TRNC's airport for tourist traffic is Ercan. Small, but newly equipped and expanded, it is situated some 12km east of Lefkosa. Flights from London to Ercan take a maximum of six hours. Charter flights to Ercan, on a range of different aircraft, run up to twice daily from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted and Manchester by either Cyprus Turkish Airlines or Turkish Airlines.


The average return adult fare is £320, although this can vary in the range £180-400 according to season and availability.All flights to Ercan have to touch down on the Turkish mainland, since TRNC is not recognised by anyone except Turkey. From Europe, the touchdown points are usuaily Istanbul or Izmir, or occasionally Antalya or Dalaman. When touching down in Turkey, passengers for Ercan do not leave the plane, but simply wait a while on the tarmac. During peak season, these flights fill up surprisingly quickly, so you need to book well in advance if you have specific time constraints on your travel dates.