Aegean Airlines reveals 33 routes for summer 2021

Aegean Airlines will launch 33 routes in summer 2021, with 11 having no direct competition when they begin. These additional routes will further boost the carrier’s non-stop capacity from Greece, excluding Athens, across Europe, with 2021 to be one of its best-ever years for such service.

Aegean Airlines is to begin 33 routes for summer 2021 for a total of 63 weekly flights each way when they begin.

Mykonos and Santorini get eight routes each, Corfu and Heraklion seven apiece, and three for Thessaloniki. 

11 of these 33 will have no direct competition, which will change for some routes as summer progresses. For example, both easyJet and Volotea will later join Aegean on Mykonos – Venice.

27 routes will be served twice-weekly when they begin.  Some will see higher frequencies by Aegean Airlines – and also from direct and indirect competitors – in higher summer.  For example, Heraklion – London Gatwick starts at twice-weekly and later rises to five, while Heraklion – Prague begins at once-weekly and later trebles.

Multiple markets have been served by Aegean before:

• Corfu – Milan Malpensa (2012-2013)
• Corfu – Paris CDG (2015, 2020)
• Corfu – Rome Fiumicino (2012-2015)

• Heraklion – Geneva (2015-2018)

• Heraklion – Gatwick (2015-2016)

• Heraklion – Malpensa (2015-2016)

• Heraklion – Prague (2015-2016)

• Heraklion – Vienna (2014-2016)
• Mykonos – Fiumicino (2010, 2012)
• Mykonos – Malpensa (2010, 2012)
• Santorini – Fiumicino (2010, 2012)
• Santorini – Malpensa (2010, 2012)
• Thessaloniki – Zurich (2020)

Additionally, at city level, Heraklion – Berlin was served between 2014-2018, and Thessaloniki – Berlin in 2014.

Aegean Airlines route summary

Madrid stands out for Aegean Airlines

Madrid will see new Aegean Airlines routes from both Mykonos and Santorini, supplementing existing Athens.

At just over 2,500 kilometres each, both routes are quite long.  And both have been previously served by others. Mykonos with Vueling until 2011, and then by Iberia in 2012 and between 2018 and 2019.  Santorini by Iberia in 2011, and then again between 2016 and 2019.

Mykonos – Madrid will depart at 2145 and arrive at 0015.  Returning, it’ll leave Madrid at 0100 and arrive back at the Greek island at 0530.  Santorini is similar: 2120-2350; 0040-0510.

In 2019, Madrid – Santorini had over 14,000 passengers while Mykonos had 9,000, booking data obtained from OAG Traffic Analyser shows.

Aegean Airlines sixth-largest from Greece (excl. Athens) across Europe

Aegean Airlines is Greece’s top airline by seats across Europe because of its Athens hub. 

However, it falls to sixth when only non-stop capacity from Greece’s airports other than Athens is considered.  It is behind Ryanair, easyJet, TUI UK, Condor, and TUI Deutschland.

2021 is currently estimated to be Aegean’s fourth-best year in terms of non-stop seats from Greece excluding Athens, and the highest in the past four years.

Aegean Airlines’ strong increase in capacity mid-decade was the result of acquiring Olympic Air.  It was followed by much consolidation, including the elimination of multiple non-Athens, and therefore non-core, routes.  Some of these are returning next summer.

Read more: Lufthansa adds 13 routes from Frankfurt for S21; 11 are brand-new.

Aegean Airlines’ big spike in capacity mid-decade was the result of it acquiring Olympic Air. It has consolidated significantly since then. Source: OAG Schedules Analyser.