Overview
Chania is Crete's most characterful town, a tangle of Venetian and Ottoman lanes around a horseshoe harbour on the island's north-west coast. It makes an easy week away for UK travellers: dependable sunshine from late spring to mid-autumn, sandy beaches close by and the White Mountains behind for walkers. Most flights from Britain land at Chania International Airport (CHQ) on the Akrotiri peninsula, a short ride from the old town. If you are weighing up cheap flights to Chania, the price charts on this page show how fares move through the year.
Best time to fly to Chania
The direct-flight season runs roughly from April to early November, when nearly all UK services operate. July and August bring the hottest, driest weather and the strongest demand, so fares and hotels peak alongside the school holidays. May, June, September and early October are the sweet spot, with warm seas, temperatures in the mid-20s Celsius and noticeably better value. The When to book chart above shows how prices shift month by month.
Airlines and routes
Seasonal direct flights to Chania from the UK are flown by easyJet, Jet2.com, TUI and Ryanair, with British Airways adding London routes in peak summer. Between them they serve Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Newcastle, among others. Flight time from London is about four hours, a little longer from northern UK airports. In winter, when direct flights largely pause, you can still reach Chania by connecting through Athens with Aegean Airlines and taking a 50-minute domestic hop.
Things to do in Chania
The town is the main event, but the wider region rewards a hire car.
- Venetian Harbour: the postcard heart of Chania, with a walk out to the old lighthouse and waterfront tavernas.
- Chania Old Town: narrow lanes of craft shops, leather workshops and quiet courtyards behind the port.
- Samaria Gorge: a demanding 16km hike through the White Mountains, usually open May to October.
- Elafonisi: shallow turquoise water and pink-tinged sand on Crete's south-west tip.
- Balos Lagoon: a striking sandbar and lagoon reached by boat from Kissamos or a rough drive.
At Chania International Airport (CHQ)
The airport sits about 14km east of the town centre on the Akrotiri peninsula. A public KTEL bus links the terminal with Chania's central bus station in around 30 minutes for a couple of pounds. Taxis outside charge a set airport tariff into town, and car hire desks in the arrivals hall are handy if you plan to explore the coast and gorges.
Top tips for finding cheap flights to Chania
- Book roughly two to five months ahead for summer travel; last-minute peak-season seats are rarely a bargain.
- Fly midweek and avoid the first and last weeks of the school holidays, when demand and prices spike.
- Use a flexible-date search to weigh a Tuesday or Wednesday departure against the weekend.
- Compare easyJet, Jet2.com, TUI and Ryanair on the same route, and check baggage costs before you book.
Travel essentials
UK travellers do not need a visa for a holiday in Greece and can stay for up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport must have been issued within the last 10 years and be valid for at least three months after your planned departure date. Greece uses the euro, so keep an eye on the pound-to-euro rate before you travel; cards are widely accepted. Carry a UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) for state healthcare and take out travel insurance to go alongside it.
