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Update 4 November 2026: the closure dates are unchanged (evening of 15 November to 15 March). Attica Group has extended its October schedule to Chios and Lesvos by one month; details in our new report.
Update 28 October 2026: Ertürk has extended its Çeşme-Chios fast-boat timetable to 30 April 2027; there are no Ertürk sailings from 11 January to 11 February 2027. Details in our new report.
Chios’s only airport closes to scheduled flights from the evening of 15 November 2026 to 15 March 2027 while its runway is extended. The Hellenic Civil Aviation Authority (HCAA) has issued a NOTAM, the formal notice to pilots, for the closure. On 19 October shops on the island shut in protest and the municipal council asked for the decision to be reconsidered. As of 20 October no postponement had been announced. Ferries from Çeşme in Turkey are not affected, but over the winter the island will only be reachable by sea.
What happened?
Works are under way to enlarge the runway and manoeuvring area at Chios “Omiros” (Homer) airport. According to TravelDailyNews on 15 October, the HCAA and the Ministry of Transport accepted the contractor’s proposal to merge the second and third phases of the project, during which the runway cannot be used. When the works are finished, the runway will be extended north to 1,799 metres and the airport will be able to take larger aircraft.
- Closure: from the evening of Sunday 15 November 2026 to 15 March 2027. The contractor has committed to trying to finish by 28 February 2027.
- During the closure: only helicopters for medical transfers, search and rescue, firefighting and state flights can use the airport, from the apron.
- Until then: the airport runs on a shortened runway, with flights on propeller aircraft that have fewer seats.
TA NEA reported on 14 October that the dates came out in a ministry letter sent to airlines. Keep Talking Greece reported on 16 October that the HCAA had since issued the NOTAM. According to Proto Thema, shops on Chios closed from 11:00 to 15:00 on 19 October. The Chios Chamber of Commerce asked for a firm timetable for the works and for compensating measures, including a daily fast ferry. The municipal council voted unanimously for the decision to be reconsidered, and a protest in Athens was planned for 20 October. We will update this article if the dates change.
What does it mean for travellers?
- Arriving from Turkey by ferry: the closure does not affect the Çeşme ferry. As we reported on 18 October, Turyol’s and Ertürk’s timetables run to 18 December 2026. Neither company had published sailings after 18 December, so from then on we could see no way to reach Chios from Turkey or by air. Update 22 Oct: Turyol’s timetable now runs to 31 December and Ertürk’s to 20 December (24 Oct: Ertürk now lists sailings to 3 Jan 2027), so the gap now starts after 31 December. Update 24 Oct: Turyol’s timetable now runs to 30 September 2027, and Catamaran Imbros sails Çeşme-Chios five days a week from January to March, so a sea link from Turkey appears to remain while the airport is closed (our report). Times and boats are in our Çeşme to Chios ferry guide.
- Flying in via Izmir: if you planned to fly to Izmir and take the ferry from Çeşme, that still works while the ferries run. The options are compared in our Chios airport guide.
- Leaving Chios for Athens: there are no flights from Chios between 15 November and 15 March. Plan on the ferry to Piraeus, which Keep Talking Greece puts at 6.5 to 12 hours depending on the route and weather, or on a connection via Lesvos.
- Turkish passport holders: the express visa on arrival is valid on Chios only and does not allow onward travel to Athens, so the flight suspension does not change much for them.
- Dates may change: the backlash on the island continues. If you are relying on a flight to or from Chios after mid-November, check with your airline before booking.
For the island itself, see our Chios travel guide, and for a comparison, Lesvos or Chios.
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Sources
- TravelDailyNews - Chios airport: runway suspension until March 2027 (Greek, 15 October 2026)
- TA NEA - Chios: four-month closure of the airport (Greek, 14 October 2026)
- Keep Talking Greece - Chios airport suspends operation for four months (16 October 2026)
- Proto Thema - Protests on Chios over the four-month airport closure (Greek, 19 October 2026)
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