HomeSearch by dateVacation packagesHotelsFlight dealsCar rentalTravel tips & news
Istanbul

$462+ 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 9/18. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel.
SFO — IST
Aug 25 — Sep 11
Mon 8/25
Mon 9/1
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 November, booked 44 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 August 20, 2025.

Round-trip from

$836
(KLM)

One-way from

$462
(Kiwi.com)

Popular in

June

Cheapest in

March

Average price

$1,125

Good round-trip deal

$748 or less

Good one-way deal

$458 or less
From San Francisco to Istanbul
Search Deals
One-way flight from San Francisco to Istanbul
Search Deals
Highest demand for flights based on searches. 13% potential increase in price ($183 potential increase over avg. RT price).
Search Deals
Cheapest flight prices on average. 3% potential price decrease ($35 potential savings vs. average RT price).
Search Deals
Average for round-trip flights in August 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 August 20, 2025.

This Air France deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/20. 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 France is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 9/163:05 pmSFO - IST
1 stop26h 20mAir France
Thu 10/304:50 amIST - SFO
2 stops21h 15mAir France
Deal found 8/20$832
This KLM deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/20. 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 KLM is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Wed 9/171:45 pmSFO - IST
1 stop25h 35mKLM
Wed 10/295:55 pmIST - SFO
1 stop28h 55mKLM
Deal found 8/20$836
This Air France deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 France is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/229:10 pmSFO - IST
2 stops18h 10mKLM
Tue 11/45:55 pmIST - SFO
1 stop28h 55mKLM
Deal found 8/18$837
This French Bee deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/19. 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 French Bee is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/88:30 pmSFO - IST
1 stop17h 35mMultiple Airlines
Wed 9/176:45 amIST - SFO
1 stop24h 05mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 8/19$838
This Mytrip deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/19. 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 Mytrip is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 9/94:05 pmSFO - IST
1 stop17h 00mMultiple Airlines
Tue 9/233:50 pmIST - SFO
3 stops32h 45mMultiple Airlines
Deal found 8/19$839
This KLM deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 KLM is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 9/2310:55 amSFO - IST
2 stops19h 25mKLM
Tue 11/45:55 pmIST - SFO
1 stop28h 55mKLM
Deal found 8/18$840
This KLM deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/19. 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 KLM is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 10/1810:30 amSFO - IST
2 stops19h 35mKLM
Fri 10/315:55 pmIST - SFO
1 stop28h 55mKLM
Deal found 8/19$841
This KLM deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 KLM is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Tue 10/73:05 pmSFO - IST
1 stop26h 20mKLM
Tue 10/214:20 amIST - SFO
1 stop18h 30mKLM
Deal found 8/18$843
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 9/96:45 pmSFO - IST
Nonstop13h 00mTurkish Airlines
Wed 9/171:20 pmIST - SFO
Nonstop13h 20mTurkish Airlines
Deal found 8/18$844
This Air France deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 France is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Sat 9/203:05 pmSFO - IST
1 stop26h 20mAir France
Thu 10/304:50 amIST - SFO
2 stops21h 15mAir France
Deal found 8/18$845
This oojo deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 10/76:45 pmSFO - IST
Nonstop13h 00mTurkish Airlines
Fri 10/241:20 pmIST - SFO
Nonstop13h 20mTurkish Airlines
Deal found 8/18$846
This FlightHub deal was found by Cheapflights users on 8/18. 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 FlightHub is selected, and click “Compare selected” under the list of providers to see comparable flight deals.
Mon 9/86:45 pmSFO - IST
Nonstop13h 00mTurkish Airlines
Wed 9/171:20 pmIST - SFO
Nonstop13h 20mTurkish Airlines
Deal found 8/18$848

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 August 20, 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

Sat 10/18

1:45 pm-4:05 pm

1 stop16h 20m

Istanbul

Fri 10/31

5:55 pm-12:50 pm

1 stop28h 55m

$836

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 9/16

10:55 am-4:20 pm

2 stops19h 25m

Istanbul

Tue 10/28

5:55 pm-12:50 pm

1 stop28h 55m

$840

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 10/14

10:40 am-4:05 pm

2 stops19h 25m

Istanbul

Wed 11/19

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$840

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 9/23

10:55 am-4:20 pm

2 stops19h 25m

Istanbul

Tue 11/4

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$840

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Sat 10/4

10:55 am-4:05 pm

2 stops19h 10m

Istanbul

Tue 11/4

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$840

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 9/16

10:55 am-4:20 pm

2 stops19h 25m

Istanbul

Thu 10/30

5:55 pm-12:50 pm

1 stop28h 55m

$840

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Sat 9/6

10:55 am-4:20 pm

2 stops19h 25m

Istanbul

Thu 1/15

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$840

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Fri 10/3

10:55 am-4:05 pm

2 stops19h 10m

Istanbul

Mon 11/3

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$841

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Thu 10/23

10:40 am-4:05 pm

2 stops19h 25m

Istanbul

Tue 11/4

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$841

San FranciscoIstanbul

SFO - IST

SFOIST

San Francisco

Tue 9/30

10:55 am-4:05 pm

2 stops19h 10m

Istanbul

Thu 11/6

5:55 pm-11:50 am

1 stop28h 55m

$841

Flights are sorted by cheapest round-trip flights first.

Deals found on 8/20

Showing 1-10 of 20 results
1
2

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 August 8, 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 44 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 $1,359). 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 August 20, 2025.

It’s typically best to fly out from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport in the evening. Doing so could potentially save you 26% on the flight price compared to flying in the morning, 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 August 17, 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.

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 August 20, 2025.
Get a feel of what it's like to fly with Delta, United Airlines, and Turkish Airlines from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport by reading reviews from past customers. Users have also rated airlines in terms of entertainment options, comfort, food, crew/service, and boarding process.
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,982 reviews

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Food

7.3

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.0

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
7,982 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,982 reviews

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Food

7.3

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.0

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
8,928 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,982 reviews

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Food

7.3

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.0

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.
Turkish Airlines
7.3
Good
3,949 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,982 reviews

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Food

7.3

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.0

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.
Lufthansa
6.8
Okay
7,337 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,982 reviews

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Food

7.3

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.0

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.
British Airways
6.7
Okay
7,289 reviews
Delta
8.0
Very good
7,982 reviews

Boarding

8.2

Entertainment

7.9

Crew

8.5

Food

7.3

Comfort

7.9

Overall

8.0

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 7 outbound flights to Istanbul per day. You should also have plenty of airline options to choose from since 11 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.

  • How long is the flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport?

    A quick flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport can take about 16h 20m. KLM provides one of the quickest options available for as low as $836. The distance from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport is about 6684 mi.

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

    According to our current data, IndiGo ($567), Delta ($618), and United Airlines ($689) offers the cheapest pricing from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport. These flights start at 50% lower than the current average price 3 months from now.

  • 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 Turkish Airlines (86%), Pakistan International Airlines (86%) and IndiGo (86%).

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

    Looking at all options, your cheapest flight can be booked for $396. While the most popular route (San Francisco - Istanbul) can be booked for $733 on average our data indicates $2,307 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. Paris 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 Historisches Museum Frankfurt. Römerberg, Hauptwache, and Historisches Museum Frankfurt can be accessed by traveling approximately 7.4 mi, 7.4 mi, and 7.3 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 $42 per day.

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

    Paris travelers tend to visit Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, and Louvre Museum more than any other notable places. Eiffel Tower, Champs-Elysées, and Louvre Museum can be visited by traveling about 15.8 mi, 14.7 mi, and 14.3 mi respectively from Paris Charles de Gaulle. Those on a layover in Paris in need of a rental car can book one at Paris Charles de Gaulle for about $42.

  • 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. London 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 $1,359). 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 Istanbul Airport?

Book flights to Istanbul Airport 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
San Francisco to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Los Angeles to Sabiha Gokcen flights
San Jose to Istanbul flights
Ontario to Istanbul flights
Oakland to Istanbul flights
Santa Ana to Istanbul flights
San Jose to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Oakland to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Burbank to Istanbul flights
Ontario to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Burbank to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Las Vegas to Istanbul flights
San Diego to Istanbul flights
Las Vegas to Sabiha Gokcen flights
San Diego to Sabiha Gokcen flights
Sacramento to Istanbul 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 August 20, 2025.
AirlineCheapestAverageFlexibilityOn-time
IndiGoCheapest$567Average$805FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time80%
DeltaCheapest$618Average$959FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-timeN/A
United AirlinesCheapest$689Average$1,228FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time69%
LufthansaCheapest$693Average$1,092FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time76%
KLMCheapest$754Average$1,172FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time75%
Air CanadaCheapest$762Average$1,294FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time67%
British AirwaysCheapest$813Average$1,267FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time70%
Turkish AirlinesCheapest$829Average$1,171FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time77%
American AirlinesCheapest$904Average$1,334FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time71%
Qatar AirwaysCheapest$935Average$1,172FlexibilityNo cancel feeOn-time68%

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.