WE might be heading into winter, but looking ahead to a summer getaway for 2026 doesn’t hurt.
One airline in particular is doing exactly that and has announced that it plans to add more flights from the UK to one very popular Turkish resort.
summer services next year.
One of these routes from the UK heads to the Turkish resort of Antalya which is known for its family-friendly hotels and waterparks.
During the next summer season there will be daily flights to Antalya from Stansted Airport.
Matthew Carpenter, Corendon Airlines UK Country Manager said: “For 2026 we’re doubling down on the routes that have performed well for us – for example, we’ve had two flights a week to Antalya from Stansted and this will be increasing to five flights a week in the shoulder seasons and daily flights in peak season.”
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There will also be multiple weekly flights from Manchester and Newcastle.
Antalya sits on the Mediterranean coast of weather.
In the summer months, Antalya has average highs of 33C – and it still has daily highs of 23C in November this week.
Thanks to this, Antalya is incredibly popular with Brits, around 1.5 million British tourists visited Antalya between January and October 2024.
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To make it even better, the average flight time from the UK is around four and a half hours.
There are plenty of great beaches around the coast like Lara Beach, known for its fine sand and luxury resorts.
Other popular beaches include Konyaaltı Beach, which has a long pebble and sand coastline.
Patara Beach is one of Turkey‘s longest beaches, and there’s also Kaputaş Beach which is small cove between the towns of Kaş and Kalkan.
Being such a family-friendly destination, there are plenty of huge hotels with on-site waterparks, kids clubs, activities, and beach access.
One writer visited the Regnum Carya Golf and Spa which has a full-size football pitch, a golf course, seven pools and a waterpark.
new sister hotel called Regnum The Crown this summer which has a Blue Flag beach and unique ice fountain.
This summer, another writer took a visit to the Titanic Deluxe Lara in Antalya, the hotel’s design was inspired by the fateful Titanic ship.
And another destination that airline hopes to expand to is Heraklion, the capital of Crete.
Corendon will increase its Heraklion capacity by 20 per cent as the popularity of the city grows for Brits.
The island is known for its beautiful beaches, as well as nightlife, historical sites like the Palace of Knossos.
If you fancy booking, Corendon Airlines has also extended its reservation system to be able to make bookings 700 days ahead of the trip.
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Turkey’s ‘best kept secret’ is a quiet seaside village that's right by Antalya...
Just 90 minutes away from Antalya is the seaside village of Cirali.
It’s found on a quiet sea valley, surrounded by mountains, crystal-clear waters and sandy beaches.
The village was called “one of Turkey‘s best-kept secrets” in an article in the Sunday Telegraph.
Despite not being far from Kemer and Antalya, only a few Brits seem to holiday in Cirali.
Because of its protected status as a nesting site for loggerhead turtles, the seaside village doesn’t have huge all-inclusive resorts or large hotel chains.
The beach, which is a mixture of shingle and sand, is its main attraction. While metal cages mark the turtle nests, there is still plenty of space for holidaymakers.
Other facilities at the beach include several restaurants that serve a range of grilled fish and rustic stews.
Away from the beach, other activities include yoga classes, cycling routes and walking routes.
Here’s more on where Brits should visit in Turkey from a Turkish flight attendant.
Plus, check out the luxurious new 5* all-suite hotel is jewel of Turkey’s Turquoise coast, with stunning sky pool, 22 restaurants & 30 bars.
