£73 Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul – Compare and Save

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 18/8. 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

 
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
£122
Typical prices: £88-£136
Wizz Air
Wed 2/9Mon 21/9
LTN - IST • Direct
Cheapest one-way flight
£73
Typical prices: £69-£122
Wizz Air
Tue 18/8
LTN - IST • Direct
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Best reviews • 7.4 score
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When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 5 weeks in advance save around 14% compared to booking last minute.
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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

Wed, 2 Sep - Mon, 21 Sep
Wizz Air Logo
07:05 - 13:10
LTN
-
IST
4h 05mdirect
Wizz Air Logo
13:50 - 15:55
IST
-
LTN
4h 05mdirect
£122Wizz Air
Sun, 8 Nov - Sun, 15 Nov
Pegasus Airlines Logo
15:40 - 22:25
STN
-
SAW
3h 45mdirect
Pegasus Airlines Logo
15:10 - 16:10
SAW
-
STN
4h 00mdirect
£122Pegasus Airlines
Fri, 13 Nov - Mon, 16 Nov
Pegasus Airlines Logo
12:10 - 19:05
LGW
-
SAW
3h 55mdirect
Pegasus Airlines Logo
09:45 - 11:05
SAW
-
LGW
4h 20mdirect
£122Pegasus Airlines
Mon, 14 Sep - Sun, 20 Sep
Wizz Air Logo
13:30 - 19:30
LGW
-
IST
4h 00mdirect
Wizz Air Logo
20:15 - 22:20
IST
-
LGW
4h 05mdirect
£122Wizz Air
Mon, 28 Sep - Wed, 30 Sep
Ajet Logo
22:30 - 18:35
STN
-
SAW
18h 05m
1 stop
Ajet Logo
19:45 - 21:50
SAW
-
STN
4h 05mdirect
£127Ajet
Fri, 11 Sep - Sun, 27 Sep
Ajet Logo
22:30 - 15:00
STN
-
SAW
14h 30m
1 stop
Ajet Logo
18:55 - 21:35
SAW
-
STN
28h 40m
1 stop
£129Ajet
Thu, 29 Oct - Sat, 14 Nov
British Airways Logo
06:40 - 13:35
LHR
-
IST
3h 55mdirect
British Airways Logo
14:55 - 16:20
IST
-
LHR
4h 25mdirect
£133British Airways
Sun, 15 Nov - Wed, 18 Nov
British Airways Logo
13:20 - 20:15
LHR
-
IST
3h 55mdirect
British Airways Logo
18:45 - 20:00
IST
-
LHR
4h 15mdirect
£140British Airways
Fri, 4 Sep - Tue, 8 Sep
KLM Logo
17:10 - 01:20
LHR
-
IST
6h 10m
1 stop
KLM Logo
17:20 - 20:55
IST
-
LHR
5h 35m
1 stop
£159KLM
Tue, 1 Sep - Wed, 9 Sep
KLM Logo
17:10 - 01:20
LCY
-
IST
6h 10m
1 stop
KLM Logo
17:20 - 07:55
IST
-
LCY
16h 35m
1 stop
£184KLM
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?

These are the best round-trip prices found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 5 days.

In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul was found on the route from London, at £122 return. The most popular connection is from London to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as £122 in the last 3 days.

How much is a flight to Istanbul?

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

A flight to Istanbul costs £417 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost £43 and departed from London Luton Airport. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Manchester to Istanbul which costs £505 on average, and London to Istanbul, which costs £435 on average.

See prices from:

What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul?

The average price of all round-trip flights to Istanbul clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

Based on KAYAK data, the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul is Monday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as £493. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are £535 on average.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul?

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights to Istanbul, 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 is November, where tickets cost £137 on average for return flights. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and August, where the average cost of tickets from the United Kingdom is £288 and £283 respectively. For one-way flights, the best month to travel is September with an average price of £73.

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

The average price for all round-trip flights to Istanbul depending on the time of departure, clicked by users on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

The cheapest time of day to fly to Istanbul is generally in the afternoon, when round-trip flights cost £242 on average. The most expensive time of day to fly to Istanbul is generally in the evening, which is peak travel time and where the average cost of a ticket is £585.

What is a good deal for flights to Istanbul?

If you’re looking for cheap airfare to Istanbul, 25% of our users found tickets to Istanbul for the following prices or less: From London Luton Airport £153 return, from Bristol £196 return, from London Gatwick Airport £227 return.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights to Istanbul, 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 5 weeks before departure, which saves you about 14% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Which is the cheapest airport to fly into in Istanbul?

Prices will differ depending on the departure airport, but generally, the cheapest airport to fly to in Istanbul is Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), with an average flight price of £214.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight to Istanbul

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Jenna Scatena

Jenna Scatena

Expert on IST

Journalist and Travel Writer, Jenna Scatena is an award-winning travel writer with a love for sharing stories and exploring new places, especially by Vespa. Though she's from San Francisco, she has spent a significant chunk of her vacation days over the last decade eating her way through Texas and sleeping in hotels around the world—especially in California, the Middle East, and Europe.

Good to know - Cheap tickets to Istanbul

Cheapest flight£73
Flight from London Luton Airport 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 flights

  • How many airports are there in Istanbul?

    Istanbul is served by two international airports, which can often be more convenient depending on where in the city you are staying. New Istanbul Airport sits to the north-west of the Turkish capital, while Sabiha Gokcen Airport is to the south-east. By booking through KAYAK, you can find flights to both so check where your hotel is situated to make your trip that bit easier.

  • How do I get from the airport to central Istanbul via public transport?

    From New Istanbul Airport, you can catch the HAVAIST shuttle bus. For example, to get to the central district of Taksim you can catch the HVIST-14 bus with a duration of 90min and a price of ₺30 (roughly £2.60). To get from Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Taksim, you can catch the HAVABUS which costs ₺18 (roughly £1.60).

  • Are there on-site hotels at the airports in Istanbul?

    IST airport offers sleeping pods that can be rented as well as an on-site hotel, with rooms both landside and airside. At SAW Airport you can also find services offered by Kepler, which includes a private lounge with sleeping pods to rent per hour or for the day.

  • Which Istanbul airport is nearest to Hagia Sophia?

    The nearest airport to Hagia Sophia is New Istanbul Airport, which is roughly 28 miles away. By flying in to IST airport, there is no need for you to cross the Bosphorus River to get to the Hagia Sophia and other nearby attractions as you would if you flew into SAW Airport.

  • Which is the nearest airport to Bursa?

    If you are planning on travelling to Bursa, it is best to fly into Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW). From there, you can get to Bursa by driving southwards for roughly 75 miles or 90min. A bus service also runs from Istanbul Otogari, which costs roughly ₺80 or £7 and has a total duration of around 3h.

  • Are there any family-friendly facilities at Istanbul airport?

    At Istanbul Airport, families with children under five years old are permitted to use the allocated Family First security check points. Infant Care rooms throughout the airport make it easy to change and feed babies in comfort. Arriving passengers with toddlers can take advantage of the strollers located at the flight gates to get to the baggage collection areas.

  • Can I book a Meet & Greet Service on arrival?

    Passengers arriving at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport can reserve Airport Meet & Greet services, which include an escort through visa and immigration and assistance with luggage. You can also book the ALLWAYS Fast Track Service, which offers priority access through passport and security control.

  • Where can I fly to in Turkey once I arrive in Istanbul?

    Once you arrive in Istanbul, you can fly to a number of domestic destinations within Turkey from Istanbul Airport or Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. Popular cities include Antalya, Ankara, Bodrum, Eskisehir, İzmir, Nevsehir and Trabzon.

  • What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul?

    In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul was found on the route from London, at £122 return. The most popular connection is from London to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as £122 in the last 3 days.

  • Which Istanbul airport is closest to central Istanbul?

    There are 2 airports in Istanbul. The closest airport to Istanbul’s city centre is Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (20 miles). Istanbul Airport is 21 miles from the centre.

  • How much is a flight to Istanbul?

    On average, a flight to Istanbul costs £417. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost £43 and departed from London Luton Airport.

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

    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.

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

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

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

    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 up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

Top tips for finding cheap flights to Istanbul

  • Enter your preferred departure airport and travel dates into the search form above to unlock the latest Istanbul flight deals.
  • For a taxi from the airports to the city centre, you can expect to pay around ₺170 (£15) for a ride to or from both New Istanbul (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen (SAW) Airport.
  • For direct flights going to Istanbul, look out for those operated by Turkish Airlines, the national airline of Turkey, or its low-cost alternative Pegasus Airlines.
  • If you are looking to hire a car, you can find a number of companies operating from the Arrivals Terminal at New Istanbul Airport including Avis, Budget, Enterprise and Europcar.
  • If you need to freshen up after your flight, you can find spa services at New Istanbul Airport at the Ambassador Spa located in the International Terminal on the airside.
  • To use public transport in Istanbul, it is a good idea to buy and top-up an IstanbulKart, which can be purchased for ₺10 (roughly £0.85) from the yellow and blue machines in the Arrivals Terminal at Istanbul Airport and offers a discount on journeys.
  • The fastest direct flights from the UK to Istanbul depart from London Stansted Airport and arrive at Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW). If you prefer to depart from London Heathrow or London Gatwick, you can find direct flights to Istanbul Airport (IST). A number of airlines operate along these routes including Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, and British Airways.
  • Passengers arriving on a late flight to Istanbul can stay the night at the ISG Airport Hotel in the passenger terminal of Sabiha Gokcen Airport or the YOTEL Istanbul Airport Hotel at Istanbul Airport. If you are transiting through Istanbul, this is a good option to get some rest.
  • If you are arriving on an early flight to Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, you can leave your luggage in the Baggage Storage Office in the International Arrivals terminal. It is open 24/7 and fees are charged depending on the size of your luggage.

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 the United Kingdom 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.
7.4
Turkish AirlinesOverall score based on 4431 reviews
7.3Boarding
7.8Crew
7.5Food
7.5Entertainment
7.3Comfort
Airline reviews

I paid for the seat and found out that the seat doesn't recline. The staff didn't help in arranging an alternative.

4.0 OkayNauman, Jun 2026
RUH - IST
Read more Turkish Airlines reviews

I paid for the seat and found out that the seat doesn't recline. The staff didn't help in arranging an alternative.

Food could of been a bit more premium, but everything was excellent. LOVED the innovative boarding drinks and terrific service!

Staff could have been friendlier and offered drinks more often

They have adopted a crazy "no paper boarding passes at all cost policy". We spent half an our at the checkin stall – my elderly mother and her grandchildren were flying. She had no phone reception for some reason (besides being an inexperienced smartphone user), the kids had dumbphones, And they still won't issue a paper boarding pass. We had to do a lengthy dance with getting the boarding pass SMS on my phone and transferring them to her phone via WiFi. This was horrible, honestly. I can't imagine how they could manage it without me being there. Trees (and airline profits) should be less important than people.

Staff friendly. Business class but issue with flat bed. Incoming Turkish flight delayed. Made connection due to fast buggy but luggage did not make it. Confusion at Delhi airport

Very good overall.... apart from the cost of extra check ed in luggage where they charge £17 per kg, and no option to just buy an extra bag allowance (at least on the route I took)

Very old plane on the Istanbul to Bangkok flight, had an emergency exit isle row, no where to put anything, on a plus point loads of leg room. Food was the best I have had in 39 years of flying.

It was a nightmare. I booked business class ticket from Ediburgh to Beirut via Istanbul to attend a funeral. I had a wonderful experience flying to Istanbul from Edinburgh. Then I could not get a boarding pass issued to Beirut. It seems that although they booked me and I had a reservation number, I had no seat allocated and the flight was full. I was asked to go from one desk to another and made to wait for 2 hours. I missed my flight as I did not have a seat assigned and it was full. The only option was to put me on the next flight, 6 hours later, for a fee of over $400. They said that was the best they can do to 'help me' and to 'take it or leave it'. Well, I was not about to be bullied; I stood my ground. I booked and paid premium for the journey, which was confirmed. The eventually accepted to not charge me extra and i waited a total of over 8 hours in the airport with no compensation. On top of my grief with the risk of missing the funeral service, I had to put up with their indifference and condescending attitude. They spoke about me in Turkish thinking I would not understand (I hold a British passport) in front of me. When they eventually handed my passport and boarding pass back to me, I showed them I was born in Istanbul and that I understood everything and said a condescending 'thank you' back to them in Turkish. You should have seen their faces. I said that consumers have rights and it is a shame that Turkish Airlines does not have good customer service to at least acknowledge and apologize for errors committed by the airline. Blaming the me, the client, for such an error and placing unreasonable ultimatums, rudeness and dismissiveness to be rid of me, particularly when I was vulnerable and visibly grieving was really shocking... The airline taints the city of Istanbul and the people of Türkiye. Such a shame.

A good airline, but at checking in, they allocated seats for my wife, and I far away from each other, and to change them, they wanted a payment, such a bad policy, it leaves a bitter taste in the mouth All was good on the plane, good food, but the air hostess was abrupt and a bit rough dealing with the passengers, but one has to find excuses for staff working under pressure

I found it okay. Did not think the food was that great. And the service could have been better. Seat was a little cramped. Delay getting to Istanbul made me rush all the way across the airport to get to the connection. This was a not good experience.

Flight changed and cancelled several times over the months in advance that I booked it. However, actual flight went well, no delays, spacious seats. Had some landing issues but otherwise, fine. Also loved that they don’t check weight of luggage!

Seats are disaster, not comfortable at all. With my height 183 cm there were no space for my legs... The airplane was Turkish airlines and no entertainment on board.

Bad. Cancelled and delayed flight. Payed 25£ for seat but got just normal one. No one refunded the money.

Great flight and great crew. Many thanks to them for their hard work making our trip so relaxing.

The plane was too hot inside. There was no entertainment and we had to sit on the plane for one hour before takeoff. There was no free wifi.

Online check-in was unavailable for my flight. So I waited 40 min in the queue at the check-in counter. Then, unlike any other airline in the world (and I am a very frequent international flyer) Pegasus was adamant that my CPAP was just another carry on and that I had to pay extra for it. Then, after I had paid in advance for a seat, they insisted I could not sit in an exit row because I was over 60 years old (I'm clearly in good shape and buy exit row seats more or less weekly). We pushed back harder and harder and insisted on talking to the station chief, who spoke with the counter staff by phone (not to me) and eventually relented. Experience on boarf was ok-- for a budget airline.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DGVSRsasQcG/?igsh=dmkxa2s1eHNlbHZs

The airport staff were some of the worst I've ever flown, and I fly at least 50x every year. From the staff at the gate, to the check in staff, to the ticketing sales staff. My experience in Instanbul was so bad Ill.never fly Pegasus again. They were incredibly rude, dismissive and not helpful whatsoever. This is the worst of the worst if you want to fly a budget airline I'd go elsewhere. The airplane seats are really uncomfortable and don't recline at all, you get charged for every single thing so in the end you will pay more flying with them. The crew on the plane were the only kind people we encountered with Pegasus.

The crew were outstandingly kind and cheerful. We carried our cat and they offered help.

Late departure. No announcements. Boarding was a disaster. Some kind of technical issue scanning boarding passes.

It was like moving cattle around. Very abrupt, uncomfortable and not much hospitality

All good but air not give the pasing er any food even glase of water

Flight delayed by 1hr when we already boarded because someone had to get off. Leg room is terrible for 6ft people like me.

Food is horrible. Flight was good and the staff were mostly men.

Delayed suitcase - terrible service to get my suitcase next day, I was informed it would arrive today in the afternoon (Jun/28). Now, I was informed I may or may not receive it until 3 am (Jun/29).

Seats were comfortable, but boarding was the worst I've ever seen. Way too much walking to get onboard as we had to go up & down steps several & then bus took us halfway around the airport for boarding & had to board outside after a very long bus rood.

I will never want to book with these people. They are arrogant and rude. Food was really really bad, crew was even worst

Business class to Istanbul. Packed flight. Cabin crew seemed incapable of differentiating between economy and business passengers with regard to access to the WC which meant whole flight I had people standing in aisle and leaning into my aisle seat, queueing for the front WC. Crew put it down to a lack of curtain between the two classes. The seats, for a 3hrs55 min flight were just standard seats with middle seat unoccupied. So nothing special apart from the food, which was mediocre. Aside from the roast chicken dinner (‘special’ traditional British menu option, which looked poor but tasted good I gather). However 2 king prawns does not make a main course salad.

Terrible. Missed my flight to final destination because of delayed British Airways flight. Had to spend 12 hours in airport and $1500 for new plane tickets

I asked for a wheelchair. I have a back health condition. I had to walk a lot

Boarding = No one respected the boarding groups. The ground crew did nothing to enforce the boarding system. What is the point of being a Gold member when there are no benefits to that? Tired old plane

The flight and the staff was excellent. Only bad thing is no entertainment and you have to pay for anything other than water.

Flight departed 45 mins late Crew great Food items missing from breakfast

Far easier than I expected it to be. Checked in online & had our boarding passes emailed through. Straight through security & boarded on time. No issues.

The crew at Check-in was very helpful. It’s was appreciate.

Half an hour delay. Squeezed into a small Departure Lounge with very few seats. Noisy flight with screaming unruly kids. Loud IPads and Phones. Heaven!

Were delayed in the airport for 5 hours with no explanation. Flight kept getting delayed by an hour at a time and wizz air staff were no where to be found

Delayed delayed delayed - always with Wizzair. Staff were friendly and well mannered but clearly the company is unorganized and the aircrafts are outdated.

It's a budget airline. Great for short flight. Smooth landing.

4 hr delay and only told less than 2hrs before. Only given water and nuts on the flight as complimentary service. Left to wait in rain before boarding.

To be honest I did not like anything. Communication to why my flight was cancelled mid air 2 and half hours into my flight. Customer service desk were not helpful with providing information or a solution on what can be done.

What I liked new airplane Sitting was extremely uncomfortable! Crew not smiley at all Always chewing gum

The flight was cancelled just 4 hours before the take off...

Everything you need to know for your flight to Istanbul

Flights with popular airlines flying to Istanbul

Flights from the other most popular airlines that fly from the United Kingdom to Istanbul according to KAYAK users. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability are not guaranteed.