IST

R5 706 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 1/6. 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.
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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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Cheap Flight Deals 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.

Recent return flight deals to Istanbul

KAYAK's recommended return flight deals from the most popular airlines that fly to Istanbul.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Qatar Airways Logo
13:55 - 6:20JNB-IST
15h 25m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
20:05 - 16:10IST-JNB
21h 05m1 stop
R10 421Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Mon, May 19 - Sat, May 24
Qatar Airways Logo
20:25 - 18:35JNB-IST
21h 10m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
13:45 - 16:10IST-JNB
27h 25m1 stop
R10 458Qatar Airways
Find Deal
Mon, May 26 - Sat, May 31
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:05JNB-IST
26h 15m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
7:30 - 8:20IST-JNB
25h 50m1 stop
R10 935Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Sun, Jun 15 - Sun, Jun 22
Turkish Airlines Logo
16:35 - 4:35CPT-IST
11h 00mdirect
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:45 - 11:50IST-CPT
11h 05mdirect
R11 137Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Mon, Jun 16 - Sun, Jun 22
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:05JNB-IST
26h 15m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
7:30 - 8:20IST-JNB
25h 50m1 stop
R11 412Etihad Airways
Find Deal
Thu, Sep 4 - Sat, Sep 27
Turkish Airlines Logo
16:35 - 4:35CPT-IST
11h 00mdirect
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:45 - 11:50IST-CPT
11h 05mdirect
R11 449Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
Tue, Jun 17 - Mon, Jun 23
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 4:45JNB-IST
13h 15m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
0:10 - 13:05IST-JNB
13h 55m1 stop
R11 687Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Mon, May 19 - Thu, May 29
Ethiopian Air Logo
14:30 - 4:45JNB-IST
13h 15m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:00 - 20:10IST-JNB
13h 10m1 stop
R12 164Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
Fri, May 23 - Sat, May 31
Emirates Logo
13:05 - 21:35CPT-IST
31h 30m1 stop
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 16:50IST-CPT
25h 25m1 stop
R12 329Emirates
Find Deal
Sun, Jun 1 - Sat, Jun 7
Emirates Logo
13:05 - 14:25CPT-IST
24h 20m1 stop
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 11:35IST-CPT
20h 10m1 stop
R12 696Emirates
Find Deal
Thu, May 22 - Thu, May 29
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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.

In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul Airport was found on the route from Johannesburg, at R191 196 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul Airport and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R10 568 in the last 3 days.

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.

A flight to Istanbul Airport costs R12 397 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 694 and departed from Cape Town. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Johannesburg to Istanbul Airport which costs R15 743 on average, and Cape Town to Istanbul Airport, which costs R16 652 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 February, where tickets cost R10 403 on average for return flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are December and June, where the average cost of tickets from South Africa is R14 696 and R11 889 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is February with an average price of R11 540.

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 R13 590 return, from Cape Town R14 010 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 3 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 9 weeks before departure.

Good to know – Book Cheap Istanbul Airport Plane Tickets

Low seasonFebruary
High seasonSeptember
Cheapest flightR5 706
Best time to beat the crowds (9% less expensive on average)
Most popular time to fly (1% more expensive on average)
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 Airport flights

  • What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul Airport?

    In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul Airport was found on the route from Johannesburg, at R191 196 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul Airport and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R10 568 in the last 3 days.

  • 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 R12 397. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R6 694 and departed from Cape Town Intl Airport.

  • What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul?

    Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul is Tuesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as R14 680. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are R16 173 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 in the morning, when round-trip flights cost R560 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 R827.

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

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

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Istanbul 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 Cape Town R19 074, from Johannesburg OR Tambo R37 648
  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Istanbul Airport flight deals.

Prefer to fly direct to Istanbul?

Find which airlines fly direct to Istanbul Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

South Africa to Istanbul

Monday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +112 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +113 more

Tuesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +112 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +113 more

Wednesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +111 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +112 more

Thursday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +116 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +117 more

Friday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +113 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +114 more

Saturday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +111 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +112 more

Sunday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +114 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +115 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Istanbul to South Africa

Monday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +112 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +113 more

Tuesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +112 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +113 more

Wednesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +111 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +112 more

Thursday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +116 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +117 more

Friday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +113 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +114 more

Saturday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +111 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +112 more

Sunday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +114 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +115 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

Top 5 airlines flying to Istanbul

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying to Istanbul. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline from South Africa to Istanbul. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with to Istanbul? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
8,0
EmiratesOverall score based on 3221 reviews
8,3Crew
7,8Food
8,2Entertainment
8,0Comfort
8,1Boarding
Airline reviews

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

10,0 ExcellentAnonymous, Mar 2025CPT - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

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

Good flight overall. Good options of food on NY-Dubai-Mumbai leg. Not that good reversing back. The flight crew is courteous and professional as always. The seating was much more comfortable going into Mumbai than coming back. Cheers!

Comfort poor, little leg room, cabin temperature too hot. No free entertainment. No complementary drinks. Overal experience poor and would not travel with them again.

Good food, real silverware, polite staff, smooth landing, charging plugs, good entertainment options.

The ground staff on Islamabad is horrible. The on board services are excellent.

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

The food was amazing on our flight. So many options for movies and shows to stay entertained for 12 hours.

A very disappointing flight on this Emirates business class. Staff were not efficient and service was not the e usual Emirates experience. Good was particularly bad with very dry chicken and drinks that I had to press call button before getting a drink as my food sat and continue to get cold.

Not too happy with ground staff at Dubai airport. We had asked for wheel chair, and we were told to walk a long distance, poorly organised. And then at boarding to Mumbai flight wecwere treated rudely by the local Emirates staff forced to check in our cabin bags, we told them we were transiting.

The crew were friendly, dressed professionally and helpful when needed. The food was good to very good. The seats were comfortable and entertainment selections were excellent.   For that long of a flight Athens to Newark Economy is a little tight and the space became uncomfortable about mid-way. Next time I would try and get a Premium Economy seat. Especially for the return flight when one can be less enthused and tired. On the way to a vacation enthusiasm can outweigh discomfort.

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

Liked some flight attendants. 1 was rude I'll not say her name I don't want to get her jn trouble on my flight back to Dallas from Doha. Very rude to some races of people clearly. She needs a better attitude and bedside manners. Asking her questions and she responds "WHAT" twice rudely like I was bothering her and "is it going to be cranberry or mango juice with an attitude".

Qatar Airways did a very good job. Flights were slightly delayed with boarding but pilots made up time by arrival. The food was OK, no better or worse than other airlines. Although it would be nice to have three meals during 16 hours flight instead of two.

I recently travelled in Business Class with Qatar Airways, and overall, it was a pleasant experience. The cabin crew stood out for their kindness and professionalism, making the journey truly comfortable. The food exceeded expectations and was exceptional in both quality and presentation. The boarding staff was courteous, though I would like to mention that the staff member responsible for checking tickets during boarding could benefit from additional training to be more welcoming. A warm and hospitable approach would enhance the passenger experience significantly. However, one aspect of the journey was particularly frustrating. The in-flight entertainment system was disappointing, as the headphones provided did not work at all due to a loose connection. This significantly impacted the experience, especially since the flight also lacked Wi-Fi service. Addressing these issues would greatly enhance the overall travel experience. Lastly, I would suggest implementing a section-wise boarding process to streamline the boarding experience and minimise potential challenges. I appreciate the efforts Qatar Airways puts into delivering high-quality service and hope to see these improvements implemented in the future.

Well organized boarding, efficient and on time. Nice crew on the plane. Thank you!

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

Seat experience average as they use old 777 for must flights despite full load. Qr fares are higher than other airlines for same routes so they should at least upgrade the planes . Food is average and same dishes for months on most routes I travelled at least - the Arabian rice dish “Maqboos” on every flight for months - I am sure there are other food Arabian dishes ?? It’s become boring ! Crew is always good which makes up for these things but hey confirm us what we need

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

Being a QR Platinum member traveling in business class, I expected the staff to be more courteous. Unfortunately, the lady staff was rude attending business class 1K side.

The rows of seats in economy class are seriously close to one another making eating and resting just about impossible - there is hardly any legroom. Anyone larger than average size would have an incredibly uncomfortable flight. I had to basically share my seat with the lady passenger next to me as she was too big to fit into her allotted seat.

second leg was more comfortable. Customer service in Abu Dhabi is okay.

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

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

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.

Horrible. After paying for seats, I was cramped, my daughters legs kept hitting the seat in front, I had no overhead bin space and no help from stewards on board, the food was served cold, when asked for snacks was told to wait and never received any, the flight was cold with no temperature controls. Entertainment was outdated. I booked this through partnership with American Airlines but will avoid in the future.

Flight was delayed due to slow boarding process by etihad. Update food options and movies as well.

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

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

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

The staff were wonderful but the seats weren't very comfortable for a bigger guy like me.

Very punctual, the onboard staff was friendly and correct, the flight was fortunately very calm, the toilets were clean, in short, an excellent experience Thanks

The flight attendants were great! The seating for business class is better on other airlines. The food was also good!

Great food, great entertainment and very helpful, caring & attentive staff.

Flight Singapore - Istanbul was perfect. Flight Istanbul - Sao Paolo - Buenos Aires was really good but there was a big delay in Sao Paolo (Brazil) due to a problem with the ground staff and not related to Turkish Airline. Overall a very good and solid experience

The segment bkk ist was ok. The segment ist to yul the boarding was chaotic with 5 control before get in the plain, in addition to normal control by scanner and metal detector during transfert

The in flight entertainment was very good but unfortunately I feel they could have been more attentive to the customer. This is saw on all my Turkish airlines flights , besides dinner service you never really saw the attendants.

The flight was great. From the first to the last step, the staff was very helpful and understanding. I also always enjoy Turkish Airlines food because it’s flavorful, fresh (like salads and very delicious bread ) and has special things like olives, dates… I loved that bean salad and apricot pie. I also enjoyed the movies. Thank you!

Ordered Vegan meal - it was ok, but not exceptional. Seat ok row 39 middle section aisle. Nearly full flight - crew was busy but they did the best they could. There was a USB A port at the seat. I listened to my own music and only looked at flight information. One nice thing was the connection information was made available in the screen.

I recently flew with Turkish Airlines, and I can confidently say it was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment I boarded, the crew was incredibly attentive, warm, and professional. They went above and beyond to ensure everyone was comfortable and well taken care of throughout the flight. The highlight, however, was the food! I’ve flown with many airlines, but Turkish Airlines sets the bar incredibly high when it comes to in-flight dining. Every meal was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The variety of dishes, even on a long-haul flight, was impressive. It felt like dining at a high-end restaurant at 35,000 feet! The seats were comfortable, the entertainment options were great, and the overall atmosphere made the journey enjoyable. Turkish Airlines truly excels in combining luxury and hospitality. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again—highly recommend!

Very nice and friendly crew. Boarding system can be improved.

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

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

For Vegetarian Food was very poor. Though we had opted for Asian Vegetarian Food they didn’t serve but only what was available was served. We were offered Smoked Salmon!

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

Needs improvement because some of the tvs and charging ports weren’t working

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

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

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

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

I liked nothing of Ethiopian airlines except the price of the fare.

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