Flights
Flights to Turkey: pick the airport for the trip you are actually taking
Most first trips should land in Istanbul. A coast-only week should not. The expensive mistake is a cheap long-haul into the wrong side of the country, then a day of buses to undo it.
- ISTDefault long-haul
- AYTSouth coast weeks
- DLM / BJVFethiye & Bodrum
- Domestic hopIstanbul → Göreme
Which airport
Match the airport to the trip, not to the cheapest thumbnail on a search result.
- Istanbul (IST)
- Default for first trips, long-haul, and anything that includes the city plus a domestic hop inland.
- Istanbul (SAW)
- Low-cost Europe, Asian-side hotels, or a tight fare you will still respect after the transfer.
- Antalya (AYT)
- Kaleiçi, Lara, Belek, Side, Alanya, or a westbound coast drive. Skip Istanbul entirely if that is the week.
- Dalaman (DLM)
- Fethiye, Ölüdeniz, Dalyan, Marmaris. About 90 minutes to Marmaris, less to Fethiye.
- Bodrum (BJV)
- The peninsula. Not a clever way into Istanbul.
- Izmir (ADB)
- Ephesus, Kuşadası, Çeşme. The Aegean city airport, not a substitute for IST.
The ten-day loop is almost always IST in, a hop to Cappadocia, then AYT or DLM out — or the reverse.
IST or SAW
They are not two terminals of the same airport. They sit on opposite sides of a very large city. A full comparison is on IST vs SAW; the short version: Sultanahmet and Galata pair with IST, Kadıköy is more forgiving of SAW, and a “cheap” SAW fare plus a two-hour taxi is not cheap.
After you land, Istanbul airport transfers cover metro, airport bus and pre-booked cars. Install a Turkey eSIM before you fly so maps work in the hall.
Coast airports
UK and European summer traffic to Turkey is still heavily Antalya-shaped: charters, all-inclusives, families. That is why AYT is huge and why Lara and Belek exist. If you want Kaleiçi, you still use AYT — you just do not get on the resort coach.
Dalaman is the better door for Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. Bodrum’s airport is convenient for the peninsula and a slog to anywhere else. Do not fly BJV because the fare was £20 less if you are actually going to Marmaris.
Open-jaw and hops
The elegant version of a first Turkey trip is not a return to the same airport. Land IST, fly to Kayseri or Nevşehir for Cappadocia, fly or bus to the coast, fly home from AYT or DLM. The extra one-way domestic tickets are usually less painful than backtracking to Istanbul for a return.
Book long-haul and domestic separately unless a through fare is obviously better. Turkish domestic flying is frequent and relatively cheap — details in getting around Turkey.
Search the airports as different trips. Compare flights to Turkey, then run Istanbul as its own search on IST and SAW. Add transfer time in your head before you click.
How to book
Flexibility on weekdays still saves money on IST long-haul. Coast charters peak with school holidays; shoulder months (May, June, September, October) are the same months the trip is nicer anyway — see Turkey weather.
If you need a visa or e-Visa, sort it before the fare becomes non-refundable: Turkey e-Visa. Then book the hotel neighbourhood, then the airport transfer. The flight is only the first of those three, not the only one.
Common questions
What is the main airport in Turkey?
Istanbul Airport (IST) is the long-haul hub. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is the other Istanbul airport, used heavily by low-cost carriers, on the Asian side. Antalya (AYT) is the main south-coast airport. Dalaman (DLM) and Bodrum (BJV) serve the southwest.
Should I fly into Istanbul or Antalya?
Istanbul if the trip includes the city or Cappadocia. Antalya if the week is the south coast and you do not need Istanbul. Flying into Antalya and then wishing you had four nights in Sultanahmet is a common, expensive rearrangement.
Is it cheaper to fly into SAW?
Often, especially from Europe on low-cost airlines. It is only cheaper if your hotel is on the Asian side or you have time. Sultanahmet from SAW is a long transfer — see IST vs SAW.
Can I fly Istanbul to Cappadocia?
Yes, in about ninety minutes, to Kayseri (ASR) or Nevşehir (NAV). That hop is what makes a ten-day loop work. Book it as a separate domestic ticket more often than as a single through fare.
When should I book flights to Turkey?
For April–June and September–October, two to four months out is comfortable from the UK and Europe. From North America, watch IST connections rather than the last penny on SAW. Summer charter fares to Antalya move on their own calendar.
Last reviewed September 2026. Prices, visa rules and opening times change — check official sources before you book.
Keep planning