Athens to London (LGAV–EGLL): Mediterranean to European Airways
Flying from Athens (LGAV) to London Heathrow (EGLL) connects Mediterranean departure procedures with dense northwest European airway structure. At roughly 1,339 NM, it sits in the sweet spot between short hop and ultra-long-haul: three hours in an A320 family jet, multiple FIR transitions, and a satisfying mix of airways and directs. NG ROUTE calculates the path automatically — this article explains how to brief and fly it.
Create the plan
ngroute.com/?dep=LGAV&arr=EGLL
Suggested setup:
- Airway level: HIGH
- Aircraft: A320neo, A321neo, or Boeing 737-800
The planner routes north through the Balkans and central Europe toward the London TMA rather than cutting recklessly across mountains without waypoint coverage.
Route character
A sample ICAO string from NG ROUTE:
LGAV DCT XORKI UL607 PINDO T6 NURSO … L607 BIG DCT EGLL
Expect European UL, L, T, N, P, and Y airways depending on cycle — the full string in your session may list twenty or more fixes. That density is normal for this corridor. Use the nav log rather than memorizing the entire line.
Key briefing mindset: you are joining structured European upper airways after leaving Greek airspace, transiting several ACC sectors, then peeling into Heathrow via a late-stage direct or STAR connector fix such as BIG.
Performance snapshot (A320neo)
| Field | Typical value |
|---|---|
| Distance | ~1,339 NM |
| ETA | ~3 h 00 m – 3 h 15 m |
| Cruise | FL370 (east-northwest track, odd level) |
| Trip fuel | ~7.5–8.5 t |
| Total fuel (with reserves) | ~10–11 t — confirm in NG ROUTE |
Headwinds over the Alps and northern Italy influence ETA more than terrain on this route — check the wind bar chart.
Terrain awareness
Although cruise at FL370 clears peaks by a wide margin, the terrain profile still shows Albanian and Balkan ridges below. Avoid deleting large nav log segments over mountainous areas if you edit the map — see route editing guide. NG ROUTE includes adequate fixes; simplification is rarely needed here.
METAR briefing
LGAV — Eleftherios Venizelos offers parallel runways; METAR drives 03L/R vs 21L/R selection. Summer convective METARs may show afternoon thunderstorms; evening departures often look cleaner.
EGLL — Heathrow arrivals are runway-sensitive and slot-busy in real life. NG ROUTE METAR suggests a wind-optimal runway; expect ILS approaches to 27L/R or 09L/R families. Study ILS categories if ceiling is low.
Operational notes for sim pilots
- Set Greek QNH for departure and London QNH before descent — pressure transition matters crossing Europe.
- Monitor semi-circular level: Athens–London track generally supports odd FL in the thirties.
- Watch SIGMET for turbulence over Alps if winter METARs show strong winds aloft.
Export paths
All standard NG ROUTE exports apply. X-Plane users with Navigraph should confirm AIRAC alignment — eastern European fixes change occasionally. See AIRAC and Navigraph guide if waypoints fail to load.
Related city pairs to compare
- LGAV–LFPG — shorter, western Mediterranean exit
- LFPG–EGLL — classic northern European hop
- EHAM–EGLL — short comparison for London arrival only practice
VATSIM filing tip
File the full ICAO string NG ROUTE provides — European controllers expect airway detail, not DCT-only shortcuts between major hubs. Keep the nav log open on a tablet for readback cross-check during climb clearances.
Practice progression
- Fly LGAV–EGLL daytime clear — learn the nav log geography.
- Repeat with live weather and full fuel reserves.
- Fly EGLL–LGAV return and compare even cruise level plus ETA delta.
LGAV–EGLL showcases European airway richness: not as short as Paris–Amsterdam, not as overwhelming as Tokyo–New York, but a thorough test of NG ROUTE briefing tools and narrow-body IFR habits.
For flight simulation only. Rebuild the plan for current METAR and AIRAC data before each flight.