Why Skiathos is special
Skiathos Airport "Alexandros Papadiamantis" sits on a narrow strip of flat land on the east side of the island, about 2 km from Skiathos Town. The runway is short for jet airliners and it runs almost to the water at both ends. At the southern end a public road and a low sea wall pass right under the approach path, so aircraft landing from the south cross the road only metres above the people standing there.
That is why Skiathos is often called the "St. Maarten of Europe". Unlike St. Maarten, the aircraft here are mostly narrow-body jets and turboprops: Airbus A320 family, Boeing 737, Embraer and ATR, and for many summers the Boeing 757, the largest type that regularly used the airport.
Runway 01 or 19? Read the wind
Aircraft land and take off into the wind. Skiathos has one runway, used in two directions:
- Runway 01 – aircraft land heading north, so they arrive from the south, low over the road and the beach. This is the famous approach. It is used when the wind is from the north, which is common in summer when the meltemi blows across the Aegean.
- Runway 19 – aircraft land heading south and arrive over the sea from the north. Used when there is a southerly wind of more than about 5 knots. On those days there is no low approach over the road.
On older charts and in many older videos the runway is marked 02/20; it is the same runway, renumbered because the magnetic north pole has moved.
The live flight board estimates the runway in use from the current wind and shows the headwind and crosswind components for runway 01. It is only an estimate: air traffic control decides the runway, and with a light or variable wind pilots may choose either direction.
Where to watch
The road at the runway 01 threshold
The classic spot is the road and wall at the southern end of the runway. Landing aircraft pass low overhead and touch down a short distance after the fence. It is a public road with traffic, so keep to the side, do not block cars, and follow instructions from the police, who are often present on busy days.
Along the fence line
Further along the runway you can watch aircraft roll out, turn and taxi to the small apron. The view is calmer and much safer during departures.
The cafés and the hill
The cafés near the runway end are a comfortable place to wait between flights, and the higher ground around the airport gives side-on views of the whole runway. With runway 19 in use, the northern end over the water is the better place to be.
When to go
Season. International flights run from about late April or May until October. In summer, charter and low-cost airlines bring visitors from the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Scandinavia, Germany, Austria, Italy, Poland and other countries. In winter the airport is quiet, with a few Olympic Air flights from Athens on certain days.
Days. Charter flights cluster on particular weekdays, often the weekend, when holiday groups change over. Some days have many movements in a few hours, others only a handful. Open the flight board and press "Complete Weekly Schedule" to see the coming week day by day.
Time of day. Arrivals and departures come in waves. In summer the airport may operate from early morning until late evening; in winter it opens only for a few hours on certain days. Check the current hours on the Airport Data page before you plan a visit outside the season.
Jet blast and safety
Never stand behind an aircraft that is lining up for take-off. Jet blast from a departing airliner can throw people off the wall, blow sand, stones and loose objects at high speed, and push cars and scooters. People have been injured here.
Departing aircraft taxi to the runway end, turn around and apply power with their engines pointing at the road. The landings are the spectacle; the take-offs are the danger.
- Watch departures from the side of the runway extension, not directly behind it.
- Hold on to hats, sunglasses, phones and towels, or put them away.
- Keep children close and away from the wall when an aircraft lines up.
- Do not stop cars or scooters behind the runway end.
- Drones are not allowed near the airport without permission.
- Follow police and airport staff instructions; they can close the road.
Read more in our articles on jet blast and the jet blast issue at Skiathos.
Photo and video tips
- Lens. A wide-angle lens or phone camera is enough at the threshold; the aircraft fill the frame. A short telephoto (70–200 mm) is useful from the side for taxiing and departing aircraft.
- Shutter speed. To freeze a jet, 1/1000 s or faster works well. For turboprops, slow down (around 1/250 s or slower) so the propellers show motion blur instead of looking stopped.
- Hearing. Landings are loud for a few seconds and departures longer. Ear plugs are a good idea for children.
- Sun and water. There is little shade at the threshold. Bring water, a hat and sun cream, especially on busy summer days when you may wait for hours.
- Registrations. Our Aircraft Index lists every aircraft we have filmed at Skiathos by registration, with a link to the exact moment in the video.