Cheap flights to Turkey: find your gateway
Where you land in Turkey decides what kind of trip you get. Istanbul is the main gateway, good for city breaks and for connecting onward. Ankara, the capital, suits business and official travel. Izmir covers the Aegean, while Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, Mersin and Gazipasa put you near the coast. Kayseri and Nevsehir are the usual airports for Cappadocia, and Diyarbakir serves the southeast. Beach weeks, city weekends, family visits and work trips all fly into different corners of the country, so it pays to pick your airport before you pick your dates.
Cities with flights
Gateways
Istanbul and Ankara carry most of the year-round business traffic, and Istanbul is a straightforward base for a short city break. For a beach holiday, Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, Mersin and Gazipasa are the coastal options, with Dalaman and Bodrum handy for the southwest and Antalya for the longer stretch of coast. Izmir works for the Aegean and for travellers heading north or south along the shore. If Cappadocia is the plan, look at Kayseri or Nevsehir. Diyarbakir is the pick for the southeast.
Before you go: Turkey
- Currency
- TRY (₺)
- Power sockets
- Type C, F · 230 V
- Language
- Turkish
- Emergency number
- 112, 177
- Driving side
- right
- Calling code
- +36
- Internet domain
- .tr
Country facts: Wikidata
When to go
The warm months are the busiest on the Turkish coast, when Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, Mersin and Gazipasa draw the most travellers and seats go quickly. Spring and autumn are calmer and still pleasant, which suits sightseeing in Istanbul, Izmir and Cappadocia. Ankara and Diyarbakir keep a steadier rhythm through the year, with busy spells around public holidays and school breaks. Winter is quiet by the sea, while the cities carry on much as usual. If your dates are fixed, book well ahead for summer and stay flexible about which airport you use.