Corfu and the Ionian. A runway by the lagoon, and a very long summer.
Corfu's airport sits a couple of kilometres from the old town, which is wonderful for the transfer and spectacular on the approach. From there the whole Ionian chain opens up, by road to the north east coast or by sea to Paxos and beyond.
The essentials
Corfu at a glance
- AirportCorfu Ioannis Kapodistrias (CFU / LGKR)A single runway, 16 and 34, of about 7,785 ft or roughly 2,370 m, on a spit beside the lagoon.
- What can use itLight jets to long range, and narrowbody airlinersThe runway takes the full business jet range and A320 and 737 family aircraft. Several handling agents work the field, Signature Aviation among them.
- Distance to townUnder 3 kmThe airport is on the edge of Corfu Town, so the transfer is minutes rather than an hour. Gouvia Marina is about 15 minutes away.
- SeasonMay to OctoberJuly and August are the peak and the busiest on every road and in every berth. June and September are the two best months to travel.
Airport and runway details checked in September 2026. Journey times are realistic ranges, not promises.
Arriving by air
One runway in a beautiful place
Corfu's airport has one runway on a narrow strip of land between the lagoon and the sea, and the approach over the water is the one everybody photographs. For a private arrival the practical points are simpler than the scenery suggests: the runway takes everything from a light jet to a long range aircraft, the handling is straightforward, and you are in Corfu Town in a few minutes rather than the hour that most Mediterranean island transfers take.
What does need checking is the summer schedule. Corfu is a very busy holiday airport from June to September, and slot pressure at peak times is real. That is a planning matter rather than an obstacle, and it is one of the things we settle early rather than on the day. See private jet charter, midsize jets, super midsize jets and how chartering works.
If your destination is further down the chain, the mainland airport at Preveza Aktion is the better arrival point for Lefkada, and Kefalonia has its own field. We look at where you are actually staying before recommending an airport, because the ferry or the drive at the far end often decides it.
Getting around
The legs that matter
| Leg | Typical time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Airport to Corfu Town | Under 10 minutes | The old town is a UNESCO World Heritage site and largely pedestrian, so the car stops at the nearest permitted point. |
| Airport to Gouvia Marina | About 15 minutes | The main yacht base on the island and the usual embarkation point for an Ionian charter. |
| Corfu Town to the north east coast | About 45 minutes to 1 hour | Kassiopi, Agni and the bays around them. The coast road is narrow, slow and worth the time. |
| Corfu Town to Paxos | About 45 to 55 minutes by fast ferry | Seasonal services from Corfu Town, one or two crossings a day in each direction. A private boat gives you the timing back. |
| Corfu to Lefkada and the southern Ionian | A day's sail, or several hours by road and ferry | This is where a chartered yacht stops being a luxury and starts being the sensible way to do it. |
Realistic ranges for planning. Outside London and Manchester our cars are arranged through operators we know, with drivers used to the island roads.
On the water
Gouvia, and the reason people come back
Gouvia is the principal marina on Corfu and the usual base for an Ionian charter, fifteen minutes from the airport and well set up for larger yachts. From there the cruising is some of the gentlest in the Mediterranean: Paxos and Antipaxos a few hours south, the mainland ports of Syvota and Parga across the strait, then Lefkada, Meganisi, Ithaca and Kefalonia if you have the week for it. Short hops, reliable summer breezes and a great many places to eat with your feet almost in the water.
For a group, a yacht solves the Ionian's real problem, which is that the good bits are spread across a lot of islands with indifferent connections between them. We arrange charters, crew and tender movements through operators and agents we know. See yacht charter, motor yachts, sailing yachts, catamarans and how chartering works. If you have not chartered before, your first charter and the APA explained are the two to read.
Local realities
What regular visitors plan around
- The north east coast roads are narrow, steep and busy in August. A large vehicle is the wrong answer for most villas up there, and your driver will say so
- Corfu Town's old quarter is pedestrian. Expect to be dropped at the edge and to walk, which is no hardship
- Ferry crossings to Paxos are seasonal, weather-dependent and limited in number. If the timing matters, a private boat is the way to hold it
- July and August fill the airport, the marina and the coast road at once. June and September are the months regulars choose
- Tell us the villa and the bay, not just Corfu. The island is 60 km long and the difference between the south and the north east is an hour
- If you are joining a yacht, we need the marina, the berth and the boarding time. Embarkation days run to their own schedule
The London end
The part we run ourselves
Our own cars and our own chauffeurs are in London and Manchester, so the departure is the leg we control directly: a car from the house to Luton, Farnborough, Biggin Hill, Stansted or London City, with a chauffeur who knows the private terminal gate rather than the passenger drop-off. See private jet transfers and airport transfers.
In Greece, cars, boats and transfers are arranged through operators we know. One person at Odyssey holds the plan, watches the inbound and tells the driver, the marina and the villa when something moves, which on an island in August is most of the value.
Around the region
Related pages
Getting there
On the water
Elsewhere in Greece and the Adriatic
Start planning
Tell us the villa or the marina
Dates, how many of you, and whether you are staying ashore, on a yacht, or both. We come back with aircraft options, the transfer plan and, if there is a boat involved, how the embarkation day actually works. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Corfu and the Ionian
What can land at Corfu?
The single runway is about 2,370 m, which takes the full range of business jets from light to long range as well as A320 and 737 family airliners. Several handling agents operate on the field. In peak summer the constraint is slots and parking rather than runway length.
How far is the airport from town?
Under 3 km. It is one of the shortest transfers in the Mediterranean, and Gouvia Marina is only about fifteen minutes further.
How do we get to Paxos?
A seasonal fast ferry from Corfu Town takes about 45 to 55 minutes, with one or two crossings a day in each direction. If the timing matters to your itinerary, a private boat transfer is the way to control it.
Should we fly into Corfu for Lefkada or Kefalonia?
Not usually. Preveza Aktion on the mainland is the better arrival for Lefkada, and Kefalonia has its own airport. Tell us where you are actually staying and we will work backwards from that.
When should we go?
June and September are the two best months. July and August are hot, beautiful and extremely busy, and they need booking a long way ahead.
Are these your own cars in Greece?
No. Our own fleet and chauffeurs are in London and Manchester. In Corfu and across the Ionian, cars, drivers and boats are arranged through operators we know, with one contact at Odyssey holding the itinerary together.
We deal with problems before you know they exist