Arriving at Antalya Airport: terminals, exits and meeting points
How the terminals are laid out, where drivers actually wait, and what to do when your flight lands late.
Antalya Airport (AYT) handles international arrivals through two separate international terminals, with domestic flights served from their own building. They are not the same building and they are not next to each other. Which one you land at depends on your airline, and it is printed on your boarding pass.
Tell your transfer company your flight number, not just the arrival time. From the flight number they can see the terminal and track delays without calling you.
The order of events after landing
- Passport control. The queue here is the single biggest variable in how long you take to appear. In peak summer weeks it can take considerably longer than the flight's taxi time.
- Baggage reclaim. Note the belt number on the screen rather than following the crowd from your flight.
- Customs and the exit. Once you pass the final doors you cannot go back in.
- The meeting area. Drivers wait outside the arrivals exit, not inside the baggage hall.
Finding your driver
A private transfer driver normally waits at the exit with a sign showing your name or the company name. Agree in advance which name will be on it. If you booked through an intermediary, the name on the sign may be the intermediary's, not yours, and that is a common few minutes of confusion.
Have a working phone before you leave the building. Airport wifi is usually enough to send a message, but once you step outside you may lose it. A local SIM or roaming that is confirmed active saves the situation where the driver is fifty metres away and neither of you can reach the other.
When the flight is late
A delay of an hour or two is not usually a problem for a company that has your flight number: they simply shift the pickup. What causes trouble is a delay you have not communicated combined with a booking made under someone else's name. Send one message as soon as you know.
Ask two things when you book: how much free waiting time is included after landing, and what happens if the delay pushes your arrival past midnight. Both answers should be specific numbers.
Practical points
- Currency. Exchange rates inside the terminal are rarely the best available. Change a small amount for immediate needs only.
- Trolleys. Free at the arrivals hall, but they do not leave the terminal area.
- Child seats. If you asked for one, confirm it by message the day before travel rather than on arrival.
- Smoking and waiting areas are outside the exit doors, which is also where transfer vehicles pull in.