The International Terminal is sleek and modern:
Unfortunately, Dalaman can be an expensive airport to use. Although your airfare may be a bargain, nothing else about the airport is. For the short 6-km taxi ride from Dalaman Airport to the town center and bus station, Dalaman taxi drivers charge about the same as the 22-km taxi ride from Istanbul's Atatürk Airport to the city center, making Dalaman nearly four times more expensive than Istanbul! More...
Also, prices for airport food and drink are quite high: TL8 for a small tea, TL10 for coffee, TL14 for an Efes beer.
Yikes! You may want to bring your own provisions. My quick informal survey of airport food prices showed that prices at Turkish airports may be 40% higher than at expensive Frankfurt Airport, and twice as highas pricey Paris-Charles de Gaulle Airport!
To fly to Dalaman from a Turkish city other than Istanbul, you will probably have to connect through Istanbul.
From the airport's Domestic Terminal, Havaş airport buses run in conjunction with all Turkish Airlines, Onur Air, Atlasjet and other flights, to and from Marmaris, which means there are about four daily buses to and from the airport. (Coming from the International Terminal, turn left and walk 200 meters to the Domestic Terminal to catch the Havaşbus.)
Buses leave Marmaris's Turkish Airlines office about 2.5 hours before each flight time, and return from Dalaman Airport after the arrival of each flight. More...
You can also take a Dalaman Airport Taxi to Dalaman's Otogar (bus terminal), and from there an intercity bus. This only works if you arrive at Dalaman airport in the morning or early afternoon, though. More...
Otherwise, private services transfer passengers to Dalyan, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kas, Köyceğiz, Marmaris, Muğla and other western Mediterranean resorts and towns. Transfer services may cost TL100 to TL200, plus 15% tax, per car (one or two persons) depending upon your destination. More...
There is no train service anywhere near Dalaman (map). The nearest railway station is at Denizli (near Pamukkale).
Take the cost of ground transportation into account if you plan to fly into or out of Dalaman. Depending on your final destination, you may decide to use another airport (such as Bodrum or Antalya), or to rent a car (you can check car rental rates here.)
If you have hotel reservations in any of these towns, you might ask them for tips on transferring from the airport to the hotel.
The Dalaman Airport Website has some useful features, such as flight arrivals and departures, a weather report, and info on passenger services. More...
—by Tom Brosnahan
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