An Avanos to Çukurova Airport transfer often starts with two things: a clay pot wedged into the corner of a suitcase and one last look at the valleys. Avanos sits at the northern edge of Cappadocia on the Kızılırmak river, while the airport lies south of the Taurus Mountains near Tarsus. That makes it one of the longer drives out of Cappadocia. This page covers the last morning, fragile souvenirs and how to set your pickup time.
When the Balloon Flight Falls on Departure Day
Balloon flights in Cappadocia depend on the weather and can be postponed at short notice. Booking one on the day you fly home is a gamble. If it slips, you have no spare morning left. Put the balloon early in your trip if you can.
If it does land on the last morning, keep the plan tight. Work from your flight's departure time, not from when the balloon lands. Close your cases the night before and keep breakfast short. If the gap between the balloon and the flight is narrow, give the balloon a miss this time.
Getting Pottery Home in One Piece
Hardly anyone leaves Avanos without something made of clay. A jug, a plate, a bowl you threw yourself at a workshop. To keep it intact on the road and on the plane:
- Wrap each piece separately in paper or bubble wrap.
- Pack wrapped pieces in the middle of the case, surrounded by clothes and away from the edges.
- Consider carrying a valuable or larger piece in your cabin bag, after checking your airline's size rules.
- Leave the workshop's packaging closed and mark the box as fragile.
If the boxes need space in the car, let that guide the vehicle choice. A couple with plenty of souvenirs may find a VIP Vito roomier than a sedan.
From the River to the Taurus
The car heads south out of Avanos toward Nevşehir, past fairy chimneys and around the city. It continues south by way of Derinkuyu to Niğde, then crosses the wide plateau and the Taurus pass. Once you are down on the Mediterranean plain, the airport is not far.
It is a long road, so do the sum backwards. Start from departure, subtract the check-in and bag-drop window your airline recommends, allow for security and add the drive from Avanos. In winter, snow or fog on the pass and plateau mean bringing that time forward again. You enter the result as your pickup time in the form, and the driver is outside your hotel then.
Hotel Pickup, Groups and Vehicles
Some Avanos hotels are on the riverbank, others on narrow lanes in the old quarter. Put the hotel name and phone number in the notes. If check-out is at midday and your flight is in the evening, ask your hotel whether you can leave luggage with them.
Two people fit a Business Sedan or Premium Sedan, and couples who want to sleep on the way often choose the Ultra VIP Vito. A family with children is comfortable in a VIP Vito, and up to eight friends travel in the Mercedes Vito. Large tour groups can take the Mercedes Sprinter, or the seven-seat Ultra VIP Sprinter for more room. Prices are per vehicle, not per person.
Filling In the Form
Choose Nevşehir Avanos or your hotel as the starting point and Çukurova Airport as the destination. Add the flight number, departure time and hotel details in the notes. If your flight changes, send a change request from the My Reservation page. For more on the town, see our Avanos transfer page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I go ballooning on the morning I fly home?
Balloon flights depend on the weather, so they can be postponed and their landing time is never certain. That makes departure day a risky choice. If you go anyway, set the pickup by counting back from your flight, not from the balloon, and pack the night before. If the gap is tight, move the balloon to another day.
How should I carry a large ceramic piece from a workshop?
Wrap it well, place it in a rigid box and mark the box as fragile. Check your airline's size rules to see whether a large or valuable piece can travel in the cabin with you. If the boxes take up a lot of room, factor that into the vehicle you choose and mention it in the notes.
We check out at noon but fly at night. When should the transfer be?
Book it around the flight, not the check-out. Subtract your airline's check-in window from the departure, allow for security and add the long drive from Avanos. Ask your hotel in advance whether you can leave cases with them in the meantime; when the pickup time arrives, the driver is outside the hotel.
Our friends are in Göreme and we are in Avanos. How do we catch the same flight?
Book a separate transfer for each group from its own hotel to the airport. Enter the same flight number on both and work out each pickup time from your own location. Avanos is further north, so your pickup will be a little earlier. Meeting at the terminal saves both groups an unnecessary detour.
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