Santorini Greece to Mykonos: Easiest Ways to Travel
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Chances are, if this is your first trip to the Greek islands, you’re heading to both Santorini and Mykonos. And you’re probably wondering the best way to travel between the two islands. The way that’s easiest for you might be different than for the next person, so here are the options for you to choose from.
At a Glance
🚢Direct ferry
✈️Plane via Athens
🚁Private helicopter ride
🛩️Private jet
Thinking of Doing a Day Trip?
It is possible to make a one-day round trip and visit Mykonos from Santorini. It’s a bit rushed if you’re going by boat, since the first ferry doesn’t arrive until after 11am. Having said that, Mykonos is pretty sleepy until about 2pm anyway.
In my opinion, it’s not the best way to visit, but if you’re determined, it’s long enough for you to discover Delos Island and lose yourself in the famous white alleyways of Mykonos Town.
If you’re choosing to fly privately then obviously you can arrange your schedule to suit.
⛵ Here is some information about getting around Mykonos once you arrive.
Ferry Route Between the Islands of Santorini and Mykonos
For most people, a ferry ride between the two islands is the best and easiest way to go. Ferry travel is a quintessential part of Greek culture and thus your island-hopping experience. It’s also a very direct way to travel.
The fastest ferry will take you from Santorini’s Athinios Port to Mykonos New Port in just under two hours. Most of the ferries covering this route are high-speed ferries, and the maximum journey time is just over three hours.
The Santorini to Mykonos ferry route usually goes via Ios and Paros. Since this is a popular route, there are usually five or six services a day running in the summer season.
Most of them are Seajets ferries. However other ferry companies, like Golden Star Ferries and Fast Ferries cover the route, too.
Seajets’ Champion Jet 1 leaving the port at Santorini
Conventional Ferries
You will find the odd conventional ferry running, but maybe twice a week. The journey there with SAOS Ferries is about nine hours and you’ll save yourself about 30 – 40 euros compared to the .
Keep it in mind if you’re on a budget, just need to plan carefully to fit with the limited ferry connections.
Just to clarify, this isn’t a route Blue Star Ferries serves.
Santorini to Mykonos Ferry Price
A high-speed ferry ticket between these islands costs between about 69 – 89 euro in 2024’s high season. There aren’t really any cheap ferry tickets between these popular islands but the ticket prices for the nine-hour journey with SOAS ferries are less, at around 50 euro.
Find the ferry price for the Santorini to Mykonos ferry for your preferred departure time at Ferryhopper.
The cheapest ferry ticket is with SAOS ferry company, but their service is infrequent.
Booking Tickets
I use Ferryhopper to check the ferry schedules and book ferry tickets. They issue you with an e-ticket, so you don’t need to print anything out or collect paper tickets from the port.
You can check for yours here:
For an additional cost, you can choose to upgrade your seats.
Business class usually has a separate lounge although your upgrade could just mean bigger and more spacious seating, some with tables. VIP tickets usually include better seating and a separate lounge or area of the boat.
Be aware of the Fifthteenth Of August Holiday as demand for tickets increases massively around this date. If you’re travelling in the days around the 15th it’s especially important to book tickets quickly if you have a specific ferry you want to be on.
Dealing with the Ferry Trip if You Get Seasick
If you suffer from motion sickness, then you might be a bit apprehensive about this journey. As the Cyclades Islands can get windy, the Aegean Sea can be choppy so you’ve probably been advised that the best ferry for you is one of the larger, conventional passenger ferries.
But for this journey, that’s likely to be inconvenient.
Not every fast ferry is the same. Some are quite small, don’t take vehicles, and bounce about a lot on the surface of the water.
Others are much larger, and the experience is more like that of the conventional type of ferry. So choose your departure carefully; see the booking details above.
Fly Via Athens
There are no direct flights between Santorini and Mykonos other than the charter flights below, so you’ll need to take two flights with this option.
In my opinion, getting the ferry is easier. But if you get travel sick, or have someone in your party who would find the sensory experience of ferries overwhelming, then flying might be better.
During the summer months, several daily flights connect Athens International Airport with these two islands.
You can use Skyscanner to check the flight schedules, as they list all the flights running each day.
Flight Times
Travel time to Athens from Santorini is advertised as being up to an hour, although it’s usually a bit less. (I’ve been on a flight that made it flat in 24 minutes, but I don’t think that’s the norm!)
The flight time to Mykonos is advertised as being 35 – 45 minutes although I usually find it takes about 25 minutes.
Jets at Santorini Airport
Fares
Fares start at very low prices for one-way trips. But prices rise quickly when you add in luggage so check the details of what the available options include. The policies very between the airlines.
It’s a good idea to book in advance if you’re choosing this option in peak season. Some of the flights run by companies like Sky Express and Olympic Airlines use very small planes that fill up fast.
And when ferries get cancelled due to strong winds, everyone flocks to book plane seats instead.
Which Airlines?
For these short trips, I find all the airlines quite similar. You’ll need to look into which is best for you based on things like departure time, cost and luggage allowance.
✈️ See this post for information about the Greek airlines that cover these routes.
Travel Tips for Flying
Here’s what I’d advise if you’re travelling this way.
- book in advance during the busiest months (mid-June, July and August)
- check fares carefully to see what luggage is included
- like the ferries, demand is higher around 15th August as it’s a big holiday in Greece
- when it’s windy, the seatbelt light stays on for the whole of the short trip, and there’s no service on board
Santorini airport runway as seen from Ancient Thera
- although domestic flights arrive into a separate terminal at Athens Airport and you can find your next gate quickly, leave enough time between flights for any delays
- since this isn’t a very eco-friendly way to travel, consider choosing one of the options with slightly lower CO2 emissions
Helicopter Ride Between the Islands
You can book private helicopter transfers to hop between the islands. It’s a quick way to travel, but as you’d expect, it comes at a cost. Expect to pay around 2700 – 2900 euros for the 35 – 40-minute flight.
Be aware that the helicopters don’t leave from Santorini Airport. They depart from the helipad near luxury hotels in Megalochori and drop you in at a spot outside Ano Mera in Mykonos, close to Kalo Livadi Beach.
You can check availability through Viator (part of Trip Advisor) or through Santorini Day Tours.
Charter a Private Jet
Another luxury option is to take a charter flight through CYCLADIC. They have a fleet of three single-turbine Cessna 208B Caravans turboprops that carry up to 12 passengers.
One of the benefits is not having to wait around too long before your departure times. However, one of the drawbacks is the luggage allowance. Due to the craft size, luggage is restricted to a suitcase of up to 23kg.
I often recommend packing light when you come to the islands, but if that’s not your thing, you’ll need to take it into consideration. You can take a suitcase of up to 23kg (check size dimensions carefully when booking).
Booking Your Flight
To get a quote for your preferred dates and party size, fill out the form on the company’s homepage.
Travelling in the Off-Season
Ferries
If you’re travelling outside of the summer season (approximately April/May – October), expect a restricted ferry schedule.
If I remember correctly, the direct ferry routes between these islands don’t run in the off-season as there just isn’t the demand from residents. There are frequent ferries to each island from Athens, though, so you’ll need to go via one of Athens’ ports.
Again, use Ferryhopper to see the ferry timetables. Although, note they don’t usually come out too far in advance.
See also these posts about Santorini in October and November and Mykonos during winter
Flights
You’ll find flights to the islands all year but with a restricted schedule. Flights to Mykonos, in particular, can be sparse in the winter months.
More Information About Santorini
To help plan your Greek island hopping adventure I have a whole page with information about Santorini. Find out how to get around, what to do, where to stay and loads of other helpful stuff.
More Information About Mykonos
Some of my top Mykonos posts to help plan your time on the island include, how to get around, best things to do and top hotels in Mykonos Town.
