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R4 590+ Cheap flights to Istanbul

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a Cheapflights user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight departing on 10/2. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
— IST
Feb 2 — Feb 91
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

Flights to Istanbul in 2026

Enter your travel dates to find the best prices.

Cheapest flights to Istanbul
Explore the most affordable flight options available to Istanbul. Find the lowest fares based on data from user searches, with prices last updated on 3 January 2026.

Fri 1/511:55JNB - SAW
1 stop25h 25mQatar Airways
Wed 6/515:30SAW - JNB
1 stop18h 20mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R8 982
Wed 25/313:45JNB - SAW
1 stop21h 25mQatar Airways
Wed 29/415:30SAW - JNB
1 stop18h 20mQatar Airways
Deal found 2/1R9 048
Mon 9/213:45JNB - IST
1 stop16h 15mQatar Airways
Mon 16/213:50IST - JNB
1 stop15h 05mQatar Airways
Deal found 2/1R9 048
Mon 30/314:45JNB - IST
1 stop20h 10mQatar Airways
Mon 6/413:45IST - JNB
1 stop15h 15mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R9 082
Thu 15/113:45JNB - IST
1 stop21h 35mQatar Airways
Wed 28/120:10IST - JNB
1 stop32h 45mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R9 098
Tue 13/113:45JNB - SAW
1 stop21h 25mQatar Airways
Tue 20/113:40SAW - JNB
1 stop15h 15mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R9 148
Tue 1/914:45JNB - SAW
1 stop20h 25mQatar Airways
Wed 30/913:35SAW - JNB
1 stop15h 25mQatar Airways
Deal found 2/1R9 247
Fri 20/313:45JNB - SAW
1 stop21h 25mQatar Airways
Fri 27/313:40SAW - JNB
1 stop20h 00mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R9 263
Thu 19/212:45JNB - IST
1 stop22h 35mQatar Airways
Sun 22/220:10IST - JNB
1 stop20h 25mQatar Airways
Deal found 2/1R9 329
Sun 25/113:45JNB - IST
1 stop21h 35mQatar Airways
Fri 30/112:00IST - JNB
1 stop21h 40mQatar Airways
Deal found 2/1R9 379
Mon 23/320:30JNB - IST
1 stop21h 10mQatar Airways
Mon 30/313:45IST - JNB
1 stop15h 15mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R9 461
Sat 25/411:55JNB - SAW
1 stop25h 25mQatar Airways
Sat 2/515:30SAW - JNB
1 stop18h 20mQatar Airways
Deal found 1/1R9 494

Find flight deals to Istanbul

Find the latest flights to Istanbul in 2026, with up-to-date prices and availability. In the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made a total of 594 507 searches and data was last updated on 3 January 2026.

Return from

R8 982

One-way from

R4 590

Popular in

December

Cheapest in

February

Average price

R10 336
Qatar Airways
  • Qatar Airways
  • 1/5-6/5
  • 2 total stops
  • 43h 45m total
  • Johannesburg to Istanbul
Search Deals
Qatar Airways
  • Qatar Airways
  • 10/2
  • 1 total stop
  • 14h 40m total
  • Johannesburg to Istanbul
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 1% potential increase in price (R127 potential increase over avg. return price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 1% potential price decrease (R146 potential savings vs. average return price).
Search Deals
Average for return flights in January 2026
Search Deals

Cheapflights Fare Finder

 
Locate flights to Istanbul that fit your budget, with regularly updated fares and availability. In the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made a total of 594 507 searches and data was last updated on 3 January 2026.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights to Istanbul that are best for you.

Fly from

Johannesburg

Route

Depart

Return

Price

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - IST

JNBIST

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 18/1

21:45-17:50

1 stop19h 05m

Istanbul

Sat 24/1

3:50-7:10

1 stop28h 20m

R9 511

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - IST

JNBIST

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 1/5

14:30-4:45

1 stop13h 15m

Istanbul

Tue 5/5

0:10-13:05

1 stop13h 55m

R9 676

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - SAW

JNBSAW

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 8/3

23:59-17:25

1 stop16h 26m

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen

Sun 15/3

16:00-22:05

1 stop31h 05m

R9 841

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - SAW

JNBSAW

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 15/1

23:59-0:15

1 stop23h 16m

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen

Wed 28/1

12:55-22:05

1 stop34h 10m

R9 858

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - SAW

JNBSAW

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Fri 30/1

23:59-17:25

1 stop16h 26m

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen

Sat 14/2

9:00-22:05

1 stop38h 05m

R9 858

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - SAW

JNBSAW

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 25/3

23:59-21:20

1 stop20h 21m

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen

Thu 30/4

8:50-21:20

1 stop37h 30m

R9 874

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - SAW

JNBSAW

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Wed 25/3

23:59-21:20

1 stop20h 21m

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen

Tue 28/4

8:50-21:20

1 stop37h 30m

R9 874

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - IST

JNBIST

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Thu 15/1

22:20-21:55

1 stop22h 35m

Istanbul

Sun 18/1

16:25-20:35

1 stop29h 10m

R10 221

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - IST

JNBIST

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Sun 18/1

23:59-16:55

1 stop15h 56m

Istanbul

Sat 24/1

4:50-22:05

2 stops42h 15m

R10 336

JohannesburgIstanbul

JNB - IST

JNBIST

Johannesburg OR Tambo

Mon 9/3

14:30-5:00

1 stop13h 30m

Istanbul

Thu 12/3

0:05-13:05

1 stop14h 00m

R10 369

Flights are sorted by cheapest return flights first.

Deals found on 31/12

Showing 1-10 of 38 results
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Best time to book a flight to Istanbul

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Istanbul with our price prediction graph.
Estimated return price
Rates are based on past data. Find the cheapest month and day to book your flight based on your travel requirements, then search for cheap deals.

Cheapflights Insights

Everything you need to know about your flight to Istanbul

When is the best time to book a flight to Istanbul?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a return flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul. Price data was last updated on 2 January 2026.

To ensure you get the cheapest price possible for a flight to Istanbul, you should look to book at least 81 days in advance of your intended travel date. The price of your flight may increase if you delay and leave booking until a week or so before departure.

How long is the flight to Istanbul?

On average, a flight from Johannesburg to Istanbul takes 11 hours 57 minutes. Flights to Istanbul from other popular cities in South Africa will vary in length. Below are a few examples of popular routes and their flight times.

Weekly flight availability to Istanbul

The most flights from Johannesburg to Istanbul are scheduled on a Monday (3 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Tuesday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (1 on average).

What are the most popular airlines that fly to Istanbul?

The most popular airlines flying from Johannesburg to Istanbul are Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines.

Qatar Airways
Qatar Airways
From R8 470
Emirates
Emirates
From R9 118
Turkish Airlines
Turkish Airlines
From R10 355
Ethiopian Air
Ethiopian Air
From R9 311

What are the cheapest airlines that fly to Istanbul?

The cheapest airlines flying from Johannesburg to Istanbul are Etihad Airways, Lufthansa and Qatar Airways.

Rainfall in Istanbul by month

Plan your trip to Istanbul by taking into account the average rainfall totals by month.

In terms of precipitation, rainfall in Istanbul ranges from 10.0 - 100.0 mm per month. December is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 100.0 mm. July is typically the driest time to visit Istanbul when rainfall is around 10.0 mm.

Temperature in Istanbul by month

Plan your trip to Istanbul by taking into account the average temperature totals by month.

If weather is an important factor for your trip to Istanbul, use this chart to help with planning. For those seeking warmer temperatures, July is the ideal time of year to visit, when temperatures reach an average of 23.0 C. Travellers hoping to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 5.0 C).

Reviews of airlines servicing Istanbul

Get insights into the airlines that provide service to Istanbul. Read reviews, discover amenities, and learn about the overall travel experience offered by airlines. Use this information to make informed decisions when choosing an airline for your flight to Istanbul. Reviews last updated 3 January 2026.
Check out reviews from past customers who have flown Emirates, Qatar Airways, andEtihad Airways to Turkey to help guide your decision. Reviews also offer insight into each airline's entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Check prices

Entertainment

8,2

Boarding

8,1

Overall

8,1

Food

7,9

Comfort

8,0

Crew

8,3

Reviews

1 / 20
8,0
Excellent

Anonymous,Dec 2025

ATH - EWR

Smooth flight, good entertainment choices. Bad legroom in economy and mediocre food.
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Check prices

Entertainment

8,2

Boarding

8,1

Overall

8,1

Food

7,9

Comfort

8,0

Crew

8,3

Reviews

1 / 20
8,0
Excellent

Anonymous,Dec 2025

ATH - EWR

Smooth flight, good entertainment choices. Bad legroom in economy and mediocre food.
Qatar Airways
7,4
Good
3 699 reviews
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Check prices

Entertainment

8,2

Boarding

8,1

Overall

8,1

Food

7,9

Comfort

8,0

Crew

8,3

Reviews

1 / 20
8,0
Excellent

Anonymous,Dec 2025

ATH - EWR

Smooth flight, good entertainment choices. Bad legroom in economy and mediocre food.
Etihad Airways
7,3
Good
1 351 reviews
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Check prices

Entertainment

8,2

Boarding

8,1

Overall

8,1

Food

7,9

Comfort

8,0

Crew

8,3

Reviews

1 / 20
8,0
Excellent

Anonymous,Dec 2025

ATH - EWR

Smooth flight, good entertainment choices. Bad legroom in economy and mediocre food.
Turkish Airlines
7,3
Good
4 147 reviews
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Check prices

Entertainment

8,2

Boarding

8,1

Overall

8,1

Food

7,9

Comfort

8,0

Crew

8,3

Reviews

1 / 20
8,0
Excellent

Anonymous,Dec 2025

ATH - EWR

Smooth flight, good entertainment choices. Bad legroom in economy and mediocre food.
Ethiopian Air
7,2
Good
925 reviews
Emirates
8,1
Very Good
3 453 reviews
Check prices

Entertainment

8,2

Boarding

8,1

Overall

8,1

Food

7,9

Comfort

8,0

Crew

8,3

Reviews

1 / 20
8,0
Excellent

Anonymous,Dec 2025

ATH - EWR

Smooth flight, good entertainment choices. Bad legroom in economy and mediocre food.

FAQs about flying to Istanbul

  • Can I find cheaper flights to Istanbul if I am willing to have stopovers?

    Yes, flights with stopovers are often cheaper than direct flights. Keep an eye out for flight deals to Istanbul on Cheapflights that require 1 or 2 stops for potential cost savings.

  • What is the best airline to fly to Istanbul?

    Based on reviews from Cheapflights users, KLM is rated the highest out of the airlines that fly to Istanbul.

  • How much is a return flight to Istanbul?

    A return flight to Istanbul will typically cost around R19 369, however they can be found for as little as R1 120.

  • Where does the fastest flight to Istanbul depart from?

    For those looking to save time traveling to Istanbul, Johannesburg offers the quickest one-way flight (9 hours 40 minutes).

  • Does Istanbul have car hire?

    Yes. Those touching down at Istanbul can take advantage of the car hire services offered upon their arrival.

  • Are there hotels close to Istanbul?

    Yes. Istanbul has hotels nearby for those requiring accommodations. havalimanına yakın konumda daire is the closest property to Istanbul (0,0 km away from Istanbul).

See more FAQs

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

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Airports serving Istanbul

Book a flight to or from one of these Istanbul airports.
Flights to Sabiha Gokcen
Flights from Sabiha Gokcen

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How does Cheapflights help users find flights to Istanbul?

When you search for this flight to Istanbul, Cheapflights searches on 900+ travel sites to save you time finding great flight deals online. Additionally, we offer filter features so you can choose a preferred cabin class or airline, see different price ranges, and much more so you can book the best flight for you.

Why should you use Cheapflights to find cheap flight tickets to Istanbul?

Millions of users choose and trust Cheapflights to book the best flight deals to Istanbul for free. We help you search and compare prices from hundreds of airlines for the right flight just for you.

Can Cheapflights find flights to Istanbul with no change fees?

Certainly. Search results for flights to Istanbul shown to you on Cheapflights can be narrowed down with different useful search filters, which includes flexible booking options.

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