Pick up – Drop off zone

The access for private vehicles in front of the Departures and Arrivals areas to drop-off and pick-up passengers is controlled through retractable barrier access points in order to allow everyone a 10-minute free stay & welcome or say goodbye to travellers with ease and safety!

The controlled access points aim to prevent congestion and illegal parking in the areas designated exclusively for passenger drop-off /pick-up for extended periods. The Departures and Arrivals areas have been reconfigured to allow everyone a 10-minute free stay to say goodbye or welcome their travellers comfortably and safely, as is the case in most European and international airports.

Drivers have 10 minutes of free stay and 2 entries per day at the passenger drop-off and pick-up points in Arrivals and Departures, respectively, to pick up and drop off travellers. According to studies, this time is considered sufficient and equivalent to the time available in many European airports. This arrangement aims to maintain the smooth flow of traffic and reduce congestion in these areas, ensuring better service for passengers and their accompanying persons. 

After the initial 10 minutes, there is a charge for additional stay of the vehicles. The process is simple and applies to both the drop-off area in Departures and the pick-up area in Arrivals: 

1. Stop in front of the barrier.
2. The camera reads the front license plate of the car while you press the ticket issuance button and receive the ticket.
3. The barrier opens and you enter the controlled access area.
4. Park in specially designated short-stay spaces on the right or left side of the road and enjoy a 10-minute FREE stay to say goodbye or welcome your traveler.
5. Then proceed to the exit and stop at the barriers.
6. Scan your ticket at the machine, and if your stay is within 10 minutes, the barrier will open, and you can leave without being charged.

If you stay in the controlled access area for more than 10 minutes, a corresponding charge will apply: 
Additional 10 minutes: €5 (after the first 10 minutes and up to 20 minutes, a €5 charge applies). 
After 20 minutes: €1 per minute.  
Payment can be made at the machine using cash or card. 
The maximum duration of stay in the area cannot exceed 60 minutes. For vehicles exceeding 1 hour of stay, removal from the area by crane should be anticipated. 

Note that the aforementioned areas are subject to applicable laws and regulations. In case the driver does not pay for exceeding the free time limit, they will receive a payment notice from the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). 

The goal of this process is not to charge and burden users - on the contrary, the simple procedure aims for a more functional and fair use of the spaces. 

Proper road behavior and safety are the key ingredients and, in this context, any amounts that may arise from drivers' non-compliance and exceeding the free time limit will be allocated by Athens International Airport (AIA) for the design, support, and implementation of programs by the “Panos Mylonas” Institute of Road Safety. 

By examining and evaluating international experience, addressing traffic issues with similar systems is a widespread and successful practice in most major European airports, which have achieved high rates of driver compliance in a short period of time, resulting in the decongestion of vehicle passage areas. 

Special provisions apply to travellers with reduced mobility and increased needs. 

At the same time, the provision of free parking time in the Short Term 1 & 2 for 20 minutes continues to apply to everyone. Free of charge parking is valid for up to 2 entries per day across all parking areas. As of the 3rd entry, charges apply according to the pricelist. 

The Airport is, as always, available to the public, both through guidance at service points and through all communication channels of AIA, which provide all relevant helpful information. 

Three (3) dedicated temporary parking spaces in the inner lane of the Departures Level near Entrance 2, exclusively for use by  passengers with disability and their accompanying persons (as the case may be), and two (2) dedicated temporary parking spaces in the inner lane of the Arrivals Level near Entrance 4 have been provisioned. These dedicated temporary parking spaces are provided free of charge, on condition of displaying the respective passenger’s disability documentation irrespective of the degree of disability, and also, the disabled passenger's airline ticket reservation. At the same time, the special designated parking spaces in Short Term 1 and 2 for people with disabilities are always valid at privileged prices. Please find out about the relevant procedure . 

More specifically: 

Departures Level:

In order to make use of the three (3) dedicated temporary parking spaces in the inner lane at the Departures Level,  the passenger with disability who is traveling shall have her/his airline ticket reservation and documented proof of disability and regardless of its degree, as well as at least one accompanying person. The said spaces are located near Entrance 2 and are provided only for drop-off. The accompanying person shall remove the vehicle after the passenger with disability has disembarked. For your convenience, near Entrance 2 in the inner lane of the departures level of the Main Terminal Building, the "Designated Point 1” for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility is located where the passenger or the accompanying person may contact Athens International Airport’s Assistance Services Coordination Office for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility. 

Near Entrance 2 of the Departures Level inside the Main Terminal Building, the "Designated Point 6 for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility" is located, where the passenger or the accompanying person may contact Athens International Airport’s Assistance Services Coordination Office for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility. 

For the unhindered movement of people with visual disability, there is a blind path leading from the drop off spaces to "Designated Point 6 for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility" inside the Main Terminal Building close to Entrance 2.  

For the convenience of all passengers with disability, it is worth pointing out with particular emphasis that the above-mentioned dedicated temporary parking spaces are not allowed to be used for longer parking stay under any circumstances. In the event of parking, passengers with disabilities may use the determined parking spaces in the Short-Term Parking 1 and 2, provided with privileged pricing. 

With regard to passengers with reduced mobility, as long as neither the passenger nor their accompanying person has disability documentation, the use of the dedicated temporary parking spaces is not allowed. 

Passengers with reduced mobility are advised to notify about the need and type of assistance services when booking their airline ticket and after parking in the Short Term parking 1 and 2, to use the Designated Points 4 and 5, located in Short Term parking 2 and 1 respectively, and notify on time for their presence, so that the respective assistance services are provided from that point. 

Arrivals Level:

In order to use the two (2) dedicated temporary parking spaces for passengers with disabilities located in the inner lane of the Arrivals Level near Entrance 4, it is required to have one (1) copy of the disabled passenger's airline ticket reservation and one (1) copy of the relevant  disability documentation for the person you are picking up. These documents must be presented at the entrance control point to grant you access; otherwise, you will need to make use of the parking spaces in the Short Term 1 & 2 parking. 
Additionally, the "Designated Point 3 for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility" is located near Entrance 4, from where passengers may contact Athens airport’s Assistance Services Coordination Office for persons with disabilities and/or reduced mobility. 

Taxis remain in the inner arrivals' lane, with double the number of seats available compared to the past, while a new modern taxi waiting area has been set up in the airport's Commercial Park.

To better serve passengers, the arrangement of the flow of taxis from the waiting area to the Main Terminal Building is done through an e-system provided by the airport.

Pre-booked vehicles are parked in the designated pick-up area next to Short Term Parking 1 (100 spaces) and within Short Term Parking 2 (50 spaces). In addition, there is a specially configured waiting area for 100 spaces, in the Commercial Park of the airport.