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Everything you should know

Cheapest return flight
$1,206
Typical prices: $1,411-$1,964
Air China
Mon 12/11Sun 25/11
SYD - IST • 1 stop
Cheapest direct flights
$2,038
Typical prices: $1,842-$2,405
Turkish Airlines
Thu 15/11Sun 2/12
SYD - IST • Direct
Top airlines
Best reviews • 8.1 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
Top routes
Cheapest • 17% average savings
Most popular
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travellers who book at least 18 weeks in advance save around 18% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 10% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
+1
Good to know
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Flight Deals

Cheap Flights to Istanbul

 
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent return flight deals to Istanbul

Thu, 12 Nov - Wed, 25 Nov
Air China Logo
10:40 - 08:20Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
29h 40m1 stop Beijing Capital
Air China Logo
14:55 - 08:05Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
33h 10m1 stop Beijing Capital
$1,206Air China
1 day ago
Thu, 12 Nov - Wed, 25 Nov
Air China Logo
10:40 - 08:20Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
29h 40m1 stop Beijing Capital
Air China Logo
14:55 - 08:05Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
33h 10m1 stop Beijing Capital
$1,207Air China
3+ days ago
Sat, 21 Nov - Mon, 28 Dec
Sichuan Airlines Logo
21:25 - 06:40Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
41h 15m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
Sichuan Airlines Logo
15:40 - 15:05Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
39h 25m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
$1,210Sichuan Airlines
1 day ago
Sat, 21 Nov - Sun, 27 Dec
Sichuan Airlines Logo
21:25 - 06:40Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
41h 15m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
Sichuan Airlines Logo
15:40 - 15:05Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
39h 25m1 stop Chengdu Tianfu Intl
$1,210Sichuan Airlines
1 day ago
Mon, 26 Oct - Wed, 18 Nov
China Eastern Logo
21:30 - 08:10Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
42h 40m1 stop Shanghai Pu Dong
China Eastern Logo
13:35 - 09:05Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
35h 30m3 stops Shanghai Pu Dong Xi'an Xianyang Nanjing Lukou Intl
$1,213China Eastern
14 hours ago
Wed, 4 Nov - Fri, 20 Nov
China Eastern Logo
21:30 - 08:10Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
42h 40m1 stop Shanghai Pu Dong
China Eastern Logo
13:35 - 09:00Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
35h 25m3 stops Shanghai Pu Dong Xi'an Xianyang Nanjing Lukou Intl
$1,216China Eastern
3+ days ago
Fri, 5 Feb - Sat, 13 Feb
Etihad Airways Logo
21:30 - 12:50Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
23h 20m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
Etihad Airways Logo
13:55 - 06:30Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
32h 35m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
$1,217Etihad Airways
21 hours ago
Tue, 3 Nov - Fri, 20 Nov
China Southern Logo
15:10 - 07:10Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
24h 00m1 stop Guangzhou Baiyun
China Southern Logo
14:25 - 20:25Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
22h 00m1 stop Guangzhou Baiyun
$1,219China Southern
3+ days ago
Fri, 6 Nov - Sat, 21 Nov
Etihad Airways Logo
21:30 - 12:50Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
23h 20m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
Etihad Airways Logo
13:55 - 06:30Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
32h 35m1 stop Abu Dhabi Zayed Intl
$1,219Etihad Airways
3+ days ago
Mon, 26 Oct - Wed, 18 Nov
China Southern Logo
11:25 - 06:40Sydney  Sydney Kingsford Smith-Istanbul Istanbul
27h 15m2 stops Guangzhou Baiyun Beijing Daxing Intl
China Southern Logo
14:25 - 20:25Istanbul  Istanbul-Sydney Sydney Kingsford Smith
22h 00m1 stop Guangzhou Baiyun
$1,230China Southern
3+ days ago
Booking Insights

Price, demand, and travel trends for flights to Istanbul Airport

Use KAYAK data on prices, travel dates, airlines, and seasonal trends to compare options and book flights with more confidence.

What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul Airport?

Sydney to Istanbul Airport is the cheapest route at $1,206 return, found in the past 5 days on KAYAK. KAYAK data shows this is also the most popular route.

How much is a flight to Istanbul Airport?

On average, a return flight from Australia to Istanbul Airport costs $1,670, based on KAYAK data over the past 12 months. Return fares from Melbourne Airport average $1,649, while Sydney runs a bit higher at $1,657.

What is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul Airport?

Tuesday is the cheapest day to fly to Istanbul Airport at $1,628 return on average over the past 12 months on KAYAK. Saturday is the most expensive at $1,749.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul Airport?

•February is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul Airport with an average price of $1,507 return.
•December ($2,094) and September ($1,757) are the most expensive.
•Based on KAYAK data over the past 12 months.

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

Morning flights to Istanbul Airport are the cheapest at $1,618 return on average. Night flights are the most expensive at $1,778.

What is a good deal for flights to Istanbul Airport?

Flights under $1,411 are considered a good deal. 25% of KAYAK users found return flights to Istanbul Airport at or below these prices, with the lowest fares from:
•Sydney $1,393.

When are flights to Istanbul Airport the cheapest?

Flights to Istanbul Airport are cheapest 18 weeks before departure. Booking in this window typically costs about 18% less than the average last-minute fare (within 2 weeks of the flight), based on KAYAK data.

Key details for flights to Istanbul Airport

Low season

February

Cheapest flight

$638
Beat the crowds with an average 50% drop in traveller numbers.
The most popular month to fly with an average 47% increase in traveller numbers.
One-way flight from Brisbane 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

Your questions about flights to Istanbul Airport, answered

Find helpful route details based on KAYAK data, including flight times, airports, airlines, and booking questions.

  • How do I know if a flight to Istanbul Airport is a good deal?

    A good deal on a flight to Istanbul Airport is around $1,411 return. This fare is in the lowest 25% of return flight prices searched on KAYAK, averaged across the cities most often searched as origins by KAYAK users.

  • How expensive are last-minute flights to Istanbul Airport?

    Last-minute fares to Istanbul Airport (booked within two weeks of departure) are typically 12% higher than the average return fare of $1,670.

  • What is the difference between the most popular and the most frequent airline at Istanbul Airport?

    Hong Kong Airlines operates the most flights from Australia to Istanbul Airport at 0 per week, while Qatar Airways is the airline most often selected by KAYAK users searching for flights from Australia to Istanbul Airport. The two are often different because flight volume reflects an airline's schedule, while popularity reflects traveller choice.

  • Which airports serve Istanbul and the surrounding area?

    Flights to Istanbul can arrive at several major airports serving the metro area, including Istanbul (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen (SAW).

  • Are there on-site hotels at Ataturk Airport?

    The TAV Airport Hotel can be accessed via the terminal but also offers a free airport shuttle if you are staying outside the security area (to do this you need to hold a visa). If you do not have a visa you will need to stay in the airside rooms in the hotel that can be accessed once through airport security.

  • Which airline has the fewest stops on flights to Istanbul?

    Turkish Airlines flies from Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth with only one layover on the way. Etihad also flies to Istanbul from Melbourne with one layover, whereas all other airlines flying from cities in Australia will have two or more layovers on the way to Istanbul.

  • Does Ataturk Airport have free Wi-Fi access?

    The Wi-Fi connection is free for two hours, but in order to access this you will need to have a Turkish mobile number. If this is impossible, international passengers can venture into the Starbucks, which has free Wi-Fi for its customers. Alternatively, if you pay to enter one of the lounges you will have complimentary Wi-Fi access there.

  • What is the safest way to get from Ataturk Airport to Istanbul centre?

    The most comfortable and definitely the safest option is a private transfer service. It can be pricey as the cost of this service is around EUR25 per person (approximately AUD40) one way, but the car will be for your group alone and could be more reliable than a taxi.

Your guide to booking Istanbul Airport flights

From booking to airport arrival, find tips to help you plan your flight with more confidence.
  • For the best chance at a low fare to Istanbul Airport, book around 18 weeks before departure. Based on KAYAK data from the last 12 months, fares are historically about 18% lower during this window than last-minute fares.
  • For flights to Istanbul Airport, a good return fare is around $1,411. If you find a fare below that, you're getting a strong deal.
  • If your travel dates are flexible, consider flying to Istanbul Airport in February. Return fares historically average $1,507, making February the cheapest month to travel based on KAYAK data from the last 12 months.
  • Before you book:

    • Check the route's typical price range so you can spot a deal.
    • Confirm baggage fees and seat selection costs on budget carriers.
    • Verify whether you need any travel documents beyond an ID.
    • Pick a departure airport, since your nearest may not be the cheapest origin.
  • Shift your departure to morning to save up to $161 on a return flight. Morning flights to Istanbul Airport average $1,618 compared to $1,778 for evening flights.
  • Bag allowances vary by airline, fare type, cabin class, and route. On flights to Istanbul Airport, some airlines may include bags at no extra cost. For example, Turkish Airlines includes a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class. Always check the fare details before booking, since bag policies can change by ticket type.
  • Once you arrive in Istanbul Airport, a few great places to start are Taksim Square, Ayasofya, and Istanbul Congress Center. These are popular with first-time visitors and can give you a good feel for the area.
  • There is currently one main airport that serves the European side of Istanbul: Istanbul Ataturk Airport is located 24km from the centre of the city and is the hub for Turkish Airlines.
  • Business class passengers on Turkish Airlines with a layover after flights to Istanbul might want to think about checking into the Turkish Airlines Lounge at Ataturk Airport to get some peace and quiet. Business and first class passengers with Star Alliance membership can also use the lounge. Here you can take advantage of facilities such as showers, children’s play areas and a cinema, as well as drinks and a food buffet. There is also a prayer room for those who would like to reflect in peace.
  • If you need to do some last minute souvenir shopping at Ataturk Airport, the Old Bazaar, with its typically Turkish ambience, has a wide range of gifts, souvenirs, sweet treats such as Turkish delight, traditional silverware and jewellery, as well as other local foodstuffs including spices and regional olive oil.
  • For travellers on flights to Istanbul who are hungry there are a number of restaurants at Ataturk Airport such as Restro, Eat & Fly, which is located in the departures terminal before security. This restaurant offers Turkish meze – but if you don’t want that option, there is also a Chinese stir-fry. Alternatively, if you are desperate for something you recognize, a coffee fix can be found in the Starbucks located in the international departures terminal.
  • Those travelling on flights to Istanbul with babies and children will be happy to hear that both terminals of Ataturk Airport provide nursing and baby changing facilities as well as play areas for slightly older children.

Reviews of the top 5 airlines flying to Istanbul

 
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 3678 reviews
8.2Boarding
8.2Entertainment
8.4Crew
8.0Comfort
7.9Food
Airline reviews

Toilets could be serviced more frequently. They ran out of toilet paper.

8.0 ExcellentAnonymous, Sept 2026
Read more Emirates reviews

Toilets could be serviced more frequently. They ran out of toilet paper.

It was delayed for 2 hrs. Flight attendants were not attentive.

We boarded but due to a technical issue we spent 4.5hrs on the ground waiting for the issue to be resolved

No kids provided. Instead we were told to have contacted the airline that we have kids and require kids meals. We were not the only ones who inquired about kids meals. It’s odd. Emirates and other airlines give kids meals as standard and before the adult food comes out. The rice in our meals was gluggy and under cooked. The chicken was also raw. Sadly not the best experience with Finn Air. The hostesses tried to compensate with the snacks and drinks but missed the mark by a long way. Especially when paying Emirates/Qantas prices

They cancelled our flight, rebooked, cancelled that one. We are now flying New Zealand Air and need a refund please. How do we get it?

Wifi was not operational for the whole trip. Other than this, flight was well received .

Food no so good. Extra charge to much for front seats cost me £163 then other people sat near me for nothing 🤬

Comfort and customer service from most if the crew was great. The crew reassigning passengers should consider the presence of infants when reassigning seats. Unfortunately a couple of oversized passengers were relocated next to us, making this segment a bit uncomfortable, as there was not only extra leg space required. I ended up swapping seats with my husband so our baby wouldn't be impacted. My husband travelled quite uncomfortable as the reassigned neighbour shoulder and arm ended up on my husband's seat

Seats are not as easy to move as you would hope in premium econo Y

The plane was very old and uncomfortable. Service was very slow!

I was denied boarding at the Brisbane airport and it seems like I won’t get any refunds from the airline

Overall I had good experience with China Southern airline. Nothing to claim. I hoped they could improve the meal quality that is.

China Southern was not the problem. I booked my flight through Kayak and also received a booking reference and alert details regarding departure time and gate numbers… however Kayak NEVER actually booked my flight! We were stranded at the airport without a flight for a long awaited holiday!

It was great. The staff were so nice and helpful the food was great and they always made sure I was okay. As a foreigner I was worried about the language barrier but it was absolutely no issues. I highly recommend

Crew: Everybody was polite. People just need to get efficient and less reworking things. Entertainment: Could have move movies and games. The “music” section is a joke, only ONE available. Food: The food provided on the flights boarding in china needs a serious reworking. Too much oil, bad for your stomach, tastes too artificial and the eggs were a giant mass of green dough.

Never got the wheelchair service when my parents arrived at LA . My mom was 74 , also my dad was 84 years old, both don’t speak English. I double checked with the front desk at Phoenix airport, making sure that they will be taking care of.

Food was terrible. Fish was equal to a sausage and scrumbled eggs were terribly green with a quite weird fllavour. Everybody with me hated all options. The best food was the bread with butter.

Had some luggage loading delays but it was still a good experience

During flight, some passengers perform stomping leg exercises which disturb the comfort (I.e. sleep) of other passengers.

Quality flight from start to finish. Customer service is evidently very important to this company. The staff really exceeded expectations.

I was flying business so you expect a level of comfort/support…but the staff on these flights were outstanding in their attention to detail and nothing was too difficult for them.

The plane cleanness, punctuality and crew attention was great. The airline is offering free fast wifi on the flight, however apparently without much policy on the use. Quite a few passengers felt the liberty to watch shorts or other content without headphones from their devices as well as talking for long durations over phone calls. This made a 4-hour, fully booked flight somehow difficult to bear.

Overall the crew were friendlier than similar premium airlines like Cathay or Singapore. Seat was good. Food was excellent.. the starlink wifi was a real plus. The entertainment was just ok.

Very poor No information given to why we turned around.. No one at airport to help

Flight departed punctually on time. Unfortunately it seems because the destination airport is a secondary airport the airline sees it fit to operate a plane with lower comfort and offerings. There was no inflight entertainment, wifi or let alone a screen to at least track flight status for remaining flight time.

Friendly and discreet staff. Could have done with a few more offers of water/snacks overnight. Movie and tv selection notably poor. Seats not especially comfortable

The check-in and crew staff were wonderful. The food was reasonable. The online side Qatar was very poor. Seats were very tight and not very comfortable for a 14 hour flight!

I found it weird that the quality of the flight different from Australia to Doha than the Doha to Berlin leg. The quality of the toiletries pack (was in a box from Australia) and then a proper bag from Doha. The biggest variation was the inflight entertainment, which had a significantly shorter amount of content compared to the Doha flight. My QSuite seat was also broken and did not recline all the way flat. Wasn’t the best and I wouldn’t be happy if I’d paid cash for the flight.

The plane from Dublin to Doha was quite comfortable. I was in economy and the seats and rows were very tight. The man in front of me reclined his seat and it made my screen incredibly close to my face and I wasn’t able to take my tray down and my knees were pressed against the seat. I had to ask three times for him to pull his seat up but in his defence he hadn’t even reclined it far, the rows were just too close. I had a pain in my side by the end of the flight from the chairs which were quite worn and not very padded or supportive. It was a significantly inferior plane to the plane from Doha to Sydney and vice versa.

The hindu meal food did not taste good. Also the seats were not comfortable as compare to other airlines

The first segment from Atlanta to Abu Dhabi was fantastic, but we got downgraded to a different aircraft from Abu Dhabi to Delhi. We were supposed to be on a flatbed business class when we booked it but just about one week before travel, we were changed to A321 Neo, which just has old-fashioned business class seats that recline but don’t go flat. No TV either. While I fully understand that sometimes these changes have to be made for operational reasons, but I asked for some credit or compensation for that and I did not get any anywhere with that

1 hour delay meant missed my connecting flight and 1st day of holiday

It was mediocre. Honestly, the flight was late but that didn’t bother me as I had plenty of time. The only thing that bothered me is that the crew never asked to make the beds for us in business class. Maybe the crew was exhausted and that just didn’t occur to them.

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

Took a long time for boarding. The flight was comfortable.

Etihad flight sector is a local . .give the same quality upto destination

1st time with. Etihad Airways and it was amazing from check in to crew. Great flight.

Etihad broke my suitcase Also over charged me for luggage

1.Aircraft Comfort: The aircraft type was quite small with non-reclining, cramped seats that significantly lacked comfort. 2.In-flight Entertainment: There was no provision of in-flight entertainment screens or Wi-Fi for the majority of the flight. 3.Boarding Process at New Abu Dhabi Airport: Despite the move to a new airport, which promised enhanced experiences, the use of buses instead of jet bridges did not meet expectations, causing inconvenience. 4.Gate Change Communication: A last-minute gate change was poorly communicated, resulting in a long and difficult walk.

Food was very good. Again tray could use a non-skid mat. I had a regular seat - comfortable - able to sleep undisturbed. Boarding was uneventful.

2 parts to the journey. First leg covered in a newer plane with decent staff + POOR FOOD QUALITY but the second half didn’t leave a positive impression at all as the plane itself was an older built and the crew didn’t serve properly. Language is an issue with China Eastern flights as always, but unmotivated crew just makes it even bad.

good flight. food is only so so. I actually did not eat the snack. it does not look too good on the passenger next to me.

Food no variations only beef of chicken no veggie meals

Flight was on time. My group paid for seat’s so that us four can be seated next to each other. We all got separated. We all got middle seats, which made it more difficult to be able to get up and stretch or use the restroom. We tried talking to the employees at China Eastern and they were of no help. We will not be taking this flight or recommend this route to others in the future. Also I will be contacting customer service on how I can get our money back for paying for assigned seats.

China eastern was fantastic. I had read so many bad reviews that had made me nervous. However, I found that the flight attendant’s, and customer service check in etc. etc. was excellent. I had no problems. I would fly with them again!

Excellent! I had read some negative reviews but I found out that it was not all was not true! The staff was courteous and helpful. The flight take off and landing was nice & easy. The food was good! I asked for a second and I got it easily and without an attitude! All was wonderful!

The crew were excellent, service amazing, blankets and pillow good, cabin temperature perfect, the flight on time, food was unusual selection however plentiful, price for tickets unbeatable through Kayak. Older aeroplanes used by China Eastern was the only down side.

Price is the main attraction. Staff is OK but difficult to communicate with them due to general lack of English. Food is truly abysmal, the main courses (4) were barely edible. The choices for breakfast served at 5:30 am prior to landing at Gatwick airport were Spaghetti Bolognese or seafood fried rice. Choices offered for all 4 mains were either something rice or noodles. Shanghai airport layover is much too long in a very poorly serviced airport. We were unable to use WiFi; private lounges required cash only payment with no ATM or cash exchange open.

I was surprised and appreciate that they actually served a hot meal on such a short, early morning flight. The check in and boarding was hassle free and most of all my Alliance Status / Code Share was recognized and the revelant courtesy was extended; other than some needed attention to detail concerning the cleanliness of the cabin, and some unnecessary aggressive wording their safety briefing, it was an overall pleasant flight, and I would certainly fly with them again.

2 hours delay on the 1st plane out of the day!!!!!

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