm
3 - Sky Express at 12:50pm
Don't book the 11:10 flight. If there is any sort of delay getting your checked bags, or if you have to go through passport control and/or customs, you might miss that flight. But the noon flight is fine.
Athens airport is very functional and we have always been able to make transfers within 2 hours. Baggage pick up is quite fast then you go through passport control. That might be the place for a hold up if several transatlantic flights all arrive at the same time. There are lots of agents though and the longest line up took us 20 minutes. From there you exit through the doors to the terminal. Go upstairs and you are in the departures level. If you book Aegean you can print your boarding passes 48 hours before your flight so you just go to a machine to print your luggage tags and drop off your bags at the machine and walk over to security. No need to line up at a desk anywhere. Clear security ( Athens airport has many scanning machines so this is a fairly quick process) Now head down to your domestic gate. The most time this has taken up is an hour and a half. I believe Sky express has the same process with printing boarding passes in advance but it been some time since we used them.
One thing you could do to mitigate risk is to pay the higher fare on Aegean that allows you to change flights. If you miss the first one you will be booked on a later flight. Aegean also offers a service to expedite transfers throughout the terminal costs 4 euros each.
I think the Volotea flight will have departure from the secondary terminal about a 15 minute trek from the main terminal.
Sky Express is also a Greek airline and I wold choose Aegean or Sky Express over Volotea.
To choose your flight Athens-Santorini, don't forget to check the maximum allowed weight of checked baggage. (without paying additional costs)
Aegean: 23Kg
Volotea: 20 Kg (+ €20 up to 25Kgs)
SKy Express has two rates 15Kg and 23Kg
From what I remember, Volotea flights are in the same boarding areas as the Aegean/Olympic or Sky Express.
