Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport: Cheap Flights and Transport

Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport lies in Gaziemir, about 18 kilometres from the city centre, and is the largest airport of Turkey's Aegean region. Opened in 1987 and operated by TAV Airports, it handles domestic and international flights in two connected terminals. It serves holidaymakers heading to Çeşme, Kuşadası, Alaçatı, Ephesus and Pergamon as well as passengers returning to their hometowns in Izmir and the Aegean.

The airport is SunExpress's second-largest base and one of the bases of Pegasus; AJet and Turkish Airlines fly domestic and selected international routes. From Germany there are non-stop flights from Frankfurt, Munich, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart, Cologne, Hamburg, Hanover, Berlin, Nuremberg and Leipzig, and links to the Netherlands, Austria, Switzerland, the UK and Scandinavia become more frequent in summer. Domestically, dozens of daily flights connect Izmir with Istanbul, Ankara, Antalya and the major Anatolian cities.

The cheapest flights to Izmir are usually SunExpress and Pegasus services from Germany between October and May and on midweek dates; the summer holidays and religious festivals call for early booking. Choosing the lowest bundle with hand luggage only and, since tickets are priced one way, comparing outbound and return separately lowers the price further. The prices on this page are the current lowest Izmir fares found by our searches.

The airport has its own İZBAN commuter rail station: trains run to Alsancak and Halkapınar, with a change to the metro at Hilal. ESHOT municipal buses serve districts such as Alsancak, Bornova and Karşıyaka, and Havaş shuttles run to the city centre. Timetables and fares change, so check the airport website for current details.

• Taxi: ranks are in front of the terminals; the ride to the centre takes around half an hour depending on traffic.
• Car and car hire: the airport connects to the Izmir ring road and the motorways towards Çeşme and Aydın; car-hire desks are in arrivals.
• Resorts: for Çeşme, Alaçatı and Kuşadası a hire car or pre-booked transfer is the most practical choice.

The international terminal offers duty-free shops, restaurants and cafés, currency exchange, ATMs, a pharmacy and car-hire desks; Wi-Fi is free in both terminals. The Primeclass lounge can be entered for a fee or with airline status. The terminals are a short walk apart and the airport is open around the clock.

A multi-storey covered car park and open-air areas lie in front of the terminals, with separate sections for short- and long-term parking. Spaces can be reserved online; as rates change, check current prices on the airport website.