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R5 343 Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul Airport – Compare and Save

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Everything you should know

Cheapest return flight
R10 473
Typical prices: R10 084-R13 630
Qatar Airways
Sat 6/10Sun 21/10
DUR - IST • 2 stops
Cheapest direct flights
R11 304
Typical prices: R13 232-R17 526
Turkish Airlines
Sat 1/12Tue 16/1
CPT - IST • Direct
Direct flights
You can fly direct with Turkish Airlines. Average duration is 10h 34m
FAQs
FAQs
Top airlines
Most flights • 20 per week
Best reviews • 8,1 score
Airline reviews
+1
Airline reviews
+1
Top routes
Cheapest • 19% average savings
Most popular
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 21 weeks in advance save around 7% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 9% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
+1
Good to know
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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

Tue, Oct 6 - Wed, Oct 21
Qatar Airways Logo
19:10 - 11:55DUR  Durban King Shaka Intl-IST Istanbul
15h 45m2 stops Maputo Intl Doha Hamad Intl
Qatar Airways Logo
20:05 - 17:40IST  Istanbul-DUR Durban King Shaka Intl
22h 35m2 stops Doha Hamad Intl Maputo Intl
R10 473Qatar Airways
Mon, Oct 19 - Mon, Oct 26
Qatar Airways Logo
12:05 - 6:20DUR  Durban King Shaka Intl-IST Istanbul
17h 15m2 stops Maputo Intl Doha Hamad Intl
Qatar Airways Logo
20:10 - 10:55IST  Istanbul-DUR Durban King Shaka Intl
15h 45m2 stops Doha Hamad Intl Maputo Intl
R10 490Qatar Airways
Wed, Nov 25 - Tue, Dec 1
Air Algerie Logo
20:40 - 15:15JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
17h 35m1 stop Algiers Houari Boumediene
Air Algerie Logo
5:00 - 8:50IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
28h 50m1 stop Algiers Houari Boumediene
R10 506Air Algerie
Wed, Jan 13 - Thu, Jan 21
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 555Etihad Airways
Sun, Nov 1 - Sun, Nov 8
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 571Etihad Airways
Sat, Oct 10 - Sat, Oct 24
Emirates Logo
13:15 - 21:35CPT  Cape Town Intl-IST Istanbul
31h 20m1 stop Dubai Intl
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 18:00IST  Istanbul-CPT Cape Town Intl
26h 35m1 stop Dubai Intl
R10 767Emirates
Sat, Oct 17 - Sat, Oct 24
Emirates Logo
13:15 - 17:55CPT  Cape Town Intl-IST Istanbul
27h 40m1 stop Dubai Intl
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 18:00IST  Istanbul-CPT Cape Town Intl
26h 35m1 stop Dubai Intl
R10 767Emirates
Sat, Oct 10 - Mon, Oct 12
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 848Air Algerie
Sat, Oct 10 - Sat, Oct 17
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:20 - 21:10JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
11h 50m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:00 - 20:10IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
13h 10m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
R11 027Ethiopian Air
Mon, Oct 12 - Mon, Oct 19
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 21:10JNB  Johannesburg OR Tambo-IST Istanbul
29h 40m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
Ethiopian Air Logo
23:55 - 13:30IST  Istanbul-JNB Johannesburg OR Tambo
14h 35m1 stop Addis Ababa Bole
R11 027Ethiopian Air
Booking Insights

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

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

What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul Airport?

Durban to Istanbul Airport is the cheapest route at R10 473 return, found in the past 5 days on KAYAK. Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport to Istanbul Airport is the most popular connection with return deals from R10 490.

How much is a flight to Istanbul Airport?

A return flight to Istanbul Airport costs R11 401 on average, based on data over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Return fares from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport average R11 161, while Cape Town runs a bit higher at R11 564.

What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul Airport?

Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul Airport at R11 369 return on average over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Saturday is the most expensive at R11 972.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul Airport?

•February is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul Airport with an average price of R10 392 return.
•December (R13 536) and July (R12 281) are the most expensive.
•Based on KAYAK data over the past 12 months.

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

Morning flights to Istanbul Airport are the cheapest at R10 734 return on average. Evening flights are the most expensive at R12 868.

What is a good deal for flights to Istanbul Airport?

Flights under R10 084 are considered a good deal. 25% of KAYAK users found return flights to Istanbul Airport at or below these prices, with the lowest fares from:
•Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport R9 928.

When are flights to Istanbul Airport the cheapest?

Flights to Istanbul Airport are cheapest 21 weeks before departure. Booking in this window typically costs about 7% less than the average last-minute fare (within 2 weeks of the flight), based on KAYAK data.

Key details for flights to Istanbul Airport

Low season

February

Cheapest flight

R5 343
Best time to beat the crowds (9% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (6% more 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 Airport, 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 Airport?

    Turkish Airlines operates the most flights from South Africa to Istanbul Airport at 20 per week, while Emirates is the airline most often selected by KAYAK users searching for flights from South Africa to Istanbul Airport. The two are often different because flight volume reflects an airline's schedule, while popularity reflects traveller choice.

  • 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).

  • How long are direct flights to Istanbul Airport from different departure cities?

    Direct flight time to Istanbul Airport varies depending on your departure city:

    • from Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport: 9h 45m
    • from Cape Town: 11h 00m

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

    Based on fares booked in the past 5 days, the cheapest flights to Istanbul Airport are from:
    • Johannesburg, from R10 490 return

  • How many flights serve Istanbul Airport?

    Istanbul Airport receives 3 flights per day and 20 per week from across the world. Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport has the most flights to Istanbul Airport with 10 weekly flights.

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

    A good deal on a flight to Istanbul Airport is around R10 084 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 Airport?

    Last-minute fares to Istanbul Airport – booked within 2 weeks of departure – run 1% above the average return fare of R11 401.

  • Which airlines should I consider for flights to Istanbul Airport?

Your guide to booking Istanbul Airport 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 Airport, aim to book around 21 weeks before you fly. That window historically saves about 7% versus last-minute pricing based on KAYAK booking data over the last 12 months.
  • For flights to Istanbul Airport, recent KAYAK data shows that stronger deals tend to be around R10 084 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 Airport in February. Return fares historically average R10 392 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 morning to save up to R2 134 per return. Morning flights to Istanbul Airport average R10 734 compared to R12 868 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 Airport, 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 Airport, a few great places to start are Taksim Square, Ayasofya, and Misir Çarşisi. 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 3662 reviews
8,0Comfort
8,4Crew
7,9Food
8,2Entertainment
8,1Boarding
Airline reviews

The staff were fantastic and the food was tasty. My check in experience was good too.

10,0 ExcellentAnonymous, Sept 2026
Read more Emirates reviews

The staff were fantastic and the food was tasty. My check in experience was good too.

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 plane was very old and uncomfortable. Service was very slow!

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.

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

Great except we ended up leaving almost an hour later than we were supposed to( didn’t start boarding till an hour after it was supposed to start. Crew was great, seats could be better.

Everything was good except for the seating arrangements. We could not get seats to be seated together with my wife. We’re unfortunately.

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.

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.

The plane cleanness, punctuality and crew attention was great. The airline is offering free fast wifi on the flight, however apparently without much policy on the use. Quite a few passengers felt the liberty to watch shorts or other content without headphones from their devices as well as talking for long durations over phone calls. This made a 4-hour, fully booked flight somehow difficult to bear.

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.

Lobster starter in business class was not good, tough, served cold, and without butter. Movie selection was missing latest releases, did not offer older classic, high quality movies

Worst air experience in whole life . Boarding and checking was hassle as they did 3 times. Crew team was clueless about passengers need. Despite of passengers raising hand , they were resetting the program

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

Other than low space, which is the problem with all airlines for economy class, the flight was excellent.

Terrible. The website insisted that I wasn't logging in correctly to confirm my flight. It also wouldn't let me register as a member. I was unable to get a boarding pass until 4 hours before the flight so I couldn't get through security and had to wait. It was unlike anything I've experienced in decades.

food in Qatar was terrible. I had ordered asian vegetarian meal but the food lacked any flavor. Choices of entertainment was also very limited. emirates is way better in terms of food and entertainment.

We have paid premium price for a business class Cabinet and we have received the old 777 with the following apart business class that is not to standard. It was very disappointing and it’s a very bad reputation for a premium airline company. This aeroplane should be the commission from being as a business class. We will pass this knowledge to our colleagues because the quality of business class in Etihad is not consistent and it is a lucky dip that sometimes you’re getting a good aeroplane and sometimes you’re getting their 30 years old aeroplane. The crew of the aeroplane have apologise and said that they hate this aeroplane and they have complained about it multiple times as well. Obviously Etihad is putting the economy in front of the Customer Experience. For the future we will not take this risk anymore and will fly with established company like emirates.

It was an old plane with seats not comfortable and with little space for the legs. I must say that the previous flight I had was amazing on a very comfortable new plane

Very disappointing #1 - You have to pay extra to use the business lounge, or else you sit in the cold airport for 7 hours and fall sick #2 - Did an awful job with boarding, they turned on the "last call" notice on the monitor made the passengers come running to the gate, once the passengers came close the crew would tell them - hey we are not boarding yet, this included passengers with children also, this was happening all the time, it was pitiful to see #3 - Did not have the courtesy for the passengers in the business class, there is a reasons why people choose business class, because they need to get to work, that means sleep is very important for them, in the business class, the crew members would themselves cause so much noise by closing the door in a loud way, once the crew member does it then the other passengers are also doing it, #4 - the food did not smell good, #5 - The Abu Dhabi airport is small, so not a whole lot to do, especially when the layover is 7+ hours. #6 - Did not provide the slippers with pajamas, #7 - also the pajamas also I had to ask, only after asking it was provided. #8- Asked for an extra pillow because the pillow they provided was not tall enough, the crew member said there was no additional pillow and gave me something like a blanket, I tried my best to use that as a pillow, but my head kept on sliding and that messed up my sleep and did not get deep thorough sleep Overall the airlines did not have an understanding of how to care for the passengers, especially the business class ones. Overall it was a bad experience, I would much rather spend the money with Qatar airways, the experience with Qatar is so much better.

My baggage was not boarded and is still missing. I was only carring one piece of luggage and that is misplaced now I am stuck at mumbai without luggage. I had an onward journey from here

We booked a business class ticket via Underpricer. Somehow they screwed up our ticket from Abu Dhabi to Ahmedabad. We will be hesitant to book again with them.

i was not allowed to use lounge, although i had business class ticket, and nobody told me my ticket was not eligible to use lounge

Certainly! Here’s a more concise and refined version of your report, maintaining a polished and professional tone: --- 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.

1.Aircraft Comfort: The aircraft type was quite small with non-reclining, cramped seats that significantly lacked comfort. 2.In-flight Entertainment: There was no provision of in-flight entertainment screens or Wi-Fi for the majority of the flight. 3.Boarding Process at New Abu Dhabi Airport: Despite the move to a new airport, which promised enhanced experiences, the use of buses instead of jet bridges did not meet expectations, causing inconvenience. 4.Gate Change Communication: A last-minute gate change was poorly communicated, resulting in a long and difficult walk.

It feels like the seat did not have any cushion just plywood. The seats are so compact that I could not even move at all and I am slim. Just imagine someone else. Singapore Air and Emirates are far far better than this. Do not even travel for free. For a 12 hour flight sitting on a plywood is horrible experience and on top of that the person at checking counter at NY was worst and rude. Plus they charge arms and leg for everything. I think they would also start charging for belts and oxygen also soon. First and last time flying with Ethiad.

The service and courtesy of the flight attendants was good. The check in staff were ok. Seat on the flight uncomfortable.

TV did not work Special food ordered not honored/not received Response to complaint and request not received Request for window seat but given isle seat even after paying for business class ticket

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.

Forgotten Suite inside of the top compartment but went back to ask and they didn’t leave at the lost and found place. Also the checking in was so horrible. I had multi city and one of the passenger saint have visa go go go Dubai. The Ethiopian airlines never had information about requirement for US permanent resident so couldn’t go to Dubai. And when coming back to US we were told we can not use our Addis to Washington ticket and they forced us to get new ticket. Very horrible experience.

I had a comfortable seat that makes my trip wonderful. I appreciate the Ethiopia crew, they were very helpful

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.

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

Again, entertainment system didn't work. 50% of aircraft don't seem to have a functional entertainment system and the crew is absolutely uninterested in fixing. They just say Addis needs to fix it. Well, Addis had better get off it's butt and fix their aircraft.

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.

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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