SunExpress will launch daily night flights on the Manchester–Dalaman route starting 19 May. Tickets are now on sale from £84.99.
Starting 19 May, SunExpress will operate daily direct night flights between Manchester Airport and Dalaman Airport, aiming to help British travellers maximise their holiday time with the new services.
Flight Times Will Extend Your Holiday
According to SunExpress, flights departing from Manchester at 00:45 local time will arrive in Dalaman at 07:00.
Return flights will depart Dalaman at 21:05 and reach Manchester at 23:45.
This schedule is designed to allow passengers to nearly fully extend their holiday in Turkey.
One-way tickets start from £84.99, and reservations for night and late-evening flights are now open.
Manchester Departures in the 2026 Summer Season
SunExpress’ 2026 summer schedule for flights from Manchester to Turkey is as follows:
- Antalya Airport – up to 24 weekly flights
- İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport – 19 weekly flights
- Dalaman Airport – 15 weekly flights (including night flights)
- Milas-Bodrum Airport – 2 weekly flights
SunExpress aims to strengthen its Mediterranean and Aegean destinations by increasing capacity, particularly in the UK market.
Tobias Bracht: “We Provide Time Efficiency”
SunExpress Head of Sales Tobias Bracht emphasised the importance of holiday duration for passengers in his comments on the new route.
Bracht noted that arriving in Dalaman at sunrise allows passengers to start their holiday immediately. He expressed satisfaction in expanding Manchester operations and confirmed that, in addition to Antalya, İzmir, and Milas-Bodrum, capacity is also increasing in Dalaman.
Dalaman and Surroundings Popular Among British Tourists
Dalaman serves as an important gateway to tourism centres in Muğla and its surroundings.
The region attracts strong interest from British tourists, with its Blue Flag beaches including Ölüdeniz’s Blue Lagoon, luxury accommodation options, and holiday resorts.
In addition to coastal tourism, Dalaman and its surroundings are highlighted summer destinations due to their rich options in culture, gastronomy, and outdoor sports.
Tourism-Focused Growth Since 1989
Founded in 1989 as a joint venture between Turkish Airlines and Lufthansa, SunExpress operates with a model focused on tourism flights between Europe and Turkey.
Based in Antalya, the airline offers a wide network covering Turkish holiday regions and Anatolian cities. Operating over 230 routes across 92 destinations in 35 countries, SunExpress transports around 15 million passengers annually.
SunExpress maintains operations with more than 4,500 employees across centres including Antalya, Frankfurt, İzmir, Ankara, and Dalaman.
Strong Programme for European Routes from Dalaman
Dalaman Airport is one of SunExpress’ key operational hubs in the summer season, with plans for direct flights to many major European cities.
Germany Routes:
- Berlin, Cologne/Bonn, Düsseldorf, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Munich, Nuremberg, Stuttgart
UK Routes:
- Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London (Gatwick and Stansted), Manchester, Newcastle
Central Europe:
- Vienna, Zurich
Flight frequencies on these routes vary from a few per week to daily operations depending on seasonal demand.
New and Strengthened Routes in Summer 2026
Notable increases for the UK and Ireland markets in the 2026 summer schedule include:
- Daily night flights on the Manchester–Dalaman route
- Additional weekly flights on the Newcastle–Dalaman route
- Biweekly flights on the Dublin–Dalaman route
These measures reinforce Dalaman’s position as a key entry point for British and Irish tourists.
230+ Routes Between Europe and Turkey
SunExpress plans to operate over 230 routes in summer 2026. Key target markets include the UK, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Ireland, with Turkish coastal cities like Antalya, Dalaman, Bodrum, and İzmir at the centre of operations.
As demand rises in summer, flight frequency and destination variety increase, while a more limited but strategic programme is applied in winter.
Dalaman’s Strategic Role in Tourism
Dalaman Airport, serving the Muğla region, experiences high tourist traffic, especially in summer. Passenger demand from Europe, particularly Germany and the UK, plays a key role in airline capacity planning.
