Travel to Skiathos
Three ways to get here ...
( to discuss - email me at viviennes.villa@gmail.com, or send a 'Contact-Enquiry' message, or WhatsApp on 0033 663 42 50 50 )
- Direct budget airline flights from UK (or EU) airports
... or 1-stop connecting ditto
... or to mainland airports at Athens or Thessaloniki, and domestic flight (from ATH only) or coach / jet-ferry to Skiathos
... or by overland mini-tour - say 18 hours total at the wheel, with de luxe Adriatic ferry and possible breaks in the Swiss alps, Venice, and Athens
By Air (only 10mins. car transfer to villa)
Direct air - Skiathos (JSI) has direct 2½-3½hr BA and budget flights from UK and EU (Pg-Dn to "Skiathos Flights").
Skiathos Airport capacity trebled in 2017; fares fell 25%, and BA began scheduled high-season flights from London (LCY).
One-stop connecting air ... some budget airlines are starting to offer one-stop connection deals at around £250 return (eg. Easyjet via Naples or Milan, Lufthansa/EW Discover via Frankfurt) , and local Aegean Air and Sky Express both offer via Athens around £320. But beware, these '1-changer' offers on the 'net' often have no clear indication they are not direct. Check the timings, direct is about 3½ hrs, 1-stop 6-7 hrs. Also, some timings require hotel overnights on return.
With jet-ferry transfer* - daily budget and scheduled flights to Athens (ATH), then to Skiathos by Aegean or Olympic Airlines (45mins + airport transfer), or coach and jet ferry (~7 hrs)
* suggest re-think if you're considering villas on Skopelos or Alonissos islands - can need 7 or more hrs coach + ferry transfer from Skiathos airport
For direct-flight deals, first check the only airlines offering (TUI - Jet/2 - BA as below), and check if there are 'flight-only' options with the well-known main package -tour firms (btw, none findable at Jan 2024). Google "inclusive Greek holidays" to get onto Thomas Cook (reborn), and Greece specialists like Olympic Holidays, Cosmos).
You can of course simply 'Google' "UK-Skiathos Flights" - but beware, this gives all the 'usual suspect' bucket shops like Skyscanner, Ebookers, Opodo, etc.
Many of their cheaper offers are complicated - different airlines &/or return airports, etc; so for seasoned flight-bookers only. Contact me to discuss?
By car
For a total family travel cost similar to flying (and saving Skiathos car-hire) ... if you can take a 2+ week break, you can drive over, with options of a mini-tour of the Swiss and Greek Alps, with Venice or Athens stop-overs! (from Calais, about 18 hrs at the wheel, plus 1½ days ferry with de-luxe cabins available - works well !).
Transfer on Skiathos
Your 'meet-and-greeter' Kevin Hardwick will find you at the airport or port, help you find your hire-car (arrange via Karen Hardwick for best price) or taxi, and guide you to the villa (10 mins drive). On request I'll send you a map and directions in advance.
Finding Skiathos Flights
The 3 main flight options, which I've covered below, are:
- Direct UK flight, same budget airline, same UK return airport, same day of week
- Connecting budget-airline flight from UK
- 1-stop via Athens with second leg by domestic airline (Aegean/Olympic Air, Sky Express) or coach/jet-ferry.
(ferry - Hellenic Seaways: Volos (port code VOL) to Skiathos (SKI); www.hellenicseaways.gr - all Greek ferry times on www.gtp.gr
A 3rd option is to use the cheaper combinations of different airlines and/or return airports and/or return days offered by the 'usual suspects' above. I've covered only one below (via Venice as part of a 2-centre holiday), otherwise check with the 'usual suspects', or contact me.
Prices: the main 3 options from c.£260 or £350 to £600.
1. Direct air to/from Skiathos, with same airline / same UK airport JSI transfer to villa 10 mins:
Airlines from UK to Skiathos JSI; return fares:
- TUI (ex Thomsons): LGW, NCL, MAN, EMA, BRS https://www.tui.co.uk/flight/ from approx £400 return (2024)
- Jet2 STN, BHM, MAN from approx £400 return (2024) www.jet2.com/en/flights/greece/Skiathos
- B-A: LCY; www.britishairways.com Mon-Tue-Wed, from approx £490 return (2024)
- other operators which may offer flight-only are: Olypmic Holidays; Avro; Cosmos
2. One-stop connecting air as described above
3. Air only from UK to Athens (ATH) (maybe extra holiday break?) then to Skiathos (JSI) by road and jet ferry (4 hrs min.)
Airlines from UK to Athens (ATH):
- Aegean Air: LHR, MAN, EDI - www.aegeanair.com
- Wizzair: LTN, www.wizzair.com
- Ryan: STN, DUB www.ryanair.com
- Easyjet: LGW, BRS, MAN, EDI - www.easyjet.com
- Sky Express LHR www.skyexpress.gr
Airlines or surface, from Athens (ATH) to Skiathos, JSI (or ferry port code SKI):
- Aegean Air: www.aegeanair.com (operate also as Olympic Air)
- Taxi Athens to Agios Konstantinos port 2 hrs (Google: 'Athens Transfer Taxi'). One-way ?£300 for 4-7, ?£100 each for 3 (prices t.b.a.)
- Hydrofoil from AGK to SKI, www.hellenicseaways.gr - all Greek ferry times on www.gtp.gr
4. Air from UK via Venice VCE-Marco Polo (not TSF) ... then Skiathos (but pricey unless offset by a Venice break)
Airlines from UK to Venice, then Athens to Skiathos:
- Easyjet or Ryanair to VCE*: LGW, LTN, BRS, EDI, BFS * not TSF (Treviso)
- Volotea: VCE (direct to JSI) www.volotea.com/en/ (Spanish, we use - very good)
Airport codes:
Skiathos JSI, Athens ATH, Volos VOL (Easyjet), Bergamo (for Ryanair Milan hub) BGY, Venice (for Volotea) VCE;
London: All LON; Gatwick LGW; Stansted STN; Luton LTN; City LCY;
Other UK: Bristol BRS; Birmingham BHX; East Midlands EMA; Manchester MAN; Newcastle NCL; Edinburgh EDI;
Ireland: Belfast BFS; Dublin DUB.
Airlines from UK/EU/Athens to Skiathos direct (some only book flight-only via tour cos. only, no direct private bookings)
Air Serbia Serbia, B-A Cityflyer UK, Condor Germany, Cyprus Airways Cyprus, Enter Air Poland, Jet/2 UK
LOT Poland, Neos Italy, Olympic (Greece domestic - ATH-JSI- only - check flight-only seats with 'Olympic Holidays')
SAS Scandinavia, Sky Express Greece, Smartwings Slovakia, Tarom Romania, TUI UK
Transavia France/Netherlands, Tus Cyprus, Volotea Spain (for Venice-Skiathos; a recommended airline)
