Cheap flights to Istanbul

When flying from OR Tambo International, you'll find direct flights to Istanbul New Airport without a stopover that take around 9h 30min. Non-stop flights from Cape Town will often take around 10h 30min. When flying from Durban, you can expect flights with at least one stopover and a travel time of close to 14h 30min.

Istanbul flight deals with direct flights can be found in Johannesburg and Cape Town. Johannesburg flights will depart from OR Tambo International Airport and arrive at Istanbul New Airport. There are currently no other airports offering direct flights to Istanbul, Turkey, but you will find flights with a single stopover and travel time of under 15h. If you’re travelling from Durban, expect flights to have a single stopover in either Cape Town or Johannesburg. Flights from Port Elizabeth typically have a single stopover in Johannesburg.

Once you arrive at Istanbul New Airport, Istanbul, you’ll find a few transport options for getting to the city centre. There are three types of taxis you can take that provide different comfort levels. Taxis can be found outside the main arrivals terminal and will take approximately 45min to the city centre, depending on traffic. There are many bus routes that you can take, the H2 Line will take you to the Şişli-Mecidiyeköyis Station, where you can catch the M2 Metro Line to the centre of the city. You can also rely on local taxi apps in Istanbul to take you from the airport to the centre of the city.

Istanbul is one of the major cities in Turkey and lies along the coast of the Bosphorus Strait, bordering Europe and Asia. Istanbul is famous for its rich history and cultural diversity with many sights to see and activities to partake in. You can take time out to visit local heritage sites like Hagia Sophia, a late antique place of worship built in 537 AD. You can also spend time at Sultan Ahmed Mosque, sometimes called The Blue Mosque, and explore its hand-painted blue tiles which line the interior. At The Grand Bazaar, you’ll be exposed to one of Turkeys largest and oldest covered markets where your shopping can be done. Visit Topkapi Palace and explore sights like the Harem and the weapons room. You can spend time out of the city atop the river on a Bosphorus Cruise while exploring European and Asian waters. Go underground and spend time treading the walkways of the Basilica Cistern, which was once responsible for bringing water to Istanbul from Bulgaria. Archaeology enthusiasts will want to make their way to the Archaeology Museum and experience the sarcophagus of Alexander the Great or visit the Kariye Museum and see Byzantine mosaics and frescoes.

You will need to apply for a visa to visit Istanbul in Turkey. You can apply for a three month, multiple entry visa through Turkish representatives overseas, or you can apply online for a single entry visa that lasts for a month. If you wish to do business, you will have to apply for a working visa.

IST stands for Istanbul Airport. Codes like this one are often called IATA codes, a set of identifiers established by IATA (International Air Transport Association) that is widely used by airlines and the aviation industry. Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW), Bursa Yenişehir Airport (YEI), Tekirdag Corlu Airport (TEQ), İzmit Cengiz Topel Airport (KCO) are some additional IATA codes for airports related to your trip.