The island of Karpathos Greece has a limited number of flights that service the island. While the ferry is one of the most popular ways to get here, if you’re coming from Athens a flight will be your best option. We traveled on Sky Express Airline from Karpathos to Athens and are excited to share our recent flight experience! Hopefully, this Sky Express review help you on your next trip to Greece.
Booking Our Sky Express Flight
On this particular island hopping trip through Greece, we purposely didn’t plan too much in advance. We started with an amazing week on the island of Rhodes, before continuing on to Halki and Symi.
However, how we got to Karpathos is a different story! We actually ended up here because of a recommendation from the owner of Melenos Art Boutique Hotel.
After seeing all these incredible Greek islands in 2.5 weeks our time in Greece would eventually come to an end. We knew we had to get back to Athens for our onward flight where we would be heading to the unique country of Malta.
The ferry was out of the question from this far so a quick flight to Athens felt like the best option. Realistically we didn’t choose Sky Express Greece because we wanted to fly with this specific airline.
Instead, it was due to there being limited flights from Karpathos that worked timing-wise with our onward travel to Malta. We were luckily able to find a cheap deal using the search tool Skyscanner. This allowed us to compare rates and different companies to find what worked for us.
→ 11 Best Ways to Save Money on Flights with Skyscanner
What is Sky Express Airline?
Sky Express Airline runs mostly flights within Greece servicing 35 domestic and 9 international routes according to their website. They also state that they are the youngest fleet in Greece!
We had actually flown with Sky Express in Greece before from the island of Crete to Athens. Typically a short flight like this wouldn’t stand out, but we remember being surprised with the amenities that our Sky Express flight offered.
A few years prior, we booked a basic economy flight from Crete but were given tickets to jump to the front of the security line. Also, there was a separate waiting area for passengers from Sky Express Airline in a small lounge.
There we helped ourselves to all the food and drinks we wanted including beer and wine. As members of Priority Pass, this was a huge plus for us to be able to access a private lounge.
Unfortunately, the Karpathos airport is much smaller than Crete and didn’t offer the same service as our previous ticket. After reading our Sky Express review, check out the companies At The Airport page which will explain what additions if any are included at each airport.
Arriving at Karpathos Airport
While we often err on the side of caution with flights, this time we arrived way too early! After exploring the island for one week, it worked out that we got to Karpathos Airport two hours before our Sky Express flight.
It was slightly earlier than we wanted but we weren’t going to pass up a free ride to the airport from our car rental company. This ended up saving us €30 Euros on a taxi!
Nevertheless, when we arrived the airport was shut down and completely locked! This was a first for us… An airport so small that they’re literally closed in the middle of the day? It turned out that our Karpathos to Athens flight was the only one leaving the island so they had no reason to be opened early.
A bit confused, we simply grabbed a seat outside and patiently waited as other passengers started to slowly show up. Eventually, the doors were opened and we were able to check-in for our flight. We paid to check one bag because the carry-on requirements are quite strict and we had accumulated some extra items during our time in Greece.
- 10 Fun & Unique Things to do on Karpathos Island in Greece
- 6 Best Karpathos Beaches to Spend a Lazy Afternoon
- Karpathos Food Guide: Must Try Island Specialties and 8 Best Restaurants
- Olympos in Karpathos Greece: Our Trip to the Beautiful Mountain Village
- Do You Need a Rental Car in Karpathos? Pros & Cons
Checking in For Our Sky Express Flight
Make sure to double-check the airline baggage restrictions and book additional baggage before arriving at the airport if you need it! It is always cheaper than if you have to add on baggage at the airport with companies like Sky Express Airlines.
Sky Express Review Basics
Route: Karpathos to Athens Greece
Traveled: Late June 2021
Flight Time: 1 Hour 10 Minutes
Booked: 8 Days Before Traveling
Cost: €56.30 Euros Per Person
Baggage: 1 Checked Bag Fee – 15 Euros
Recently we purchased a small lightweight travel scale that has been great! Now we don’t need to stress when arriving at the airport and just put the bag on the scale to be weighed beforehand. This also avoids that awkward exchange of moving things from one overweight bag to another when checking in.
Sky Express Flight Delay
Once we got through security and were ready to board unfortunately we kept waiting…and waiting… and waiting. The Sky Express flight arriving from Athens was delayed and therefore ours was as well.
When you travel as much as we do you have to stay calm and go with the flow. Delays and even cancellations are bound to happen! While the delay itself wasn’t so unexpected, what frustrated us was that there was no announcement or update. Everyone in the terminal just sat there growing upset.
About an hour later we watched the flight land on the airport runway. Not long after, we were loaded on the buses and taken out to the plane to start our journey with Sky Express Airlines.
Traveling from Karpathos to Athens
The flight from Karpathos to Athens is very short! With just over an hour of total flight time, it basically felt like no time before the captain said to prepare for landing.
The inside of our Sky Express Airline was actually really nice and larger than the last one we had flown. Just know that it’s still super small if you’ve never flown on this type of plane before.
The flight attendants were very accommodating and once we were actually on the plane the trip went really well. We also LOVED looking out the window and spotting the Greek Islands we were flying over! We always try to secure a window seat on flights, but especially make it a point to in Greece.
Sky Express Review Final Thoughts
As we mentioned, this was our second time traveling on Sky Express Airline. If you’re island hopping in Greece you’ll probably find yourself at some point on either Olympic Airlines or Sky Express.
Besides the delay, everything else was fine with our flight. We certainly would travel with Sky Express in Greece if the flight times worked out for our plans!
Have any questions on this article or want to share your own Sky Express review? Let us know in the comments!
Safe Travels,
Brigitte & Jake
Where to Stay in Karpathos
Pigadia – Porfyris Studios and Apartments – Located in the center of all the action, this hotel is within walking distance of everything you need in town. Oceanview balconies, a small living room, and compact kitchens.
Lefkos – Zorbas Studios – Basic studios with beautiful ocean views! Just steps from the sand and close to all the shops and restaurants.
Olympos – Aphrodite Hotel – This is where we stayed in Olympos and we loved every second. Enjoy incredible views from the small balconies that overlook the rugged coastline. Basic accommodations, but one of the best deals you can get for the location.
Olympos – Olympos Archipelagos – Gorgeous apartments just below the town center and close to Milos Taverna. Stunning views of the ocean and Karpathos Island.
Kyra Panagia – Pension Akropolis – Where we stayed on our one-week Karpathos itinerary. Wonderful family-run hotel with rooms that overlook the ocean and beach below.
Kyra Panagia – Bella Vista Suites – Cute apartment situated above Kyra Bay. Clean and stylish space with amazing views of the island.
For more places to stay in Karpathos Greece you can explore the latest prices here!
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Greece Travel Planning
Packing Lists: Find all the inspiration you need with our Amazon packing lists. Including electronics and camera gear, must-have medical items, and long flight essentials!
When island hopping use FerriesinGreece to compare different routes, prices, and companies.
Flights: We always check Skyscanner and Kayak to search for cheap flights. That’s how we got from Crete to Athens for under $50 USD!
Accommodation: Compare multiple sites to get to the best deal such as Booking.com and Agoda! Also, Hostelworld should be your go-to source if you’re traveling on a budget.
Rental Car: You can book a rental car for around $20 a day in Greece! We use Discover Cars to explore the larger islands with a vehicle.
Tours: Check out Get Your Guide for thousands of activities in Greece. You can find everything from visiting the Acropolis in Athens to wine tasting in Santorini, and a boat tour in Milos.
Travel Insurance: Never travel abroad without protection. We’ve been using SafetyWing for the last few years on the road and they are there when we need them.
We’re Brigitte and Jake! American travel bloggers currently based in Spain. If you can believe it, we started Nothing Familiar way back in 2015 on an Ipad in the Ecuadorian jungle. Ever since, we haven’t stopped traveling! We’ve now been to over 60 countries around the world, with our expertise being Europe and Southeast Asia. We love outdoor adventures, tasting local specialties, and island hopping through tropical destinations. Hopefully, our guides and authentic experiences will inspire you on your own travels!
thanks for the review! so you found sky express to be ok? I see some bad reviews on trip advisor and got concerned. I’d like to book with them – just need some extra encouragement!
Author
For a short flight, we thought it was fine! They have such great prices in between Athens. Don’t expect luxury, but we had no issues at all for what it is (-: