One ticket, less than three hours of flight, no plane changes. For anyone living in Thessaloniki and having roots, relatives or jobs in Egypt, this is the gist of the news. AEGEAN is reinstating the direct Thessaloniki-Cairo route , and the Patriarchate of Alexandria was quick to show that it considers it a matter that concerns both the Church and the Greek diaspora.
Until now, the journey from Macedonia or Thrace to Egypt almost always passed through Athens. This meant hours of waiting, additional expenses and often an overnight stay. The biggest difference will be felt by the Egyptian Greeks who settled in Northern Greece and their children. For them, Cairo and Alexandria are not tourist destinations but the cities of their schools, parishes and family memories. The winners are also the pilgrims who visit the Patriarchal Monastery of Saint Savvas and the Christian monuments of Old Cairo, as well as the businesses of Northern Greece that look towards the Egyptian market.
The line has a history. The company had connected the two cities in the winter of 2023/24 , with two flights per week. In May 2026, Cairo appeared again on the list of new destinations from “Macedonia” , along with Zakynthos, Syros, Milos and Dubrovnik. With them, the company’s direct destinations from Thessaloniki rose to 42. Times and frequency for the new period will be announced by the company itself.
The most interesting moment in history did not take place at an airport but at the Patriarchal See of Alexandria . On Thursday, September 24, Pope and Patriarch Theodore II received Ioannis Rasoglou , responsible for AEGEAN’s network planning and partnerships, and Irini Sidiropoulou , who is responsible for sales for Northern Greece, the Ionian Islands and the Balkans. The Primate expressed his satisfaction with the initiative. He saw in the new connection a tool that can bring more visitors, open up businesses and intensify contacts between the people of the two countries. Finally, he congratulated the people of the company.
The same day was particularly busy for Alexandria. The international committee for the theological dialogue between Orthodox and Anglicans was concluding its work at the Patriarchate. Within a few hours, the Patriarch moved from theology to tourism and from the international ecclesiastical scene to the everyday life of travelers.
This very alternation explains why AEGEAN’s visit is important. The Patriarchate is not only an ecclesiastical authority for the entire continent. It is also the fixed point of reference for Hellenism in Egypt , in a country where the Greek presence once numbered in the hundreds of thousands. When a company brings Thessaloniki and Cairo closer together, the Patriarchate sees an opportunity to revive ties that have thinned over the years. If the public responds, the line may be judged not only by the fullness of the flights but also by how many people will find their way back to the Greek footsteps of Egypt .
