R5 300 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 16/6. 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, 0 bags

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
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Everything you should know

Cheapest return fare
R8 075
Typical prices: R13 292-R10 268
Air Algerie
Mon 6/7Fri 10/7
JNB - IST • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
R14 438
Typical prices: R17 778-R14 064
Turkish Airlines
Sun 26/7Sun 30/8
CPT - IST • Direct
Top routes
Cheapest
Most popular
Insights
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When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 4 weeks in advance save around 7% compared to booking last minute.
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
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Flight Deals
Booking Insights
Flight 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

Mon, Jul 6 - Fri, Jul 10
Air Algerie Logo
20:00 - 15:20
JNB
-
IST
18h 20m
1 stop
Air Algerie Logo
16:25 - 9:15
IST
-
JNB
17h 50m
1 stop
R8 075Air Algerie
Mon, Jun 22 - Sun, Jun 28
Air Algerie Logo
20:35 - 0:40
JNB
-
IST
27h 05m
1 stop
Air Algerie Logo
16:45 - 7:45
IST
-
JNB
16h 00m
1 stop
R8 091Air Algerie
Wed, May 13 - Sun, May 17
Air Algerie Logo
20:40 - 3:45
JNB
-
IST
30h 05m
1 stop
Air Algerie Logo
5:00 - 9:15
IST
-
JNB
29h 15m
1 stop
R8 191Air Algerie
Mon, Oct 26 - Wed, Nov 18
Qatar Airways Logo
12:45 - 12:10
JNB
-
SAW
22h 25m
1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:40 - 3:55
SAW
-
JNB
15h 15m
1 stop
R9 420Qatar Airways
Mon, Jun 22 - Tue, Jun 30
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:05
JNB
-
IST
26h 15m
1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
14:10 - 8:20
IST
-
JNB
19h 10m
1 stop
R9 487Etihad Airways
Mon, Jun 8 - Mon, Jun 22
Qatar Airways Logo
12:40 - 7:20
JNB
-
IST
17h 40m
1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
20:05 - 9:00
IST
-
JNB
13h 55m
1 stop
R9 570Qatar Airways
Thu, Jun 18 - Tue, Jun 30
Emirates Logo
18:40 - 14:25
DUR
-
IST
18h 45m
1 stop
Emirates Logo
19:35 - 16:35
IST
-
DUR
22h 00m
1 stop
R11 364Emirates
Fri, Jun 12 - Fri, Jun 19
Emirates Logo
18:40 - 17:55
DUR
-
IST
22h 15m
1 stop
Emirates Logo
19:35 - 16:35
IST
-
DUR
22h 00m
1 stop
R11 414Emirates
Thu, Oct 22 - Thu, Nov 12
Multiple Airlines Logo
19:30 - 6:10
CPT
-
SAW
33h 40m
1 stop
Multiple Airlines Logo
13:40 - 10:30
SAW
-
CPT
21h 50m
1 stop
R12 893Multiple Airlines
Tue, Sep 8 - Wed, Sep 30
Multiple Airlines Logo
16:30 - 1:50
DUR
-
SAW
32h 20m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
14:05 - 16:35
SAW
-
DUR
27h 30m
1 stop
R15 086Multiple Airlines
Booking Insights

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 R8 075 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R9 886 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 929 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 436 and departed from Cape Town. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Johannesburg to Istanbul which costs R14 216 on average, and Cape Town to Istanbul, which costs R16 397 on average.

See prices from:

What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul?

The average price of all round-trip flights to Istanbul clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul is Tuesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as R12 414. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are R13 705 on average.

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

The average price for all round-trip flights to Istanbul depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to Istanbul is generally at night, when round-trip flights cost R12 359 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 R12 735.

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 526 return, from Cape Town R13 711 return, from Durban R15 310 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, which saves you about 7% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 12 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 647.

Good to know – Book Cheap Istanbul Plane Tickets

Cheapest flightR5 300
Flight from Johannesburg 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
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 R8 075 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R9 886 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 929. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 436 and departed from Cape Town Intl Airport.

  • 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.

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.

Reviews of the 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 3568 reviews
7,9Food
8,2Entertainment
8,0Comfort
8,3Crew
8,1Boarding
Airline reviews

The flight was delayed and the service was not good. All the new serve was beef and we don’t eat beef so we ended up buying our own meals at the airport twice.

2,0 MediocreAmbrose, Apr 2026
HKG - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

The flight was delayed and the service was not good. All the new serve was beef and we don’t eat beef so we ended up buying our own meals at the airport twice.

What a great trip . From check in to the upgrade we received a big shout out to Cleverson who was able to help us navigate the whole process super patient and was just one of the best customer service experiences we received in a very long time . The amazing staff on the flight who went above and beyond to make sure we were comfortable amazing food and service if you have te opportunity to upgrade it's a must and well worth it.

It went well except at delhi airport they told me that my flight is canceled and only after talking to manager they were able to find seats for me and my wife

Very good from the beginning to the end. Amazing experience

This777-300 is configured 2/3/2 for Biz class straight out of the 80s!!! Not to mention seats are narrow, bed does NOT FULLY RECLINE FLAT as advertised, and purser didn’t know that!! ARM REST HAS A REMOTE TABLET ON IT FURTHER CONFINING THE ALREADY NARROW SPACE!!! WHO thought this was a good design?? After flying the new A350-900 biz class Montreal to Dubai , this was a total let down!!

Emirates did great! I liked the service, the food, cleanness, and the flight was on time. Much better airline than Qatar Airways I flew with last year.

Mostly good and consistent of Emirates service. Christmas menu was great initiative and tasted good. Taking the bus from terminal to the plane spoilt the experience a little.

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

Emirates A380s are always wonderful to fly on. Their crews, food and service are always excellent. They are typically on time and the only thing I would change (maybe newer or upgraded aircraft have this) is bluetooth so I can pair my noise cancelling headphones without a cable.

Love that you can walk directly to your gate from the Emirates Business class lounge, very convenient

The boarding process was awful-the computers were down and there was no way to check in. Took extremely long, very chaotic and no guarantee our bags were even getting on the plane. I was also delayed and took away from any time i had to catch a connecting flight.

When we checked in at the Siem Reap Airport in Cambodia, we were only given three boarding passes and told that we would have to check in with American when we arrived in Boston. This was a source of stress for us. After we landed in Boston, we had a long passage from Terminal E to Terminal B (American Airline ticketing counter). Because the electronic ticketing kiosks for check-in would not recognize our Confirmation Code, we had to wait for an hour in a long line where only two AA reps were taking care of Special Services passengers. In many years of both business and recreational travel, I have never had this experience. I would expect more from AA being in partnership with other airlines to do a better job with this.

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.

Very efficient and professional staff. Food was good and so was entertainment selection.

All good. Over four hours flight if provided snacks like Qatar Airways would be better

Good. It would be great if comfort seats were available

The flight was delayed and one member of the crew was a bit rude. But apart from that all good.

It never happened. Me flight from Doha to São Paulo was lated and the time of waiting for the luggage arrives when we arrived in São Paulo was about 1 hour and half. So it took a lot of time just waiting the luggage of flight that was already late, consequently we lost the flight to Recife with Latam Airlines and had to go to the Qatar office to arrange another flight to us to Recife, that one with Azul Airlines. It was more 4 hours waiting to this other flight to knows that this other flight was delayed too, total of 5 hours more at the airport to waiting to go home :/

The flight overall was good. The attendants did a good job except that 1 female had too much fragrance on. The other things that made the flight unpleasant were out of the airlines control.

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

For that price on Business class, I expected to have the pod seats. These were configured as 2/3/2 and my seat mate talked half the flight with a friend across the isle, loudly. Very uncouth.

Both of our Business Class seats were broken. I'm sure they didn't just break before we boarded but were broken prior. They would not recline. We could sit up straight or lie down, nothing that would allow us to sit back and relax on a 12 hour flight. Totally unacceptable. Very expensive and a waste or money.

The ground crew members at check in counter were courteous. The boarding was seamless. Flight departed as scheduled. Service on board was great

Turkish Airlines lost my reservation!!! I had the ticket, the receipt and they lost it!! Because the flight was fully booked, I had to wait 8 hours!!! Turkish Airlines provided me with NO FOOD, NO WATER!!! Absolutely ridiculous. They were pathetic. They admitted it was their fault for losing my reservation but provided me with nothing.

everything was excellent except for the meal on the fight from the Istanbul which was disgusting, the only choice of food available was pasta which was served frozen.

Very comfortable in business class. Excellent service. Good food. Smooth trip.

This was my third time using Turkish Airlines. I was well satisfied with the overall experience! I believe that no one is perfect and that everyday we are trying to do the best we can to help others by giving a part of our lives through service. I believe from what I’ve seen that Turkish Airlines, have come close to that service! I will definitely recommend and reuse their services again! Thank you!

Flight was late but loading plane was much easier in Istanbul than athens. Food was so-so and choice was limited. Flight attendants were extremely courteous and helpful; however, it was difficult to get attention during night time service. Overall good experience and the price was right

Turkish Airlines is a solid airline. They use the less trustworthy Boeing airplanes on this route (VCE-IST) so the flights more bumpy then when I have flown on Airbus planes, but it was okay. The service good. They seem to offer a reasonable selection if movies, although no way to listen to them as they didn't provide me earpieces. The food was surprisingly good. The day was uncomfortable. The flight was on time.

Food and crew were superb. I flu with a 777 which has old TV screens. Although the movie selection was very good, screen was not sharp enough to wacht a movie

I booked tickets for a family of five and specifically paid extra to select our seats together. We spent nearly $1,000 extra (around $100 per seat) for extra legroom so we could sit near each other. However, despite paying for this, we ended up being separated on the flight. This caused a major issue for our family because my parents do not speak English and rely on me to translate and assist them during the journey. I do not understand why Etihad changed our reserved seats without explanation. I am extremely dissatisfied with this experience. I expect the airline to do better, and I am requesting a full refund for the seat selection fees we paid.

Flight got canceled due to Middle East conflict. Just fly hasn’t refunded me the money

The seats seemed smaller than other business class offerings. The entertainment menu was limited. Flight crew was good.

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.

Business class ticket should include lounge access and seat selection. The food quality and varieties should be more. It was surpirise that no dessert was offered.

Good one but just notice that you have to ask several time to get water or coffee .

Early arrival. Good boarding. Deplaning this flight is very slow both coming and going. Baggage arrived quickly for Pearson

Good flight. There were a few issues with the flat bed. It was some technical issues. Otherwise everything was good

It was great! Kept the time. Provided what was promised

From the start of my vacation at Logan Airport, Boston it was chaotic. I'm praying my flight home is better .I'm grateful that we landed safe

The TV wasn't working No music for the whole flight from JFK to LOS It was too burring.

To the Ethiopian Airlines Customer Relations Team, I am writing to formally express my disappointment regarding my recent travel experience with Ethiopian Airlines on . Unfortunately, the level of service provided fell significantly short of the standards I expected from your airline. I would like to highlight the following serious issues encountered during the journey: • Cabin Condition and Hygiene: The aircraft cabin was notably poorly maintained. The seating area was dirty, and there was a persistent, unpleasant odor throughout the flight, which made the environment very uncomfortable for passengers. • Inadequate Service: The overall level of service provided by the staff was unsatisfactory and did not reflect a professional passenger experience. • Baggage Loss: Upon arrival, I was informed that my luggage was lost. This is particularly distressing as it has caused significant personal inconvenience and disruption to my schedule. As a frequent traveler, I value reliability and a clean cabin environment. I request that you investigate these matters immediately, provide an update on the status of my missing baggage, and outline how you intend to compensate for these failures in service. I look forward to your prompt response and a resolution to my lost luggage claim. Sincerely, Puguh

A bit chaotic boarding flight but over all good experience.

We had a good flight experience with this airline despite reading many negative comments

The crew was unfriendly and very rude to name a few (Helina). I felt unsafe due to most of the cabinets were open while on flight. All in all the flight was ok, but the crew needed more training on customer service most of all for international flights.

Delay not posted, only departure time listed- not boarding time. We left an hour late and arrived 45 min late. Restrooms had backed up sinks and toilets not flushed ) passenger error). Lots of screen for entertainment didn’t work. But we arrived with our luggage

Need to do a lot of improvement on service and cleaness

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.

Good. Crew do seem to be less friendly- management are clearly limiting them or not empowering them as they used to.

POSITIVES The hostesses were mostly pleasant, NEGATIVES The full flight wifi was horrible, hardly able to use it. My charger port was not working which made me use my neighbour's port which resulted in an accident which ruined her flight. During dinner, meat ran out when the cart got to us forcing us to eat vegetarian which was not great. We watched everyone around us eating meat. My wifi did not transfer to the second leg of my trip as they promised as they changed the plane. I was thrown off the window seat I booked for the 2nd leg of my journey as they changed planes, all done at my expense. This was not a cheap flight ($2600) which i hurriedly had to book to attend my mother's funeral who passed away suddenly. I was honestly disappointed with the whole saga as I heard Ethiopian Airlines was one of Africa's best.

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.