**Athens International Airport (AIA) "Eleftherios Venizelos"** is Greece's largest and busiest airport, serving as the primary gateway to Athens, Attica, the Greek islands, and the Mediterranean region while handling passenger flights, cargo, and connecting traffic at its Spata location, 20 km from central Athens.[1][2][3][4] Opened on March 28, 2001, AIA replaced the outdated Ellinikon International Airport to accommodate booming tourism and air traffic, debuting just in time for the 2004 Summer Olympics, where it managed influxes of international visitors seamlessly.[2][3] Built on 16,000 acres—the largest airport expanse in Europe—it features two parallel runways (4 km and 3.8 km long), one main terminal with 153 check-in desks and 14 jet bridges, and a satellite terminal linked by underground walkway or shuttle, supporting 24-hour operations and A380 approvals from EASA and FAA.[1][2][3][5] Key achievements include record-breaking **31.85 million passengers in 2024** (up 13.1% from 2023 and 24.5% from 2019), ranking it Europe's 16th-busiest airport and among the top 25 globally for growth, with 40% of Greece's air traffic (70% international).[1][2][4][6] It processed 124,961 cargo tonnes, boasts 24 contact stands plus 75 remote positions, and has extended tourism seasons via incentives, marketing, and IT-driven expansions—boosting capacity from 16 million to a planned 50 million without full new phases.[1][2][4] Currently, AIA thrives as Aegean Airlines' main hub, serving a 6 million catchment population with advanced logistics, cultural nods in design (e.g., classical Greek elements), authentic dining, and services like