Cheap flights to
Athens (ATH)

It would be nice if there was a day of the week when prices magically dropped. Unfortunately, that’s not the case. However, there is a time period when flights are generally cheapest. We call it the Goldilocks Window because it’s not too far in advance of your flight and not too close either—it’s just right. The window is about 1-3 months before a domestic flight and 2-8 months before an international flight.

If you’re booking during a peak travel season, or for a trip that requires specific dates and no room for flexibility, we recommend planning even further in advance. If, for instance, you’re hoping to visit Athens in peak season in July, you’d be wise to start looking at fares in December.

Last-minute deals are almost nonexistent during busy travel seasons. Fare jumps happen 21, 14, and 7 days in advance of departure dates, so it’s best to book before those points if at all possible.

The Greek Islands Trick is one of our favorite hacks for finding cheap fares to places like Santorini, but it can work for the Greek mainland as well. The idea is to get as close as you can to your final destination for the cheapest flight possible, then find a budget flight or other travel option for the last leg.

So, if you really want to fly from Atlanta to Athens for a summer beach holiday but flights are $1,100, check out fares to London instead. If you see a fare for under $700, for example, it could be worth looking for a low-cost airline ticket—these are sometimes under $120—from London to Athens. Just like that, you’ve saved yourself some cash to put toward a couple of nights in hotels. It’s a little more work, but especially during the summer when Greece is very popular, it could save you quite a bit of money.

Travelers living near major airports, like Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson, likely don’t consider flying out of other airports very often. Why would they when the world’s busiest airport is right there? Believe it or not, there may be situations when you could actually save money by looking at long-haul flights from other cities, even if it requires another short flight to get there.

If you see a $550 roundtrip flight from New York to Athens in July, even adding a $180 flight from Atlanta to New York would still mean you’re saving money. Sometimes, even Atlanta residents can benefit from checking out deals from other airports.

One of the easiest ways to save on flights is to fly during cheaper periods. Summer is the busiest time in Athens because kids are on summer break and travelers visit Athens on their way to the island beaches. Remember: More people traveling means airlines can raise prices.

The more flexible you can be with your dates, the better chance you’ll have of finding a deal. Shoulder seasons are travel favorites—and in Athens, they’re actually the best time to visit. The months just before and after peak season have amazing weather, lower prices, and far fewer crowds. You can save even more by traveling in the off season, which is December–February in Athens. The weather in Athens is consistently mild, never too cold, and there are dozens of museums and hundreds of indoor restaurants, so winter can be a great time to visit to save money.

If you do plan to travel during the summer, be sure to look at fares on what are generally the cheapest days to fly: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays. Avoid Fridays and Sundays, the most expensive day to fly.

We know firsthand that keeping track of airfare as it fluctuates is hard work. The good news is that technology can do some of the heavy lifting.

Set up fare alerts online for any itinerary you’re looking at, and you’ll get an email when the fare drops into your price range or by a significant amount. Do this well in advance of your trip, ideally before the Goldilocks Window we talked about above so you can see prices fall during that time. If your travel dates are flexible, set up multiple alerts.

Athens is a fairly busy airport, with direct flights from more than 100 airports in more than 56 countries. Most of those are in Europe. You can fly directly to Athens from Chicago; Atlanta; New York; Washington, DC; Boston; and Philadelphia. From much of the world, you’ll have to make a connection, but most people can reach Athens with just one stop.