Kalamata
International Airport
The gateway to Costa Navarino and the southern Peloponnese. An 8,868 foot runway shared with the Hellenic Air Force, slot coordinated in summer, with real parking and no island ground time limits.
Reviewed by Kevin Singh, Founder · Fact-checked against Icarus Jet fleet and airport operations data · Last updated 2 September 2026
The Airport
Kalamata at a glance
Kalamata, named for Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, carries the ICAO code LGKL and the identifier KLX. A single operational runway of 8,868 feet at 26 feet elevation with ICAO Category 7 fire cover, shared with the Hellenic Air Force.
It is slot coordinated in summer, handling is not mandatory, and it is the closest jet-capable field to Costa Navarino and the whole southern Peloponnese.
Why here
Costa Navarino, and everything south of Athens
Kalamata serves Costa Navarino, about 45 minutes away on the west coast, and the whole of the southern Peloponnese including the Mani and Monemvasia. Athens is three hours or more by road from any of them. For this part of Greece there is no real alternative.
Parking is available and the field is far less pressured than the islands, so the aircraft can stay for the duration rather than repositioning. That alone makes Kalamata a simpler operation than any Cyclades field.
Operating
One runway, a closed one, and the Air Force
The operational runway 17R/35L is 2,703 metres, about 8,868 feet, by 148 feet. Published sources give 9,843 feet, which refers to the older parallel runway 17L/35R, now closed. We plan against 8,868 feet, which takes the whole of business aviation. Fire cover is Category 7.
Kalamata is a joint civil and military field, home to the Hellenic Air Force’s 120 Air Training Wing, and military activity is a live factor on weekdays. It is slot coordinated in summer. Handling is not mandatory, unusually for a Greek field of this size.
History
A training base renamed for a shipowner
The airfield dates to the Second World War and became a Hellenic Air Force training base, a role it still holds. Civil operations grew from the 1990s and expanded sharply with the development of Costa Navarino.
In 2019 the airport was renamed for Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, the shipowner and founder of the Costa Navarino resort, who was born nearby.
Nearby
Kalamata and the Greek fields
Greece is an Athens operation with islands attached. Kalamata is the mainland exception, and a simpler one.
LGAVAthens InternationalLGMKMykonosLGSRSantoriniLGSKSkiathosLGZAZakynthos
LGPAParos NationalLGSOSyrosLGSYSkyrosLGMGMegaraLGELElefsis Air BaseLGTTTatoi
Zakynthos is across the water to the north west, close in flying time. Athens for connections and as the alternative when a slot cannot be had. Mykonos, Santorini, Paros and Syros are the Cyclades. Skiathos and Skyros are the Sporades.
Airport guides & index
Questions
Kalamata, answered
Can private jets land at Kalamata?
Yes, comfortably. Kalamata has an 8,868 foot runway at 26 feet elevation with ICAO Category 7 fire cover, and it is the gateway to Costa Navarino and the southern Peloponnese. It is slot coordinated in summer but handling is not mandatory, and it carries none of the island ground time limits.
How long is the runway at Kalamata?
The operational runway 17R/35L is 2,703 metres, about 8,868 feet, by 148 feet. Published sources have given 9,843 feet, which refers to the older parallel runway 17L/35R that is now closed. We plan against 8,868 feet, which still takes the whole of business aviation.
Is Kalamata a military airport?
It is a joint civil and military field, home to the Hellenic Air Force's 120 Air Training Wing. Civil operations run normally alongside, but military activity is a live factor, particularly on weekdays, and a slot can be affected by it.
Does Kalamata need a slot?
Yes, Kalamata is slot coordinated through the Hellenic coordinator, with pressure in the summer season when direct European flights serve Costa Navarino. Handling is not mandatory, which is a difference from most Greek fields of this size.
What does Kalamata serve?
Costa Navarino, the resort and golf destination on the west coast of the Peloponnese about 45 minutes away, and the whole of the southern Peloponnese including Kalamata itself, the Mani and Monemvasia. It is by a wide margin the closest jet-capable field for all of them.
Can you park at Kalamata?
Yes, and this is one of its practical strengths. Parking is available and the airport is far less pressured than the island fields, so an aircraft can remain for the duration of a stay rather than repositioning.
Is ground handling mandatory at Kalamata?
No, handling is not mandatory in the regulatory sense, though a handler is used in practice for an international arrival and the customs arrangement.
Do you need a permit to fly a private jet into Greece?
No separate landing permit for EU and most third-country private and charter operations, but the slot at Kalamata must be allocated and customs arranged for an international arrival. We file them together.
Kalamata or Athens for the Peloponnese?
Kalamata, without much argument, for anywhere in the southern Peloponnese. Athens is three hours or more by road. Athens only when the aircraft or the slot rule Kalamata out, which is rare.
What is the history of Kalamata airport?
The airfield dates to the Second World War and became a Hellenic Air Force training base, which it remains. Civil operations grew from the 1990s and expanded sharply with Costa Navarino. It was renamed in 2019 for Captain Vassilis Constantakopoulos, the shipowner and founder of the Costa Navarino resort, who was born nearby.
What time zone is Greece in?
Eastern European Time, EET in winter and EEST in summer, which is UTC+2 and UTC+3 respectively.
Get Your Number
Request a Kalamata charter
Send the dates and the aircraft. We file the slot, arrange customs and handling, confirm parking for the stay, and check the military schedule against a weekday arrival.
Prefer to talk? Call +1 888 277 7203 or email charter@icarusjet.com. The desk is staffed 24/7.