In Türkiye the airport you land at decides your first hour on the ground. Göreme is 41 km from one Cappadocia airport and 77 km from the other, and Bodrum’s airport sits beside a different town altogether. Choose the airport by where you are staying, and the drive from it stays short.
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Land Close to Where You Sleep
Every region below has its own airport, and domestic flights from Istanbul reach all of them. What changes between them is the road at the other end: twenty minutes into one town, ninety into the next. Book the flight with that drive in mind and you start the trip at your hotel, not in a queue for a bus.
Istanbul: Two Airports, Two Sides
Istanbul has two airports, one on each side of the Bosphorus. Istanbul Airport (IST), the Turkish Airlines base, sits north of the city on the European side. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), the Pegasus base, is on the Asian side.
Our guide to airport transfers into the city compares the metro, the airport bus, a taxi and a private driver, with the times and the catches for each.
Staying in Kadıköy or anywhere on the Asian shore? Sabiha Gökçen is usually the easier landing. For the old city and Beyoğlu, either works, so pick the better flight and let the driver handle the bridge.
Airport to Town: Distances & Drive Times
The distances below run from each airport to the centre of the town; your hotel may sit a few kilometres either side. Drive times are for clear roads, so add a margin for summer weekends on the coast.
| From the airport to | By road | Clear-road drive |
|---|---|---|
| Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) | ||
| Göreme | 41 km | 40 to 50 min |
| Uçhisar | 38 km | 35 to 45 min |
| Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) | ||
| Göreme | 77 km | 70 to 75 min |
| Antalya Airport (AYT) | ||
| Kaleiçi (old town) | 16 km | 20 to 30 min |
| Belek | 34 km | 35 to 45 min |
| Kemer | 62 km | 55 to 70 min |
| Side | 67 km | 60 to 75 min |
| Dalaman Airport (DLM) | ||
| Göcek | 25 km | 25 to 30 min |
| Fethiye | 55 km | 55 to 60 min |
| Ölüdeniz | 64 km | 65 to 70 min |
| Marmaris | 96 km | 85 to 90 min |
| Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV) | ||
| Torba | 33 km | 35 to 40 min |
| Bodrum (castle and marina) | 37 km | about 40 min |
| Turgutreis | 56 km | 55 to 60 min |
| Gümüşlük | 59 km | about 65 min |
| İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB) | ||
| İzmir city (Alsancak) | 21 km | 25 to 45 min |
| Selçuk, for Ephesus | 60 km | 50 to 60 min |
| Kuşadası | 80 km | 70 to 80 min |
| Alaçatı | 87 km | 65 to 75 min |
| Çeşme | 97 km | 65 to 75 min |
Shared airport buses are an option at four of these airports. Havaş lists bus services for Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and İzmir, and they stop in town; a private transfer takes you to the hotel door. Cappadocia’s two airports are not on its list, so plan a car there.
Cappadocia: Nevşehir or Kayseri
Cappadocia has two airports, and Nevşehir Kapadokya (NAV) is the nearer one: 41 km to Göreme and 38 km to Uçhisar. Kayseri Erkilet (ASR) sits east of the valleys, 77 km from Göreme, roughly twice the drive.
Compare the flight times at both before you book; the extra half hour from Kayseri can be worth a better departure. If the balloon flight is the reason for the trip, land the day before. Pickups for it come before dawn, and nobody wants a delayed flight to cost the morning. More on the region in our Cappadocia guide.
Antalya & the Turquoise Coast
Antalya Airport (AYT) serves the whole Turquoise Coast, and the resorts run out from it in both directions. Kaleiçi, the walled old town, is 16 km away. Belek’s golf hotels are 34 km east, Side 67 km further along, and Kemer 62 km west under the mountains.
That spread is why a transfer here is worth booking ahead: a hotel in Kemer and a dinner in Kaleiçi sit on opposite sides of the city, and the taxi rank at arrivals will not know which resort road you need. See our Antalya guide for the city itself.
Dalaman for Göcek, Fethiye & Ölüdeniz
Dalaman Airport (DLM) serves the southwest corner of the coast. Göcek’s marinas are 25 km away, Fethiye 55 km, and the lagoon at Ölüdeniz 64 km.
Marmaris is the long one, 96 km west over the hills. If your blue cruise leaves from Göcek or Fethiye, Dalaman is the airport; land in Bodrum by mistake and you add a half day on the road.
Bodrum's Airport Sits Near Milas
Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV) is named for both places but sits beside Milas, on the mainland. Bodrum‘s castle and marina are 37 km away, Torba a little less, and the peninsula’s far side runs further: Turgutreis 56 km, Gümüşlük 59 km.
Book the flight by the town you are sleeping in, not by the name on the airport.
On a summer Saturday the main road onto the peninsula carries most of the arrivals at once, so the clear-road times in the table are the floor, not the promise.
İzmir for Ephesus, Kuşadası & Çeşme
İzmir Adnan Menderes (ADB) is the airport for the central Aegean and for Ephesus. Selçuk, the town beside the ruins, is 60 km south, and Kuşadası 80 km. İzmir itself is 21 km up the bay.
Çeşme and Alaçatı sit at the end of their own peninsula, 97 km and 87 km west on a fast motorway. For a day at Ephesus from Istanbul, the morning flight into İzmir and a car waiting outside is the whole trick.
Four Days, Three Regions
Pamukkale, Ephesus & Cappadocia
Three domestic flights, three nights and every airport transfer arranged together, with a licensed guide waiting in each region.
A Private Transfer, Start to Finish
Your driver is waiting when you come out of arrivals. We pick the vehicle to fit your group and your bags, and we agree the price before you fly, so you pay what you were told. Send us your flight and we confirm the car.
- Mercedes Vito for couples, families and small groups, with room for real luggage.
- Mercedes Sprinter for larger groups, so everyone rides together.
- Between regions as well as from the airport. Hotel to hotel, town to town, or a driver for the day; our private driver service covers the longer routes.
- Night flights: we meet them the same way; for Istanbul after dark, read arriving in Istanbul at night.
Several Days, One Driver
A Private Driver Across Türkiye
Town to town at your own pace, with a driver who knows the roads between.
Your Own Van
Private Van Hire With a Driver
A Mercedes Vito for your group alone, for a day or the whole trip.
Trains, Ferries, Flights & Balloons
The road is only part of moving around Türkiye, and we book the rest with it, so one person holds your whole route.
- Trains: we book the high-speed lines and the scenic mainline routes.
- Buses: intercity coach tickets to any part of the country.
- Ferries: across the Bosphorus and out to the islands and the coast.
- Flights: domestic and international; see flight tickets.
- Private jets and helicopters: through operators we work with, including helicopter flights over Istanbul.
And the rides that are the trip itself: a hot air balloon over Cappadocia or over the white terraces of Pamukkale, and we arrange the ride to the launch field with it.
Guests on Private Days Around Türkiye
We had a private vehicle and driver available throughout the day, which made an enormous difference.
I booked a tour with The Other Tour to Ephesus and Mary’s house and although it was last minute, Fethi was very communicative and I had already selected Hatice as I knew she would be my perfect guide.
They totally customized the tour to our family and needs.
I’ve used “The Other Tour” agency twice as a solo female traveler in Istanbul, once in August and again in March.
Questions About Airports & Transfers
Which airport is closest to Cappadocia?
Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) is the closest: 41 km by road to Göreme, 40 to 50 min on clear roads. Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) is 77 km from Göreme and may have the better flight time, so compare both before you book.
How far is Bodrum airport from Bodrum town?
Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV) is 37 km by road from Bodrum’s castle and marina, about 40 min with the road clear. Turgutreis and Gümüşlük, on the far side of the peninsula, are 56 km and 59 km away.
Which airport do you fly into for Fethiye and Ölüdeniz?
Dalaman Airport (DLM). Fethiye is 55 km by road, Ölüdeniz 64 km and Göcek 25 km. Bodrum and Antalya are both several hours’ drive from Fethiye.
Which airport is closest to Ephesus?
İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB). Selçuk, the town beside Ephesus, is 60 km by road, 50 to 60 min on clear roads, and Kuşadası is 80 km.
Is there an airport shuttle bus instead of a private transfer?
At some airports, yes. Havaş lists bus services for Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman and İzmir; they run to set stops in town, not to your hotel. Cappadocia’s airports at Nevşehir and Kayseri are not on its list.
Can The Other Tour arrange transfers between regions?
Yes. The Other Tour arranges private transfers from point A to point B anywhere in Türkiye, in a Mercedes Vito or a Mercedes Sprinter, and books the trains, buses, ferries and domestic flights in between, so one person holds your whole route. For a driver over several days, see our private driver service.
How do you book a private airport transfer in Türkiye?
Send your flight number, your hotel, how many people and how many bags. The Other Tour confirms the vehicle and the price before you travel, and the driver is waiting when you come out of arrivals.
Tell Us Where You Land
The doors open, someone is holding your name, and your bags go in the back. The next thing you see is the coast road or the first fairy chimney.
Tell us where you land and where you are staying. We will tell you honestly whether a closer airport would save you the drive, and arrange the car either way.
