Calgary & Athens airports join forces, eye future non-stop flights

Calgary Airports and Athens International Airport (AIA) are strengthening ties with an eye toward eventually establishing non-stop air service between Calgary and the Greek capital.

The operators have signed a five-year Memorandum of Cooperation establishing a “Sister Airport” relationship between YYC Calgary International Airport and Athens International Airport.

The agreement creates a framework for the airports to work more closely together, with a shared goal of increasing passenger and cargo traffic between Calgary and Athens while supporting the long-term case for scheduled nonstop flights.

Under the memorandum, the airports will explore opportunities for collaboration and knowledge sharing in areas of mutual interest, with a focus on innovation, growth and improved passenger and cargo connectivity.

"Greece is a country many Canadians feel close to, through family ties, shared values and a common love of travel, culture and hospitality. We want more people from Calgary and Western Canada to discover Athens and Greece - and, equally, to welcome more Greek travellers to Calgary, Alberta and the Canadian Rockies. This partnership is about bringing our communities closer and turning that mutual interest into the opportunity for a future nonstop connection,” said Balazs Bogats, chief commercial officer of Calgary Airports, in a press release.

Two major gateways

The initiative builds on longstanding ties between Canada and Greece while bringing together two major international gateways.

YYC welcomed 19.4 million passengers in 2025 and served 108 nonstop destinations. Athens International Airport, meanwhile, handled 34 million passengers and connected travellers with 164 destinations across 55 countries through 70 airlines.

"Canadians and Greeks have much more in common than the distance between us might suggest: openness, warmth, strong community ties and a genuine interest in one another,” stated Ioanna Papadopoulou, director, communications and marketing, at Athens International Airport, in a statement.

We look forward to introducing more Canadians to Athens and Greece, while offering Greek travellers an easier path to discover Calgary and Western Canada. This partnership is about exploring ways to further strengthen ties between Calgary and Athens and create a sound basis for the establishment of a direct connection between the two cities in the future.”

“A direct service will not simply connect two airports and two cities; it will bring two peoples even closer, opening a bridge for tourism, business, investment & trade."

While the agreement signals interest in strengthening connectivity between the two destinations, it does not constitute an announcement of airline service.

Don't miss a single travel story: subscribe to PAX today!  Click here to follow PAX on Facebook.