Sit on the Right side of the plane for the best views on flights from Istanbul to Dalaman. The right side captures the dramatic Bosphorus and Sea of Marmara on departure, which is the single most spectacular moment of the flight. During cruise the route tracks roughly south-southeast over the Aegean hinterland and the right side also picks up views of the Aegean coast and the Gulf of Gökova approaching Dalaman. The left side is better only on the final approach.

During takeoff from Ataturk (IST), sit on the Right side for the best views. IST typically departs on runway 06 heading northeast, then turns south. The right side gets the Sea of Marmara and the Istanbul city sprawl including the Bosphorus strait as the aircraft banks south. The iconic waterway and dense urban fabric are clearly visible on the right during the turn. Notable sights include: Bosphorus strait, Sea of Marmara, Istanbul city center and historic peninsula, Prince's Islands (Adalar).

When landing at Dalaman (DLM), sit on the Left side for the best views. Dalaman airport typically lands on runway 18 heading south, meaning the aircraft approaches from the north over the Dalaman plain. The left side faces east toward the Köyceğiz Lake and the forested Taurus foothills, which are the most visually distinctive features on approach. Notable sights include: Köyceğiz Lake, Dalaman River delta, Taurus Mountain foothills, Mediterranean coastline near Dalyan.

The flight from Ataturk (IST) to Dalaman (DLM) takes Approximately 1 hour to 1 hour 10 minutes.

The flight tracks south over the Marmara region then crosses the Aegean hinterland of western Turkey. Notable features along the route include the Gulf of Saros and Gallipoli peninsula to the west, the Menderes River valley, the Bafa Lake near Milas, and the Gulf of Gökova — a deeply indented Aegean inlet — visible as the aircraft descends toward Dalaman. The terrain transitions from rolling agricultural lowlands to increasingly rugged pine-forested Taurus foothills in the final 30 minutes.