R4 859 Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight to Istanbul departing on 22/9. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy

KAYAK searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Istanbul

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Istanbul
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results for flights to Istanbul
Travellers love KAYAK
41 299 237 searches in the past 7 days on KAYAK

Save 24% or moreCompare multiple travel sites with one search.

Track pricesNot ready to book? Create a price alert for when prices drop.

Free to useThere are no hidden charges or fees.

Filter your dealsChoose cabin class, free Wi-Fi and more.

Flights Deals
Useful Info
Flights Deals

Cheap Flights to Istanbul

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for return flights to Istanbul that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to Istanbul

Wed, Oct 15 - Wed, Oct 22
Qatar Airways Logo
12:05 - 12:10DUR-SAW
23h 05m2 stops
Qatar Airways Logo
13:35 - 10:35SAW-DUR
22h 00m2 stops
R9 163Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 11 - Wed, Oct 15
Qatar Airways Logo
20:25 - 18:45JNB-SAW
21h 20m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:35 - 16:10SAW-JNB
27h 35m1 stop
R9 198Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Mon, Sep 8 - Mon, Sep 15
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:05JNB-IST
26h 15m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
7:30 - 8:20IST-JNB
25h 50m1 stop
R9 969Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 3 - Wed, Sep 10
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 6:15JNB-IST
19h 25m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
7:30 - 8:20IST-JNB
25h 50m1 stop
R10 149Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Sat, Nov 1 - Sat, Nov 8
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:20 - 21:10JNB-IST
11h 50m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
7:35 - 20:10IST-JNB
13h 35m1 stop
R11 350Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Wed, Jul 9 - Thu, Jul 17
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 4:45JNB-IST
13h 15m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:00 - 20:10IST-JNB
13h 10m1 stop
R11 440Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 15 - Wed, Oct 22
Emirates Logo
18:40 - 14:25DUR-IST
18h 45m1 stop
Emirates Logo
23:20 - 16:35IST-DUR
18h 15m1 stop
R12 121Emirates
Find Deal
Tue, Jul 29 - Tue, Aug 5
Emirates Logo
18:40 - 14:25DUR-IST
18h 45m1 stop
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 16:35IST-DUR
25h 10m1 stop
R12 247Emirates
Find Deal
Fri, Aug 29 - Wed, Sep 3
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:55 - 4:40JNB-IST
9h 45mdirect
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:50 - 10:35IST-JNB
9h 45mdirect
R14 613Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 11 - Tue, Oct 14
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:50 - 4:35JNB-IST
9h 45mdirect
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:50 - 10:35IST-JNB
9h 45mdirect
R14 703Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Useful Info

KAYAK's insights & trends for flights to Istanbul

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights to Istanbul to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul?

These are the best round-trip prices found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 72 hours.

In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul was found on the route from Johannesburg, at R164 281 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R9 342 in the last 3 days.

How much is a flight to Istanbul?

The average and cheapest price for all round-trip flights to Istanbul from each origin found by users searching on KAYAK in the last month.

A flight to Istanbul costs R11 627 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 719 and departed from Cape Town. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Johannesburg to Istanbul which costs R14 756 on average, and Durban to Istanbul, which costs R14 967 on average.

See prices from:

What is a good deal for flights to Istanbul?

If you’re looking for cheap airfare to Istanbul, 25% of our users found tickets to Istanbul for the following prices or less: From Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport R12 935 return, from Cape Town R13 427 return.

How far in advance should I book a flight to Istanbul?

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to Istanbul, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price, you should book around 4 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 7 weeks before departure.

Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in Istanbul?

Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in Istanbul is Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), with an average flight price of R2 214.

Good to know – Book Cheap Istanbul Plane Tickets

Cheapest flightR4 859
Flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport

When to book flights to Istanbul

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel to Istanbul based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated return price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or returns with a duration up to 40 days. The information is for flights to Istanbul based on your location. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs - booking Istanbul flights

  • What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul?

    In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul was found on the route from Johannesburg, at R164 281 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R9 342 in the last 3 days.

  • Which Istanbul airport is closest to central Istanbul?

    Out of the 2 airports in Istanbul, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the nearest to the city center (32 km). You'll travel 34 km to reach the center of Istanbul if you land in Istanbul Airport

  • How much is a flight to Istanbul?

    On average, a flight to Istanbul costs R11 627. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 719 and departed from Cape Town Intl Airport.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul is Tuesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as R14 386. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are R15 647 on average.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights to Istanbul?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights to Istanbul.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket to Istanbul?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Istanbul is likely to change within 7 days, so travellers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights to Istanbul?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to Istanbul with an airline and back with another airline.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight to Istanbul?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to Istanbul up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

  • What is the cheapest time of day to fly to Istanbul?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to Istanbul is generally in the morning, when round-trip flights cost R560 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Istanbul is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is R831.

  • How many direct flights to Istanbul are there each week?

    Each week there are around 14 direct flights from within South Africa to Istanbul. The most common day for departures is Saturday, with 14% of flights taking off on this day.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Istanbul

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Istanbul flight deals.

Prefer to fly direct to Istanbul?

 
Nonstop data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying nonstop to Istanbul.
Find which airlines fly direct to Istanbul, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

South Africa to Istanbul

Monday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +119 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +120 more

Tuesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +120 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +121 more

Wednesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +118 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +119 more

Thursday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +121 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +122 more

Friday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +121 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +122 more

Saturday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +117 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +118 more

Sunday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +123 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +124 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Istanbul to South Africa

Monday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +119 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +120 more

Tuesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +120 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +121 more

Wednesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +118 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +119 more

Thursday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +121 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +122 more

Friday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +121 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +122 more

Saturday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +117 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +118 more

Sunday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +123 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +124 more

See more direct flights

Top 5 airlines flying to Istanbul

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to Istanbul. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from South Africa to Istanbul. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Istanbul? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8,1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3267 reviews
7,8Food
8,2Entertainment
8,1Boarding
8,0Comfort
8,3Crew
Airline reviews

Wifi was not operational for the whole trip. Other than this, flight was well received .

10,0 ExcellentElio, May 2025ADL - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

Wifi was not operational for the whole trip. Other than this, flight was well received .

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

Except for the uncleaned tray, and the delay in serving food for our section (which may have been due to the location of our row) everything else was good. The crew were very professional and responded to our requests promptly throughout the flight. We as a family were not disappointed by Emirates.

Comfort good. Service as usual poor. Cabin temperature as usual too cold, about 15 degrees

Boarding, seats, entertainment and service were all great. The food was great except for the fact that there were too many sweet items.

Loved that I had an exit row seat, and there was no one else in the row! And again, I don' use on-line entertainment at all (I read or sleep) but I very much appreciate that I didn't hear anyone else's entertainment!

The service was excellent. We flew coach on this leg of our trip and it was still very pleasant.

On this flight, about the last 2 hours the captain kept the cabin too hot. It appeared like the ac was off.

Loved everything! This flight had premium economy and I didn't see an option to upgraded to premium economy OR buy premium economy tickets. How come?

Better boarding process at Hyderabad airport Better time management by air hostesses in providing the meals

The staff was great and probably that's the single most thing that distinguished this particular Qatar flight from my average typical experience. They genuinely wanted to please you and do their best.

All the crew members were too slow and rude. Most of the times the registers were empty, while hundreds of customers were waiting in line, and it was impossible to get a supervisor. Despite being in line on time, I missed my freight, plus a some customers who were ahead and behind me.

The Qatar Airways staff pre-boarding and also on the flight from Dallas to Doha were incredibly mediocre and arrogant. Consider retraining these individuals Other flights were ok.

The only thing that could have been better, is that the food trays get left way to long after a meal. We had a snack 8 hrs into the trip, and they left us with the boxes and cups for way too long. It is not fun being trapped in your seat unnecessarily

Did not like anything. Seats were crammed, leg space was minimal and food was terrible. This was the first time traveling overseas in American Airlines and was the worst experience ever. Have learned a lesson to never travel in American Airlines.

Very unimpressed that I was dumped from the seat I had booked and paid for after check in. Apparently a family wanted to sit together, however as they all were adults I think they should have pre booked their seats like I did. I will be approaching Qatar for a refund. That and the dreadful state of the flooding toilets made me wonder how they managed to be voted the best airline. Not worth the money.

The overall flight experience between Doha and Kolkata was satisfactory. The staff onboard were notably engaged, responsive, and enthusiastic, providing a level of service that stood out, especially when compared to the less attentive crew on the earlier leg from Heathrow to Doha. Their eagerness to assist made the journey more pleasant. Additionally, the time spent at the Silver Lounge in Doha contributed positively to the experience. The lounge offered a comfortable and relaxing environment, with adequate amenities and attentive staff. Overall, both the flight and the lounge experience in Doha met expectations, making for a smooth and satisfactory travel experience.

Delayed my flights and no communication. We end up spending 6 hrs in Doha. No food or any concern from the airline. Terrible

Moved seats, didn't accommodate requests to change seats even though other seats were available.

Do I need to repeat my complaints about my lost carry on bag?

The food could be better. Toilets were smelly all along

Etihad seems to have a very strict luggage enforcement. I am a very light passenger compared to other passengers which are mainly heavier. I do not understood why airlines enforce the weight restriction so strictly. I was overweight luggage of 1.5kg, but am probably 10+kg lighter than the average passenger. Other airlines are far more accommodating. Poor customer service as far as I am concerned. If weight is such an important issue to an airline they should charge passengers by total amount of body weight plus luggage. To me just ridiculous.

Crew Check-In – Kolkata (CCU) The crew handling check-in in Kolkata was outstanding—efficient, courteous, and highly organized. Flight Segment – CCU to Abu Dhabi (AUH) A standard flight overall. Notably, only one in-flight meal option—a vegetarian curry—was available, which seemed unsuitable for a red-eye journey. The crew offered no alternatives, which was unexpected. Flight Segment – Abu Dhabi to Rome (AUH-FCO) Comfort improved on this leg, but service quality was average, falling short of Etihad’s premium standards. Crew attention was heavily absorbed by a difficult couple in Row 15 (port side), resulting in disproportionate focus. It was concerning that a steward had to personally return to apologize, a task better suited for supervisory staff. This highlights a development opportunity for supervisors Anna and Quashim in managing guest escalation professionally.

Horrible. After paying for my seats, I was cramped, had no overhead bin space, freezing as the flight had no temperature controls, the food was awful and served cold, when asked for snacks was told to wait and then never received any. I booked this flight as a partner through American Airlines but will avoid in the future.

Took a long time for boarding. The flight was comfortable.

Extremely bad food, they never gave our bags in time, the online check-in did not let us check in because we had Indian OCI not sure why we were given the option to check in then, because we couldn’t check in online we had to go in person and we were not able to change our seats and sit with our family

Should have had business class line in immigration. Food quality suboptimal

Used to Etihad employees are very rude and unprofessional but now better than before over all is okay now

we were delayed from Athens to Abu Dhabi by an hour and a half, so I had trouble connecting the flight from there to Bali. It could have been done had they waited even 15 mins. There was another lady who was in the same boat. By the time we were half way across the terminal, they have actually already issued different flights for us to go Jakarta then to Bali. Not to mention the inconvenience of waiting over 4 hrs at the airport and the subsequent inconvenience, we did not arrive to Bali till after 800pm the next day, which means I paid for the hotel for nothing when I could have been there before noon the next day! There was little explanation. It was just as well I needed some assistance getting around, otherwise the 2 of us would have been completely lost! Not going to fly with them again!

Likes: on time departure, new plane Didn’t like:very poor quality food, very limited entertainment.no amenity kit etc.

Turkish airlines have improved a lot, please keep up the good work.

Bad experience; they are not good anymore. They charge too much for luggage seat are so uncomfortable, Flight delays which may miss your next flight, they don’t care if you miss the flight or not. Zero customer services for front desk representatives Istanbul's airport I’m not using this airline any more.

for the second time disappointed with TK, they like JAT = joke about time

No customer service. Non educated staff members with no will to support or service the passenger.

Working stuffs in flight are very welcoming,but boarding stuffs are the Ghana airport don't know their job.

My wife and 7 months old baby had a terrible experience traveling, we paid extra for bassinet they didn’t provided.she missed her flight due to late landing of the flight, they were unsupportive to my family due to that my wife and kid suffered a lot.

I’ve been traveling for 20 years. I tried Turkish airline for the first time horrible horrible service and it would be my last time even if I get offer for a free ticket, I will not accept it. They have races and the worst Flight attendant

Aircraft you use on this route are always old and poor! This drives the entire experience down

Boarding was much delayed, and there was no explanation ( obviously they were waiting for something or someone. ) Passengers were all crowded at the gate with anxiety. On the plane, the crew worked very hard on checking for safety and serving delicious food. They were polite and courteous.

It wasn't good. I didn’t understand. They changed 320 dollars for 2 luggage. My ticket was regular and I paid almost 1200.00 dollars. Why they did charge? I want my money back.. thanks Yılmaz polat

It was wonderful best Air lines covert and all very happy with their service they have been very helpful and friendly

No Asian Vegetarian food was available on this sector but only fish and chicken and pasta were offered.

It was very bad experience with Ethiopian airlines . The flight was delayed in both ways . On the way coming back one of the crews dropped hot coffee on my whole body and other crew dropped used dirty glasses on top of me . The same crew that dropped hot coffee on me hit me with the food trolley on my knee while I was sleeping . I couldn’t sit properly due to the pain on my knee caused by those irresponsible crews . Very unprofessional airlines

Flight was delayed an hour. Also, I bought an extra legroom seat online; but the actually plane was a different configuration so I didn't get what I paid for . This happened on the Addis to Lusaka leg of my trip.

The plane was overbooked and the crew was very rude. My luggage was never put on the plane. I got to NY and waited 2 hours just to find out that my luggage was left.

My experience was great. The flight attendants were very helpful and nice, and the food was very good.

Very bad experience flight was over 5 hours delayed 😑 not a chance to be put on another flight we had to stay at the hotel we lost 2 days on our vacation. Never again I will fligh with Ethiopian airlines.

Terrible customer service I lost my bag luggage and I still haven’t received any information

The flight delayef for over 2 hours so my route was changed leading to arriving to my destination without my luggage

The ailine departed and arrived late foe every leg of the trip, causing myself and my travel companions to miss every connecting flight. It was very unorganized given theat there was a lot of miscommunication. The flights offered are unrealistic and when you call they assure you that the plane waits for you. I missed an. entire day of my vacation and any entire day of rest back home because of the airline. I do not plan to support the airline again. Thank you

Everything you need to know for your flight to Istanbul

Cabin class types available on flights to Istanbul

Cabin classes available on flights to Istanbul. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.

Not what you’re looking for? Find thousands of other hotels, flights and car hire with KAYAK.