Antalya Airport→Dalaman Airport

This is a long road with a clear purpose. You land at Antalya Airport, and a few hours later you need to be at Dalaman Airport for the next flight. The distance is 180 kilometres. The drive takes about 189 minutes, which is three hours and nine minutes before any stop. Turkey Transfer sends one private vehicle with one driver for the whole way, from the arrivals hall in Antalya to the departures drop-off in Dalaman.

People book this transfer for a few common reasons. Some travellers fly into Antalya on a charter or low-cost flight and fly home from Dalaman at the end of a one-way trip along the coast. Some finish a holiday in the Antalya region and need to reach a cheaper or better-timed departure from Dalaman. Some connect two separate tickets and have a day or an evening in between. Whatever the reason, the planning is the same: one long drive, one set departure time at the other end, and a margin for the road.

This page reads as a departure journey. It covers the pickup, when to leave, the drive itself, what you pass on the way, and what to expect when you reach the terminal in Dalaman. It also covers the area around Dalaman, in case you have time to spare before your flight, and the reverse journey back to Antalya.

Your driver waits in the arrivals hall after baggage claim and holds a sign with your name. Antalya Airport is large and busy, and arrivals can be crowded when several charter flights land close together. The name sign helps you find the right person quickly, so you do not have to search outside among taxi touts and tour representatives.

We track your flight. If the plane lands early or late, the driver adjusts and still meets you. This matters on a route of this length, because a late landing moves the whole day. Give us your flight number when you book, and we use it for the pickup time.

Immigration and baggage at Antalya can take time in the summer peak, especially when several wide-body charter flights arrive together. Do not plan a very tight connection. Count the time between landing and walking out of the arrivals hall, then add the drive.

Your driver helps with luggage and walks you to the vehicle. The vehicle has air conditioning and room for suitcases. If you travel with children, tell us their ages when you book. Child and infant seats are available on request, and the driver fits the right seat before you leave.

The most important number is the 189-minute drive. Add to it the time you need at Dalaman Airport. Many airlines ask international passengers to arrive at the airport two to three hours before departure, so check the instruction from your own airline. Then add a safety margin for the road.

A simple way to plan:

• Take the departure time of your Dalaman flight.
• Subtract the time your airline asks you to be at the airport.
• Subtract 189 minutes for the drive.
• Subtract at least 30 to 45 more minutes for a rest stop and for slow traffic.

The answer is the latest time your vehicle should leave Antalya Airport.

Here is an example. Your Dalaman flight leaves at 20:00, and you want to be in the terminal by 17:00. Count back 189 minutes from 17:00 and you reach about 13:50. Add a margin of 45 minutes, and the vehicle should leave Antalya by about 13:00. If your own flight lands at Antalya at 11:30, that gives you a little over an hour and a half for passport control, baggage and the walk to the car. That is workable in a quiet period, and tight in July or August. In a case like this, we suggest a later Dalaman flight or an earlier arrival in Antalya.

If the connection looks too tight, tell us before you book.

The route runs west and south-west out of Antalya along the Mediterranean coast. For the first hour, you pass the resort belt of Kemer. Pine forest covers the slopes down to the water here. The Taurus Mountains stand close behind, and the road runs between the pines and the sea.

After Kemer the road leaves the main tourist strip. The coast becomes quieter and less built up. Mount Tahtalı rises above the shoreline near Olympos and Çıralı, and the Beydağları range keeps the road company on its landward side. This coast is the classical region of Lycia, and the old Lycian cities were built on narrow shelves between the mountains and the sea.

South of Kumluca, the land opens a little. Greenhouses fill the coastal plain, and you will see them in long white lines beside the road. Near Finike, the citrus groves begin. Oranges are the local pride of this stretch, and in winter the trees are heavy with fruit. In spring the orange blossom makes the air sweet, and you smell it through the vent when the driver slows in a village.

The road then comes to Demre, the ancient Myra. The church of Saint Nicholas, the bishop who later became the model for Father Christmas, stands in the town, and the rock-cut tombs of Myra face the plain from the cliff behind it. The town can be busy with tour coaches by mid-morning. If you want a stop, tell the driver. A short visit changes the character of the journey.

Past Demre, the coast turns rugged. Cliffs fall steeply to the sea, and the road climbs and descends with the shape of the land. The offshore waters hold the islands and bays near Kekova, where the sunken ruins of an ancient settlement lie under shallow water. From the road you see the shape of the coast rather than the ruins, but you sense that this is a different place from the busy beaches near Antalya.

Kaş is the natural place for a break on the coast road. It is a small harbour town with whitewashed houses, bougainvillea, cafes and a waterfront where the Greek island of Meis, also called Kastellorizo, lies just offshore. A coffee here, or a cold drink and a short walk along the harbour, breaks the drive in a pleasant way.

After Kaş the road continues to Kalkan, a hillside village above a small harbour. Villas and white buildings climb the slope, and the view from the road down to the sea is one of the best on the whole route. Kalkan is a good second choice for a stop if you did not stop in Kaş.

Beyond Kalkan lies the long beach of Patara. The sand runs for several kilometres, and behind it stand the ruins of the ancient Lycian city, including its old gateway and the hall linked to the Lycian League. Not far inland you find Xanthos and the sanctuary of Letoon, both on the UNESCO World Heritage list. Patara is a popular day trip for travellers based in Kalkan or Fethiye, and you pass the turning on this drive.

From here the road moves toward Fethiye. This is the part of the drive where the character changes again. The road leaves the sea for stretches and crosses upland valleys, then returns to the coast through winding sections with long bends and views over the water. The climbs near Fethiye are the most scenic part of the journey, and they are also where slower lorries and tour traffic can hold a vehicle back. Our drivers know these bends well. The pace is steady and relaxed rather than rushed.

After Fethiye the road runs toward the Dalaman plain. The scenery softens. Mountains step back, the valley opens, and the road runs across flat land with farms and citrus on either side. Göcek, with its sheltered bays and marina, lies on the way, and the airport sits on the plain by the river delta, close to the town of Ortaca.

The 189 minutes given for this route describe a normal drive without a rest stop. Treat them as the base figure and add time for the conditions.

Early morning and late evening are the quiet periods, and the drive often feels faster than the stated time. Midday in July and August is different. Tour coaches, rental cars and delivery lorries share a road that was never designed for summer volume. A slow lorry on a climb can set the pace for ten or fifteen minutes. Weekends, public holidays and the start and end of school holidays add more cars.

Winter traffic is light, but rain and low cloud on the mountain sections slow the drive. In heavy rain the driver reduces speed on the bends, and you should add extra time.

On a drive of three hours or more, the vehicle matters. You need legroom, a cool cabin, space for luggage and a quiet ride. A private vehicle gives you all of these, and it lets you stop when you want to stop. You can ask for a quick break at a fuel station, a longer coffee in Kaş, or a photo stop at a viewpoint over the sea. The pace is yours.

For two people with two suitcases, a standard sedan is enough. For a larger group, a minivan keeps everyone together. If you carry a stroller, sports equipment or extra bags, tell us so the driver brings the right vehicle.

The alternatives need more effort than they first appear. There is rarely a direct intercity bus, so you typically change at Antalya or Fethiye and wait between buses with your luggage. A shared shuttle stops many times for other passengers and removes your control over timing. A street taxi on 180 kilometres is hard to predict. A private vehicle runs direct from one airport to the other, with the schedule built around your flight.

Dalaman Airport handles a large number of seasonal flights. The terminal sits close to the main road, and the approach is straightforward. Your driver takes you to the departures area and stops as near to the entrance as traffic allows. In the summer peak the kerb is crowded, and the driver may need a minute or two to find a place. The driver helps you unload your bags.

Inside, you check in at the desk of your airline. In busy weeks the queue for baggage drop can be long, so the extra margin pays off. After check-in, you go through security and passport control. If you arrive with time to spare, the terminal has cafes and shops after security, and the nearby town of Ortaca is a short ride away for a meal. Ask before you leave Antalya, so the plan is clear.

Some travellers finish this long drive with a few free hours in Dalaman or a night before their flight. The area around Dalaman Airport has several distinct places, each with its own character.

Ortaca and the airport plain. Ortaca is a practical, local town near the airport. It is not a resort in the usual sense. It suits a short, simple stay before an early flight. The airport is a short ride away.

Dalyan. Dalyan lies by a river with reed beds that open toward the sea. The old rock-cut tombs of ancient Kaunos look down on the water from the cliff face. Boats carry visitors along the channel to the beach. Dalyan suits couples, nature lovers and travellers who like a quiet evening by the river. It is a good place to spend the last night before your flight, as the airport is not far.

İztuzu Beach. This long strip of sand separates the sea from the lagoon at Dalyan. It is a protected nesting ground for loggerhead sea turtles, and the beach has rules to protect the nests. It suits families and beach lovers who want clean sand and open water. Respect the signs about the nesting season.

Sarıgerme. Sarıgerme has a long, gently shelving golden beach and a calm sea. It suits families with young children, since the water stays shallow for a long way out. The area is quieter and less built up than larger resorts, and it feels relaxed.

Göcek. Göcek is a harbour town with a marina and a series of sheltered bays. It is the launch point for many boat trips and the Blue Cruise tradition of sailing the coast on a wooden gulet. It suits couples, groups of friends and anyone who wants an evening by the water with good restaurants. The town feels more refined than the airport area.

Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. Fethiye is a larger town with a harbour, shops, restaurants and a lively evening scene. Nearby, the lagoon at Ölüdeniz is famous for its turquoise water, and paragliders drop from the slopes of Babadağ above it. This area suits active travellers, couples, and groups who want a full holiday with options for every day. It lies back along the road you just drove, so you pass the turning on the way to the airport.

The coast between Antalya and Dalaman has its own food. Near Finike you find roadside stands with oranges and fresh juice. In Kaş and Kalkan, harbour restaurants serve grilled fish, meze plates and fresh salads. Around Dalyan, the river restaurants are known for fish and simple Turkish dishes. In Fethiye, the fish market is a well-known experience, where you choose your fish and a nearby restaurant cooks it for you.

If you plan a meal on the road, mention it when you book. A lunch stop adds an hour or more to the journey, so it should be part of the plan. Many travellers prefer a short coffee stop and a proper meal at the final destination. For an evening before an early flight, a quiet dinner in Dalyan, Ortaca or Göcek is the easiest choice, and the road back to the airport is short.

A three-hour drive is a challenge for small children, and a good plan makes a big difference. Tell us the ages of your children when you book, so we prepare the correct child or infant seats. Keep snacks, water and books within reach, not in the boot. Ask the driver for a stop at Kaş or Kalkan, where children can stretch. Keep a change of clothes and wipes in your hand luggage.

A private vehicle lets you stop when a child needs a stop. This is a big advantage over a bus or a shared shuttle, and it reduces the stress for parents who want to arrive calm for the flight.

Flights at the edges of the day need extra thought on a long route like this.

Early flights from Dalaman. If your flight leaves in the early morning, we recommend that you travel the day before and stay near the airport. A night in Ortaca, Dalyan or Göcek removes the risk of a night drive and gives you a rested start. A night drive on a coast road with mountain bends is possible, but it is tiring.

Late arrivals into Antalya. If your flight lands at Antalya late at night and your Dalaman flight is the next morning, ask us about the timing. A late arrival followed by a three-hour drive and an early check-in leaves little rest. A night in Antalya and a later drive may be the better choice.

Midday and afternoon flights. These are the easiest to plan. A midday flight suits an early drive from Antalya, and an evening flight gives you time for a stop on the road.

The reverse journey, from Dalaman Airport back to Antalya Airport, covers the same 180 kilometres and takes about the same time. The same planning applies. Work backward from your departure time, include the time you need at Antalya Airport, add the 189 minutes, and keep a margin.

On the return you drive the coast in the opposite direction, and the sea lies on your right side for much of the way. The views are different, and the light changes with the time of day. If you plan both directions, tell us when you book. We can plan the two journeys together and match the times to your flights.

If you have a free day at either end of this transfer, the coast offers several good trips.

From the Antalya side:

• Kemer and the Phaselis ruins, where an ancient harbour lies among pine trees.
• Olympos and Çıralı, with ancient ruins in a forest valley and a quiet beach.
• Kaleiçi, the old town of Antalya, with its harbour and old Ottoman houses.
• Perge and Aspendos, two famous ancient sites, including the Roman theatre at Aspendos.

From the Dalaman side:

• Dalyan river trip, the rock tombs of Kaunos and İztuzu Beach.
• A boat trip from Göcek around the bays.
• Ölüdeniz and the Babadağ paragliding area.
• Patara beach and the ruins of Xanthos and Letoon.
• Saklıkent Gorge and the abandoned village of Kayaköy near Fethiye.

If you want a stop at Demre and Myra, or at Patara, ask us. The more stops you want, the earlier you need to leave, so plan the day with your flight in mind.

The coast has a Mediterranean climate with long, hot summers and mild winters. Each season changes the character of the drive.

Spring (April to May). The countryside is green and the orange blossom is in the air. Traffic is lighter than in summer, and this is one of the best times for the drive.

Summer (June to September). Days are hot and bright, and the roads are busy. The air conditioning in the vehicle makes a big difference. Carry water, and start early if you can.

Autumn (October to November). The sea stays warm, the heat eases and the crowds thin. The light is soft in the late afternoon.

Winter (December to March). The coast is calm, and many seaside businesses close for the season. Rain is common, and the mountain sections can have low cloud and wet roads. Snow on the high peaks of the Taurus makes the view from the coast dramatic.

Whatever the season, the 189 minutes is a base figure, and a sensible plan adds a margin.

Share your Antalya flight details, your Dalaman flight time and the number of passengers and bags. We then plan the pickup around your actual landing time and the schedule you need at the other end. After confirmation, you receive the driver and vehicle information.

If you want a coffee stop, a photo stop or a longer visit on the way, tell us at the time of booking. A long road becomes a pleasant part of the trip when the plan is clear from the start. With one driver, one vehicle and a margin built into the schedule, the journey from Antalya Airport to Dalaman Airport is a calm part of your day, not a source of worry.