£437 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Istanbul – Compare and Save

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport:

• Earliest: departs at 18:35 and lands at 07:41
• Latest: departs at 19:35 and lands at 08:41.

The flight takes about 13h 06m.

Only Economy class is available on flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport.

A direct flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport takes 13h 06m, covering 6,684 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 San Francisco to Istanbul Airport range from £708 to £1,040, with an average of £854 over the past 12 months. Anything below £708 counts as a good deal.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within two weeks of departure) run 10% above the £854 route average. Book 17 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average £528 return via Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH), compared with £865 for direct.

Turkish Airlines is the only airline operating San Francisco to Istanbul Airport flights. 89% of its flights are on time.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge £52–£75 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Airbus A350-900 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Turkish Airlines. Other aircraft seen on the route include Boeing 777-300ER variants.

Evening is the busiest departure period on San Francisco to Istanbul Airport flights, with 100% leaving in that window. Morning departures account for 0%, Afternoon flights for 0%, and Night flights for 0%.

One-way fares from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about £477, which is 12% below the typical average for this route.

Istanbul Airport (IST) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around £30 for economy cars. Top options include:

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

Flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport usually depart from San Francisco (SFO) and arrive at Istanbul (IST).

Evening flights have the fewest delays on this route, while afternoon departures tend to have the most.

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 San Francisco to Istanbul Airport route, 11% of flights were delayed in the past three months, with delays averaging 2h 10m.

One-stop flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport most commonly connect through:

• Frankfurt am Main (FRA) – 44% of one-stop connections
• Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) – 10% of one-stop connections
• London Heathrow (LHR) – 9% of one-stop connections
• Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) – 9% of one-stop connections

Yes. Flexible dates can save you up to 11% on flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport. Wednesday is the cheapest departure day at £806 return on average, while Friday is the most expensive at £899, a difference of £94.

KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to three days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

Only Turkish Airlines operates flights between San Francisco and Istanbul Airport.

Flying via Frankfurt am Main (FRA) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 17h 09m, compared to 18h 36m via London Heathrow (LHR) and 18h 40m via Warsaw Frederic Chopin (WAW).

Istanbul Airport is 10 hours ahead of San Francisco (Turkey Time vs Pacific Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Some of the most popular sights in Istanbul Airport are Taksim Square, Sultan Ahmet Camii, and Ayasofya. These are among the most viewed places in Istanbul Airport 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
• IndiGo: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Business Class
• Pakistan International Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Business Class

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