Sleeping in Athens Airport (ATH) is very doable once you get past security, but your experience can vary dramatically depending on where you settle. Recent travellers have found recliners, cushioned benches and armrest-free seating around the A, B and C Gates, while noise, bright lighting and cold air remain recurring complaints. Before security, sleeping is rougher and travellers have sometimes been told not to lie down, although the quieter museum area upstairs remains a useful floor-sleeping option.
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Reclining Chairs are Godsend.” (Traveller review, May 2025)
Can You Sleep in Athens Airport Overnight?
Athens Airport operates around the clock, and travellers regularly sleep in the terminal overnight. Airside is generally the better place to be: recent reviews describe sleepers using recliners and armrest-free benches without being disturbed by staff.
Before security is less predictable. Travellers have previously been told to sit upright or move when trying to sleep on the floor, although a July 2026 traveller slept through the night on the floor near the museum without being disturbed. If you cannot get airside yet, expect fewer comfortable seating options and choose your spot carefully.
If you’re already airside, the B Gates have the strongest concentration of traveller-recommended sleep spots, particularly around Gates B12-B13 and B18. The A Gates and Satellite C Gates also have some armrest-free seating.
Sleepability Verdict
Sleepability: Tolerable
Athens has improved considerably for airport sleepers, with recliners, cushioned benches and more armrest-free seating than older reviews suggest. The B Gates are particularly promising, and recent travellers have also found usable spots in the A and C Gates.
The catch is the environment. Athens can be cold, bright and surprisingly loud overnight. Music is a recurring complaint, and summer travellers describe plenty of overnight activity. Conditions can also vary by season: one November 2025 traveller found the C Gates almost empty and quiet, while a June 2026 traveller in the A Gates described music, crowds and cold air that made sleeping nearly impossible.
The airport was pretty empty from 12 AM, and we had a row of seats for ourselves!” (Traveller review, November 2025)
Traveller Reality Check
Based on recent Sleeping in Airports traveller reviews, these are the most frequently reported advantages and drawbacks of sleeping at Athens Airport.
Sleep Advantages
- Recliners near Gates B12-B13
- Armrest-free benches airside
- Cushioned seating in some areas
- Several useful B Gate options
- Staff often leave sleepers alone
- 24-hour food available
Sleep Drawbacks
- Cold terminal temperatures
- Bright overnight lighting
- Loud music in some areas
- Busy during overnight flight periods
- Landside sleeping less dependable
- Good seats can be hard to find
Best Places to Sleep
This is the most consistently recommended sleeping area at Athens Airport. Travellers describe a row of reclining chairs between Gates B12 and B13, along with cushioned armrest-free benches nearby. The recliners are popular because you can stretch out properly rather than trying to sleep across ordinary airport seats. A May 2025 traveller found the area calm and relatively uncrowded, although conversation from the nearby food area continued past midnight. Another traveller reported bright lighting, so an eye mask is worth having.
Seating: Recliners, cushioned armrest-free benches
Noise: Generally quieter, but nearby food-area noise possible
Lighting: Bright
Power: Available in the general area
Main Terminal, Airside, Schengen Area, Gate B18 Area
A July 2025 traveller described the area around Gate B18b as quiet and particularly sleep-friendly, with newer benches and plenty of charging options. There is also a water refill station nearby, making this a practical place to settle during a long connection.
Seating: Benches
Power: AC and USB outlets
Main Terminal, Airside, Schengen Area, Gates B20-B31
Travellers have repeatedly found armrest-free seating throughout this section of the B Gates. Some benches are cushioned, giving you more possibilities for stretching out than in many other parts of the terminal. Gate B22 has also been specifically mentioned as a quieter sleeping area.
Seating: Numerous armrest-free benches, some cushioned
Main Terminal, Airside, Non-Schengen Area, Gates A1-A8
Look around the central seating area and towards Gates A7-A8. Travellers have reported numerous cushioned, armrest-free benches here. A 2024 traveller found charging outlets near the central benches and slept without being disturbed by security or cleaning staff. Flocafe near Gate A7 operates 24 hours, so food and drinks are available throughout the night.
Seating: Cushioned armrest-free benches
Noise: Music may begin early in the morning
Lighting: Bright
Temperature: Can be cold
Power: AC and USB outlets near some benches
Main Terminal, Airside, Schengen Area, Gates B7-B13
If the recliners around B12-B13 are occupied, continue checking the surrounding B Gates. Travellers have reported armrest-free and lightly cushioned benches around this part of the terminal for several years. The trade-off is Athens’ persistent overnight lighting and music, so an eye mask and earplugs can make a substantial difference.
Seating: Armrest-free benches, some cushioning
Lighting: Bright
Noise: Music possible
If you cannot pass security yet, head upstairs towards Burger King and the airport museum/exhibition area. A July 2026 traveller on a self-transfer slept on the floor here for the entire night and found it relatively quiet with fewer distractions. The museum area has also been used by airport sleepers in previous years. The floor is hard, so this spot is much more practical if you have a sleeping mat or something padded to lie on. Burger King itself is not an overnight food option for the entire night; its current hours are 5:00 AM to 3:00 AM.
Seating: Primarily floor sleeping
Noise: Relatively quiet compared with busier terminal areas
Travellers have reported armrest-free seating in several parts of the Satellite Terminal. Gates C15-C18 were described as quiet and nearly empty overnight in November 2025, with enough space to stretch across a row of seats. Older reviews also mention hard armrest-free seats around Gate C40 and beyond Gate C34. Conditions can vary considerably here: some travellers have found the Satellite Terminal calm, while others have complained about bright lighting, early-morning music and cold temperatures.
Seating: Armrest-free benches in several areas
Noise: Variable
Lighting: Bright in some areas
Temperature: Can be cold
Airport Sleep Essentials
Cots
Athens Airport is not known to provide cots to stranded travellers as a standard service.
Food Available Overnight
You won’t necessarily need to stockpile food before settling in. Athens Airport currently has several 24-hour food options both before and after security.
- Before security, Pret A Manger in Departures and Artisan-Taf are open 24 hours.
- After security, 24-hour options include Pret A Manger and Eat Greek in the Schengen area, Flocafe Espresso Room near Gate A7 in the non-Schengen area, and Pret A Manger in the Satellite Terminal. Ergon Greek Cuisine in the non-Schengen area also offers 24-hour self-service.
Luggage Storage
CARE4BAG provides 24-hour luggage storage before security on the Arrivals Level near Exit 1. This can be useful if you have a long layover and would rather not sleep surrounded by all of your luggage.
Showers
Shower information at Athens Airport has changed over the years, so be careful with older traveller tips. Older reviews mentioned a shower near the prayer room, but a November 2024 traveller found that it was no longer available for general passenger use. Some airport lounges offer showers, although access requirements and charges vary.
Airport Lounges with Sleep Facilities
Athens Airport has several lounges, but there are no dedicated nap rooms, sleep pods or private sleeping rooms currently confirmed inside them.
For access requirements, shower availability and the complete lounge list, see the Athens Airport Guide.
Airport Hotels, Sleep Pods & Cabins
There are no sleep pods, cabins or transit hotel rooms inside Athens Airport.
Sofitel Athens Airport
Location: Opposite the Main Terminal, approximately 50 m from the terminal.
The hotel is only a short walk across from the terminal building.
Other nearby hotels:
Zed Smart Property by Airstay
Location: 2.0 mi (3.2 km) from the airport.
Varaba Country House
Location: 2.1 mi (3.4 km) from the airport.
Boutique Studios & Apartments by Avelink
Location: 2.5 mi (4.0 km) from the airport.
Peri’s Hotel
Location: 3.2 mi (5.1 km) from the airport. Airport shuttle available.
Holiday Inn Athens Attica Av. Airport West by IHG
Location: 4.4 mi (7.1 km) from the airport. Airport shuttle available.
Safety & Security
Depending on where you spend the night, you may receive a polite wake-up call between 4:00 a.m. and 6:00 a.m. as more travellers arrive at the airport.
Many recent travellers who slept airside said they felt safe, and several specifically mentioned seeing security staff making rounds without disturbing sleepers. That does not mean you should leave valuables unattended while you sleep. There have also been less reassuring experiences. A 2022 traveller reported having an iPhone stolen, and some overnight travellers have mentioned people hanging around the public areas of the terminal who made them uncomfortable. If you’re travelling alone, settling near other passengers or in a regularly patrolled gate area may feel more comfortable than choosing an isolated corner. Keep your passport, phone and other valuables secured and keep your luggage immediately beside you or attached to you while sleeping.
Fine for a rough sleep.” (Traveller review, September 2024)
Frequently Asked Questions
A Quick Note
Airport conditions change regularly. This guide is based on airport information and traveller reviews, but seating, terminal access, operating hours, security procedures and sleeping conditions can change. Use this guide as a starting point and be prepared for conditions to differ when you arrive.
Help Keep This Guide Current
Have you slept at Athens Airport recently? Tell us whether the B12-B13 recliners are still there, where you found armrest-free seating and what the overnight noise and temperature were like. If you slept before security, we’d especially like to know whether staff let you lie down overnight.