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Cheap flight tickets from San Francisco International to Istanbul

Compare San Francisco International to Istanbul flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Istanbul

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Flight deals from San Francisco International to Istanbul

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from RM3,880. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Istanbul.RM1,595 per passenger.Departing Tue, 9 Jun.One-way flight with Frontier Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Frontier Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 9 Jun, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM1,595, select.
Istanbul.RM1,679 per passenger.Departing Sat, 22 Aug.One-way flight with Alaska Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Alaska Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Sat, 22 Aug, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM1,679, select.
Istanbul.RM1,768 per passenger.Departing Tue, 24 Nov.One-way flight with Austrian Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Austrian Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 24 Nov, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM1,768, select.
Istanbul.RM1,798 per passenger.Departing Sat, 10 Oct.One-way flight with Austrian Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Austrian Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Sat, 10 Oct, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM1,798, select.
Istanbul.RM1,949 per passenger.Departing Thu, 14 May.One-way flight with Alaska Airlines.Outbound indirect flight with Alaska Airlines, departs from San Francisco International on Thu, 14 May, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM1,949, select.
Istanbul.RM2,028 per passenger.Departing Mon, 7 Sep.One-way flight with French Bee.Outbound indirect flight with French Bee, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 7 Sep, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,028, select.
Istanbul.RM2,171 per passenger.Departing Tue, 21 Jul.One-way flight with Air France.Outbound indirect flight with Air France, departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 21 Jul, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,171, select.
Istanbul.RM2,285 per passenger.Departing Mon, 8 Feb.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 8 Feb, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,285, select.
Istanbul.RM2,286 per passenger.Departing Wed, 31 Mar.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from San Francisco International on Wed, 31 Mar, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,286, select.
Istanbul.RM2,297 per passenger.Departing Mon, 4 Jan.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 4 Jan, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,297, select.
Istanbul.RM2,473 per passenger.Departing Thu, 1 Apr.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from San Francisco International on Thu, 1 Apr, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,473, select.
Istanbul.RM2,571 per passenger.Departing Fri, 11 Dec.One-way flight with Lufthansa.Outbound indirect flight with Lufthansa, departs from San Francisco International on Fri, 11 Dec, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,571, select.
Istanbul.RM2,767 per passenger.Departing Tue, 21 Jul.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 21 Jul, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,767, select.
Istanbul.RM2,773 per passenger.Departing Thu, 1 Apr.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Thu, 1 Apr, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,773, select.
Istanbul.RM2,778 per passenger.Departing Mon, 19 Oct.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Mon, 19 Oct, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,778, select.
Istanbul.RM2,778 per passenger.Departing Tue, 10 Nov.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from San Francisco International on Tue, 10 Nov, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From RM2,778, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco International to Istanbul

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like San Francisco International to Istanbul flights are currently cheapest in June.
Apr
from RM2,786
May
from RM1,949
Jun
from RM1,595
Jul
from RM2,171
Aug
from RM1,679
Sep
from RM2,028
Oct
from RM1,798
Nov
from RM1,768
Dec
from RM2,571
Jan
from RM2,297
Feb
from RM2,285
Mar
from RM2,286

Direct flights from San Francisco International to Istanbul

Alternative San Francisco International to Istanbul routes

Looking for the cheapest, fastest or easiest route from San Francisco International to Istanbul? You could fly into the following airports instead.

Istanbul Sabiha

30km from central Istanbul
ClosestCheapest
from RM1,595
Search flights

Istanbul

34km from central Istanbul
from RM1,682
Search flights

San Francisco to Istanbul: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight foundRM1,595
Cheapest month to flyJune
Average flight time12 hrs, 54 mins
Most popular airlineTurkish Airlines
Average flights per week27

Finding cheap flights from San Francisco International to Istanbul: Frequently asked questions

There are 2 airports in Istanbul: Istanbul Sabiha and Istanbul.
The best price we found for a return flight from San Francisco International to Istanbul is RM3,172. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
12 hours and 54 minutes is the average flight time from San Francisco International to Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines, IndiGo and PIA fly direct from San Francisco International to Istanbul.
As of April 2026, there are 27 flights per week flying from San Francisco International to Istanbul.
The cheapest month to fly from San Francisco International to Istanbul is usually November.
If you're flying from San Francisco International Airport, the cheapest airport near Istanbul is Istanbul – which is 34.4 km away from the centre of Istanbul. We've found flights into this airport from RM3,172.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul on Thursday, 5 November 2026.
Yes – the average flight time is 12 hours and 54 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Istanbul but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Istanbul is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
In April, the average temperature is usually around 12°C. August is typically the warmest month in Istanbul, when it usually averages around 27°C. You can expect the least rain in August. The coldest month is January, with temperatures averaging 4°C. The rainiest month is December.
Currently, Scandinavian Airlines and Turkish Airlines offer the cheapest flight tickets to Istanbul.

Travelling from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Istanbul: what you need to know

  • Book a direct flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul and you'll be in the air for around 13 hours 40 minutes.

  • San Francisco International Airport is located in San Francisco. Following the UTC+3 timezone, Istanbul is 11 hours ahead of San Francisco.

  • With 11 flights a week between the two airports, San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Istanbul Airport (IST) is the busiest route. Turkish Airlines operates the earliest flight at 12:40. If you're eager to make the most of your day before leaving, the latest departure from SFO to IST is with Turkish Airlines at 19:50.

  • Leave enough time to get on your SFO to Istanbul flight. As a rule of thumb, arrive two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.

  • Travelling during a peak time such as July? Major public holidays and other popular seasons can lead to longer queues and delays at security. Play it safe and arrive up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours before a domestic departure.

  • Start your journey at SFO and fly straight to Istanbul Airport (IST). That's where you can expect to land when searching for San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul tickets.

  • Turkish Airlines is a well-known airline that offers direct flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul.

  • Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your trip and perhaps even explore another city. When browsing for plane tickets from SFO to Istanbul, uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Some popular options include:

    • Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

    • Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

    • Mumbai Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport (BOM)

  • The journey from central San Francisco to SFO takes about 35 minutes on public transport. If you ride-share, drive or get a taxi, you'll cover the 18 kilometres in 25 minutes or so, depending on traffic.

  • Looking for a hotel close to SFO? If you've booked an early flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul, these accommodation options will put you moments from check-in:

  • 78% of flights leaving from San Francisco International Airport make it to their destination on time.

How to find the cheapest flights from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to Istanbul

  • RM1,595 is the cheapest price we've found for a one-way San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul flight. A round-trip ticket right now is RM3,172. Depending on when you book and the availability, these fares could change.

  • To pick up cheap flights from SFO to Istanbul, book early. Airlines tend to offer lower fares when tickets are first released.

  • The 'Whole month' tool will show you the cheapest tickets from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul across the month. It's a great way to snap up a bargain if your travel plans are flexible.

  • You don't need to keep checking in to see if fares have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll update you as soon as there's an even better deal on cheap flights from SFO to Istanbul.

  • Tailor your flights with filters. Choose your arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort the results by 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul.

Airports in Istanbul

Istanbul Airport (IST)

  • The distance from Istanbul Airport (IST) to central Istanbul is roughly 40 kilometres. It'll take you around 45 minutes to get to the centre driving.

  • Travelling to the centre by public transport takes about 1 hour 10 minutes.

  • The last thing you need is a long journey to your hotel if you're arriving on a late flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul. Stay at one of these accommodation options near IST instead:

  • To lock in the lowest price, book your ride from Istanbul Airport around two weeks ahead of your flight from SFO to Istanbul.

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)

  • The centre of Istanbul is about 48 kilometres from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW). Once your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul has landed and you've made your way to arrivals, expect a drive of around 1 hour 5 minutes.

  • If you're travelling on public transport, it'll take around 1 hour 40 minutes.

  • After stepping off your SFO to Istanbul flight, kick back at a hotel close to SAW. These are some comfortable accommodation options that'll help you get into relaxation mode:

  • Snap up the best price by securing your ride from SAW four weeks in advance. You'll also have access to a wider selection of vehicles.

Best time to go to Istanbul

  • August is the most popular month for flights from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul. To skip the crowds, head to Istanbul in February.

  • The warmest month in Istanbul is July, with temperatures ranging between 21ºC (70ºF) and 30ºC (86ºF). Book your San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul plane ticket then if you enjoy this type of weather.

  • For cooler conditions, search for a cheap ticket from SFO to Istanbul in January when temperatures average between 2ºC (36ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF).

More about Istanbul

  • Start your Istanbul trip right by choosing the ideal place to stay. After booking your flight from San Francisco International Airport to Istanbul, check out our selection of hotels including:

  • Historic Areas of Istanbul and Hagia Sophia Museum are just a couple of the major attractions to add to your Istanbul travel itinerary. Keep the sightseeing going at Hagia Sophia History Museum.

Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)

  • Ankara is just one of the many places in Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be explored once you've seen the sights of Istanbul. Around 354 kilometres away to the east, top sights here include The Roman Theatre, Kocatepe Mosque (Kocatepe Camii) and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

  • Around 322 kilometres southwest of Istanbul, Izmir is another favourite stop in Türkiye (Turkey). Start your sightseeing at Aegean Coast, Smyrna Basilika and Ataturk Konak Square.

More travel options

Plan the rest of your trip from San Francisco to Istanbul

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.