Cappadocia Airports: Which is The Closest to Fly Into?

One of the questions we often get asked is what is the closest airport in Cappadocia and which one should you fly into?

There are only two airports in Cappadocia: Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) and Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR), also known as Erkilet International Airport.

Of the two, the Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) is the closest one to the touristy towns of Cappadocia, where the majority of the tourists are staying.

However, you may want to fly to Kayseri Erkilet Airport (ASR) if the flight times don’t work in your favor.

In this guide, we share everything you need to know about Cappadocia’s airports, including which one is the best one to fly in.

---

Is it better to fly to Kayseri or Nevsehir?

The airport you choose to fly into will largely depend on your preferences for where you stay in Cappadocia, your schedule, and your budget.

Though Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport is the closest airport to Cappadocia, it might not be the best one to fly into depending on a few factors (more on that later); the biggest being schedule, because there are more flight options to Kayseri Airport from major cities such as Istanbul, Ankara, Konya, Antalya and Izmir.

Above is an interactive map including the two airports in Cappadocia and the popular towns where tourists stay.

If you’ve not picked a place to stay yet, we’ll help you decide later in this guide. For the most part, travelers tend to stay in Goreme, which is the historic center of the Goreme National Park.

The distance from Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport to Goreme is 37.6km, whereas Kayseri Airport is located 74km away.

Now let’s look at the two airports in Cappadocia and the pros and cons of flying into each.

---

Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV): The Closest Airport To Cappadocia

At 37.6 km (23.4 mi) away, Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport (NAV) is the closest airport to Goreme. It takes about 37 minutes to drive from the airport to Goreme.

Since Nevsehir Airport is inside the Goreme National Park, travelers can admire some of the epic landscape of rock formations this area is known for as they go from the airport to their hotel.

Without a doubt, the small Nevsehir Airport is the most desirable airport to fly into because it’s closer. However, there are a lot of circumstances that might prevent you from choosing this airport.

Let’s look at the pros and cons of flying into Nevsehir Airport:

Pros of flying into Nevsehir Airport	Cons of Flying into Nevsehir Airport
Cheaper transfers to the towns	Flight prices
Easier to get to Nevsehir or Avanos	Destinations served
Quicker to get to and from	Flight schedule

Pros of Flying into Nevsehir Airport

Cheaper transfers to the towns

Since there is no public bus from either airport in Cappadocia to the town, visitors have no option but to take a taxi or shuttle bus service from the airport into town.

Shuttle buses from Nevsehir Airport to Goreme cost around $8 one way, per person, depending on the company and whether you book in advance.

From Kayseri Airport, you can get a shuttle bus for around $10 USD.

As you can tell, the price of transfers between the two airports are only marginal.

Easier to get to Nevsehir or Avanos

Since Nevsehir Airport is located on the Western side of Cappadocia, it’s considerably easier to get to the two biggest towns in Cappadocia, Nevsehir and Avanos.

If you plan to stay in those towns, it may be easier and cheaper to fly into Nevsehir Airport. Those staying in Goreme or Uchisar may also find that Nevsehir Airport is closer for them.

Cons of Flying into Nevsehir Airport

Flight Prices

We’ve done some research and found out the direct flights to Cappadocia from Istanbul can be up to 167% more expensive when you fly to Nevsehir Airport instead of Kayseri Airport.

Of course, this number changes depending on availability, where you are flying from, and which season you are visiting Cappadocia. But in general, it is almost always more expensive to fly into Nevsehir Kapadokya Airport than Kayseri Erilet Airport. If you are traveling Turkey on a budget, this might not be ideal for you.

Destinations Served

Perhaps the biggest reason why you might not be able to fly into NAV Airport is because of the limited number of destinations it serves. Though the airport is technically an international airport, it only has seasonal charter flights from Kharkiv and Kyiv, Ukraine, and Sofia, Bulgaria.

The rest of the flights are all domestic, and in fact, all come from Istanbul. If you are traveling from Istanbul, that’s perfect. But if you are coming from somewhere like Antalya or Izmir, you’ll need to fly to Istanbul and get a connecting flight to Cappadocia. This could make your journey even pricier. 

All flights from Istanbul to Cappadocia through the NAV Airport are operated by Turkish Airlines and AnadoluJet, which is a regional airline brand of Turkish Airlines.

Flight Schedule

One of the biggest cons of flying into Nevsehir Airport is the limited number of flights. At the time of writing, there are only 4 flights departing per day, 3 operated by Turkish Airlines and 1 operated by AnadoluJet.

The time of the departures changes regularly throughout the year, but there is usually one that leaves early in the morning from Istanbul and returns at night. This is perfect for those people that want to take a day trip from Istanbul to Cappadocia.

---

Kayseri Erkilet International Airport (ASR)

The Kayseri Ekilet Airport (ASR), also known as the Erkilet International Airport, is located 74 km (46 mi) from Goreme. It takes about an hour to drive from ASR to Goreme.

Kayseri Ekilet International Airport is the main airport serving Cappadocia and has one domestic and one international terminal, allowing visitors to easily get to Cappadocia from many destinations, not just in Turkey, but from the UK, Belgium, Germany, Holland, and Austria to name a few.

Kayseri Airport also has more facilities such as airport lounges and duty free shopping. It’s also the main service point for airlines such as Pegasus Airlines, Sun Express, and TUI from Belgium.

Though it could take a little bit longer because Kayseri is a bigger city, and sometimes there’s a bit of traffic, there are many pros to choosing Kayseri over Nevsehir Airport.

For the most part, the drive from the airport to Cappadocia isn’t as scenic, since Kayseri Province isn’t part of the UNESCO Goreme National Park. However, since Kayseri is located to the East of Cappadocia, it’s easier to get to towns such as Urgup or Ortahisar.

But there are several reasons why you might want to fly into Kayseri Airport instead of Nevsehir. Here are the pros and cons of flying into Kayseri Airport:

Pros of flying into Kayseri Airport	Cons of flying into Kayseri Airport
Cheaper Flight Prices	More expensive transfers
International Destinations	Less scenic route to Cappadocia
Frequent Flights	Possible traffic jams

Pros of Flying into Kayseri Airport

Cheaper Flight Prices

As we have mentioned above, flying into Kayseri Airport is usually considerably cheaper than flying into Nevsehir Airport.

That is mainly because the airport is bigger and that sees a lot more passengers. If you are flying from somewhere that would normally need a connection in Istanbul, you might no longer need to by flying into Kayseri International Airport, saving you some money.

Plenty of Destinations Served

One of the biggest advantages of flying into Kayseri Airport is that you have plenty of choices when it comes to where to fly from. The airport serves 12 airlines, and there are flights from many countries in Europe such as Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium and more.

But perhaps the biggest advantage for Turkey travelers is the domestic options. You can fly from Izmir, Denizli, Antalya and some of the most sought-after destinations in Turkey. It makes going to Cappadocia and leaving Cappadocia much more convenient.

More Frequent Flights

Compared to Nevsehir Airport’s 4 flights a day, there are a lot more flights arriving and departing in Cappadocia.

Flights depart and arrive throughout the entire day, which means you can get to Cappadocia past midnight if you want. Getting to Cappadocia via ASR airport is a lot more flexible than NAV airport.

Cons of flying into Kayseri Airport

More expensive transfers

If you don’t make a reservation for your private transfers in advance, you may end up paying a fortune getting from the airport to your hotel. This is because there are only shuttle buses and taxis that serve the airports to the town.

If you take a taxi, it will run on the meter, which may cost you if you get stuck in traffic in Kayseri.

Shuttle buses can be booked in advance for around $10 USD per person, one way. It’s not too much more expensive than shuttle buses from Nevsehir, but you do need to book in advance to get a better deal.

Less scenic route

As mentioned earlier, the route to Cappadocia from Kayseri doesn’t pass through Goreme National Park, and so you won’t have as beautiful views on route.

However, if you are staying in Ortahisar or Urgup, you will find that Kayseri Airport is better for you to fly into since these towns are also located on the East side of Cappadocia.

Possible traffic jams

No one likes delays, but when traveling through cities, these can sometimes happen.

---

Cappadocia Airport Shuttles

By now you should have the information you need to decide which airport to fly to Cappadocia, so now let’s figure out how you can get from the airport to your hotel. 

There are typically three ways to get from the Cappadocia Airport to town, they are:

• Airport shuttles
• Taxis
• Rent a car

Airport shuttles are the best option when it comes to getting from the airport to town.

However, the airport shuttle buses are operated by the airlines, which means you need to pre-book your spot with them when getting your flight. If you don’t book beforehand, then you have to ask the shuttle bus drivers whether they’ve extra space in their van or not once you arrive.

It is quite a hassle and there’s a lot of uncertainty on the table, which is why we recommend pre-booking a shuttle through a Cappadocia company instead.

You can either do this through your hotel, which usually charges you a little extra, or directly through one of the shuttle companies. We recommend the latter.

Taxis in Cappadocia airports are quick and convenient, but it is almost certain that the taxi driver will try to scam you.

They’ll succeed and you’ll usually end up paying a lot more than you would with a shuttle bus. For that reason, we DO NOT recommend taking a taxi from the airports in Cappadocia.

Lastly, renting a car in Cappadocia is not a bad option, especially since sightseeing in this region is much better if you have your own transportation.

There are multiple car rental companies in both Kayseri Airport and Nevsehir Airport, so visitors are not out of options. However, you personally recommend reserving the car online so you know what prices you are going to be paying when you get there.

---

Where To Stay In Cappadocia

Before you fly into any Cappadocia Airport and book your shuttle, you must decide where to stay in Cappadocia.

Cappadocia is around 5,000 square kilometers (1,930 sq mi) big, and there are many towns where you could possibly stay.

But you’ll want in the heart of all the action, which is Goreme. Below, we have recommended some hotels and accommodations for Goreme:

• Best Luxury Hotel In Cappadocia – Carus Cappadocia
• Best Cave Hotel In Cappadocia – Panoramic Cave Hotel
• Best Hostel In Cappadocia – The Dorm Cave By Travellers

---

Hot Air Balloons In Cappadocia

The hot air balloon rides are undeniably the best thing to do in Cappadocia, but getting a tour isn’t just as simple as signing up the day before and just getting on the next day.

If you want to make sure you don’t miss out on the main attraction of Cappadocia and experience the hot air balloon rides, you need to make sure you:

1. Book ahead of time, especially during peak travel season in Cappadocia
2. Make sure your tour is on the following day of your arrival. That is because hot air balloon tours don’t run every day. It needs the optimal weather conditions to fly. So to maximize your chances of getting on one, don’t wait and book the tour for the following day. If it gets canceled, you have a few more days to try until you leave Cappadocia.

---

Cappadocia Airport FAQs

---

Before You Go

To sum it up, there are two airports to fly into Cappadocia, each with its own advantages and disadvantages.

Kayseri Airport is usually cheaper to fly into, but it is not as close to Cappadocia and the car ride to your hotel is not as scenic.

Nevsehir Airport is closer to Cappadocia, but it is more expensive to fly into and you have fewer options when it comes to flights. We hope this guide helped you organize your travel plans and gave you the insight you need to pick properly!