Baltic Travel Demand to Athens Surges; airBaltic Adds Tallinn Flights
Athens, May 13, 2026 – Direct passenger traffic between Athens and the Baltic countries surged an impressive 83 percent during the first four months of 2026, underscoring the increasing significance of the region for the expanding network of Athens International Airport (AIA). This significant growth was announced during a recent airBaltic event in Athens, which celebrated the inauguration of direct flights between the Greek and Estonian capitals for the summer season.
The new Athens-Tallinn service commenced operations on April 29, flying twice weekly. The route utilizes Airbus A220-300 aircraft and is currently scheduled as a seasonal offering. However, there are promising prospects for its potential conversion to a year-round service in the future, reflecting strong market interest and demand.
Baltic Connectivity Gains Momentum
Ioanna Papadopoulou, Communications and Marketing Director at Athens International Airport, provided key data highlighting robust fluctuations in direct traffic between Athens and the Baltic countries in recent years. She noted a substantial rebound in passenger numbers, with an 83 percent increase during the January-April 2026 period compared to the same period last year.
According to Athens International Airport, passenger traffic between Athens and Riga also experienced significant growth, rising 73 percent year-on-year during the January-April period. Papadopoulou explained that “Passenger traffic from the Baltic countries fluctuates depending on airline seat availability in the market. When an airline enters the market and launches a route, traffic increases. Correspondingly, when a route is suspended for any reason, there is a decline.”
Data presented during the event further revealed that passenger traffic on airBaltic’s Athens routes reached record levels in both 2024 and 2025. The direct traffic between Athens and Riga continued its upward trajectory with a further 73 percent increase during the January-April 2026 period.
Papadopoulou also emphasized that the importance of Baltic connectivity extends beyond Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania. These routes also play a crucial role in strengthening Athens’ links with Scandinavian markets through connecting traffic via Riga. Transfer passengers constituted 27 percent of travelers flying through Riga in 2024, a figure that climbed to 32 percent in 2025, illustrating the growing role of Riga as a hub for onward travel.
Leisure Travel Drives Demand
Maria Mastoraki, Country Manager of airBaltic Corporation, presented the airline’s comprehensive Greece network. This network encompasses nine routes, effectively connecting Athens, Thessaloniki, Heraklion, Rhodes, and Corfu with the Baltic capitals.
Leisure travelers continue to be the primary drivers of demand on routes connecting Athens with the Baltic region, with nine out of ten passengers traveling for holiday purposes. Airport data indicates that most visitors combine their stays in Athens with excursions to other Greek destinations, particularly the islands and Halkidiki. The average trip duration for these travelers is approximately eight days.
airBaltic currently operates nine routes connecting Greece with the Baltic countries from five Greek destinations. Specifically, the airline flies from Athens to Riga and Tallinn, from Corfu to Riga, from Rhodes to Riga and Tallinn, from Thessaloniki to Riga, and from Heraklion to all three Baltic capitals.
The Latvian carrier connects the Baltic region with more than 80 destinations across Europe and beyond. In 2025, airBaltic transported 5.2 million passengers, marking a one percent year-on-year increase. To date, the airline has transported a total of 873,000 passengers to and from Greece.
airBaltic is majority-owned by the Latvian state, which holds 88.37 percent of voting rights, while Lufthansa Group holds a 10 percent stake. TAL Aviation serves as airBaltic’s official General Sales Agent (GSA) in Greece.
Source: Greek Travel Pages (GTP), Athens International Airport (AIA), airBaltic, TAL Aviation Hellas
