Addis Ababa to Spata-Artemida (ADD–ATH) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

Ethiopian passport holders need a Schengen visa to enter Greece. Apply at the Greek embassy in Addis Ababa or through VFS Global. The short-stay visa (type C) costs EUR 80 and covers stays up to 90 days within any 180-day period. Processing takes 15 calendar days, but apply at least 4 weeks out during summer since Greece is peak season from June through September.

Required documents: completed application form, two passport photos, travel insurance with EUR 30,000 minimum coverage, proof of accommodation, round-trip flight booking, and 3 months of bank statements. Your passport must be valid for at least 3 months past your planned Schengen exit date and have 2 blank pages.

Ethiopian Airlines flies Addis Ababa to Athens direct. The Schengen visa covers all 27 Schengen states, so island-hopping to other EU countries is fine within your allowed stay. Greek immigration at Athens can be slow during tourist season. Have your hotel confirmation and return ticket accessible, not buried in your luggage.

Metro Line 3 departs from the basement level of the terminal to central Athens every 30 minutes (€10, 40 min). Express buses X95 (Syntagma), X96 (Piraeus port), and X93 (long-distance bus terminal) run 24 hours a day for €6.20. Taxis queue outside arrivals with fixed rates: €40 to the city centre during the day, €55 at night and on public holidays. Meters still run but the flat rate applies if higher.Rental car desks are in the arrivals area. The airport is 33 km east of Athens via the Attiki Odos motorway (toll). Ferries to the Greek islands depart from Piraeus port; the X96 bus connects the airport to the port directly.

Mediterranean climate. Summers (June–August) are hot and dry at 30–38°C with intense sunshine and very little rain. Flying conditions are excellent. Summer heat can affect tarmac operations. The airport sits on a coastal plain exposed to the Meltemi northerly winds in July–August, which can cause turbulence on approach but rarely close the airport.

Winters (December–February) are mild and rainy at 8–14°C. Snow is rare in Athens but occasional. Thunderstorms in autumn (October–November) can produce sharp delays. ATH has among the most reliable flying conditions of any major European hub.