Chicago to Kefallinia Island (ORD–EFL) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

US passport holders enter Greece visa-free for up to 90 days within any 180-day period across the entire Schengen area. No advance application is needed. Greece is an EU member and Schengen member. Passport must be valid for at least 3 months beyond the planned departure from the Schengen area. At Athens Eleftherios Venizelos (ATH), Thessaloniki (SKG), or any Greek island airport, immigration stamps your passport at the non-EU line.

The 90-day Schengen clock runs across all 29 Schengen countries. Days spent in Italy, France, Spain, or any other Schengen state count toward the same 90-day limit. Greece has dozens of airports on its islands: Santorini (JTR), Mykonos (JMK), Crete Heraklion (HER), Rhodes (RHO), and Corfu (CFU) all receive international flights. Island-hopping by ferry is a core part of Greek travel, with Blue Star Ferries, Hellenic Seaways, and SeaJets connecting the Cyclades, Dodecanese, and Ionian routes.

Direct flights from New York JFK to Athens run about 10 hours on Delta, United, and Emirates. Seasonal nonstop service operates from Philadelphia, Chicago, and Newark. Athens uses the euro, trading at roughly $1.08 per EUR 1. The Athens Metro runs 3 lines: Line 3 connects the airport to Syntagma Square in 40 minutes for EUR 9 ($9.70) one-way. Ferry tickets from Piraeus to Santorini cost EUR 35 to EUR 65 ($38 to $70) economy, taking 5 to 8 hours by standard ferry or 2 hours by high-speed. Greek taverna meals run EUR 10 to EUR 20 ($11 to $22) per person with wine.

CTA Blue Line runs 24/7 from downtown Loop stations to O'Hare (45 min, $5). Pace buses serve suburbs. Ride-shares cost $35–55 from downtown depending on traffic; add 30+ minutes during rush hour on the Kennedy Expressway.Economy parking lots E/F connect via ATS people mover. Terminal 5 (international) is separate from Terminals 1–3; allow extra time for inter-terminal transfers.