$985 Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul

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 17/4. 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
$1,635
Typical prices: $1,605-$2,193
China Southern
Fri 8/5Tue 12/5
AKL - IST • 1 stop
Cheapest one-way flight
$841
Typical prices: $1,146-$1,509
Turkish Airlines
Fri 17/4
AKL - IST • 2 stops
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KAYAK searches hundreds of sites at once to find you the best travel deals.
We hope you love your trip to Istanbul!
Flight Deals
Booking Insights
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

Fri, 8 May - Tue, 12 May
China Southern Logo
21:25 - 22:10
AKL
-
IST
33h 45m
1 stop
China Southern Logo
16:00 - 06:30
IST
-
AKL
29h 30m
2 stops
$1,635China Southern
Fri, 8 May - Mon, 11 May
China Southern Logo
21:25 - 22:10
AKL
-
IST
33h 45m
1 stop
China Southern Logo
00:30 - 15:35
IST
-
AKL
30h 05m
1 stop
$1,637China Southern
Tue, 5 May - Sun, 10 May
Turkish Airlines Logo
13:00 - 11:20
AKL
-
IST
31h 20m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:45 - 08:25
IST
-
AKL
29h 40m
1 stop
$1,671Turkish Airlines
Wed, 29 Apr - Sun, 10 May
Turkish Airlines Logo
13:00 - 05:15
AKL
-
IST
25h 15m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
16:55 - 08:25
IST
-
AKL
30h 30m
1 stop
$1,701Turkish Airlines
Mon, 23 Mar - Mon, 30 Mar
China Southern Logo
22:10 - 07:10
AKL
-
IST
43h 00m
1 stop
China Southern Logo
16:00 - 07:30
IST
-
AKL
53h 30m
2 stops
$1,705China Southern
Tue, 14 Apr - Sun, 19 Apr
Turkish Airlines Logo
00:25 - 11:20
AKL
-
IST
43h 55m
1 stop
Turkish Airlines Logo
01:40 - 17:45
IST
-
AKL
31h 05m
2 stops
$1,713Turkish Airlines
Wed, 15 Apr - Thu, 7 May
China Southern Logo
21:25 - 22:10
AKL
-
IST
33h 45m
1 stop
China Southern Logo
00:30 - 15:35
IST
-
AKL
30h 05m
1 stop
$1,715China Southern
Mon, 6 Apr - Sat, 30 May
China Southern Logo
09:00 - 06:15
AKL
-
IST
30h 15m
1 stop
China Southern Logo
00:30 - 15:35
IST
-
AKL
30h 05m
1 stop
$1,716China Southern
Wed, 11 Mar - Sun, 22 Mar
China Southern Logo
22:10 - 07:10
AKL
-
IST
43h 00m
1 stop
China Southern Logo
14:10 - 16:15
IST
-
AKL
40h 05m
1 stop
$1,720China Southern
Wed, 11 Mar - Sun, 22 Mar
Multiple Airlines Logo
07:15 - 10:45
AKL
-
IST
37h 30m
2 stops
Multiple Airlines Logo
17:15 - 09:35
IST
-
AKL
30h 20m
1 stop
$1,721Multiple Airlines
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.

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 1 week before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 70 days 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, with an average flight price of $235.

Good to know – Book Cheap Istanbul Plane Tickets

Cheapest flight$841
Flight from Auckland 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

  • Which Istanbul airport is closest to central Istanbul?

    32 km away from Istanbul’s city centre, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the closest of the 2 major airports in the city. There are 34 km separating Istanbul city centre to Istanbul 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.

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 New Zealand 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.
8.1
EmiratesOverall score based on 3507 reviews
8.2Entertainment
8.3Crew
7.9Food
8.0Comfort
8.1Boarding
Airline reviews

The crew were absolutely fantastic. They actively asked if passengers wanted refills and if they were comfortable. I was extremely impressed.

10.0 ExcellentJames, Jan 2026
WLG - SYD
Read more Emirates reviews

The crew were absolutely fantastic. They actively asked if passengers wanted refills and if they were comfortable. I was extremely impressed.

Food was great. More vegetarian options on menu would be great!

Both flights to and back from Lyon with buses taking extra time and delaying flight at DXB. Food serving needed work.

I liked everything: the service, the food, the cleanness. I flew last year with Qatar Airways, so I can compare. Emirates did much better! Especially their meals and service.

I would have liked less packaged snacky stuff, more fruit. The crew was great.

Emirates A380s are always wonderful to fly on. Their crews, food and service are always excellent. They are typically on time and the only thing I would change (maybe newer or upgraded aircraft have this) is bluetooth so I can pair my noise cancelling headphones without a cable.

Premium economy was worth it-comfort was definitely better than economy class. The seats were more comfortable, blankets and pillows thicker

Super flight. On time departure and arrival. Very good service. Luggage arrival at DXB was a little delayed but you can’t have everything the very best :)

Crew were very good. Food service was a little slow and disappointing not having on demand dining and only 3 options. Amenity kits and pyjamas were excellent.

Food was excellent. Leg room in economy, not so good; I’m 6’-1”.

Impressive as always. It is the airline of my choice, The dessert on the 2nd flight DOH-IAH was somewhat dry (the cake with cream etc) Check-in and boarding experience was fantastic, with the exception of CCU airport where chk-in staff refused to help with aisle seats stating the flight was full and accommodations were beyond him. Once I boarded there were plenty of available aisles. I was disappointed that this could not be done by self during online chk-in nor at the airport. Nothing more to add. Overall a good experience, TY QTR

excellent! movie selection just ok, but everything else was wonderful.

The boarding experience did not follow the Zones that were listed on the boarding passes. This was a two-level aircraft with many passengers. Because zones were not called out by the airline staff, there was simply a mob trying to board and it was not a pleasant experience.

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.

In the business class it was everything wonderful. However in the economy is a hell. BTW. When I asked to search for tickets, I ordered business and I was offered options with economy, that was not clear in the order, so I could've acted faster to rectify it.

I am a big person and have back pain and swelling in my legs, so this was a challenging flight due to confined space. I didn't find the crew very friendly either. I will think twice before flying long distances with Qatar again, due to the lack of legroom.

I appreciated the vailability of wheelchair services for persons with mobility issues all the way up to the aircraft. What could be better would be the food choices.

Plane was good Crew was good Food was just ok Could have had more entertainment options But overall good

Awesome hospitality, awesome staff, awesome food & awesome travel time. Thanks

My baggage is lost. Flight cancelled, Rebooked ticket through long routes. Mental stress, emotional hurt

did not get a notification about seat selection ahead of time. We didn't end up sitting together.

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

In my return flight they couldn’t identify my ticket or boarding pass, I had to go to 3 different counters until I was able to get my boarding pass. The food was on, it was the bear minimum. They didn’t even recognise that I was a Muslim and can’t eat meat, chicken or pork. In one of the trays I believe they served me pork. The staff were very pleasant, but they need to be aware of their surroundings more carefully, one of them stuck her lower belly right into my face! I was shocked and very uncomfortable.

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

Wow very impressed by the quality and attentiveness of service of China Southern. Lived the blankets! Will definitely fly with them again. Despite language barriers, a few attendants know enough English to understand our rudimentary Mandarin and respond to basic questions. Although they don’t explain the beverage and meal service on the website or ticketing documents, they offered regular beverage cart and snacks during the beginning hours and end hours of the long, transoceanic flight. A full meal at the beginning and end of the flight as well, and a midflight small sandwich (dinner roll sized) but we weren’t hungry and didn’t try that one. The expectation is that every sleeps during the middle of the flight. We were on a “redeye” departure from LAX with a morning arrival in China, so I don’t know if this service pattern is the same for other flights. The domestic flight we took from Guangzhou to Harbin offered conventional refreshments and meals like a US flight service. Note that they didn’t offer diet sodas. If you like to stay hydrated, I recommend bringing plenty of your own. It is served in small cups like any other drink. You can ask for a bottle but they’re tiny - about 6 ounces.

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!

The connection between LA and Atlanta was too much stress

Terrible boarding experience,,food is very poor that I I . Never going book this airline again.

The crew were kind, patient and responsive. The service was excellent, even though we travelled the cheapest economy class. We arrived at our destination 40 min early, which for a 15+ hour flight is a great bonus. The boarding seemed a bit "loose", but got us boarded on time, and the plane was off exactly @ 0:30 hrs.

The airport didn‘t give me the ticket. I called customer service to ask for a refund but they kept giving me a perfunctory response and refused to refund me.

After arriving in Istanbul, the transit information on the electronic board showed a tight departure time, and the gate changed in the middle, making it difficult to make it on time.

Typically good service onboard but baggage delay in airport was significant

Turkish Airlines was great. My new layover was over 18 hours due to inclement weather back home in Washington DC and the airlines provided me with a hotel room and dinner voucher during my layover

Bad sitting every flight not good experience with food either

My, Syed Zawar Hussein Shirazi frequently flyer membership number was not included on my boarding pass from O’Hare to Istanbul despite my reminder to the attendant at check in. Further she forgot to give me my boarding pass form Istanbul to Lahore and she needs to improve her customer service, please 🙏

Everything about that day was great I was happy with how things went as a first time traveling with the airline thank you for all that you’ve doing by taking us there to our various destinations thanks.

The seats were extremely small. Boarding was not communicated correctly. It wasn’t a pleasant trip.

I am always amazed with the great service they offer on their regional and international flights

Nothing luxury about Turkish airline compared to many other airlines

Entertainment was good. Flight was delayed, nearly missed my connecting flight. The gate was changed on several occasions. My luggage did not arrive on time and had to leave without it.

The ticket was last minute buy so no concerns about the pricing this time, but the crew in general could have been more accommodating, helpful.

CTU-KMG-CNX with 1.5 hr connection at KMG. Doable but just barely bc immigration exit from China is at the last flight leg, here: KMG to CNX. We hauled out of the domestic terminal to reenter at the international departures (luggage checked thru to CNX thankfully). Immigration had only two agents, even though KMG gets a HUGE number of foreigners. It took forever for such a shot line. Then security also took a while, so I just just made the connection. Recommend if you exit China with domestic international transfer, plan for 2+ hrs to avoid a heart attack. Airline personnel don’t suffer if you miss the flight, you do. Plan accordingly.

China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers. A BIG ISSUE FOR NON-CHINESE PASSENGERS IS THE ABILITY TO CHECK IN ONLINE, by making so difficult or almost impossible there is no chance to get a seat assignment ahead of time then go to the airport and get what is left. THIS IS NOT a SKY TEAM modality.

China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers.

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.

Small plane with only two lavatories at the back. You must have a good plan to use it before or after the meal, if you make a bad decision, you will end up with standing in front of the toilet for a while till the food carts empty. The good thing is even there’s a slightly delayed, the plane is still arriving on time which is superb!!

The only personel that smiled at all were the flights attendants. Desk agents, lounge people none of them had a smile or even a hello. They were like dealing with dead fish. Again flight attendants were good. All other personnel looked like they didn’t want to be there or help.

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

Super surprised with the entire experience. Business class is incredible. Flight attendants around the world could learn customer service from these people. Simply fabulous experience all the way around.

Everything you need to know for your flight to Istanbul

Cabin class types available on flights to Istanbul

Cabin classes available on flights to Istanbul. Prices are the lowest found on KAYAK over the last 7 days. Price and availability is not guaranteed.