Turkey, bridging Europe and Asia together, is a country famous for its abundance of historical sites, luxurious beaches and thriving culture. There's so much to explore in this ancient nation including popular cities like Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya, Izmir, Bodrum and Dalaman, among others.
While buses and trains connect many Turkish cities, there's no doubt that the best way to explore all that Turkey has to offer is by booking domestic flights. In this guide, we'll explore the advantages of booking domestic flights in Turkey, which airlines offer the most domestic routes and which airports we recommend flying to/from in the country.
If you want to get started straight away with your search for domestic flights in Turkey, simply fill out our search form at the top of the page. We even accept New Turkish Lira!
If you search for domestic flights in Turkey early, you're sure to find the best ticket prices. The closer you book to your intended departure date, the higher the ticket price will be - keep this in mind!
Turkish budget airlines, like Pegasus and SunExpress, offer low-cost fares for domestic flights in Turkey, often at a fraction of the cost of full-service airlines.
Most domestic flights require you to arrive at least 1 hour before departure, however, Turkish airports can get very busy, especially during peak travel seasons. We suggest arriving at least 2 hours before your flight to avoid any last-minute stress.
Security measures in Turkish airports are very strict and you'll need to go through multiple screenings. It's a good idea to be prepared by separating your electronic devices and liquids in advance to ensure a smooth journey through security.
Turkey is a large country with a significant east-west stretch. Although there is the option to travel around the country by train or bus, this can be very time-consuming. With domestic Turkey flights, you can cover longer distances in a shorter space of time, allowing you to spend more time at each destination.
If you're planning to visit multiple cities in Turkey on your trip, domestic flights are a more efficient way to do so compared to travelling by bus/train. You can avoid long journeys between each destination and spend more time exploring. Multi-city flights are easy to book here at Alternative Airlines.
No one enjoys long bus or train journeys - these can often become uncomfortable after a while, especially during seasons of hot weather in Turkey. On domestic Turkey flights, you'll be blessed with aircon and complimentary refreshments. Domestic flights also have fewer disruptions, allowing you to relax and arrive at your destination on time.
Turkish Airlines is the national flag carrier of Turkey. It has an extensive domestic network with routes between cultural and business hubs across Turkey, as well as popular tourist spots. Turkish Airlines is primarily known for its comfortable cabins, in-flight service and generous baggage allowance (even on domestic flights!).
Top domestic destinations: Antalya, Istanbul and İzmir.
Turkish Airlines domestic baggage allowance:
AJet is a Turkish low-cost airline primarily operating domestic flights in Turkey. This airline focuses on providing domestic flights to smaller cities that Turkish Airlines could not serve.
Top domestic destinations: Antalya, Istanbul and Muğla.
AJet domestic baggage allowance:
Pegasus Airlines is another low-cost Turkish carrier offering competitive fares on many domestic routes. It connects many major cities in Turkey as well as tourist destinations.
Top domestic destinations: Antalya, Istanbul and İzmir.
Pegasus Airlines domestic baggage allowance:
This airline is a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, offering both domestic and international flights. SunExpress' domestic network focuses on regional and coastal destinations for budget-conscious travellers. SunExpress currently has a strong presence in Antalya and Izmir.
Domestic destinations: Antalya, Gaziantep and İzmir.
SunExpress domestic baggage allowance:
Search for domestic flights in Turkey with Alternative Airlines. We ticket over 600 global airlines so you're sure to find domestic Turkey flights that suit your travel needs. We also offer over 40 different ways to pay - this includes Buy Now Pay Later plans like Klarna, Tamara and Tabby, among others. Book your domestic flights in Turkey with us today!
On the European side of Istanbul, you'll find Istanbul Airport. It's the main international airport in Turkey, handling large amounts of domestic traffic daily. As a major hub for Turkish Airlines (the flag carrier), it offers many connections to most major Turkish cities as well as tourist destinations in the country.
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, situated on the Asian side of Istanbul, is another major transportation hub for Turkey. It's primarily served by low-cost carriers like Pegasus Airlines, AJet and SunExpress, making it a good option for budget-conscious travellers.
This is the main airport of Ankara, Turkey's capital city. It's currently a hub for Turkish Airlines and AJet, with a broad range of domestic and international routes.
Near Izmir, you'll find Adnan Menderes Airport. It's gained its title as the third-busiest airport in Turkey from the abundance of domestic routes it offers, including connections to major cities in Turkey and tourist hotspots. Turkish Airlines and SunExpress primarily operate out of this airport.
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Currently, 4 Turkish airlines offer domestic services across the country. These include AnadoluJet, Pegasus Airlines, SunExpress and Turkish Airlines. Corendon Airlines, Freebird and Tailwind Airlines don't offer any domestic services.
Yes, you can buy domestic flights online with Alternative Airlines. To start searching for domestic Turkey flights at Alternative Airlines, simply fill out our search tool at the top of the page.
Tell us when and where you'd like to fly to/from in Turkey, how many passengers you're taking with you and the cabin class you'd prefer to fly in.
View the search results and pick the domestic flights that best suit you. You can secure your domestic flights with one of our 40 ways to pay including Buy Now Pay Later plans and cryptocurrencies! After your booking is confirmed, we'll send you your e-ticket(s).
It has never been easier to pay for your domestic Turkish flights with Alternative Airlines. We make paying for your domestic Turkey flights really easy and flexible.
At Alternative Airlines, we allow you to pay in a currency that suits you as we accept over 160 of them, including the New Turkish Lira. We even go that step further and offer over 40 different payment methods including crypto, Visa, Amex and Apple Pay, as well as 'Buy Now, Pay Later' options.
A domestic flight is a flight that leaves from one destination and lands in another destination within the same country, for instance, taking off from Istanbul, and landing in Izmir is a domestic route. This is because the flight only stays within the Turkish territory, the flight is classed as a domestic flight because it travels within the same country.
A passport is typically only used when entering or leaving a country. So, when flying on a domestic flight you are not technically leaving the country and therefore you won't usually require a passport. But, as you will need a form of valid photo ID for check-in and boarding, many travellers will often choose to use their passports anyway. It's a good measure to check the rules of the airline, as some may have different flying rules than others. Read more to discover about travel documents here.
Although the check-in times will differ depending on the airline you're flying with or the airport flying from, the check-in finishing time for domestic flights is often much later than it's for international flights because passengers generally need less time to go through immigration and border controls at the airport.
Turkey is home to some of the world's most energetic cities including Istanbul, with its magnificent historic buildings and archaeological sites like the Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia and Topkapi Palace. Turkey is famously known for its bazaars that sell carpets, lanterns, Turkish delights, kebabs and coffee.
Turkey is a fairly big country, with an area of 780,000 sq km. Many travellers decide to select domestic flights to the cities around Turkey as it's a much quicker way of travelling to its cities.
Many travellers choose to fly domestically within Turkey, because it doesn't just save time but also can be cheaper than other forms of transport options, especially with its low-cost airlines like AJet and SunExpress.
