Three investor groups in the race for the 40-year concession of Greece’s 22 regional airports

Three large investor groups have officially entered the race for the single concession covering the management, operation, development, expansion, maintenance and commercial exploitation of Greece’s 22 regional airports, as Greek City Times reports this morning.

The international tender was opened by Growthfund (HCAP) in April 2026, with an envisaged duration of around 40 years. The pre-qualification phase closed expressions of interest on August 20, 2026, while the process now moves into the decisive selection phase.

The list includes airports such as Paros, Chios, Ioannina, Limnos, Milos, Naxos, Skyros, Syros, Karpathos, Kythira, Alexandroupoli, Araxos, Astypalea, Ikaria, Kalymnos, Kasos, Kastellorizo, Kastoria, Kozani, Leros, Nea Anchialos and Sitia — 16 of them on islands, with very different needs from the 14 airports Fraport Greece has operated since 2017.

Aviation organisations, including ICC Hellas and the pan-Hellenic pilots’ association, are asking that the second phase of the tender include clear provisions for general aviation: parking, fuel supply, extended operating hours and proportionate fees. Otherwise, as they warn, “the concession is necessary, but not sufficient on its own”.

Infrastructure Minister Christos Dimas has stated that the government plans investments of 200 million euros in regional airports by 2030. Meanwhile, Fraport’s 14 airports reached around 37 million passengers in 2025, a figure that shows the potential of the Greek aviation market.