Flying from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST): what you need to know
The average duration of a direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport is 13 hours 5 minutes.
The timezone in Istanbul is UTC+3, which is ten hours ahead of San Francisco.
Every week, there are 17 San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flights. If you'd like to take off as soon as possible, pick the 13:10 Turkish Airlines flight. If you're eager to make the most of your day before flying, the last departure is at 19:50 with Turkish Airlines.
For a smooth journey, turn up at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and one hour before domestic departures. This will give you plenty of time to board your SFO to IST flight.
You'll likely experience bigger queues in popular months like August. Arriving up to four hours in advance for international flights and two hours for a domestic departure will give you ample time for security and boarding.
Turkish Airlines is your gateway to exploring Istanbul (and maybe even some other great parts of Türkiye (Turkey)!). Browse the direct flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport offered by this airline.
Turkish Airlines is the airline most travellers choose for this route.
If you'd like to split up your journey, just uncheck 'Direct flights only' when searching for your ticket from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. These are the top stopovers between SFO and IST:
Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport
Amsterdam Airport Schiphol
Frankfurt Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
RM1,353 is the best price for a one-way San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight. A return flight starts from RM2,931. These fares can change depending on availability and demand.
Book six months before you want to fly. After crunching the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you'll want to book ahead to secure cheap tickets from SFO to IST.
The cheapest month for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport is May. Use the 'Whole month' tool to see the lowest airfares if you have a flexible travel schedule.
Snapping up cheap flights from SFO to IST couldn't be easier with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll let you know as soon as a new deal comes up.
Select your preferred arrival and departure times, airlines and number of stops with the filters. Alternatively, sort your results by 'Cheapest' to get the best deals on flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport.
Handy information about San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
77.36% of flights departing from San Francisco International Airport touch down at their destination on schedule.
Central San Francisco to San Francisco International Airport is approximately 21 kilometres. Depending on traffic, it'll take about 20 minutes to get there if you're driving, ride-sharing or catching a cab.
Expect a trip time of about 45 minutes on public transport.
Looking for a handy hotel close to SFO? If you're boarding an early flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, these stays will put you moments from your departure lounge:
Arriving at Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
If you're landing on a late San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight, nothing tops the convenience of staying close to the terminal. Grab your bags from the carousel and then be showered and resting not long after at one of these hotels near IST:
Go where the road takes you with an Istanbul Ataturk Airport rental car. Pick up a set of wheels from Hit, Avec car rentals or Eren Rent a Car and chase adventure across Istanbul and beyond.
To secure the lowest price, book your ride from Istanbul Ataturk Airport about two weeks before travelling.
Getting from Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) to central Istanbul
Istanbul Ataturk Airport is roughly 48 kilometres from the centre of Istanbul. The drive time takes around 50 minutes.
It takes around 1 hour 45 minutes to get there by public transport.
When to fly to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
April is the most popular month for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. For a quieter experience, head to Istanbul in February.
Book your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport for August if you want to visit Istanbul during its warmest month. Expect temperatures of between 20ºC (68ºF) and 30ºC (86ºF).
January sees average temperatures of between 2ºC (36ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF). Look for cheap tickets from SFO to IST sometime around then if you want to travel when it's cooler.
Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)
Istanbul has its own special appeal, but there are so many other corners of Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be explored. Around 354 kilometres east of Istanbul, a visit to Ankara will keep you on the go. Check out popular attractions like Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Kocatepe Mosque (Kocatepe Camii) and Genclik Park.
If you're eager to discover another well-known destination in Türkiye (Turkey), head for Izmir, roughly 322 kilometres south-west of Istanbul. Kordonboyu, Kadifekale Castle and Konak Square are among its highlights.
