Flights to Greece and Turkey from the US
15 route guides to 2 Greece & Turkey airports from US cities, with entry rules, flight times and the best months to go.
Quick answer: Istanbul is the easier year-round trip: Turkish Airlines flies nonstop to Istanbul Airport (IST) from more than a dozen US cities. Athens (ATH) has many more US nonstops in summer than in winter, when most US-airline flights stop and Emirates' Newark to Athens flight is the steadiest year-round nonstop as of November 2026. US citizens need no visa for either country for short tourist stays. Greece is in the Schengen Area, so the EU Entry/Exit System (EES) records your fingerprints and photo on arrival. Türkiye is outside Schengen and has let US citizens visit visa-free, with no e-visa, since the end of 2023.
Facts checked November 2026. Schedules and entry rules change, so confirm with the airline and the official government site before you travel.
Greece & Turkey flights at a glance
| Entry for US citizens | Greece: no visa, EES registration at the border, ETIAS not yet in operation. Türkiye: no visa or e-visa for tourist and business stays of up to 90 days in 180 |
|---|---|
| Main gateways | Athens International (ATH) and Istanbul Airport (IST); Istanbul also has Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side |
| Year-round nonstops | Istanbul: Turkish Airlines from many US hubs. Athens: Emirates from Newark; US-airline nonstops are mostly April to October (as of November 2026) |
| Typical nonstop flight time | About 9 to 10 hours from New York to Athens or Istanbul eastbound; longer flying home |
| Time difference | Greece is 7 hours ahead of New York most of the year. Türkiye stays on UTC+3 all year: 8 hours ahead of New York in winter, 7 in summer |
| Best months | May, June, September and early October for the islands; spring and fall for Istanbul |
| Schengen days | Days in Greece count toward the 90-in-180 Schengen limit; days in Türkiye do not |
Where you can fly in Greece & Turkey
Each city links to every route guide we publish into that airport; each guide covers the airlines, connections and baggage rules, with live fares when the page loads.
Entry rules for Greece and Türkiye as of November 2026
Greece is a Schengen country. US citizens can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa, counted across all Schengen countries together. Your passport should have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid at least three months beyond the day you leave the Schengen Area.
The EU Entry/Exit System (EES) runs at Greek borders as at every Schengen external border. On your first entry, officers record your passport, a photo and fingerprints instead of stamping your passport. If you connect through another Schengen airport such as Frankfurt, Munich or Amsterdam, you register there and land in Athens as a domestic Schengen arrival. ETIAS, the planned EU travel authorization, is not in operation as of November 2026, so there is nothing to apply for, and sites selling one now are not official.
Türkiye removed the visa requirement for US citizens at the end of 2023. For tourism or business you can stay up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa and without the old e-visa, so do not pay any site that offers a Turkish e-visa for a US passport. Türkiye sets its own passport-validity rule, which is stricter than a simple valid-for-the-trip test, so check the State Department's Türkiye page and renew early if your passport is getting close.
Because Türkiye is outside Schengen, a Greece and Türkiye trip means two separate border checks. Days in Istanbul or on the Turkish coast do not use up your Schengen allowance, but each time you re-enter Greece you go through EES again.
Nonstop flights to Istanbul
Turkish Airlines is the main way to fly nonstop from the US to Istanbul. As of recent schedules it flies to Istanbul Airport from more than a dozen US cities, including New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Boston, Chicago O'Hare, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle. Frequencies change by season, so check the airline's timetable for your dates.
Turkish Airlines is in Star Alliance, so United MileagePlus members can usually earn and redeem on it. Since early 2026 Southwest has had a partnership with Turkish Airlines that lets travellers connect between the two, which helps from cities Turkish does not serve. Check how your ticket is issued before you rely on a connection.
Istanbul Airport is the airline's hub and a big connecting point for the Greek islands, the Turkish coast, the Middle East and Central Asia. Most Turkish Airlines international flights use IST, while some low-cost and domestic flights use Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side of the city, about an hour or more away by road. Check the airport code on every onward ticket.
Nonstop flights to Athens
Athens has far more US nonstops in summer than in winter. From spring to fall, Delta, United and American fly to Athens from several of their hubs, with New York, Atlanta, Chicago, Washington and Philadelphia among the departure cities on recent schedules. Most of these flights run roughly April to October and pause over the winter, so check the airline's schedule for your dates.
Emirates flies Newark to Athens year-round as part of its flight to Dubai, and as of recent schedules it is the steadiest winter nonstop; check with the airline. Alaska Airlines has announced a new seasonal Seattle to Athens nonstop starting in May 2027, the first nonstop between the US West Coast and Athens. In winter, most travellers connect in a European hub such as Frankfurt, Munich, Zurich, Amsterdam, Paris or London, or in Istanbul.
For the islands, Athens is the usual connecting point. Aegean Airlines and Sky Express fly from Athens to Santorini, Mykonos, Crete and dozens of other islands, and ferries leave from the ports of Piraeus and Rafina near the city. Some islands also get summer flights straight from other European hubs, which can save a night in Athens.
Best and quietest months to fly
July and August are peak season on the Greek islands and the Turkish coast: hot, busy, and the time when ferries and island flights fill first. May, June, September and early October usually give warm sea temperatures with fewer people, and they are often the better time to combine Athens and the islands.
Istanbul works all year. Spring and fall are the most comfortable for walking the city, summer is hot, and winter is cool and wet but quieter. Because Istanbul keeps its year-round nonstops, a winter city trip there is easier to plan than a winter trip to Athens, where you will usually connect.
From November to March many island hotels, ferries and seasonal flights stop, especially in the Cyclades. Athens, Thessaloniki and Crete's main towns stay open year-round. The fare grid on each route guide shows what is live for your dates.
Booking tips for a Greece and Türkiye trip
An open-jaw ticket often fits this trip best: fly into Istanbul and home from Athens, or the reverse, and use a short flight between them. Turkish Airlines and Aegean both fly Istanbul to Athens.
If you fly to Athens in winter, compare a one-stop ticket through Istanbul with one through a Schengen hub. Through Istanbul you do the EES registration in Athens; through Frankfurt or Munich you do it at the hub and land in Athens without a passport line.
Keep island hops and international flights on one ticket where you can, or leave a generous gap. Summer winds in the Aegean can cancel ferries, and separate tickets are not protected if you miss a connection.
Neither Athens nor Istanbul has US Customs preclearance, so on the way home you clear US immigration and customs at your first US airport. Leave enough time if you have a domestic connection.
From the airport into the city
Athens airport is linked to the city by Metro Line 3 and by the suburban railway, and express buses run to the center and to Piraeus. Licensed taxis wait outside arrivals.
Istanbul Airport is far north of the city center. The M11 metro line connects it to the city, and Havaist buses run to the main districts. Allow plenty of time for the trip back to the airport, because traffic can be heavy.
Route guides to Greece & Turkey
Athens (ATH)
Frequently asked questions
Do US citizens need a visa for Turkey?
No. Since the end of 2023, US citizens can visit Türkiye for tourism or business for up to 90 days in any 180-day period without a visa or e-visa. Check the State Department's Türkiye page for the passport-validity rule before you go.
Do I need ETIAS to fly to Greece?
No. As of November 2026 ETIAS is not in operation. Greece does use the EU Entry/Exit System, so your fingerprints and photo are recorded the first time you enter the Schengen Area.
Are there nonstop flights from the US to Athens in winter?
Fewer than in summer. As of November 2026, Emirates flies Newark to Athens year-round, while most Delta, United and American Athens flights are seasonal. Many winter travellers connect in Europe or Istanbul.
Which US cities fly nonstop to Istanbul?
Turkish Airlines flies nonstop from more than a dozen US cities, including New York JFK, Washington Dulles, Boston, Chicago, Atlanta, Miami, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle, as of recent schedules. Check the airline for current days.
How long is the flight from New York to Athens?
About 9 to 10 hours eastbound on recent schedules, and longer on the way back because of headwinds. Check with the airline for your flight.
Do days in Turkey count toward the Schengen 90 days?
No. Türkiye is not in the Schengen Area, so days there do not count. Days in Greece do, and they are added to days in any other Schengen country in the same 180-day window.
What is the best month to visit the Greek islands?
June and September usually offer warm sea, open ferries and fewer people than July and August. Many island hotels and ferries close from November to March.
