The town of Dalaman (pop. 50,000) is located on Turkey's Mediterranean coast between Marmaris and Fethiye (map). Dalaman International Airport (DLM) is a major airport for tourists who want to visit Marmaris and Aegean Region. The reason is, while Dalaman itself doesn’t have much to offer to tourists, Dalaman Airport serves as a perfect spot to arrive before traveling to Marmaris, Datça, Ölüdeniz, Fethiye, and Kaş.
Moreover, Dalaman Airport’s website has useful features like flight arrivals and departures, a weather report, and passenger service information.
Dalaman Airport Guide
The airport, 5.5 km (3 miles) south of the town center has two terminals, a domestic terminal that receives domestic flights from Istanbul daily and an international terminal with nonstop flights from Europe(charter and scheduled) several times weekly. To fly to Dalaman from a Turkish city other than Istanbul, you will probably have to connect through Istanbul.
While Dalaman Airport is a popular destination, prices within the airport are extremely high! Especially airport food and drink prices are quite lofty, almost five times higher than the normal prices in Turkey. So, it is advisable not to shop at Dalaman Airport and wait until you get to the city center. You may also want to bring your own provisions.
Similar to a regular airport, Dalaman Airport offers many services and facilities for visitors. There are ATMs, currency exchange offices, duty-free shops, food and drinks, rest zones, free WiFi, etc. There are facilities to accommodate disabled passengers as well as baby care rooms.
Transportation From Dalaman to Nearby Cities and Towns
When transferring from Dalaman Airport to nearby cities and towns, you have many options. However, although your airfare may be a bargain, nothing else about the airport is. Transportation can especially be pricey in Dalaman.
Keep in mind Dalaman is also a lot more expensive than Istanbul when it comes to taxi fares! Luckily, taxis are not your only option.
So, consider the cost of ground transportation 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 rent a car (you can check car rental rates here.)
Keep in mind, if you have hotel reservations in any of the towns near Dalaman, ask them for tips on transferring from the airport to the hotel. If not, let's look at Dalaman Airport's most common transportation methods.
Taxi
You can also take a Dalaman Airport Taxi to Dalaman's Otogar (bus terminal) and hop on an intercity bus. However, this only works if you arrive at Dalaman Airport in the morning or early afternoon.
Private Transfer
Otherwise, you can use private services to transfer to Dalyan, Fethiye, Kalkan, Kas, Köyceğiz, Marmaris, Muğla, and other western Mediterranean resorts and towns. Remember that transfer services may be a bit costly, depending on your destination.
Buses
There are three bus options when using a bus from Dalaman Airport.
Havaş airport buses run in conjunction with all Turkish Airlines and other flights, to and from Marmaris. You can find the Havaş shuttles at the car parking area of Dalaman Airport.
MUTTAŞ also has buses operating between Dalaman Airport and Marmaris, Dalaman Airport and Fethiye, and between Dalaman Airport and Datça on a seasonal basis.
You can also use public and private minibusses to transport between Dalaman, Ortaca, and Dalyan. These minibusses take passengers between the Dalaman bus station and the airport. You can find this minibusess in front of the Departures Entry of the Terminal building.
Please check the airport’s official website to ensure up-to-date information.
Rent a Car
You can rent a car for ease between traveling from Dalaman Airport to nearby villages/towns. This is one of the budget-friendly options when it comes to transportation in Dalaman.
Start Your Trip in Turkey with Dalaman Airport
Dalaman Airport is one of the major destinations when traveling to the Aegean region and Marmaris in Turkey. While thousands of tourists use this airport, it can be expensive compared to other airports in Turkey. So, it is advisable not to shop at this airport and wait until you arrive in the city center.
—by Tom Brosnahan, updated by Can Turan
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