Antalya is one of the best places in Turkey to pick up a rental car. The city’s airport (AYT) is one of the busiest in Europe by passenger numbers and has a full range of rental company desks with competitive pricing. More importantly, Antalya is the gateway to the Turkish Riviera - a stretch of coastline with some of Turkey’s most dramatic scenery, ancient ruins, and coastal towns that are genuinely awkward to visit without your own wheels. If you are planning to explore beyond the resort areas around the city, a rental car opens up the entire western Mediterranean coast.
Picking Up at Antalya Airport (AYT)
Antalya Airport has two main terminals connected by a free shuttle:
- Terminal 1 handles primarily domestic Turkish Airlines and Pegasus flights
- Terminal 2 handles international flights, charters, and most low-cost carriers
Both terminals have car rental desks in their arrivals halls. If you land at Terminal 1 and have booked with a company based in Terminal 2 (or vice versa), use the free inter-terminal shuttle - staff at the rental desk can direct you.
Major rental companies at AYT: Hertz, Avis, Europcar, Sixt, Budget, Alamo, Enterprise, Thrifty, and several Turkish operators including Decar and Uygun Araç Kirala.
Off-airport rental locations: Some budget operators have desks a few minutes’ shuttle ride from the terminal rather than inside it. Their counters in the arrivals hall will direct you to the vehicle pickup point. This is standard and not a sign of a less reputable company - many well-known brands use off-airport lots at Antalya.
What Car Rental Costs in Antalya
Prices vary significantly by season, car category, and booking lead time. The following are approximate 2026 benchmarks:
| Car category | Low season (Oct–May) | Peak season (Jul–Aug) |
|---|---|---|
| Economy (Fiat Egea, Renault Symbol) | ₺700–1,100/day | ₺1,000–1,600/day |
| Compact (Hyundai i20, VW Polo) | ₺900–1,400/day | ₺1,300–2,000/day |
| Family / Midsize (Toyota Corolla, Passat) | ₺1,200–1,900/day | ₺1,700–2,500/day |
| SUV (Hyundai Tucson, Nissan Qashqai) | ₺1,600–2,400/day | ₺2,200–3,400/day |
| Automatic transmission (any) | add 25–40% |
Book in advance: Summer is Antalya’s peak season and rental availability tightens significantly in July and August. Booking 3–4 weeks ahead in summer produces consistently better prices than leaving it until arrival. Comparison platforms that show rates from all desks simultaneously are useful for Antalya, where the spread between cheapest and most expensive option for the same car class is often substantial.
Insurance: Basic CDW (Collision Damage Waiver) is included in most quoted rates, but with a high excess. Reducing the excess to zero via a Super CDW reduces your liability significantly and is worth considering on mountain coast roads. Theft protection and personal accident insurance are typically optional add-ons.
Road Trip Routes from Antalya
The Turkish Riviera west of Antalya and the Lycian Coast stretch from Antalya to Fethiye offers some of the most rewarding driving in Turkey. Here are the key routes with driving times from Antalya Airport:
Antalya to Kas (185km, approximately 2.5 hours)
The most popular Riviera road trip destination. The drive takes you through Kemer, around the headland at Olympos, through Finike and Demre, and into the mountains before dropping down to Kaş (Kas). The road climbs significantly west of Finike, with mountain passes and switchbacks - take your time and the views are exceptional. Allow 3–3.5 hours in summer traffic.
Things to stop at along the way: Chimera (eternal flames at Yanartaş), Myra ancient ruins and the church of St Nicholas in Demre, Kekova sunken city by boat from Üçağız.
Antalya to Fethiye via the Coast Road (220km, approximately 3 hours)
Continuing past Kaş brings you to Kalkan, then on to Patara (Turkey’s longest beach and a nesting site for loggerhead turtles), and eventually to Fethiye and Ölüdeniz. The full coastal drive from Antalya to Fethiye is one of Turkey’s great road trips. See our Turkish Riviera road trip itinerary for a day-by-day plan.
Antalya to Side (65km, approximately 50 minutes)
The D400 east toward Side is a fast, mostly flat route through the resort corridor. Side’s ancient ruins - Greek theatre, Apollo temple - sit right on the coast and are excellent. Manavgat and its waterfalls are a short detour inland.
Antalya to Pamukkale (195km, approximately 2.5 hours)
Head inland from Antalya on the D650 through the mountains to the Denizli plain. The Pamukkale travertines and Hierapolis ruins can be visited as an ambitious day trip or as an overnight stop. The mountain road inland is well-paved; allow extra time for the climb sections. See also our Antalya to Pamukkale guide.
Antalya to Alanya (130km, approximately 1.5 hours)
The road east along the D400 to Alanya passes through Belek (Turkey’s golf coast) and Side before reaching Alanya’s dramatic cliff-top castle. This is straightforward highway and coastal road driving.
Practical Driving Notes for the Riviera
The D400 through resort towns: The main coast road passes directly through Kemer, Finike, Demre, and other resort towns where traffic moves slowly. In summer, add 30–45 minutes to journey time estimates for these congested stretches.
Mountain sections west of Finike: The road between Finike and Kaş climbs and winds significantly. The road is well-made but requires concentration - overtake carefully and allow more time. Petrol stations are less frequent on this stretch; fill up in Finike before heading west.
Parking in coastal towns: Kaş, Kalkan, and the old town of Antalya (Kaleiçi) have limited parking. Arriving early in the day secures spaces; later in summer mornings, use the town’s designated car parks.
HGS tolls: The main Antalya ring road and some approach routes use the HGS electronic toll system. Ensure your rental car includes an HGS transponder - ask at the desk when collecting. See our full Turkey driving guide for HGS details.
Fuel: Petrol stations are plentiful on all main routes from Antalya. Current 2026 prices run approximately ₺60–75 per litre for 95 RON petrol. Check what fuel type your rental car requires before filling.
Returning the Car
Most rental companies at AYT accept returns 24 hours. If your flight departs late in the day, check whether the company allows you to return the car early and use luggage storage - many hotels and the airport offer storage, and wandering Antalya’s old town or beaches on your last day is a good use of time.
For more on getting around the region, see our Antalya city guide and the full getting around Turkey overview.