The “Route 2025” initiative was first announced in 2019, when Athens International Airport (AIA) committed to achieving net-zero direct and indirect carbon emissions by 2025—a target that was widely regarded at the time as exceptionally ambitious within the industry. Today, six years later, this commitment has been transformed into tangible results through a multi-year investment program centered on renewable energy, electrification, and comprehensive energy upgrades to airport infrastructure.
The success of the initiative was built on three core pillars. The first involved the full electrification of the airport’s vehicle fleet. In total, 61 conventional vehicles were replaced with electric ones, alongside the development of a new, extensive charging network designed to meet the airport’s operational needs.
The second pillar focused on the substantial expansion of AIA’s photovoltaic park, implemented in two phases. The first solar installation, with a capacity of 16 MWp and inaugurated in 2023, already covers approximately 45% of the airport’s total energy consumption. The second installation, with a capacity of 35.5 MWp, will become fully operational in September 2025 and will be complemented by an 82 MWh battery energy storage system (BESS). This project constitutes the largest on-site self-generation power facility within an airport in Europe.
The third pillar concerns the complete phase-out of natural gas. Existing boilers are being replaced with high-temperature heat pumps as part of an extensive energy-efficiency upgrade covering all airport buildings.
With the completion of Route 2025, Athens International Airport emerges as a benchmark for the European aviation sector, demonstrating that the transition to a zero-carbon footprint is achievable through a combination of long-term planning, technological innovation, and targeted investment. At the same time, the initiative enhances Athens’ international profile as a sustainable air transport hub and establishes a new reference point for the future of airports across Europe.
