HomeSearch by dateVacation packagesHotelsFlight dealsCar rentalTravel tips & news
Istanbul

$523+ Cheap flights from San Francisco (SFO) to Istanbul (IST)

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 5/18. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — IST
May 4 — May 111
Sun 5/4
Sun 5/11
1 adult, Economy
We work with more than 300 partners to bring you better travel deals

Find cheap flights from San Francisco to Istanbul with Cheapflights

1. Tell us where you want to go

Enter your travel information like dates, passengers, trip type (one-way or round trip), and preferred cabin class then click “Find deals”

2. Select your favorite providers

We find the providers serving your travel needs. Choose up to four travel providers to compare side-by-side for flights, hotels, or car rentals.

3. Compare prices and book

Review each provider’s pricing and select the best option for you! Book through your favorite provider’s website for a seamless experience.

Cheapflights Tip: The best prices from San Francisco to Istanbul are usually found in March or February, booked 90 days in advance, depart on a Tuesday or Monday and return on a Friday

Cheap flight deals from San Francisco to Istanbul

Discover tips and strategies to find the most affordable flight options for your journey from San Francisco (SFO) to Istanbul (IST). Learn about various techniques such as flexible date searches, comparing prices across and setting up price alerts. Use these methods to find the cheapest flights available for your travel needs. Data last updated April 29, 2025.

Most accurate provider

AranGrant
3 stars

Most trusted provider

AranGrant
3 stars

Round-trip from

$929
(Delta)

One-way from

$523
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

June

Cheapest in

March

Average price

$1,137

Good round-trip deal

$1,039 or less

Good one-way deal

$604 or less
Provider with most accurate pricing for San Francisco-Istanbul flight deals.
Search Deals
Provider most trusted by Cheapflights users for San Francisco-Istanbul flights.
Search Deals
From San Francisco to Istanbul
Search Deals
One-way flight from San Francisco to Istanbul
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 18% potential increase in price ($272 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($45 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in April 2025
Search Deals
Price to beat on a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Istanbul.
Search Deals
Price to beat on a one-way flight from San Francisco to Istanbul.
Search Deals

Find flight deals from San Francisco to Istanbul

Cheapest flights from San Francisco to Istanbul
Explore the most affordable flight options available from San Francisco to Istanbul. Find the lowest fares from popular airlines and budget airlines, with prices last updated on April 29, 2025.

This Delta deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/28. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Delta is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Thu 7/1710:55 amSFO - IST
2 stops30h 30mDelta
Thu 8/214:20 amIST - SFO
2 stops23h 27mDelta
Deal found 4/28$929
This Lufthansa deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/28. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Lufthansa is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 8/191:20 pmSFO - IST
1 stop22h 00mLufthansa
Wed 8/272:00 pmIST - SFO
1 stop32h 40mLufthansa
Deal found 4/28$949
This Air Canada deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/27. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Air Canada is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 8/1611:47 pmSFO - IST
2 stops42h 28mAir Canada
Mon 8/259:20 pmIST - SFO
2 stops33h 33mAir Canada
Deal found 4/27$952
This Kiwi.com deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/28. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure Kiwi.com is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 5/106:35 amSFO - IST
1 stop24h 00mMultiple Airlines
Tue 5/131:40 amIST - SFO
2 stops32h 14mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 4/28$954
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/27. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure oojo is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 5/63:55 pmSFO - IST
1 stop34h 00mQatar Airways
Wed 5/288:05 pmIST - SFO
1 stop27h 30mQatar Airways
Deal found 4/27$972
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 4/28. Clicking the “Pick Dates” button in this card will allow you to select your dates and further customize your flight criteria. From there, click “Find deals”, make sure oojo is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 8/266:45 pmSFO - IST
Nonstop13h 00mTurkish Airlines
Tue 9/91:20 pmIST - SFO
Nonstop13h 20mTurkish Airlines
Deal found 4/28$1,018

Cheapflights Fare Finder

Customize your flight search to find flights from San Francisco to Istanbul that fit within your specific budget. Explore options based on user searches and filter the results based on your desired price range. Find flights that match your budget for a cost-effective journey. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated April 29, 2025.
Use the filters below to find and compare flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport that are best for you.

Fly from

San Francisco

Fly to

Istanbul

Route

Depart

Return

Price

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Thu 7/17

10:55 am-3:25 am

2 stops30h 30m

Istanbul

Thu 8/21

4:20 am-5:47 pm

2 stops23h 27m

$929

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 8/19

1:20 pm-9:20 pm

1 stop22h 00m

Istanbul

Wed 8/27

2:00 pm-12:40 pm

1 stop32h 40m

$949

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Sat 8/16

11:47 pm-4:15 am

2 stops42h 28m

Istanbul

Mon 8/25

9:20 pm-8:53 pm

2 stops33h 33m

$952

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Sat 5/10

6:35 am-4:35 pm

1 stop24h 00m

Istanbul

Tue 5/13

1:40 am-11:54 pm

2 stops32h 14m

$954

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Thu 10/2

3:55 pm-6:35 pm

1 stop40h 40m

Istanbul

Sun 10/12

8:05 pm-1:35 pm

1 stop27h 30m

$972

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 9/16

6:45 pm-5:45 pm

Nonstop13h 00m

Istanbul

Wed 9/24

1:20 pm-4:40 pm

Nonstop13h 20m

$998

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Sat 9/6

11:00 pm-9:20 pm

2 stops36h 20m

Istanbul

Tue 9/16

2:00 pm-8:56 am

2 stops28h 56m

$1,013

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Sun 5/18

8:00 pm-7:25 pm

2 stops37h 25m

$523

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 5/20

8:00 pm-11:20 am

1 stop29h 20m

$544

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Mon 7/14

12:40 pm-11:45 am

Nonstop13h 05m

$568

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 4/27

Showing 1-10 of 19 results
1
2

Compare providers for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

Provider information is updated monthly. Please note that these providers often have deals for this flight, but the availability may vary on a day-by-day basis on Cheapflights.
Use the table below to compare price accuracy, trust ratings, and cancellation policies for each provider offering flight deals from San Francisco to Istanbul in April.
ProviderPrice AccuracyTrust Score*
ExpediaPrice Accuracy1 starTrust Score*3 stars
AranGrantPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
FlightHubPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*2 stars
eDreamsPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
oojoPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
Kiwi.comPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*3 stars
CheapflightsfaresPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*2 stars
CheapfaremartPrice Accuracy-Trust Score*1 star
Justfly.comPrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*2 stars
GotogatePrice Accuracy3 starsTrust Score*2 stars

*The Trust Score is based on feedback from users after their booking experience. It measures overall satisfaction, helping us identify issues like hidden fees, problems during the ticketing process, and the quality of customer service. This score is our best indicator of the provider's quality and reliability.

  • Most accurate provider: When it comes to deals on San Francisco-Istanbul Airport flights, users find the pricing of AranGrant to be most consistent on Cheapflights vs. AranGrant Users can find the same prices on San Francisco-Istanbul Airport flight deals on Cheapflights vs. AranGrant >95% of the time. Price accuracy is based on data collected from San Francisco-Istanbul Airport flight searches over the past month and is updated monthly.
  • Most trusted provider: When it comes to deals on San Francisco-Istanbul Airport flights, Cheapflights users trust AranGrant the most. AranGrant has received a user feedback score of 3 out of 3 stars (3 being the best), meaning they have been trusted the most by Cheapflights users looking for San Francisco-Istanbul Airport flight deals. Provider user feedback score is based on Cheapflights searches over the past month and is updated monthly.

Best time to book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul

Have a flexible travel schedule? Discover the best time to fly to Istanbul from San Francisco with our price prediction graph.
Estimated round-trip 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 from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport

How far ahead should I book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

Use this chart to determine the optimal time to book a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Istanbul. Price data was last updated on April 25, 2025.

To ensure you get the cheapest price possible for a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport, you should look to book at least 90 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.

What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

Currently, November is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport (average of $923). Flying from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport in June is currently the most expensive (average of $1,423). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

What is the cheapest time of day to fly from SFO to IST?

Find hourly flight availability from San Francisco to Istanbul. Discover flight options and departure times throughout the day, allowing you to choose a departure time that suits your schedule. Data last updated April 29, 2025.

It’s typically best to fly out from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport in the evening. Doing so could potentially save you 25% on the flight price compared to flying at noon, which is usually more expensive.

What is the cheapest day to fly from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

Use this chart to determine the cheapest time to fly round-trip from San Francisco to Istanbul. Price data was last updated on March 30, 2025.

Travelers seeking maximum savings on their San Francisco to Istanbul Airport flight should consider departing on Tuesday evenings when fares are most often at their lowest. Thursday mornings flights should be avoided if possible as fares are typically the most expensive at this time.

Weekly flight availability from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport

Explore weekly flight availability from San Francisco to Istanbul. Discover flights operating on different days of the week, giving you the flexibility to choose a travel day that best fits your plans. Compare info to find the most convenient option for your journey. Data last updated April 29, 2025.

The most flights from SFO to IST are scheduled on a Monday (8 on average). You will have fewer flight options on Tuesday, which is when the least amount of flights are scheduled (5 on average).

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 Airport ranges from 0.4 - 3.9 inches per month. December is typically the wettest month, when rainfall can reach 3.9 in. July is typically the driest time to visit Istanbul Airport when rainfall is around 0.4 in.

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 Airport, 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 73.4 F. Travelers looking to avoid the cold should look outside of January, when temperatures are typically at their lowest (around 41.0 F).

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 April 29, 2025.
Read through reviews of airlines operating flights from San Francisco to Istanbul, such as Delta, KLM and China Southern. In addition to providing an overall rating, users have also rated airlines in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.3

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Aaron,Oct 2024

LAX - LHR

This was a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic in their Upper Class cabin. Overall, an outstanding experience.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.3

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Aaron,Oct 2024

LAX - LHR

This was a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic in their Upper Class cabin. Overall, an outstanding experience.
KLM
7.8
Good
1,333 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.3

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Aaron,Oct 2024

LAX - LHR

This was a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic in their Upper Class cabin. Overall, an outstanding experience.
China Southern
7.5
Good
96 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.3

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Aaron,Oct 2024

LAX - LHR

This was a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic in their Upper Class cabin. Overall, an outstanding experience.
Qatar Airways
7.4
Good
3,561 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.3

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Aaron,Oct 2024

LAX - LHR

This was a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic in their Upper Class cabin. Overall, an outstanding experience.
United Airlines
7.4
Good
8,696 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,929 reviews

Comfort

7.9

Food

7.3

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Overall

8.0

Crew

8.5

Reviews

1 / 20
10.0
Excellent

Aaron,Oct 2024

LAX - LHR

This was a flight operated by Virgin Atlantic in their Upper Class cabin. Overall, an outstanding experience.

Related info for your journey

Find useful and relevant information for your journey from San Francisco to Istanbul. Access travel guides, tips, and recommendations to enhance your travel experience. Get information about local attractions, weather, transportation options, and more.

  • What airport do you fly from for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul?

    San Francisco (SFO) is the airport you will fly out of if you book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul. You should not have trouble finding flights to Istanbul from San Francisco; the airport handles an average of 6 outbound flights to Istanbul per day. You should also have plenty of airline options to choose from since 10 airlines have flights from the San Francisco airport to Istanbul. It is only a 11.8 mi journey to San Francisco (SFO) from San Francisco’s city center.

  • What are the cheapest airlines flying from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport round-trip?

    According to our current data, Delta ($929), Qatar Airways ($972), and Air Canada ($982) offers the cheapest pricing from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport. These flights start at 23% lower than the current average price 3 months from now.

  • What are the cheapest airlines to fly from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport one-way?

    The cheapest airline one-way is Vueling, with whom users have recently found tickets for as low as $544. However, be on the lookout for offers from Turkish Airlines and Qatar Airways, as they are both options that can get you from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport for a low price.

  • What are the most reliable airlines from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

    The top 3 most reliable airlines when flying from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport are RwandAir (85%), Turkish Airlines (81%) and Pakistan International Airlines (81%).

  • What are the cheapest flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

    Looking at all options, your cheapest flight can be booked for $481. While the most popular route (San Francisco - Istanbul) can be booked for $868 on average our data indicates $2,743 when flying from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport.

  • Where are the most common layover locations when flying from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

    San Francisco to Istanbul Airport flights have a layover in Frankfurt am Main most of the time. London is the second most popular location for layovers on flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport.

  • What are some popular things to do or see while on a layover in Frankfurt am Main?

    Most Frankfurt am Main visitors opt to spend their time experiencing Römerberg, Hauptwache, and Konstablerwache. Römerberg, Hauptwache, and Konstablerwache can be accessed by traveling approximately 7.4 mi, 7.4 mi, and 7.7 mi, respectively from Frankfurt am Main. Those looking to explore during their layover in Frankfurt am Main can rent a car from Frankfurt am Main for about $43 per day.

  • What are some popular points of interest to see during a layover in London?

    London travelers tend to visit Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace more than any other notable places. Hyde Park, Piccadilly Circus, and Buckingham Palace can be visited by traveling about 12.5 mi, 14.1 mi, and 13.7 mi respectively from London Heathrow. Those on a layover in London in need of a rental car can book one at London Heathrow for about $53.

  • Where are the least popular layover locations for San Francisco to Istanbul Airport flights?

    San Francisco to Istanbul Airport flights have a layover in Amsterdam the least frequently. Paris is the second least popular location for layovers on flights from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport.

  • Can I find deals for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul that include hotel bookings?

    Yes. In addition to deals on San Francisco to Istanbul flights, Cheapflights offers vacation packages that include both flights and hotel.

  • How can I find direct flights from San Francisco to Istanbul?

    After entering your origin and destination, apply the non-stop filter on the search result page to find direct flights from San Francisco to Istanbul.

  • Can I find deals for business class flights from San Francisco to Istanbul?

    Yes. Cheapflights offers flight deals from San Francisco to Istanbul by cabin class. In addition to browsing deals, you can also filter by cabin class on the search results page after making a search.

  • What is the cheapest month to book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

    Currently, November is the cheapest month in which you can book a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport (average of $923). Flying from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport in June is currently the most expensive (average of $1,423). There are several factors that can impact the price of a flight, so comparing airlines, departure airports and flight times can provide users with more options.

See more FAQs

Traveling to a place near San Francisco?

Book flights to San Francisco if you plan to visit one of these locations
Yalova

Browse thousands of different options on Cheapflights for your next trip

Toggle through the tabs below to find thousands of options on Cheapflights for your next trip.

Alternative routes for San Francisco to Istanbul

See prices for flight routes from nearby airports that may be better suited for you.
Los Angeles to Istanbul flights
Los Angeles to Sabiha Gokcen flights
San Francisco to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Ontario to Istanbul flights
Santa Ana to Istanbul flights
Burbank to Istanbul flights
San Jose to Istanbul flights
San Diego to Istanbul flights
Oakland to Istanbul flights
San Jose to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Las Vegas to Istanbul flights
San Diego to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Sacramento to Istanbul flights
Oakland to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Burbank to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Ontario to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Las Vegas to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Sacramento to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Long Beach to Istanbul flights
Reno to Istanbul flights
Reno to Sabiha Gokcen flights
San Luis Obispo to Istanbul flights

Top 10 airlines flying from San Francisco to Istanbul

Discover the top 10 airlines that operate flights from San Francisco to Istanbul. Compare their services, reliability, and customer satisfaction ratings to choose the airline that best suits your travel preferences and needs. Over the last 7 days, Cheapflights users made 2,558,603 searches. Data last updated April 29, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
DeltaCheapest$603Average$961FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
United AirlinesCheapest$689Average$1,195FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
LufthansaCheapest$693Average$1,170FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time76%
Air CanadaCheapest$762Average$1,220FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time67%
British AirwaysCheapest$848Average$1,266FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time70%
KLMCheapest$870Average$1,529FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time75%
Qatar AirwaysCheapest$902Average$1,067FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time68%
American AirlinesCheapest$904Average$1,334FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
Turkish AirlinesCheapest$950Average$1,228FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time77%
EmiratesCheapest$1,369Average$1,484FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time75%

100% Free

Cheapflights is completely free to use, so you can start saving the moment you arrive.

Book with Flexibility

Our users can plan ahead with confidence and find flights with no change fees

Travel Smart

Millions of people come to us for their flight needs every year. We help make travel planning easy by providing useful insights and data-driven graphs that can inform your decisions.