Antalya Airport (AYT) Guide for Arriving Travellers

Antalya Airport has three passenger terminals. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 handle international flights, while the Domestic Terminal serves flights within Turkey, such as connections from Istanbul or Izmir. The terminal you use depends on your airline and route, so it is printed on your boarding pass and shown on departure screens.

The terminals sit a short distance apart and are linked by a free shuttle bus and walkways, so moving between them is straightforward if you have a connection. International charter and scheduled holiday flights from Europe usually arrive into Terminal 1 or Terminal 2.

Each terminal has its own arrivals hall, baggage reclaim and meeting area. When someone is collecting you, it helps to confirm in advance which terminal your flight lands at, as the meeting points are separate for each building.

After landing you follow signs to passport control. Most visitors from Europe, the UK and many other countries can enter Turkey without a visa for tourism, but rules change by nationality, so check your own status before travelling. Have your passport ready and, if relevant, your e-visa confirmation.

Once through passport control you collect your luggage at baggage reclaim. Screens show your flight number and belt; trolleys are available free of charge in the hall. After picking up your bags you pass through customs, usually the green channel if you have nothing to declare.

In peak summer months several large aircraft can land close together, so passport queues sometimes build up. Allowing a little patience here, and arranging your onward transport in advance, keeps the arrival smooth even on the busiest evenings.

Beyond customs you step into the arrivals hall, where drivers and tour reps wait behind a barrier holding name signs. This is the standard meeting area for private transfers, hotel cars and tour operators across all terminals.

With a pre-booked private airport transfer, your driver tracks the flight, so they are already there when you walk out, holding a sign with your name. There is no taxi queue and no searching for the right vehicle; you go straight to the car with your luggage. A 24/7 WhatsApp booking line and free meet and greet make this an easy, stress-free option, and you simply pay the driver the fixed price on arrival.

If you ever cannot find your driver, the agreed plan is usually to call or message on WhatsApp from the arrivals hall. Keeping your phone charged and a local or roaming connection ready makes that final step painless.

Antalya Airport is well equipped for holidaymakers. In the arrivals area you will find ATMs and currency exchange, car rental desks, a pharmacy, cafes and shops, plus free toilets and baby-changing facilities. Duty-free stores operate on both the departures and arrivals sides.

Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the terminals, which is useful for messaging your driver or checking your hotel details on arrival. There are also tourist information points, SIM-card sellers and food outlets ranging from Turkish bakeries to international fast food.

For departing passengers there are lounges, more extensive shopping and dining, and prayer rooms. If you have a long wait, the airside areas in Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are comfortable, air-conditioned and open around the clock during the busy season.

Antalya Airport is central to the whole region, which is why transfer times vary so much by destination. The city centre and Lara are the closest, while Alanya and the western end of Kemer are well over an hour away.

As a rough guide: Antalya city centre and Lara are around 13 to 20 km (about 20 to 30 minutes); Belek is roughly 35 km (about 40 minutes); Kemer is about 55 km (around an hour); Side and Manavgat are roughly 65 km (just over an hour); and Alanya is about 125 km (around two hours). Konyaaltı, Kaleiçi old town and the Antalya Aquarium all sit within easy reach on the western side of the city.

These figures depend on traffic, especially on summer weekends, so it is wise to add a margin when planning your return trip to the airport.

There are several ways to leave Antalya Airport. The Antray tram and city buses connect the airport to central Antalya cheaply, which suits budget travellers heading into the city, though they are slower and less convenient with luggage. Official airport taxis wait outside arrivals and run on a meter, but fares to distant resorts can be high and are not fixed in advance.

Many visitors choose a pre-booked private transfer instead. Pricing is per vehicle rather than per person and is fixed by distance, vehicle size and time, so you know the cost before you travel; trips to the closest areas start from around 15 euros. With flight tracking, free meet and greet and payment to the driver on arrival, it removes the guesswork after a long flight.

Hire cars are also available at the airport if you plan to explore independently, though parking and summer traffic in the resorts are worth bearing in mind.