Greece is experiencing another record-breaking summer in tourism, thanks in part to the flourishing luxury hotel and restaurant scene in Athens. While most travelers start their journey at the foot of the Acropolis, a true Greek adventure isn’t complete without visiting its idyllic islands. However, reaching these islands hasn’t always been convenient. Unless you charter a private flight or yacht, you’re usually stuck on a crowded ferry. This summer, that inconvenience is changing.
An Athens-based aviation company launched Hoper in May, Greece’s first and only commercial helicopter service. Unlike existing charter services, Hoper offers regularly scheduled flights from Athens to various Aegean islands. These scenic helicopter flights, taking less than 45 minutes, connect Athens with destinations like Mykonos, Santorini, Antiparos, Folegandros, Ios, Kea, Patmos, Sifnos, Spetses, and Tinos. Tickets, available online as one-way or round-trip, start at approximately $160 per leg and can go up to $375.
Dimitris Kossyfas, COO of Hoper, explained the service’s value: “It became obvious that by flying there were significant savings in terms of time, but that at the same time it wasn’t hugely expensive if you shared the cost with other flyers.” For instance, traveling from Athens to Patmos with Hoper involves a flight to Mykonos and then another to Patmos, taking about an hour and a half. The alternative is an overnight ferry lasting nine to ten hours or a commercial flight followed by a ferry, which is equally cumbersome.
Hoper operates year-round with a fleet of five glass-cockpit Robinson R44 and R66 helicopters, accommodating three to four passengers. With bases in Athens, Mykonos, and Santorini, Hoper plans to expand to mainland destinations during the off-season, including sites like Delphi and Monemvasia in the Peloponnese. Kossyfas, along with CEO Dimitris Memos, believes that affluent travelers who typically use speedboats or yachts will find helicopters more efficient in terms of cost and time.
While popular islands like Mykonos and Santorini might not feel the impact of this new service, smaller, harder-to-reach islands certainly will. The convenience of helicopter travel could encourage tourists to explore less-visited, pristine islands. However, Kossyfas notes that the current low capacity of the helicopters means Hoper won’t drastically change tourism patterns just yet.
“We aren’t there yet because of the low capacity of the helicopters,” Kossyfas says. “It’s one, maximum two, flights per day with four people. It cannot have a significant footprint yet. But eventually, it does create a new opportunity.”
