Planespotting Antalya — LTAI
Antalya is Turkey's holiday gateway on the Mediterranean and in summer one of the busiest airports on the continent, handling close to 38 million passengers in 2024. It is also the best place in the region to photograph Russian and Central Asian airlines, which no longer fly into the EU but still pour into Antalya with 737s, A321s, 767s and 777s. Three parallel north–south runways sit east of the city: in the recent pattern 18C/36C takes all arrivals and 18L/36R all departures, while the western 18R/36L is rarely used outside military movements. The wind usually brings landings from the south in the morning, a switch to the north around late morning, and a change back after sunset — so you work the southern spots early and the northern side in the afternoon. A car is close to essential, police may check your ID if farmers or residents call them, and Turkish law forbids photographing military areas, so stay discreet and keep moving.
- MSR738 B738 37 000 ft
- THY6SQ B739 4 975 ft
- B738 525 ft RWY 18C
Conditions right now
Runways
- 18C/36C RWY 18C 3,421 × 45 m · 11,224 × 148 ft concrete
- 18L/36R 3,404 × 45 m · 11,168 × 148 ft concrete
- 18R/36L 3,012 × 44 m · 9,882 × 144 ft asphalt
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 08:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody84%
- Widebody11%
- Bizjet2%
- Cargo1%
- Military1%
- GA1%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
Lara Tennis Club (36C arrivals)
The well-known safe haven for morning spotting: a grassy area behind the courts of the Lara tennis club, right under the approach to 36C. The owners know spotters come here and are friendly; locals do not call the police on you, which is the big advantage over the surrounding streets. There is no longer any shade.
- Getting there
- South of the airport via Zeybek Sokak (drive carefully, several blind bends); the gate is open, park behind the courts. Opens around 07:00–08:00 and may be closed on Sundays. Buy a drink or snack.
- Best time
- 36C arrivals from sunrise to about 11:00 in summer, before the runway direction usually flips.
- Lens
- 130–230 mm; a 737-800 is about 230 mm.
Basketball academy car park, north end of Havaalanı Caddesi
When landings return to 36C in the late afternoon this is the easy, trouble-free place: arrivals pass over the greenhouses south of the field, widebodies a little lower. Café and toilets on site.
- Getting there
- Drive back down from the morning spots onto Havaalanı Caddesi; the newly built basketball academy is at its northern end with a free car park. Buy something if you use the facilities.
- Best time
- 36C arrivals from 14:00 to sunset.
- Lens
- 120–190 mm.
Pedestrian bridges by the Yonca tram stop (18C arrivals)
Two footbridges over the tram line and main road north of the airport sit under the 18C approach. Aircraft are close here, so heat haze is less of a problem, and by switching bridges you can keep the sun behind you morning and afternoon. Many people pass by without any fuss.
- Getting there
- Tram to Yonca and a short walk — the best option without a car. Drivers can park on the side street by the closed car dealerships. The Mall of Antalya, two minutes' drive away, has food and toilets. Put the camera away between aircraft.
- Best time
- 18C arrivals; one bridge from sunrise to 11:00, the other from early afternoon to sunset.
- Lens
- 80–180 mm in the morning, 250–400 mm in the afternoon.
Mosque on the Serik Caddesi service road (18C arrivals)
A mosque entrance on the service road alongside the D400, under the 18C approach and far enough out that aircraft are still descending. Shade, benches and a free WC make it a comfortable wait, and the short distance keeps heat haze down.
- Getting there
- Car needed. From the D400 take the parallel service road (Serik Caddesi Yanyolu); park in the shade in front of the mosque. A gravel area by a white warehouse 30 seconds further east gives more distance.
- Best time
- 18C arrivals from sunrise to 11:00 on the rarer days when landings come from the north early.
- Lens
- 100–150 mm at the mosque; 200–250 mm from the gravel area.
Dirt track near the old cement works, Ülker Sokak (18C arrivals)
The former recycling-area and hill spots north of the field have been swallowed by construction, but spotters report that the dirt tracks around the disused cement works off Ülker Sokak still see the 18C approach well in the afternoon. You can wait in the car and step out for each arrival.
- Getting there
- Car needed; reached via the D400 service road and Ülker Sokak. The only traffic is cement trucks and their dust. Construction keeps changing the area, so check satellite imagery before you go.
- Best time
- 18C arrivals from 14:00 to sunset — the main afternoon pattern.
- Lens
- 150–200 mm.
Petrol station and 31003 Sokak, Kardeş Kentler Caddesi (36R departures)
On the main road along the east side of the airport, the large petrol station and the quiet street just beyond it look across at 36R take-off rolls and rotations. Listen for the engines, as you see the aircraft late. A much safer alternative to the derelict building nearby that older guides mention.
- Getting there
- Kardeş Kentler Caddesi; the station is only accessible from the south. If the forecourt is too busy, drive 200–300 m along 31003 Sokak and stop by the roadside. Everything you need is at the station.
- Best time
- 36R departures from sunrise to about 10:00; heat haze after that.
- Lens
- 110–150 mm from the station, around 350 mm from the street.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Turkish Airlines, AJet, Pegasus and SunExpress run the domestic and European network, joined by the local leisure carriers Corendon, Freebird, Tailwind and Southwind. Russian airlines are the big draw for European spotters — Aeroflot, Rossiya, Azur Air, Ural, Pobeda and others, many on 767s, 777s and A330s — along with Kazakh, Uzbek and other CIS operators. From Europe come Condor, Eurowings, TUI, Jet2, Enter Air, Smartwings and countless smaller charters. Peak season runs from June to the end of September, with mornings congested and often delayed; winter is far quieter.
What actually flew over Antalya in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- B738 32.5 %
- A21N 17.5 %
- B38M 15 %
- A20N 10 %
- A321 7.5 %
- A320 7.5 %
- B77W 5 %
- B739 5 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Antalya?
Spotterra's live map shows aircraft over Antalya, Lara and the Riviera coast in real time — type, registration, airline and route, so you know whether that widebody is a Russian 777 or a European charter.
Which runway is used for landings at AYT?
In the current pattern arrivals use 18C/36C and departures 18L/36R. Landings usually come from the south in the morning, switch to the north around late morning and back in the evening. Spotterra predicts the direction from the METAR.
Will I get into trouble spotting in Antalya?
Usually not, but residents sometimes call the police, who check your ID and ask you to leave. The tennis club and the basketball academy are the calmest places. Never photograph military areas — that is illegal in Turkey.
Can I spot Antalya without a car?
Partly: the footbridges by the Yonca tram stop work by public transport. Most other spots are spread around the perimeter and a hire car makes life much easier.
Spotterra watches the sky over Antalya
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
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