With initial return fares from around £150 return the new route goes head to head with other budget airlines flying to the great Turkish city. Could this be a good way to get to Dalaman airport out of season?

Another option for those wishing to do the London – Istanbul – Dalaman route will open shortly.

Turkish Airlines are starting a new 7 day service from London Gatwick to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (on the European side).

The flights leave London Gatwick at 13:50 daily arriving Istanbul at 19:45. The return flights leave from Istanbul at 10:50 arriving London at 12:50.

The new service begins on 20th December just in time for the lucrative Christmas and New Year travel rush. However, prices do not begin to drop until January when £150 returns (all in including taxes) start to pop up on the booking system.

Unfortunately the new flight times do not tie in with the Turkish Airline flights from Istanbul to Dalaman.

Annoyingly that flight leaves some 25 minutes earlier at 19:20 meaning those wanting to get down to Dalaman would need an overnight stay and fly the following morning.

So the new flights offer a budget alternative for those wishing to take a flight to Istanbul either for a break or as a stop over on the way down south, but they don’t offer an easy and cheap alternative when trying to get to Dalaman out of the season.