Heli Index 2025: The Pulse of Tourism from Above

hoper, the first company to turn island hopping into a helicopter experience, unveils through its Heli Index the key trends in bookings and destination searches for 2024 and 2025. While no specific flight data is disclosed, the Heli Index is based on anonymized analytics from bookings and online behaviors - offering a unique perspective on the pulse of Greece’s island tourism, seen from the sky.

Small islands is the New Trend

Anafi, Folegandros and Patmos emerge as this year’s “quiet” discoveries, with short-hop routes to/from them seeing a surge in demand - particularly from international travelers.

🚁 The Santorini–Anafi route was the most dynamic flight path of 2025, proving that travelers increasingly seek more authentic, “lesser-known” experiences.

In many cases, this demand is linked to limited ferry connections (in terms of timing or frequency), which hoper’s helicopter routes effectively bridge - offering greater convenience and flexibility.

From Browsing to Booking: A Year of Maturity

In 2024, hoper’s first year offering shared, scheduled helicopter services, user interest was mostly reflected in online searches rather than actual bookings across all routes.

In 2025, the landscape shifted — searches began turning into bookings. Popular routes such as Athens–Kea and Athens–Antiparos saw a much higher conversion rate, reflecting travelers’ growing appreciation for the ease of helicopter travel. Likewise, routes like Athens–Mykonos and Athens–Sifnos grew significantly.

Top island-hopping routes for helicopter flights in Greece

From Mykonos to Patmos and from Santorini to Folegandros, international users are “unlocking” connections once considered challenging. Island-hopping by helicopter is creating new micro-routes that turn smaller islands into headline destinations in Greece.

Destinations such as Patmos and Folegandros saw a sharp rise in bookings from international travelers compared to 2024. hoper’s bases in Mykonos and Santorini play a key role here, serving as “departure gateways” to nearby islands without airports or with limited ferry service.

Greeks vs. International Travelers

Greeks fly on weekends - Domestic demand remains focused on short routes and quick getaways. 
Kea, Antiparos, and Tinos remain popular for locals, with most bookings on Fridays and Saturdays - often last-minute.

↪45% of weekend bookings in 2025 were made by Greek travelers, revealing a clear “weekend escape” trend.

International travelers fly midweek - mid-week bookings (especially Tuesdays and Wednesdays) saw a notable increase from international visitors, showing that island hopping is becoming part of their broader travel rhythm, not just their summer plans.

↪ 65% of midweek bookings were made by International travelers in 2025.

Searching for Mykonos - Flying Elsewhere

While the Athens–Mykonos route remained the most searched in 2025, it wasn’t the most booked.  Instead, Athens–Antiparos and Athens–Sifnos showed higher conversion rates from search to booking.

This success is often due to the lack of alternatives (no airports or reliable ferry options). Helicopter flights function as genuine travel solutions - rather than luxury add-ons.

Top Destinations for 2025 in Greece

According to real flight data, Anafi emerged as the top destination of 2025 in Greece for hoper, surpassing traditional favorites like Mykonos and Patmos. Folegandros and Sifnos followed, confirming the growing appeal of authentic, “low-key” destinations.

Travel decisions are no longer driven solely by fame - but by accessibility, connection options, and above all, the desire for genuine experiences.

📍 2025 was the year small islands took center stage.

Top 3 Searched destinations: 2024 vs. 2025

Online searches for helicopter flights to Greek islands surged dramatically year over year. 
Mykonos, Kea, and Antiparos recorded the largest increases - with Mykonos leading (+71%), followed by Kea (+56%) and Antiparos (+28%) - highlighting the growing demand for faster, more direct travel alternatives.

📈 Interest in aerial escapes keeps rising.

In One Sentence: The Heli Index

Today’s traveler is defined not just by destination - but by the mode, accessibility, and overall experience.

hoper continues to track and redefine this pulse - from above.

hoper: The Helicopter travel in Greece

hoper is redefining air travel in Greece with its network of helicopter flights that connect Athens, Mykonos, Santorini, and many smaller islands. As the country’s first scheduled helicopter airline, hoper makes island hopping faster, easier, and more accessible than ever before. Travelers can book seats online on regular routes or charter a helicopter for private journeys anywhere in Greece - from world-famous destinations to secluded islands without airports.

With hoper, exploring Greece by helicopter is effortless, combining flexibility, speed, and unforgettable views from above.