Aegean TravellerFlights to Bodrum began in 1998 with the opening of a domestic terminal, which also served international passengers. Due to the high demand from international visitors, a new terminal dedicated to international flights was constructed and opened in 2012. Since then, Bodrum Airport has greatly contributed to the local economy by bringing millions of visitors from all over the world.
The easiest and shortest way to travel to Bodrum is via Milas-Bodrum Airport, located 35 km northeast of Bodrum. Ancient Mylasa, today’s Milas, is even closer, just 18 km away from the airport. This international airport is equipped with all modern amenities and serves over 4 million passengers annually.
Although there are other international airports in the region, it is the best choice if your final destination is somewhere on the Bodrum Peninsula. We will also discuss alternatives in more detail below.
In This Article
Milas-Bodrum Airport at a Glance
The IATA code for Bodrum Airport is BJV, where IATA stands for the International Air Transport Association. Like all international airports in Turkey, BJV is managed by DHMI, which is the acronym for the General Directorate of State Airports Authority of Turkey.
In 2023, it was the 8th busiest airport in Turkey in terms of arrivals and departures, with a total of 4,056,447 passengers. Around 1.8 million of these were international visitors. Considering that land transport is still the most popular mode of transportation in Turkey, these numbers are quite impressive for a town with an official population of just 200,000 people.
Milas-Bodrum International Airport offers VIP and CIP lounges, parking facilities, banks, ATMs, shops, healthcare services, a post office, and car rental companies for both domestic and international passengers. Services such as customs and passport control, tax-free shopping, and currency exchange offices are also available for international travellers flying directly from abroad. For up-to-date information about the airport and its facilities, you can visit the official website of TAV, a private company that operates 15 airports in 8 countries, including Milas-Bodrum Airport.
International Flights to Bodrum
Peak seasons are always the busiest times, both in town and at the airport. Hundreds of planes land and take off in a single day. In 2023, for instance, the airport handled a total of 38,785 flights. 15,857 of these were international, while 22,928 were domestic. Due to Bodrum’s popularity among travellers, authorities are planning to increase the airport’s capacity.
According to the official website of Milas-Bodrum Airport, the list below shows the airlines with direct flights to Bodrum. Their schedules are not fixed, so it’s best to check available flights with your local agencies.
- Air Serbia, Serbia
- Air Arabia, Unites Arab Emirates
- Anda Air, Ukraine
- Azerbaijan Airlines, Azerbaijan
- Azur Air Russia, Russia
- Skyline Express Airlines, Ukraine
- Bulgaria Air, Bulgaria
- Corendon Airlines, Turkey
- Corendon Dutch Airlines, Netherlands
- Deutsche Lufthansa AG, Germany
- Easy Jet, UK
- Edelweiss Air, Switzerland
- Enter Air, Poland
- Eurowings GMBH, Germany
- Freebird Airlines, Turkey/Malta
- Germania Fluggesellschaft MBH, Germany
- Jet2.com, UK
- Nordwind LLC, Russia
- Onur Air, Turkey
- Pegasus Airlines, Turkey
- Qatar Airways, Qatar
- Red Wings Airlines, Russia
- Rossiya Airlines JSC, Russia
- Royal Jordanian Airlines, Jordan
- Scandinavian Airlines, Denmark/Norway/Sweden
- Ryanair, Ireland
- Smartwings, Czech Republic
- Sun Express Airways, Turkey/Germany
- Tailwind Airlines, Turkey
- Taimyr Airlines, Russia
- Tarom Romanian Airlines, Romania
- Thomas Cook Airlines, UK
- Thomas Cook Scandinavia (Sunclass Airlines), Denmark
- Thomsonfly, UK
- Transavia Holland BV, Netherlands
- TUI Airways, UK
- TUI Fly Belgium, Belgium
- Turkish Airlines, Turkey
- Ukraine International Airlines, Ukraine
- Ural Airlines, Russia
- Windrose Airlines, Ukraine
- Wings of Lebanon, Lebanon
As a Turkish citizen, I have never been to the international terminal of Bodrum Airport, but some international visitors have told me that it is modern and cozy. Would you like to share your experience with us? A short article and some nice pictures would help us understand it better. Please share your experience by clicking here, where you can find out how to send your articles and photos to become a guest writer for The Best of Bodrum.
Domestic Flights to Milas-Bodrum Airport
Although direct flights to Bodrum are available year-round from Istanbul and Ankara, some other major domestic cities like Adana and Antalya offer scheduled flights mostly during the summer.
Depending on your current location, flying to Bodrum might not always be the best option. For example, if you’re in a city like Izmir, taking a bus would be the shortest and cheapest way. Similarly, if you’re already on vacation in one of the Aegean region destinations, such as Marmaris or Fethiye, a bus would likely be your only alternative.
On the other hand, if you’re planning to visit multiple destinations and Bodrum is just one of the stops on your trip, you may find yourself overwhelmed by trying to make all the arrangements. After spending hours on different websites, it’s easy to get lost in all the details.
It can be challenging, but I think I can help you with the Bodrum leg of your trip. Below, you’ll find brief information about nearby airports that may be alternatives depending on your specific route. You can also use this information when booking connected flights.
Alternative Airports for Your Turkey Trip
There are more than 50 airports in Turkey, but I’m only going to talk about three of them, which are the most popular among international travellers.
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport
Izmir, my hometown, is both a popular holiday destination and an important business centre. It is the third-largest city in Turkey, with a population of 4.5 million as of 2020. Finding a direct flight to Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (IATA code: ADB) is usually easy all year round.
However, it’s not ideal for arranging flights to Bodrum Airport as there are no direct flights between the two airports. Any booking will require a connecting flight probably via Istanbul or Ankara, which would take at least 5-6 hours, including waiting time. Not to mention the cost of the tickets.
Instead, you can take a shuttle to the city centre and ask the driver to drop you off at the nearest stop to Bornova Intercity Bus Terminal. From there, you can either take a taxi or use public transport to reach the terminal. Once you arrive, finding a bus company to take you to Bodrum is easy. During summer, buses depart almost every half hour. However, please note that you may need to wait up to two hours during winter.
My favourite bus company is Pamukkale Turizm, but other well-known companies like Kamil Koç and Metro are also available. The trip takes 3-4 hours, depending on the season, and costs much less than a flight, something around €10.00 to €12.00 per person.
Airports in Istanbul
Istanbul is the largest city in Turkey, where you can find direct flights to Bodrum Airport every day of the year. Turkish Airlines, Anadolu Jet, Pegasus Airlines, and many others offer scheduled direct flights.
So, what’s the catch?
The catch is that there are two airports in Istanbul: Istanbul Airport (IATA code: IST) on the European side and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (IATA code: SAW) on the Anatolian side. The distance between them is about 90 kilometres, and with Istanbul’s notorious traffic, it can be a nightmare to get from one to the other.
The majority of direct flights to Bodrum are from Sabiha Gökçen Airport. However, most international flights into Istanbul land at Istanbul Airport. If you prefer making your own travel arrangements by yourself like me, it’s essential to take the distance and traffic conditions into consideration. The best practice is to choose the same airport for any connected flights to Bodrum Airport or other destinations.
Dalaman Airport
I’ve come across some travel blogs suggesting Dalaman Airport as an alternative to Milas-Bodrum Airport. Although both airports are in Mugla Province, they are far from being true alternatives to each other, unless absolutely necessary.
Mugla Province is famous for being home to some of Turkey’s most popular tourist destinations, such as Bodrum, Datca, Marmaris, Fethiye, Dalaman, Gocek, and Koycegiz. While Bodrum Airport primarily serves Bodrum and Milas, Dalaman Airport handles the rest in terms of passenger traffic. Additionally, many travellers prefer flying to Dalaman to get to Kas and Kalkan, which are tourist towns in Antalya Province.
If you’ve checked The Best of Bodrum’s distance charts, you’ll notice that Dalaman Airport is 201 kilometres away from Bodrum’s town centre. This means you’d need a ride that takes at least three hours under the best road conditions. Finding a direct bus to Bodrum can be a problem too.
How to Get to Bodrum from Dalaman Airport?
Let’s assume, for some reason, you’ve landed at Dalaman Airport and need to find a way to Bodrum.
You can always rent a car from the airport, but if that’s not your plan, your first step should be taking an airport shuttle to Mugla city centre. Tell the driver you’d like to go to Mugla Bus Terminal to find a bus or minibus to Bodrum.
Mugla Municipality operates regular buses and minibuses that serve all towns and villages within its jurisdiction. Once you reach the terminal, find a bus to Bodrum, and you’ll arrive in a couple of hours. If you have a prepaid Mugla City Card, you’ll also get a discount for traveling within Mugla city limits using the city-operated MUTTAS services.
Bodrum Airport Transfers
A vacation experience usually begins with an airport transfer. It doesn’t define what comes next, but it is still your first impression in a brand-new adventure. Similarly, it’s often the last thing you do when your vacation ends. That’s why I’ve included airport transfer options in a separate article. Click on Bodrum Airport Transfers for more information.
Add comment