7 Non-Stop Flights from the US to Greece in 2019

Greece is rapidly gaining ground again as a destination favorite – and it should! Greece is home to some world-class beaches, islands, archeological ruins, and, of course, awesome food!

7 Non-Stop Flights from the US to Greece in 2019

Edit was made to include one flight I had previously forgotten – the AA flight from ORD (thanks to Twitter reader!)

Greece is expecting to have far more visitors this year than last year and if you are planning on going, here are 6 non-stop flights from the US to Greece that you could consider taking.

Again this year, we have the usual non-stop flights from American Airlines, Delta (they even have two flights per day during the summer), Emirates (my personal favorite) and United. However, just announced earlier this month (February 15) we also have the addition of low-cost carrier Norwegian!

American Airlines

Link: Google Flights

• Route 1: Philadelphia – Athens
• Start Date: May 3rd
• End Date: September 28th
• Aircraft: A330-300
• Outbound Times: 9 hours and 45 minute duration
  • Departure – 4:30PM
  • Arrival – 9:15AM (the next day)
• Inbound Times: 11 hour duration
  • Departure – 11:35AM
  • Arrival – 3:50PM
• Cost in Miles (one way): 30,000 miles for economy and 57,500 miles for business

New Route for 2019

• Route 2: Chicago – Athens
• Start Date: May 3rd
• End Date: September 28th
• Aircraft: 787
• Outbound Times: 10 hours and 35 minute duration
  • Departure – 5:35PM
  • Arrival – 12:05PM (the next day)
• Inbound Times: 11 hour and 45 minute duration
  • Departure – 2:15PM
  • Arrival – 6:00PM
• Cost in Miles (one way): 30,000 miles for economy and 57,500 miles for business

While the A330 planes that American Airlines flies on this route are of the older variety, it still offers a lie-flat bed in business class. It is quite comfortable and the service is good.

New for 2019!

The new route of Chicago – Athens is a new one for AA and the furthest non-stop flight from the US to Athens. It is on their 787 aircraft so a new plane from the PHL flight. It also offers some nice times for connecting passengers on both ends. If you were going to go for a AA flight, I would opt for this new Chicago flight!

Unfortunately, this route is as bad with awards as the PHL-Athens route.

Booking Awards

However, it will be extremely difficult to find a business class award on this flight – even find economy awards can be difficult!  Unfortunately, that is a problem that AA gives customers on many routes, not just Athens.

Your best bet would for finding availability is actually on the return from Athens. But, tickets are also significantly cheaper if you bought a roundtrip ticket originating in Athens to Philadelphia so do check that out if you want to book yourself a return for a later time!

Delta Airlines

Link: Google Flights

• Route: JFK – Athens
• Start Date: Beginning April 11
  • A second daily flight will begin June 1
• End Date: October 26 | September 3 for the second flight
• Aircraft: A330-300
• Outbound times: 10 hour duration
  • Departure – 5:20PM (though it does move back to 5:04PM)
  • Arrival – 10:00AM (the next day)
  • (2nd flight) Departure – 7:30PM
  • (2nd flight) Arrival – 12:30PM (the next day)
• Inbound Times: 11 hour duration
  • Departure – 11:55AM
  • Arrival – 4:00PM (the same day)
  • (2nd flight) Departure – 2:30PM
  • (2nd flight) Arrival – 6:41PM (the same day)
• Cost in Miles (one way): 30,000 miles in coach and 70,000 miles in business

Having flown on Delta in coach on this route, I find it to be quite comfortable for such a long-haul flight (one of the longest distances in going from Europe to the US). The seat was comfortable and the service and food were even pretty good.

Booking Awards

But, if you want to fly up front, you will need to pay quite a bit in miles. Remember, Delta has no official award chart which means you pay what Delta feels you should pay in miles. So, business class can go from 70,000 miles to way over 200,000 miles and even coach can fluctuate quite a bit with many days ringing in at 60,000 miles one way and going up to 130,000 miles as well!

Emirates

Link: Google Flights

• Route: Newark – Athens
• Start Date: Year round
• End Date: Year round
• Aircraft: 777-300
• Outbound Times: 9 hours and 10 minute duration
  • Departure – 11:55PM
  • Arrival – 4:05PM (the next day)
• Inbound Times: 11 hours and 30 minute duration
  • Departure – 4:20PM
  • Arrival – 9:20PM (the same day)
• Cost in Miles (one way): 22,500 miles in coach, 45,000 miles in business, and 67,500 miles in first class. These amounts would shift depending on award availability.

Booking Awards

Unlike with the other airlines, you will be paying some hefty fuel surcharges on these award tickets with Emirates (Delta has them as well if you depart from Europe). But, they are the only airline that flies from the US to Athens that actually has a first class cabin!

Even though this is the 777-300 and not the A380, the first class cabin is the same but you would miss out on the shower (not a huge deal, though!).

Also unlike the other airlines, the Emirates flight is year round which is very nice and provides a lot more opportunities for getting to Greece in what many consider the low season – but still a great time to visit and snap up really great deals on accommodations!

Emirates is a Great Option!

I have flown Emirates on this route (check out my review here) and it is definitely my favorite flight for non-stop between the US and Greece. Definitely choose this if you can, plus the ticket costs can be cheaper than the others. Plus, buying one-way is much cheaper than the other airlines.

Norwegian

Link: Google Flights

Norwegian is the newest airline on this route and a hard one to recommend. While prices will be cheaper, you will pay for many other things that other airlines give you for free. Once you calculate all of that, chances are you would be better off with a different airline.

Also, I am not in a hurry to fly Norwegian for 11+ hours, especially since I would not be earning miles in a program I value.

• Route: JFK – Athens
• Start Date: July 2
• End Date: October 26
• Frequency: Tuesday, Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday
• Aircraft: 787
• Outbound Times: 9 hours and 10 minute duration
  • Departure – 12:55PM
  • Arrival – 5:05AM (the next day)
    • Starting October 8, departure time will be 12:30AM and 4:40PM arrival
• Inbound Times: 10 hours and 30 minute duration
  • Departure – 9:25AM
  • Arrival – 12:55PM (the same day)
    • Starting October 9, departure time will be 7:55AM and 11:25AM arrival

Personally, I find the times of the flights a bit confusing. While a 12:55PM departure can actually be great (only Turkish offers a flight to western Europe that leaves before the afternoon), a 5:05AM arrival time does not feel that great! Of course, it can be nice to catch an early flight to the islands but if you are staying in Athens, you are going to be without a hotel for a few hours.

They really go to the other end of the spectrum for the October flights! Also, both departure times from Athens really do not give a lot of time to connect from other flights.

But, you can get one-way tickets from JFK to Athens for as cheap as $160! If you travel light, that is a really great deal!

United Airlines

Link: Google Flights

• Route: Newark – Athens
• Start Date: May 22
• End Date: October 3
• Aircraft: 767-300
• Outbound Times: 9 hours and 50 minute duration
  • Departure – 5:40PM
  • Arrival – 10:30AM (the next day)
• Inbound Times: 11 hour duration
  • Departure – 12:15PM
  • Arrival – 4:20PM (the same day)
• Cost in Miles (for one way): 30,000 miles in coach and 57,500 miles in business class

Booking Awards

United has the same issue as the other US carriers – award availability at the saver level is terrible! You can book awards at the standard cost on just about any day but that is a lot of miles to spend for that.

The United planes on this route are also pretty comfortable in coach so nothing to worry about with the long haul on here either.

Which Flight To Choose?

I personally like the schedule of the Emirates flight – gives you all day in the US and really maximizes your time in Greece. It also gives you plenty of time to catch a connecting flight to/from Athens. The bad part is that it will almost certainly require an overnight in Newark on the return given its late arrival.

If you are booking with cash, they will mostly be around the same price and award availability with all of them is not great. But, I think that Delta having 2 daily flights much of the summer will present the best option for getting to Greece using miles/points.