LGIR
Heraklion International Nikos Kazantzakis Airport
VFR
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Name
Heraklion International Nikos Kazantzakis Airport
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ICAO / IATA / GPS
LGIR / HER / LGIR
- Type
- Restriction
- Region
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Timezone
2:51 am (EET)
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Municipality
Heraklion
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Coordinates
35° 20′ 22″ N 25° 10′ 49″ E
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Elevation
115 ft (35 m MSL)
About Heraklion International Nikos Kazantzakis Airport
Heraklion International Airport "Nikos Kazantzakis" (IATA: HER, ICAO: LGIR) is the primary airport on the island of Crete, Greece, and the country's second busiest airport after Athens International Airport. It is located about 5 km (3.1 mi) east of the main city centre of Heraklion, near the municipality of Nea Alikarnassos. It is a shared civil/military facility. The airport is named after Heraklion native Nikos Kazantzakis, a Greek writer and philosopher. Nikos Kazantzakis Airport is Crete's main and busiest airport, serving Heraklion (Ηράκλειο), Aghios Nikolaos (Άγιος Νικόλαος), Malia (Mάλλια), Hersonissos (Χερσόνησος), Stalida (Σταλίδα), Sisi (Σίσι) Elounda (Ελούντα) and other resorts.
A new airport for Heraklion, located 39 km (24 mi) to the south-east of the city at Kasteli, is under construction and due to open by 2027. Once completed, the new Kasteli International Airport will replace the current Heraklion International Airport as the hub for central Crete, but also providing international links for all of Crete.