R4 389 Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul – Compare and Save

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Everything you should know

Cheapest return flight
R10 524
Typical prices: R9 353-R13 059
Qatar Airways
Mon 15/10Mon 22/10
CPT - IST • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
R11 084
Typical prices: R13 012-R17 235
Turkish Airlines
Fri 2/11Fri 9/11
CPT - IST • Direct
Direct flights
You can fly direct with Turkish Airlines. Average duration is 10h 33m
FAQs
FAQs
Top airlines
Most flights • 14 per week
Best reviews • 8,1 score
Airline reviews
+1
Airline reviews
+1
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 21 weeks in advance save around 8% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 10% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
+1
Good to know
+1
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We hope you enjoy your trip to Istanbul!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights to Istanbul

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to Istanbul

Thu, Oct 15 - Thu, Oct 22
Qatar Airways Logo
13:15 - 6:20CPT  Cape Town Intl-IST Istanbul
16h 05m1 stop Doha Hamad Intl
Qatar Airways Logo
20:05 - 17:30IST  Istanbul-CPT Cape Town Intl
22h 25m1 stop Doha Hamad Intl
R10 524Qatar Airways
Tue, Nov 17 - Tue, Nov 24
KLM Logo
23:59 - 21:25JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-SAW Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen
20h 26m1 stop Amsterdam Schiphol
KLM Logo
12:55 - 22:00SAW  Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
34h 05m1 stop Amsterdam Schiphol
R10 556KLM
Sun, Jan 24 - Mon, Feb 1
KLM Logo
23:59 - 17:30JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-SAW Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen
16h 31m1 stop Amsterdam Schiphol
KLM Logo
9:00 - 22:00SAW  Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
38h 00m1 stop Amsterdam Schiphol
R10 556KLM
Sun, Oct 25 - Sun, Nov 1
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 12:50JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
26h 00m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
Etihad Airways Logo
13:55 - 8:20IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
19h 25m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
R10 588Etihad Airways
Wed, Nov 18 - Sun, Nov 22
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 12:50JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
26h 00m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
Etihad Airways Logo
13:55 - 8:20IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
19h 25m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
R10 588Etihad Airways
Thu, Oct 1 - Thu, Oct 8
Emirates Logo
10:05 - 17:55JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
30h 50m1 stop Dubai Intl
Emirates Logo
19:35 - 16:15IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
21h 40m1 stop Dubai Intl
R10 604Emirates
Sun, Sep 27 - Mon, Oct 12
Emirates Logo
10:05 - 21:35JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
34h 30m1 stop Dubai Intl
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 20:35IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
29h 10m1 stop Dubai Intl
R10 620Emirates
Wed, Sep 23 - Sat, Oct 3
Air Algerie Logo
20:45 - 15:15JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
17h 30m1 stop Algiers Houari Boumediene
Air Algerie Logo
1:40 - 7:45IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
31h 05m1 stop Algiers Houari Boumediene
R10 636Air Algerie
Sat, Oct 3 - Mon, Oct 5
Air Algerie Logo
20:40 - 3:45JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
30h 05m2 stops Luanda Dr Antonio Agostinho Neto Intl Algiers Houari Boumediene
Air Algerie Logo
1:40 - 10:30IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
33h 50m1 stop Algiers Houari Boumediene
R10 700Air Algerie
Wed, Sep 30 - Thu, Oct 15
Qatar Airways Logo
13:15 - 18:35CPT  Cape Town Intl-IST Istanbul
28h 20m1 stop Doha Hamad Intl
Qatar Airways Logo
13:30 - 17:30IST  Istanbul-CPT Cape Town Intl
29h 00m1 stop Doha Hamad Intl
R10 732Qatar Airways
Booking Insights

Price, demand, and travel trends for South Africa to Istanbul flights

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines, and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights from South Africa to Istanbul with more confidence.

What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul?

Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul at R10 860 return on average over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Saturday is the most expensive at R11 517.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul?

  • February is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul with an average price of R9 723 return.
  • December (R12 782) and July (R12 013) are the most expensive.
  • Based on KAYAK data over the past 12 months.

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

Night flights to Istanbul are the cheapest at R10 748 return on average. Evening flights are the most expensive at R12 462.

When are flights to Istanbul the cheapest?

Flights to Istanbul are cheapest 21 weeks before departure. Booking in this window typically costs about 8% less than the average last-minute fare (within 2 weeks of the flight), based on KAYAK data.

Key details for flights to Istanbul

Low season

February

Cheapest flight

R4 389
Best time to beat the crowds (10% less expensive on average)
Flights from Cape Town to Istanbul 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

Your questions about flights to Istanbul, answered

Find helpful route details based on KAYAK data, including flight times, airports, airlines, and booking questions.

  • What is the difference between the most popular and the most frequent airline at Istanbul?

    Turkish Airlines operates the most flights from South Africa to Istanbul at 14 per week, while Emirates is the airline most often selected by KAYAK users searching for flights from South Africa to Istanbul. The two are often different because flight volume reflects an airline's schedule, while popularity reflects traveller choice.

  • Which airports serve Istanbul?

    Flights to Istanbul arrive at: Istanbul (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW).

  • Which airports serve Istanbul and the surrounding area?

    Flights to Istanbul can arrive at several major airports serving the metro area, including Istanbul (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW).

  • Where can I fly from to get the cheapest fares to Istanbul?

    Based on fares booked in the past 5 days, the cheapest flights to Istanbul are from:
    • Johannesburg, from R10 556 return

  • How do I know if a flight to Istanbul is a good deal?

    A good deal on a flight to Istanbul is around R9 353 return. This fare is in the lowest 25% of return flight prices searched on KAYAK, averaged across the cities most often searched as origins by KAYAK users.

  • How expensive are last-minute flights to Istanbul?

    Last-minute fares to Istanbul – booked within 2 weeks of departure – run 4% above the average return fare of R10 860.

  • Which airlines should I consider for flights to Istanbul?

Your guide to booking Istanbul flights

From booking to airport arrival, find tips to help you plan your flight with more confidence.
  • For the best chance at a low fare to Istanbul, aim to book around 21 weeks before you fly. That window historically saves about 8% versus last-minute pricing based on KAYAK booking data over the last 12 months.
  • For flights to Istanbul, recent KAYAK data shows that stronger deals tend to be around R9 353 return. If you see a fare below that threshold, it's a good deal – book before the price climbs back up.
  • If you can choose when to go, aim to travel to Istanbul in February. Return fares historically average R9 723 that month – typically the cheapest month to travel based on the last 12 months.
  • Before you book:

    • Check the route's typical price range so you can spot a deal.
    • Confirm baggage fees and seat selection costs on budget carriers.
    • Verify whether you need any travel documents beyond an ID.
    • Pick a departure airport, since your nearest may not be the cheapest origin.
  • Shift your departure to evening to save up to R1 714 per return. Evening flights to Istanbul average R10 748 compared to R12 462 for afternoon flights. See the time-of-day chart above for the full breakdown.
  • Bag allowances vary by airline, fare type, cabin class, and route. On flights to Istanbul, some airlines may include bags at no extra cost. For example, Turkish Airlines includes a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class, while South African includes a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class. Always check the fare details before booking, since bag policies can change by ticket type.
  • Once you arrive in Istanbul, a few great places to start are Istanbul City Centre, Taksim Square, and Taksim. These are popular with first-time visitors and can give you a good feel for the area.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Istanbul

 
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 3658 reviews
8,4Crew
8,2Entertainment
7,9Food
8,0Comfort
8,1Boarding
Airline reviews

There is an issue with A380 when it arrives in Munich, because a business class passengers like me have to wait for the first class passengers to disembark, which takes some time while you are also offloading economy passengers this causes an issue at customs where your business class passengers end up behind a large bulk of economy passengers This is a frustration and the early dislocation should be and is supposed to be a benefit of business class

8,0 ExcellentEden, Dec 2025
Read more Emirates reviews

There is an issue with A380 when it arrives in Munich, because a business class passengers like me have to wait for the first class passengers to disembark, which takes some time while you are also offloading economy passengers this causes an issue at customs where your business class passengers end up behind a large bulk of economy passengers This is a frustration and the early dislocation should be and is supposed to be a benefit of business class

This was my first time flying with Emirates. Overall, the experience was very good. I thought the seats in economy would have been a bit more comfortable, but, they seem to be on par with other airlines. The food was excellent and very satisfying. If you can afford it, I would definitely suggest upgrading to at lest premium economy seats for long haul flights.

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

No Vegetarian options onboard, made to wait for a long time for boarding

The internet connection did was not functioning as per normal.

The individual attention the crew gives to passengers is commendable and I find them positively helpful.

More space all around is practically essential on long international fights, and Emirates definitely delivers. But food selection and taste was only average. Otherwise, the flight was smooth and the cabin crew service was fine.

Ask for extra blanket if needed. Also middle seating have bad access position to access reading light and vent so only choose those seating if traveling as family or friends, etc.

For such a long flight I feel the spacing of seats could’ve been better to make it more comfortable for passengers. Very little space to move & stretch legs.

The flight was delayed in Jhb and I could have had some help in Dubai trying to get to my connecting flight to London

The crew were fabulous. We travelled Doha to Miami and the crew in board we exceptional too.

Qatar was pretty OK for their services but Arangrant was awful at theirs and frankly lied to me. Qatar offers four business class fares and only three of them allow lounge access. This is a horrible policy when you pay so much for business class and shame on them for denying the simple use of their lounges for this confusion. When I requested my business class ticket with Arangrant I knew this and specifically told them I would only purchase the lowest class business seat that would still permit me lounge access on all legs of my trip. They lied to me and said I did and then I was refused this service on my return flights. I had no less than 4-8 schedule changes and got screwed by a late departure from DCA on my double connection to JNB. I lost nearly a full day on my outbound and then had little to no use of the lounges on my outbound flights. To then be denied access on my return flights made the 27 hour trip home pretty awful. Kayak should no longer work with Arangrant as they are dishonest and liars. Qatar should price all four of their business class fares to include lounge access and stop the insanity they have forced on people. My return trip home nearly ruined my entire trip to South Africa and I blame Arangrant for telling me lies and for Qatar for offering insane rules and regulations on such expensive business class fares. For the money I paid to Qatar, I did not receive the full services I was promised. I will probably never use Arangrant and their ignorant services ever again. I will question whether I ever fly on Qatar Airways again as well. When you pay so much and get such little in return, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth. Arangrant gives the whole industry a bad name and Qatar is not far behind them. I can honestly say that the wretched service and way I was treated by both have soured me on travel companies and airlines. It is bad enough that we have an idiot, felon, racist and bigoted president and administration to contend with while he has started an illegal war, I did not expect to get screwed over by Arangrant and Qatar as well. Shame on all of you.

Flight departed punctually on time. Unfortunately it seems because the destination airport is a secondary airport the airline sees it fit to operate a plane with lower comfort and offerings. There was no inflight entertainment, wifi or let alone a screen to at least track flight status for remaining flight time.

Good. It would be great if comfort seats were available

Nothing to complain. The staff and flight was good especially the seats which was better compared than the cloth ones on Qatar airways

As gold member there is no priority checkin. Meaning you either have to board with your zone or last with business class pax. As economy pax all the baggage bays are filled by the time you arrive

This is my first and last flight with Qatar because when we go for boarding pass in Delhi airport the team asked for money charging me for hand baggage which is technically including with my ticket so also we get one our temple pics I ask them to checking in but they tell me I have to pay $500 dollars for that additional which is not make sense than I diseased to throw away because I can’t take with us . For carry in beg also I pay some Indian n currency for the guy who help I already pay 6 passengers ticket cost me $8000 so really I’m not happy . PLUS MY 6 checked baggage was damaged I already claim for four beg at airport but now I’m worried about my stuff inside maybe broken too which is more expensive stuff me really bad experience

This flight was packed and undercrewd! Service cart cam by twice on a 14 hour flight

It was an American Airline flight from Doha to Philadelphia. AA121 November 6, 2023. One heavy set female flight attendant was rude. She just tossed our wraps on our tray. I saw her busy with her cell phone in the back while the restrooms were all filthy. She was obviously not happy with her job or just lazy. My husband used the restroom even before the plane took off in Doha and it was already smelling of urine. There was hair on the box of our wrap. Good thing our wrap was inside a box! The hair was consistent with the hair of one of the flight attendants. Flight attendants should have their hair up.

Food not good as good as last time flew with them

My first time in business class The in flt staff was outstanding in every aspect of service, the food was amazing, the business seat space made the 11 hour journey easy peazy

It was good, but always can be better. The airplane was old.

I am a US citizen coming from Uganda to IST to LAX I was to be rerouted to Houston for Ebola health screen at no extra charge per TA app. At IST Turkish counter 4, they refused to reroute me to Houston unless I paid $1000. Finally, they said they would route me to Houston at no charge but not to LAX. SO I PUT OUT AN EXTRA $300 for Delta to LAX. IF THE US HAS A MANDATORY HEALTH SCREEN, THE AIRLINE NEEDS TO COMPENSATE THE PASSENGER NO EXTRA CHARGE TO FINAL DESTINATION

I always travel on Turkish Airlines but seriously I am I am considering to change because this is not the first time that the flight attendant are rude and they dont help. I asked for cold water with ice 5 times and I got water with no ice and this is not the first time to ask for something and you dont get it. Also I noticed this behavior only towards people who are not turkish.

Food wasn’t good but not their fault as I should have pre selected

Their weakness is in boarding. Business class rarely boards first and there are no announcements explaining delays, so customers are always left waiting and wondering why boarding has paused.

My experience was amazing. Very friendly hosts and impeccable service.

Everything was great except the meat served was tough and overcooked!

Friendly cabin crew and the flight was on time. Would recommend toanyone

Our charging and WiFi were not working in our business class seats, even after they "refreshed" it.

Boarding staff at lahore airport corporate well. Thanks to that guy.

Food quality and varites were very minimum. Surprised to have no desserts. Business class tickets should have lounge access and seats selection. They should be allowed to board while people with wheel chair, secial assistance and family with childrem.

Etihad Check In counter/Station manager in Heathrow was bothering and not helpful at all. They are rude and not customer oriented

Did not provided with option for class upgrade. Staff at gate was not able and willing to accommodate with class upgrade, eather with plenty empty spots in business and first class.

Boarding was excellent except they did last call 30 minutes earlier .

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!

Boarding was efficient, had to check in cabin luggage. Seats were narrow, food was more in quantity, received cabin luggage on the luggage belt which was fine.

I did not have a good experience in both flights of Etihad. First of all, when I was booking the flight, there were two options. The first option was a cheaper flight with longer layover (9 hrs), or a more expensive flight with shorter layover (2 hrs). I booked the expensive flight with shorter layover because I wanted a more comfortable trip. A few days before the trip, Etihad informed me that the departure time of my first flight will change 7 hours earlier, leading to an 9 hour layover, without giving me another option nor reimbursing me for the extra cost. They didn’t even send me an apologetic email for this change. Regarding the flight experience, I would rate it as mediocre. This is mostly because the pilots of both flights did their best to give us the worst approach to airports that I have ever experienced. In the case of the first flight they had to aboard the landing and took off again right before touching the landing strip. The captain said that it was due to wind conditions but the second time the pilot followed the same direction as the first time to land the plane.

One thing is very important is you people not giving seat arrangement together to couple, senior citizen. You have to take care of senior citizen. Do not look about money. Money is not important everywhere. Make relationship strong is very very important. I like Etiyad air line out of all air line. Food was hot and delicious. Air hostess gave very good service, nice attitude, very good behaviour. I gave 10 out of 10 marks. Thanks Jivraj

Check in was quick and gentleman was very nice and friendly, during flight crew members were polite and attentive, food wasn’t as it should’ve been. Entertainment section needed to be updated i.e add new movies

The following is a review for a flight from Johannesburg to Washington, DC with a connection at Addis Ababa, Ethiopia and refueling landing at Rome, Italy. The flight was provided by Ethiopian Airlines. There were two of us: me and my wife on this flight. Everything was on time. Enough legroom between the seats, I was able to stretch my legs and sleep for at least some time during the 14 hour second flight (19 hours in total for both flights). Very decent meals that included two lunches and one breakfast on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington and one lunch on the flight from Johannesburg to Addis Ababa. The lunch choices were beef, chicken and fish, I think the vegetarian option was available as well, accompanied with beans. The breakfast was a choice between egg and pancake, accompanied with a fruit salad. The egg breakfast was awesome, it came with a scrambled egg and a sausage. However, my wife mentioned unusual taste of the pancake breakfast meal, by all means those were not pancakes. What wasn't good: Externally initiated commercials on the infosystem screens, you couldn't turn the screen off. These commercials were accompanied by loud and annoying music, transmitted through the entire cabin. Obviously, there was no escape from this music as well. Additional moment: on the flight from Addis Ababa to Washington, DC, we landed at Rome for refueling. This was totally fine and it was in the flight itinerary. But, the flight attendant asked me to straighten the seat while we were at the steady position during the refueling. I can't rationalize this order except that some people just like to be a boss of some kind. Keeping the light lit in the economy cabin while keeping it dimmed in the first class also didn't improve my and my wife's feelings. Overall, the services were very good and the flight, despite its longevity, went on very smoothly.

They only gave us 30 minutes to make an international connecting flight. We didn’t make the connection but they did do a good job rebooking us despite the chaos. Our bags didn’t make it back and their process for customer support is pretty bad when it comes to luggage.

The food was terrible and the seating was uncomfortable, but the airline did a great thing letting us board in Abbis Ababa on our connecting flight after our original flight was very delayed.

Food was really not appealing. There was a blocked sink in the toilet. Toilet is cramped and the wall between the 2 toilets are not secured properly.

The use of a domestic carrier without entertainment was disappointing and a let down

Plane was late with no information or announcement … had to walk up n downstairs.., had not communicated this … and ppl had suitcase to carry .

My entertainment screen wasn't working and they couldn't fix it.

It is just ok, the sits are very uncomfortable, the temperature too low and there weren’t blankets. The food is mediocre and there are no screens to watch movies.

Entertainment system poor - couldn't hear, no flight info etc.

I've never been served three bread courses in a single meal before. Was really impressed by the novelty of that.

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