Find Cheap Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul – Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul:

• Earliest: departs at 06:05 and lands at 09:59
• Latest: departs at 22:40 and lands at 02:34.

The flight takes about 3h 54m.

Two cabin classes are available on flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul:

• Economy class
• Business Class

A direct flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul takes 3h 54m, covering 1,565 miles.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

Return flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul range from £189 to £320, with an average of £245 over the past 12 months. Anything below £189 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 4% above the route average of £245. Book 26 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average £208 return via Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG), compared with £244 for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge £23–£75 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

Morning is the busiest departure period on London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul flights, with 45% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 22%, Evening flights for 22%, and Night flights for 11%.

Since Istanbul is served by multiple airports, car hire options and rates can vary depending on which one you fly into.
Near Istanbul Airport (IST) – daily rates from around £8:

• CIRCULAR
• Avec Car Rental
• Ok Mobility
• Alamo
• Autounion Car Rental

Near Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) – daily rates from around £9:

• Avec Car Rental
• CIRCULAR
• Final Rentals
• Autounion Car Rental
• ESSENCE CAR RENTAL

Flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul usually depart from London Heathrow (LHR) and may arrive at several airports in Istanbul area, including Istanbul (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW).

Night flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul route, 8% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 2 minutes.

One-stop flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul most commonly connect through:

• Frankfurt am Main (FRA) – 24% of one-stop connections
• Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) – 23% of one-stop connections
• Munich Franz Josef Strauss (MUC) – 16% of one-stop connections
• Warsaw Frederic Chopin (WAW) – 13% of one-stop connections

Frankfurt am Main (FRA) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 10% on the London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul route. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at £232 return on average, while Monday is the most expensive at £255, a difference of £23. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

2 airlines operate flights between London Heathrow Airport and Istanbul. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• Turkish Airlines
• British Airways

Flying via Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 6h 52m, compared to 6h 57m via Vienna Intl (VIE) and 7h 00m via Stuttgart Echterdingen (STR).

Istanbul is 2 hours ahead of London Heathrow Airport (Turkey Time vs British Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in Istanbul are Taksim Square, Sultan Ahmet Camii, and Ayasofya. These are among the most viewed places in Istanbul on KAYAK.

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Turkish Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• British Airways: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Pakistan International Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Car hire companies are open 24 hours a day to meet your needs when you arrive in Istanbul. Both Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gocken have car hire companies located in arrivals. At Istanbul Airport, you can choose from leading companies like Avec, Budget and Enterprise Rent-a-car, whilst at Sabiha Gocken, there is Avis, Budget and Euronet.

The recommended way to travel is taking the Heathrow Express. It’s a fast and direct service taking around 15min from London Paddington to Heathrow. Services depart roughly every 20min, and tickets can be purchased from £5.50 depending on which class you would prefer.

A cost-effective way from Istanbul Airport is via shuttle bus, which will take around 1hr 40min to arrive at the centre. The price ranges from around ₺5.20-30 (24p-£1.40). You also have the option to go by car, which may take around 50min to arrive; taxi prices are very fair at about ₺200 (£9.30). If you land in Sabiha Gocken, shuttle buses are the preferred way of travel, as they drop you in Taksim. The journey time can take around 1h 30min, and prices begin from roughly ₺109 (£5).

If you’re travelling with children, London Heathrow has options to keep them occupied. For kids aged 0-9, there is a soft play area that is usually open from 06:00-21:00 every day. During the school holidays, some participating restaurants in Heathrow offer complimentary children’s meals. Toilets and baby-changing facilities are located throughout the terminals.