R5 336 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 15/5. 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.
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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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Cheap Flight Deals 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.

Recent return flight deals to Istanbul

KAYAK's recommended return flight deals from the most popular airlines that fly to Istanbul.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.
Choose your dates
Qatar Airways Logo
13:55 - 12:10JNB-SAW
21h 15m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
20:05 - 16:10SAW-JNB
21h 05m1 stop
R9 744Qatar Airways
Find Deal
목, 5월 22 - 수, 6월 4
Qatar Airways Logo
13:55 - 12:10JNB-SAW
21h 15m1 stop
Qatar Airways Logo
20:05 - 16:10SAW-JNB
21h 05m1 stop
R9 858Qatar Airways
Find Deal
목, 5월 22 - 수, 6월 4
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:10JNB-IST
26h 20m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
7:30 - 8:20IST-JNB
25h 50m1 stop
R11 201Etihad Airways
Find Deal
금, 4월 25 - 목, 5월 8
Etihad Airways Logo
9:50 - 13:10JNB-IST
26h 20m1 stop
Etihad Airways Logo
14:25 - 8:20IST-JNB
18h 55m1 stop
R11 220Etihad Airways
Find Deal
금, 4월 25 - 화, 5월 6
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:20 - 21:10JNB-IST
11h 50m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
0:10 - 13:05IST-JNB
13h 55m1 stop
R11 428Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
목, 5월 8 - 화, 5월 27
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:20 - 21:10JNB-IST
11h 50m1 stop
Ethiopian Air Logo
8:00 - 20:10IST-JNB
13h 10m1 stop
R11 523Ethiopian Air
Find Deal
토, 5월 3 - 목, 5월 8
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:50 - 4:35JNB-IST
9h 45mdirect
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:50 - 10:35IST-JNB
9h 45mdirect
R12 090Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
목, 5월 29 - 수, 6월 4
Turkish Airlines Logo
17:50 - 4:35JNB-IST
9h 45mdirect
Turkish Airlines Logo
1:50 - 10:35IST-JNB
9h 45mdirect
R12 374Turkish Airlines
Find Deal
목, 5월 29 - 수, 6월 4
Emirates Logo
13:05 - 17:55CPT-IST
27h 50m1 stop
Emirates Logo
16:25 - 16:50IST-CPT
25h 25m1 stop
R13 301Emirates
Find Deal
월, 5월 12 - 월, 5월 19
Emirates Logo
18:40 - 17:55DUR-IST
22h 15m1 stop
Emirates Logo
23:20 - 16:35IST-DUR
18h 15m1 stop
R13 415Emirates
Find Deal
일, 5월 4 - 금, 5월 9

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 72 hours.
In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul was found on the route from Johannesburg, at R184 360 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R10 482 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 R13 234 on average. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R7 115 and departed from Cape Town. The most popular routes on KAYAK are Johannesburg to Istanbul which costs R16 954 on average, and Cape Town to Istanbul, which costs R17 286 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 Tuesday where round-trip tickets can be as cheap as R14 934. On the other hand, the most expensive day to fly is Saturday, where round-trip prices are R16 459 on average.

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 morning, when round-trip flights cost R560 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 R827.

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 Johannesburg OR Tambo Airport R14 437 return, from Cape Town R14 592 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 3 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 9 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 R2 700.

Good to know – Book Cheap Istanbul Plane Tickets

Cheapest flight

R5 336
Flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen 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

  • What is the cheapest flight to Istanbul?

    In the last 3 days, the cheapest flight deal to Istanbul was found on the route from Johannesburg, at R184 360 return. The most popular connection is from Cape Town to Istanbul and KAYAK users have found return deals for as low as R10 482 in the last 3 days.

  • Which Istanbul airport is closest to central Istanbul?

    Out of the 2 airports in Istanbul, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the nearest to the city center (32 km). You'll travel 34 km to reach the center of Istanbul if you land in Istanbul Airport

  • How much is a flight to Istanbul?

    On average, a flight to Istanbul costs R13 234. The cheapest price found on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks cost R7 115 and departed from Cape Town Intl 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.

  • How many direct flights to Istanbul are there each week?

    Each week there are around 14 direct flights from within South Africa to Istanbul. The most common day for departures is Sunday, with 14% of flights taking off on this day.

See more FAQs

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.

Prefer to fly direct to Istanbul?

Find which airlines fly direct to Istanbul, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

South Africa to Istanbul

Monday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +118 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +119 more

Tuesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +115 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +116 more

Wednesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +116 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +117 more

Thursday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +120 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +121 more

Friday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +119 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +120 more

Saturday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +116 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +117 more

Sunday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +120 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +121 more

See more direct flights

Direct returns

Istanbul to South Africa

Monday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +118 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +119 more

Tuesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +115 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +116 more

Wednesday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +116 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +117 more

Thursday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +120 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +121 more

Friday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +119 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +120 more

Saturday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +116 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +117 more

Sunday

ANA, AZIMUTH, Aegean Airlines, +120 more

ANA, AZIMUTH, +121 more

See more direct flights
See more direct flights

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 South Africa 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.
8,0
EmiratesOverall score based on 3196 reviews
8,2Entertainment
7,8Food
8,1Boarding
8,0Comfort
8,3Crew
Airline reviews

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

10,0 ExcellentAnonymous, Mar 2025CPT - DXB
Read more Emirates reviews

First time and very memorable, the finest flying experience ive ever had

We arrived in line for check in at 6:15 p.m. but did not check in until 8:00 p.m. The line for economy check in was very long, and all of the desks 03-13 were not open, although most of them opened sporadically. The crew on board were very nice and helpful, friendly and kind. It has been many years since we flew Emirates (at least 17 years), and we notice that foot rests are no longer available in economy, but we were lucky enough to fly in the upper deck and appreciate your opening some of your flights to economy passengers in the upper deck. We will definitely fly on emirates more often! Thank you.

Except for the uncleaned tray, and the delay in serving food for our section (which may have been due to the location of our row) everything else was good. The crew were very professional and responded to our requests promptly throughout the flight. We as a family were not disappointed by Emirates.

Comfort good. Service as usual poor. Cabin temperature as usual too cold, about 15 degrees

Flight left on time. Bags came quickly. Crew was nice. But internet never worked and the food was awful.

Boarding, seats, entertainment and service were all great. The food was great except for the fact that there were too many sweet items.

Loved that I had an exit row seat, and there was no one else in the row! And again, I don' use on-line entertainment at all (I read or sleep) but I very much appreciate that I didn't hear anyone else's entertainment!

On this flight, about the last 2 hours the captain kept the cabin too hot. It appeared like the ac was off.

Enough vegetarian food was not available on the flight for all vegetarian guests on the plane. Crew did not adequately handle this experience

Boarding was a mess, no one managing the queues. I got my meal as the pilot announced starting commencing descent and basic drink not available. No air bridge so takes forever to deplane the A380 onto buses.

All the crew members were too slow and rude. Most of the times the registers were empty, while hundreds of customers were waiting in line, and it was impossible to get a supervisor. Despite being in line on time, I missed my freight, plus a some customers who were ahead and behind me.

I recently travelled with Qatar Airways from Doha to Dulles in the QSuite, and the experience was nothing short of exceptional. The QSuite truly feels like a First-Class experience, with its luxurious design, privacy, and comfort. The cabin crew, especially the lady in charge of the cabin, was remarkable—professional, attentive, and genuinely kind. The food was excellent, and the comfort of the seat was absolutely first-class, making the journey smooth and enjoyable. While the in-flight experience was outstanding, I have a few points of feedback. Firstly, the content available in the in-flight entertainment system could be expanded and upgraded to include a more diverse and updated collection. This would elevate the entertainment experience to match the premium standards of the QSuite. Secondly, regarding the Wi-Fi service: while QSuite passengers receive one hour of complimentary Wi-Fi, any additional usage requires a fee of USD 10. Considering the premium pricing of QSuite, it would be more fitting to include unlimited Wi-Fi as part of the experience, further enhancing the luxury offered to passengers. Lastly, I must highlight an issue with luggage handling. Unfortunately, my luggage did not make it through the transit, which was disappointing. While the ground crew assured me that it would be delivered to my home on the same day as it was arriving on the next flight, this promise was not fulfilled, and the delay added unnecessary inconvenience to an otherwise excellent experience. Overall, the QSuite experience was exceptional, but addressing these areas would further solidify Qatar Airways’ position as a leader in luxury air travel.

I purchased Qatar airways after seeing ads about its service. To my surprise Qatar is marketing gimmick and horrible airlines which I don’t recommend to anyone Flight was dirty including flight from Miami to Doha And Doha airport restrooms are dirty On top of this they use this pathetic cheap indigo From Doha to Hyderabad which I will never fly Also they lost one of my baggage in Indigo and still waiting to receive it. I will never travel Qatar and will never recommend

Very unimpressed that I was dumped from the seat I had booked and paid for after check in. Apparently a family wanted to sit together, however as they all were adults I think they should have pre booked their seats like I did. I will be approaching Qatar for a refund. That and the dreadful state of the flooding toilets made me wonder how they managed to be voted the best airline. Not worth the money.

The overall flight experience between Doha and Kolkata was satisfactory. The staff onboard were notably engaged, responsive, and enthusiastic, providing a level of service that stood out, especially when compared to the less attentive crew on the earlier leg from Heathrow to Doha. Their eagerness to assist made the journey more pleasant. Additionally, the time spent at the Silver Lounge in Doha contributed positively to the experience. The lounge offered a comfortable and relaxing environment, with adequate amenities and attentive staff. Overall, both the flight and the lounge experience in Doha met expectations, making for a smooth and satisfactory travel experience.

There was frequent beverage ,meal and snack service. The crew was very hospitable and professional.

Check in desk people constrained by fear. Obvious typo on Uganda visa, even though approved, caused loss of flight. Something is definitely wrong with this system.

Do I need to repeat my complaints about my lost carry on bag?

My carry on bag was taken by Alaska Air as we boarded in LAX! She said there was not room. There was plenty of room. I told her that my meds and personal items were in it. She did not care. She said it would be sent to my final destination, Nairobi. Well it got to Nairobi the day I was to fly home. The handle of my bag was crushed so could not retract. So I had to remove it. I had to buy converters, malaria medication. personal items. I filled out the missing form at the Nairobi airport. I asked that it be shipped to the Kisumu airport. When it was obviously not going to make it for my time in Kenya. I asked that it be sent to John Wayne Airport. NONE of that happened. I only knew it was at Nairobi because my air tag indicated it was finally in Nairobi the day I was leaving Kenya! Now I need to purchase a new carry on bag!!!

As gold member there is no priority checkin. Meaning you either have to board with your zone or last with business class pax. As economy pax all the baggage bays are filled by the time you arrive

Crew Check-In – Kolkata (CCU) The crew handling check-in in Kolkata was outstanding—efficient, courteous, and highly organized. Flight Segment – CCU to Abu Dhabi (AUH) A standard flight overall. Notably, only one in-flight meal option—a vegetarian curry—was available, which seemed unsuitable for a red-eye journey. The crew offered no alternatives, which was unexpected. Flight Segment – Abu Dhabi to Rome (AUH-FCO) Comfort improved on this leg, but service quality was average, falling short of Etihad’s premium standards. Crew attention was heavily absorbed by a difficult couple in Row 15 (port side), resulting in disproportionate focus. It was concerning that a steward had to personally return to apologize, a task better suited for supervisory staff. This highlights a development opportunity for supervisors Anna and Quashim in managing guest escalation professionally.

Horrible. After paying for my seats, I was cramped, had no overhead bin space, freezing as the flight had no temperature controls, the food was awful and served cold, when asked for snacks was told to wait and then never received any. I booked this flight as a partner through American Airlines but will avoid in the future.

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

Extremely bad food, they never gave our bags in time, the online check-in did not let us check in because we had Indian OCI not sure why we were given the option to check in then, because we couldn’t check in online we had to go in person and we were not able to change our seats and sit with our family

Should have had business class line in immigration. Food quality suboptimal

Used to Etihad employees are very rude and unprofessional but now better than before over all is okay now

The staff were wonderful but the seats weren't very comfortable for a bigger guy like me.

we were delayed from Athens to Abu Dhabi by an hour and a half, so I had trouble connecting the flight from there to Bali. It could have been done had they waited even 15 mins. There was another lady who was in the same boat. By the time we were half way across the terminal, they have actually already issued different flights for us to go Jakarta then to Bali. Not to mention the inconvenience of waiting over 4 hrs at the airport and the subsequent inconvenience, we did not arrive to Bali till after 800pm the next day, which means I paid for the hotel for nothing when I could have been there before noon the next day! There was little explanation. It was just as well I needed some assistance getting around, otherwise the 2 of us would have been completely lost! Not going to fly with them again!

Boarding was efficient, had to check in cabin luggage. Seats were narrow, food was more in quantity, received cabin luggage on the luggage belt which was fine.

Needs better seat for business class. My seat was falling apart. Also no WiFi on that flight

The segment bkk ist was ok. The segment ist to yul the boarding was chaotic with 5 control before get in the plain, in addition to normal control by scanner and metal detector during transfert

The in flight entertainment was very good but unfortunately I feel they could have been more attentive to the customer. This is saw on all my Turkish airlines flights , besides dinner service you never really saw the attendants.

The flight was great. From the first to the last step, the staff was very helpful and understanding. I also always enjoy Turkish Airlines food because it’s flavorful, fresh (like salads and very delicious bread ) and has special things like olives, dates… I loved that bean salad and apricot pie. I also enjoyed the movies. Thank you!

Ordered Vegan meal - it was ok, but not exceptional. Seat ok row 39 middle section aisle. Nearly full flight - crew was busy but they did the best they could. There was a USB A port at the seat. I listened to my own music and only looked at flight information. One nice thing was the connection information was made available in the screen.

I recently flew with Turkish Airlines, and I can confidently say it was one of the best travel experiences I’ve ever had. From the moment I boarded, the crew was incredibly attentive, warm, and professional. They went above and beyond to ensure everyone was comfortable and well taken care of throughout the flight. The highlight, however, was the food! I’ve flown with many airlines, but Turkish Airlines sets the bar incredibly high when it comes to in-flight dining. Every meal was fresh, flavorful, and beautifully presented. The variety of dishes, even on a long-haul flight, was impressive. It felt like dining at a high-end restaurant at 35,000 feet! The seats were comfortable, the entertainment options were great, and the overall atmosphere made the journey enjoyable. Turkish Airlines truly excels in combining luxury and hospitality. I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with them again—highly recommend!

Very nice and friendly crew. Boarding system can be improved.

The Etickets had been changed (Why?) without notice ; Hence, that caused troubles when checking in. Not until I contacted my ticket agent and was given correct Etickets could I then check in.

The seat 7A had no padding. I needed to sit on the provided pillow.

One of the best flights I have been on in a while. Food was excellent. The chair-back screens in economy were A+. The crew was friendly and helpful.

"I had a fantastic experience with Turkish Airlines! Here are some things that really stood out to me: - Delicious food options, including a wide range of Turkish cuisine - Friendly and attentive flight attendants - Extensive in-flight entertainment options - Smooth and efficient check-in and boarding process Overall, I was thoroughly impressed with Turkish Airlines and would definitely fly with them again. The combination of comfort, service, and amenities made for a truly enjoyable flight experience."

Flight was delayed an hour. Also, I bought an extra legroom seat online; but the actually plane was a different configuration so I didn't get what I paid for . This happened on the Addis to Lusaka leg of my trip.

The plane was overbooked and the crew was very rude. My luggage was never put on the plane. I got to NY and waited 2 hours just to find out that my luggage was left.

My experience was great. The flight attendants were very helpful and nice, and the food was very good.

The flight delayef for over 2 hours so my route was changed leading to arriving to my destination without my luggage

The ailine departed and arrived late foe every leg of the trip, causing myself and my travel companions to miss every connecting flight. It was very unorganized given theat there was a lot of miscommunication. The flights offered are unrealistic and when you call they assure you that the plane waits for you. I missed an. entire day of my vacation and any entire day of rest back home because of the airline. I do not plan to support the airline again. Thank you

I liked nothing of Ethiopian airlines except the price of the fare.

Food was really not appealing. There was a blocked sink in the toilet. Toilet is cramped and the wall between the 2 toilets are not secured properly.

The use of a domestic carrier without entertainment was disappointing and a let down

Plane was late with no information or announcement … had to walk up n downstairs.., had not communicated this … and ppl had suitcase to carry .

Like: It arrived, Dislike: Boarding was a separate corridor with no counter announcements at the passenger waiting area. Very dirty airplane and toilets, food options were terrible - everything even the vegetarian option was a curry spice. Many other passengers using the toilets would not lock the door and kept door partially open during use - flight attendants would not enforce or direct them to lock it and light turns on, no entertainment options at all, other passengers would be singing and not peaceful. Atrocious flight experience.

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.

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