IST

R3 970 Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul Airport

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 22/1. 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 Airport

 
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 911
Typical prices: R8 952-R11 382
Qatar Airways
Thu 22/1Wed 4/2
JNB - IST • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
R12 354
Typical prices: R11 069-R14 413
Turkish Airlines
Thu 22/1Tue 3/2
JNB - IST • Direct
Top routes
CPT-IST
Cheapest
JNB-IST
Most popular
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
February
Cheapest • 10% price drop
September
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
Start a new search
KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Istanbul!
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

Thu, Jan 22 - Wed, Feb 4
Qatar Airways Logo
20:30 - 18:40
JNB
-
IST
21h 10m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
20:10 - 3:55
IST
-
JNB
32h 45m1 stop
R8 911Qatar Airways
Thu, Jan 22 - Wed, Feb 4
Qatar Airways Logo
13:45 - 18:40
JNB
-
IST
27h 55m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:50 - 8:40
IST
-
JNB
19h 50m1 stop
R8 961Qatar Airways
Thu, Jan 22 - Thu, Jan 29
Qatar Airways Logo
20:30 - 12:20
JNB
-
IST
14h 50m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:50 - 3:55
IST
-
JNB
15h 05m1 stop
R9 010Qatar Airways
Wed, Feb 25 - Wed, Mar 4
Qatar Airways Logo
12:45 - 12:20
JNB
-
IST
22h 35m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:50 - 8:40
IST
-
JNB
19h 50m1 stop
R9 059Qatar Airways
Mon, Feb 23 - Mon, Mar 2
Qatar Airways Logo
12:45 - 12:20
JNB
-
IST
22h 35m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:50 - 15:35
IST
-
JNB
26h 45m1 stop
R9 076Qatar Airways
Sat, Apr 25 - Thu, May 7
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:05
JNB
-
IST
26h 15m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
14:10 - 8:20
IST
-
JNB
19h 10m1 stop
R9 339Etihad Airways
Sat, Apr 18 - Thu, Apr 30
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:05
JNB
-
IST
26h 15m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
14:10 - 8:20
IST
-
JNB
19h 10m1 stop
R9 422Etihad Airways
Thu, Feb 5 - Sun, Feb 15
Emirates Logo
13:40 - 18:30
CPT
-
IST
27h 50m1 stop
Emirates Logo
23:40 - 11:40
IST
-
CPT
37h 00m1 stop
R10 114Emirates
Mon, Apr 20 - Mon, Apr 27
Emirates Logo
13:15 - 17:55
CPT
-
IST
27h 40m1 stop
Emirates Logo
19:35 - 16:40
IST
-
CPT
22h 05m1 stop
R10 163Emirates
Mon, Jun 1 - Tue, Jun 9
Ethiopian Air Logo
13:50 - 4:45
CPT
-
IST
13h 55m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
0:10 - 13:00
IST
-
CPT
13h 50m1 stop
R10 476Ethiopian Air
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 Airport?

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

Based on KAYAK searches from the last 72 hours, if you fly from Cape Town, you should have a good chance of getting the best deal to Istanbul Airport as it was the cheapest place to fly from. Prices were found for as low as R3 970 one-way and R8 911 for a return flight. Also in the last 72 hours, the most popular connection to Istanbul Airport was from Johannesburg and the lowest price for a return flight was R8 911.

How much is a flight to Istanbul Airport?

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

On average, a flight to Istanbul Airport costs R10 191. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 199 and departed from Cape Town. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Johannesburg to Istanbul Airport which costs R11 662 on average, and Cape Town to Istanbul Airport, which costs R12 979 on average.

See prices from:

What is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul Airport?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for flights to Istanbul Airport, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights to Istanbul Airport is September, where tickets cost R10 641 on average for one-way flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and July, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is R13 095 and R12 700 respectively. For return trips, the best month to travel is February with an average price of R9 455.

What is a good deal for flights to Istanbul Airport?

If you’re looking for cheap airfare to Istanbul Airport, 25% of our users found tickets to Istanbul Airport for the following prices or less: From Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport R7 013 one-way - R10 801 return, from Cape Town R7 080 one-way - R11 667 return, from Durban R9 695 one-way - R12 417 return.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to Istanbul Airport, 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 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 81 days before departure.

Good to know – Book Cheap Istanbul Airport Plane Tickets

Low seasonFebruary
Cheapest flightR3 970
Best time to beat the crowds (11% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly and prices are also 10% lower on average.
Flight 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
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 Airport flights

  • What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul Airport?

    Based on KAYAK searches from the last 72 hours, if you fly from Cape Town, you should have a good chance of getting the best deal to Istanbul Airport as it was the cheapest place to fly from. Prices were found for as low as R3 970 one-way and R8 911 for a return flight. Also in the last 72 hours, the most popular connection to Istanbul Airport was from Johannesburg and the lowest price for a return flight was R8 911.

  • How far is Istanbul Airport from central Istanbul?

    There are 34 km between Istanbul city centre and Istanbul Airport.

  • How much is a flight to Istanbul?

    On average, a flight to Istanbul costs R10 191. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 199 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 tickets can be as cheap as R12 441. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where prices are R13 993 on average.

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

    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 Airport.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Istanbul Airport 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 Airport?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional return ticket. You could then fly to Istanbul Airport 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 Airport?

    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 Airport 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 Airport?

    The cheapest time of day to fly to Istanbul Airport is generally at night, when flights cost R12 297 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Istanbul Airport is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is R12 765.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Istanbul Airport

  • Looking for cheap airfare to Istanbul Airport? 25% of our users found return tickets to Istanbul Airport for the following prices or less: From Durban R11 056, from Cape Town R24 140, from Johannesburg OR Tambo R25 111
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Istanbul Airport 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 3464 reviews
8,0Comfort
7,9Food
8,2Entertainment
8,1Boarding
8,3Crew
Airline reviews

Fly Dubai takes low cost and thrift to new depths in terms of service levels, terminal 2 is grossly inadequate for capacity and resembles a crowded buss or railway station,, the fly dubai( Emirates) flight is never on time(was 2.5 hrs delayed), and this is not an isolated experience, the flght air conditioning was turned low while we waited on the tarmac for take clearance to save fuel, should say more!!!! The depths! I only fly this airline from a compulsion, emirates code shares for connections to Muscat

2,0 MediocreVenkatesh, Jan 2026
SFO - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

Fly Dubai takes low cost and thrift to new depths in terms of service levels, terminal 2 is grossly inadequate for capacity and resembles a crowded buss or railway station,, the fly dubai( Emirates) flight is never on time(was 2.5 hrs delayed), and this is not an isolated experience, the flght air conditioning was turned low while we waited on the tarmac for take clearance to save fuel, should say more!!!! The depths! I only fly this airline from a compulsion, emirates code shares for connections to Muscat

They changed the flight time without telling us and were unwilling to help with rebooking because we booked through orbits/kayak

Both flights to and back from Lyon with buses taking extra time and delaying flight at DXB. Food serving needed work.

I liked everything: the service, the food, the cleanness. I flew last year with Qatar Airways, so I can compare. Emirates did much better! Especially their meals and service.

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.

The main issue was that the flight from trivandrum to Dubai was delayed which resulted in arriving late in Dubai. Coincidentally the flight leaving out of Dubai to jfk was also delayed for different reason. Despite we reached the gate ( through wheel chair assistance) along with 10 other passengers we were not let in. The gate was open and yet was refrained from entering. We were then requested to flight the next morning. Meal vouchers were provided but the hotel reservations were not made and took a lot longer to receive that. If Emirates knew about the delay and was certain the passengers will not be able to board the next flight shouldn't they have prepared these ahead of time?

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

in today's time, an airline like emirates didnt serve drinks as requested, Excuse was full flight.

Could not board flight due to visa issue and emirates staff at the airport refused to help rebook flight because it was made by another provider. It took hours of communicating with my provider and Emirates staff each of whom said it was the others responsibility. As the time passed, I was eventually told it was too late for rebooking as I needed to do this at least three hours before the flight. Emirates staff also said the would unboard me but I believe I was recorded as a no show. Our first flight from Sydney to Dubai was more cramped than other airlines which was surprising considering their reputation.

The 2 sockets near me didjt work i had my phone by end of the flight on low bat and had issues to book uber thereafter Electrical sockets should work if emirates does not allow batteries Baggage claim in zurich took very long

All great, because I was given a seat with extra legroom on this part of my trip.

I appreciated the vailability of wheelchair services for persons with mobility issues all the way up to the aircraft. What could be better would be the food choices.

Initial booking was confusing and had to get new CC issued.

Excellent service. The personal adaptation of menus and the individual timing of service of them is fantastic.

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

Boarding from DOH to SYD the Business Class were pointed in a separate gate but no one there to receive us. Otherwise it was ok.

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

I wish the leg room was better for Economy especially for the outbound flights to India . The outbound flight to US and Qatar was good

I was travelling 3.5 years after. Agree Economy is no business class but the food was mediocre. Ordered a Hindu meal, the salads were bitter . The food was really below quality and had no tast from what I had in the past. Indian Railways probably have a better quality food when compared. However the kids meal was really nice and really appreciate how they were taken care of. The restrooms were dirty .

Not sure how we end up with American Airlines instead of Qatar Airways. From Philadelphia to Qatar they boarded us then they asked us to unload. After 30 minutes later they board us again. The inside the plane it was burning hot and we were sweating like crazy. Crew members are absolute rude. The way they served the passengers were horrible. One of the crew members hit my knee with food cart and kept going. I was holding an ice pack for almost 2 hours. I am still with the pain.

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

Kayak and Aran grant issuing business class tickets without lounge access and sometimes 1 or 2 connections in economy class. It’s very disappointing to find out that after buying the ticket. Never buy tickets on kayak and Aran grant again

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 fantastic. The flight from Chicago to Abu Dahbi was fantastic. The crew, food and service were amazing. Everything was handled by the crew member assigned to us , Nicholas, was usually done before we asked for it. Highly recommend Etihad!

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

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.

It’s a business class ticket but they didn’t give a lounge access

Seat space was tight and uncomfortable. There was hardly any cushioning giving me a terrible tail bone ache. Getting and out was extremely cramped. We paid for seat choices and felt totally ripped off. Food was mediocre. By the time the servers served 2 or 3 rows they ran out of this or that option as we saw on the inbound trip also. This is infuriating. Entertainment choices were extremely limited for such a long haul. The screen froze on occasion and did not switch off when the on off button was pressed. When it did it came back on its own in 5 seconds. The airlines has gone downhill since last year.

More leg space than other flights, but *maybe* narrower seats

Very delayed and uncomfortable seats. Nothing written in Urdu for Pakistanis. Tons of Pakistanis use the airline they should ensure the airline is accommodating them properly.

Everything was good except that they didn’t give us seat for our connecting flight in Istanbul from Cairo. This created a panic situation. Hopefully they give all customers connecting flights seats right from the start.

Requested food items were always finished but the available food was warm and tasted good Good entertainment options.

Bad chairs in business class like economy ( not turning into bed )

The entertainment selection itself was ok but the screen couldn't be turned off which was annoying because I wanted to read and not be distubed by flashing lights in front of me. I could see other people having the same problem with their screens. The crew seemed to be too busy to be bothered by our questions/requests. I found the seat quite uncomfortable, especially for a long flight. As a short person, I've accepted the inconvenience of always having seats higher than comfortable, but my neck hurt after a while because the headrest was too high and couldn't be adjusted further. The seat pockets in this plane seemed to be faulty. I could see people near me having the same problem of everything falling on the floor because it kept detaching from the back of the seat. It was pretty useless to keep anything in it, even the menu and sick bag wouldn't stay in. The food was meh. The omellete was just a hunk of egg - my next flight leg also offered omellete but was so much better than this one.

Space between seats is challenging but otherwise excellent service in every way.

Customer service was poor everywhere. In particular in business class lounge. Stewardess were however excellent. No ability to order more than one dietary restriction in food that created awkward situations when I was offered bulgur due to being diabetic as I was also gluten free

PLEASE GIVRE US PERMISSION TO BOOK SEAT NUMBER EVEN WITH FEES

Turkish Airline canceled our tickets in the very last minute, with our luggage and everything else, all prepared and good to go. It’s clear that they sold the tickets for better money to someone else. Bad, Bad, Bad business!!!

I am elderly and needed wheelchair assist. The ground crew assisting me with that part of my journey was rude, disrespectful and very hungry for money; the begging was distasteful and disrespect for females and the elderly was atrocious. Maybe they need to get a raise...I was out of small bills by time I reached home. As an american I am not use to the impoliteness. The ground crew make your wonderful airline appears poor in performance...a lot to be desired.

Awful seating. Bad food. Staff only have one bottle of water and no cans.

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.

The plane was old and the luggage racks above us were visibly shaking during turbulence. Water was dripping on our heads during landing. Our flight was over 2 hours late departing but we were not updated or told what to expect as the screen at the gate continued to read “on time”

It is nice and great but the houstees crew are all the way back arguing with customers and behavior issues same of the crew i saw that also all the trips were very much butter!

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.

My recent experience with ASKY Airlines was disappointing. The check-in process was disorganized, and I was provided with inaccurate information regarding baggage requirements, resulting in unforeseen expenses. Additionally, the ground staff demonstrated a lack of professionalism and appeared insufficiently trained to handle passenger needs effectively. Regrettably, this initial encounter has left me reluctant to consider future travel with the airline.

The Boeing 737 MAX on this route, flown in the middle of the night, is an UTTER FAILURE for business travellers. The whole point of business travel is to arrive alert and recover from travel quickly, and this little aeroplane with its quarter recline uncomfortable business seats does nothing for that. It’s a small step up from economy in that you have decent legroom, but that’s it. Absolute margin at the cost of the traveller.

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.

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.

Delays delays making us miss or next connection to IAD hence having to stay additional 24 hrs in Addis Ababa

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