Quick answer. Do not queue for cash at Mykonos Airport. The terminal is small and only about four kilometres from Mykonos Town, where there are plenty of Greek bank machines. The money decision that matters is the ride. Mykonos has very few licensed taxis for its summer crowds, so the rank outside arrivals can mean a long wait; most visitors pre-book a transfer or use their hotel's pick-up, paid by card. Greek taxis are required by law to carry a card terminal, so say you are paying by card before the car moves. If you do withdraw at JMK, use a Greek bank ATM rather than an independent machine and choose euros. Greece has no Bank of America Global ATM Alliance partner, so a BoA card pays its own non-network fees at every Greek machine.
Where to get euro at JMK
At JMK the withdrawal matters less than where you make it. Here is what each route costs to get €100 in your hand, at roughly €1 = $1.10.
| Option | Where | Markup | Total Cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Greek bank ATM in Hora with a no-FX-fee card | Taxi Square, waterfront, Fabrika | Network rate; read any fee on screen | ~$110-113 |
| Greek bank ATM at JMK | Arrivals | Network rate; read any fee on screen | ~$110-113 |
| BoA debit card at any Greek machine | Anywhere on the island | BoA 3% + BoA's flat non-network fee | ~$118 |
| Independent machine accepting conversion | Old Port, waterfront | Own surcharge + DCC margin | ~$120-124 |
Bank machines at Mykonos (JMK), and why town is the better place to withdraw
Mykonos Island National Airport is a single small terminal on the high ground above Mykonos Town, busy with charters and short hops from Athens in summer and close to silent in winter. There are a few cash machines and not much else. That is fine, because JMK is nearer its town than most Greek island airports: Hora, with bank machines around Taxi Square, along the waterfront and by the Fabrika bus station, is a short ride away. Use a Greek bank ATM from Alpha Bank, National Bank of Greece, Piraeus Bank or Eurobank rather than an independent Euronet unit, read anything shown on screen before you confirm, and choose euros. The part of arrival that costs real money is getting to your bed, covered below. The island-wide spending picture, from beach clubs to water taxis, is in our Mykonos money guide.
Arrivals
Aegean, Sky Express and summer charter and low-cost flights from across Europe
A handful of machines in and near the small arrivals hall. If you want euros straight away, choose a Greek bank machine and decline conversion into your home currency. Otherwise walk out: Mykonos Town has more machines, and in August the queue for them is shorter than the queue for a taxi.
Departures
Same building; check-in and a small gate area that gets crowded in peak season
There is little to spend on airside and the cafe charges island prices. In high summer the building is overwhelmed at peak times, so arrive early rather than planning lunch at the gate, and spend leftover euros in town.
The kerb outside arrivals
Taxi rank, hotel pick-ups and pre-booked transfers
This is where the island's taxi shortage shows. Transfer drivers and hotel shuttles meet passengers with name boards; the taxi rank is first come, first served. If you take a taxi, confirm the fare to your destination and that you will pay by card before setting off.
Do you actually need cash at Mykonos (JMK)?
Not to leave the airport. Here is how you get to Hora and the beaches, and which options take a card:
Taxi from the rank (roughly €10-20 to Hora, more to the south-coast beaches): Few cars for the summer crowds; drivers must carry a card terminal, so say you are paying by card before the car moves.
Pre-booked private transfer (€30-60 depending on destination and vehicle): Paid by card in advance, and the dependable choice in July and August when the taxi wait is longest.
Hotel or villa pick-up (often included or a set fee): Many hotels meet their guests; ask when you book whether it is free or added to the room bill.
Scooter, quad or car hire delivered to the airport (from about €30 a day): Several firms bring vehicles to the terminal; expect a deposit hold on a card and a licence check.
⚠ DCC trap. When the ATM or terminal asks if you want to be charged in your home currency instead of the local currency, always decline and choose the local currency. Accepting locks in a 3-13 percent markup that your no-FX-fee card cannot undo. Full DCC explainer →
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need cash to get from Mykonos (JMK) to Mykonos?
No. Pre-booked transfers are paid by card in advance, hotel pick-ups go on the room bill, and Greek taxis must carry a card terminal, so tell the driver you are paying by card before you set off. You will want cash later on Mykonos for the KTEL buses, water taxis and kiosks, and Hora is the place to get it.
Can I order euro before flying?
Useful for July and August. CEI Currency Exchange ships euros to a US address in 2-5 days, and landing with notes means you are not relying on island machines that can run low on busy weekends. Order small denominations for bus tickets, water taxis and tips.
Why is it so hard to get a taxi at Mykonos Airport?
Because the island has a small fleet of licensed taxis for a very large summer population, and the airport, both ports and every beach compete for the same cars. At peak arrival times the wait at the rank can run far longer than visitors expect. Pre-book a transfer or arrange your hotel's pick-up before you fly, and treat the rank as the fallback.
Can I pay a Mykonos taxi by card?
You should be able to. Greek law requires taxis to carry a card terminal and accept card payment, and passengers can insist on it. In practice some drivers still claim the machine is broken, so say you will pay by card before the journey starts, and keep enough euros in cash to settle the fare if it genuinely is not working.