Find Cheap Flights to Istanbul

Discover Istanbul

How to find cheap flights to Istanbul

Find the best deal on cheap flights to Istanbul with Skyscanner. The average price of a flight to Istanbul from the UAE is AED2000 but flight prices depend on the availability of seats, the day(s) on which you travel, and when you book.

To find the best flight price for your vacation, use Skyscanner’s flight search. If you’re flexible on when you fly, select the ‘cheapest month’ option to see the lowest prices over a whole year. Or if you know what month you want to fly to Istanbul, find the cheapest day to travel with our whole month search tool.

Also, check out our Best Time To Book Tool.

Airports with direct flights to Istanbul from the UAE

Flights to Istanbul from the UAE depart from Sharjah, Dubai and Abu Dhabi. Direct flights are from Dubai and Sharjah only.

Note that Istanbul has two airports, so be sure to check whether your flight is to/from Istanbul Atatürk or Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen.

The average flight time from the UAE to Istanbul is between four and thirteen hours.

What airlines fly to Istanbul from the UAE?

A number of airlines offer direct and indirect flights to Istanbul from the UAE, often daily, including Air India, Gulf Air, Etihad, Emirates, MEA, Qatar Airways, Royal Jordanian and Jazeera Airways.

Find out more information on airlines that fly to Istanbul

Istanbul airports

Istanbul has two airports; Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) and Istanbul Atatürk International Airport (IST).

Istanbul Atatürk airport is located 17 miles (28km) west of Istanbul and takes 40 minutes by car or taxi. The Metro line M1 connects Istanbul Atatürk to various city center locations and there is also a cheap, public bus service from the airport to central Istanbul which takes 40-50 minutes.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen airport is situated 28 miles (45km) east of Istanbul and takes one hour by car or taxi. There are regular bus services between the airport, the Metro station and the city center which take around 30-45 minutes.

When to go to Istanbul

Istanbul is a fantastic anytime destination with events on throughout the year. Spring and autumn generally find Istanbul at its best with many art, music, and cultural festivals happening including the Tulip Festival and the International Istanbul Film Festival. Summer heats up weather wise but also events-wise with open air rock concerts, pavement cafes, the Efes Pilsen One Love Festival and the International Istanbul Music Festival. Autumn brings art to the city with the Biennal, Design Week and the Istanbul Book Fair while winter brings an independent film festival and a chance to recuperate from all the year’s festivities!

The best time to get a cheap flight deal to Istanbul is probably late winter to early spring when the city is at its quietest. Summer is peak season in Istanbul.

What’s the weather like in Istanbul?

Istanbul can get very cold in the winter months (December to February) with snow a possibility.  July and August are often hot and humid while April and May, and September and October are the ideal months with warm but not excessively hot temperatures and sunny skies.  The Muslim holy month of Ramadan is widely observed, and many local establishments close during the day and sales of alcohol are restricted.

Further information on visiting Istanbul

Where to stay in Istanbul: Istanbul hotels for every budget

What to see and do in Istanbul

Breath-taking Istanbul lies partially in Europe and partially in Asia. This incredible geographically anomaly has created a city that embraces both the east and west, to dramatic effect. Separated by the magnificent Bosphorus Straits, Istanbul has a cultural heritage almost unrivaled and can be charted through three empires; the Roman, Latin and Ottoman; each leaving their mark. Istanbul is a hip city with a huge population of over 14 million people. There are UNESCO World Heritage sites around every corner from the stunning Ottoman mosques and Byzantine churches – not least the stupendous Hagia Sophia. There are catacombs, Hellenistic temples and massive medieval walls. Alongside these wonders are bustling markets, boutiques, bookshops, pavement cafes and bars, the late night clubs and live music venues of Galata, art galleries and museums and public squares where locals go to dance, talk and eat. The hedonistic lifestyle is matched by the sheer variety of food, with Turkish cuisine a mouth-watering melting-pot of spices and herbs. The thermal hamams are there to offer relaxation and massage in an opulent historic setting while a boat trip on the Bosphorus is another way to unwind and to admire this breath-taking city from afar.

Check out our top tips for visiting Istanbul to make the most out of your trip to Turkey.

Attractions :Hagia Sophia, Grand Bazaar, Egyptian Spice Market, Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, Galata Tower, Suleymaniye Mosque, Museum of Modern Art, Thermal Baths