Flights to Bodrum Turkey
Flights to Bodrum are a very welcome new development for travellers in Turkey . Until recently, Bodrum could only be reached via other airports, so the introduction of direct flights was great news.
When you walk into Bodrum Airport , it is easy to tell that it was recently built. While
many small airports can appear dingy and run-down, Bodrum Airport 's newness makes for a spacious, modern design. Although it doesn't have the facilities of a giant like Istanbul 's Ataturk International, Bodrum Airport , with its cafés and bars, is still a pleasant place to spend some of your journey time.
The airport is about 21 miles north of the city, so you'll need to consider transport into the centre. Public transport is acceptable, although there is a lot of room for improvement. At present, there is no bus service and no train station, so your best budget bets are car hire or the HAVAS coach service. There is a choice of car hire firms at Bodrum Airport , including Avis and EasyCar.
The HAVAS coaches will get you into the centre of Bodrum for under a fiver, but they are scheduled to coincide with Turkish Airlines flights, so users of other airlines won't find them very useful. Taxis are another option, costing around £25 for the journey into Bodrum. The authorities have widened the road between Bodrum centre and the airport, cutting journey times down to just half an hour.
As for the flights themselves, only a small number of airlines serve Bodrum, although this number will surely increase as the airport expands and grows in popularity. Turkish Airlines runs the greatest number of flights from the UK to Bodrum, but you will almost certainly have to go via Istanbul . Around four flights a day go to Bodrum from London airports (Stansted and Heathrow). If you're based up north, flying from Manchester is possible too. The journey time is approximately seven hours, and prices start from around £280 for an inclusive return.
Excel Airlines run slightly cheaper flights to Bodrum, charging around £200 for an inclusive return. Choose from Bristol , London Gatwick or Manchester . However, although you save costs, you lose out on convenience. Flights run infrequently, some only once a week, so you can't afford to be inflexible about your travel times. Excel flights only run during the summer, ruling out winter breaks to Bodrum. However, if you want to travel during the summer and you're happy with Excel's timetable, you can bag yourself a direct flight for as little as £180 inclusive.
Bodrum as a flight destination is really only just getting off the ground, which inevitably means a few teething troubles with flight frequency and transport links. However, the newness of the airport means that things are improving and changing all the time. This is an exciting time to fly to Bodrum.
