Online arrival and departure boards at Macedonia International (SKG) airport.
The most up-to-date information about flight times and possible delays is usually located on the online arrivals board and online departure board of the official website of Macedonia International (SKG) airport: . Also on the official website of the SKG airport you can usually find information about the route to the airport, information about parking on the territory, a map of the airport itself, information about services, rules and other reference information for passengers.The easiest way to get to the Halkidiki peninsula is through Thessaloniki airport. A large and modern air hub, Thessaloniki Airport is one of the best in Greece. Grekoblog already wrote partially about how to get from Thessaloniki airport to your destination in an article. But we decided to return to the topic and dwell on the issue of transport in more detail.
A little history
The official name of the international airport, located 13 km southeast of the northern capital of Greece, is Macedonia (international code SKG), but until 1993 it was called Thessaloniki Mikra Airport in honor of a small village that later became one of the suburbs of the regional capital.
Thessaloniki airport began operating in 1930 as a military airfield. After World War II, in 1948, the needs of civil aviation began to be served at its base. Until 1965, the infrastructure was expanded and modernized, but due to the constant increase in passenger traffic and the growth of the city itself, the air terminal was eventually moved to a new location.
Macedonia Airport serves approximately 4 million passengers per year
The last modernization of Thessaloniki Airport was carried out in 2004-2006. Today, Thessaloniki Airport has modern passenger and cargo terminals, as well as two runways - 2440 and 2410 m, respectively.
Not only civilian but also military aircraft are based at Thessaloniki Airport. There is a flying club and parking for private light aircraft.
Macedonia Airport operates 24 hours a day and serves up to 4 million passengers annually. The management company plans to further expand the terminals and improve the runway, which will make it possible to receive and dispatch transcontinental flights and increase passenger traffic to 7-9 million people per year.
Airport and Thessaloniki on the map:
Cheap flights to Thessaloniki
If you have not yet purchased your ticket, you can quickly search for cheap flights using the low price calendar below:
How to get from Thessaloniki Airport to the main cities of Greece
In order to get from Macedonia Airport (Thessaloniki) by bus to the main cities of mainland Greece, you should head to the main bus station of the region (Macedonia intercity bus station). Thus, the trip from Thessaloniki Airport will consist of 2 parts:
- OASTH bus No. X1 (N1 - night), going straight from the terminal through the city center to the Macedonia intercity bus station.
- Transfer at the bus station to a bus going to your desired destination in mainland Greece.
Route No. X1 operates from 6:10 to 22:35, the interval is 15-20 minutes. Night bus No. 78N, respectively, from 23:30 to 5:30, departing from the stop at the terminal every half hour. On Sundays and holidays, you will have to wait 10-15 minutes longer for transport. Travel time with all stops is about 40 minutes, the fare (as of 2018) is €2.
You can get to the main cities from the main bus station
From Thessaloniki Airport to Halkidiki Peninsula
If the goal is not Athens or Corfu, but a hotel located directly on the Chalkidiki peninsula, then you should follow a different route:
1. Take bus from Thessaloniki Airport No. 79A to KTEL Halkidikis bus station. The schedule of route No. 79A can be found on the OASTH website
2. At the KTEL Halkidikis bus station, select the desired route, purchase a ticket and take a seat on the bus. The route schedule and ticket prices can be found on the official website of the operator KTEL Halkidikis.
Taxi and airport transfer
As a rule, the bus is the most profitable option for travelers planning to get to their hotel, wherever it is. But, being burdened with luggage or a large family, it is easier to take a taxi. Moreover, taxis in Thessaloniki are inexpensive.
From Thessaloniki to Halkidiki you can get from the KTEL Halkidikis bus station
A taxi from Thessaloniki Airport, whose stand is located at the exit from the terminal, can be taken into the city or even to the door of a hotel in a remote mountain village. A trip to the bus station will cost about €30 (2018), with a double fare charged at night. The cost of a taxi to another city or resort will be calculated at a higher intercity rate.
You can also order a taxi from Thessaloniki Airport in advance - before the arrival of your flight via the Internet [link]. In this case, the driver will be waiting for you with a sign with your name on it at the exit from the baggage claim area.
Ordering a car online is especially convenient for two reasons. Firstly, the fare is calculated by the system and known in advance, and if the flight is delayed you will not have to pay extra. And secondly, you can order a car directly at Thessaloniki airport to suit your personal needs. For example, with a large trunk or pre-installed child seats.
As for the tariffs, there is a screenshot with the prices of the most popular destinations above. But we would recommend checking the rates separately before traveling. You can do this using this link.
Car rental at Macedonia Airport (Thessaloniki)
Finally, you can get to your hotel by rented car. The relevant companies are represented quite widely at the airport.
You can get from the airport to any point by rented car.
To avoid overpayments, it makes sense to use the automatic price comparison system for car rental companies, developed by the team of the famous hotel portal Booking.com. The system not only tracks prices online at all major car rental companies, but also allows you to book a car in advance. This comes in handy during the high season, when cars from car rental companies sell like hotcakes.
For the test, Grekoblog tried to find a car at Thessaloniki airport for a trip in October 2018, and the system sorted about 200 found options in a few seconds. The most profitable of them is shown in the screenshot below. As you can see, the cost of renting a car in Thessaloniki starts from 13.5 Euros per day.
- identification document specified in the order,
- birth certificate when flying with children,
- printed itinerary receipt (optional).
What can you take on a plane?
Carry-on luggage is the items you will take with you into the cabin. The weight limit for hand luggage can vary from 5 to 10 kg, and its size most often should not exceed the sum of three dimensions (length, width and height) from 115 to 203 cm (depending on the airline). A handbag is not considered hand luggage and is carried freely.
The bag you take with you on the plane should not contain knives, scissors, medicines, aerosols, or cosmetics. Alcohol from duty free stores can only be transported in sealed bags.
How to pay for luggage at the airport
If the weight of luggage exceeds the standards established by the airline (most often 20-23 kg), you need to pay for each kilogram of excess. In addition, many Russian and foreign airlines, as well as low-cost airlines, have tariffs that do not include free baggage allowance and must be paid separately as an additional service.
In this case, luggage must be checked in at the airport at a separate Drop-off check-in counter. If you are unable to print your boarding pass, you can obtain one at the airline's regular check-in counter, and check-in and check-in your luggage there.
Where to find out the arrival time if you are a greeter
You can find out the plane's arrival time on the airport's online board. The Tutu.ru website has an online display of the main Russian and foreign airports.
You can find out the exit number (gate) on the arrivals board at the airport. This number is located next to the incoming flight information.
What to do if your flight is canceled
If a flight is canceled more than 24 hours before departure, passengers will be transferred to similar airline flights. The carrier bears the costs; the service is free for the passenger. If you are not satisfied with any of the options offered by the airline, most airlines can issue an “involuntary return.” Once confirmed by the airline, the money will be returned to your account. Sometimes this can take several weeks.
How to check in at the airport
Online check-in is available on most airline websites. Most often it opens 23 hours before the start of the flight. You can go through it no later than 1 hour before the plane departs.
To check in at the airport you will need:
