FlightsFrom San Francisco

To Istanbul

Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

Browse current best options from San Francisco. Become a member to unlock all deals and get alerts when new deals appear.

Deals from

San Francisco

RatePunk searches hundreds of travel sites at once for deals on flights to Istanbul

Prices updated 24 days ago

486,190 searches this week

171 airlines compared

80%+ AI score for best value

Fares are subject to change and may not be available for all dates. (Data last updated May 29, 2026.)

Today’s best flight deals from San Francisco to Istanbul

Explore current cheapest deals departing from San Francisco to Istanbul

December 3 - December 17

Cheapest
Best

SFO - Istanbul

$1,208

$780

Round trip

October 6 - October 13

SFO - Istanbul

$1,054

$847

Round trip

November 3 - November 17

SFO - Istanbul

$977

$851

Round trip

August 3 - August 24

Earliest

SFO - Istanbul

$1,063

$853

Round trip

August 4 - August 19

SFO - Istanbul

$1,072

$853

Round trip

November 12 - November 19

SFO - Istanbul

$961

$853

Round trip

November 4 - November 18

SFO - Istanbul

$976

$859

Round trip

October 5 - October 20

SFO - Istanbul

$1,080

$879

Round trip

September 10 - September 17

SFO - Istanbul

$887

$883

Round trip

September 2 - September 23

SFO - Istanbul

$965

$898

Round trip

Unlock all 500+ flight deals to Istanbul and get alerts when great deals appear

Route Intelligence — 486,190 Searches this Week

Insights for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

Fares for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul typically range from $754–$1323, with a median price of $1044. Right now, fares are above the typical level, and only 13% of recent fares were classified as a good price. New deals appear almost daily for this route.
When looking for cheap flights from San Francisco to Istanbul, the cheapest month to fly is typically March, with a median fare of $612. Other cost-effective months include January, where the median fare is $751, and July, with a median fare of $793.
A typical journey from San Francisco to Istanbul takes about 26h 20m, including connections. This is a long-haul route, covering an extensive distance of 10766 km.
Most itineraries for this route connect at least once, with only 22.4% of recent fares being direct flights from San Francisco to Istanbul. For connecting itineraries, the typical number of stopovers is 2.

How much is a round trip from San Francisco to Istanbul

Regular price: $1,020 - $1,719

Prices for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul are currently below the regular range.

The regular price range for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul is between $1020 and $1719. The current lowest deal is $780 with Scandinavian Airlines, for travel from Dec 3 to Dec 17.

now $780

Low $1,020

High $1,719

The cheapest time to fly from San Francisco to Istanbul

The cheapest month to fly from SFO to IST is March, with a median price of $612. The most expensive month is June, with a median price of $1590. Prices are generally lower from January to December.

March

Cheapest

Flights from $612

June

Most Expensive

Flights from $1,590

Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec

Direct flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

Airline logo

Turkish Airlines

Last-minute flights going from San Francisco to Istanbul

Sat, Aug 1

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Istanbul

Deutsche Luft Hansa

San Francisco (SFO) - Istanbul (IST)

Deutsche Luft Hansa

$1,063

$952

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Istanbul

Deutsche Luft Hansa

San Francisco (SFO) - Istanbul (IST)

Deutsche Luft Hansa

$1,063

$853

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Istanbul

Qatar Airways

San Francisco (SFO) - Istanbul (IST)

Qatar Airways

$1,063

$970

One-way

Mon, Aug 3

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Istanbul

Qatar Airways

San Francisco (SFO) - Istanbul (IST)

Qatar Airways

$1,056

$973

One-way

Tue, Aug 4

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Istanbul

Deutsche Luft Hansa

San Francisco (SFO) - Istanbul (IST)

Deutsche Luft Hansa

$1,072

$853

One-way

Tue, Aug 4

⌛ Last-Minute

SFO - Istanbul

Lufthansa

San Francisco (SFO) - Istanbul (IST)

Lufthansa

$1,063

$969

One-way

Biggest price drops on these dates for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

14 nights

Dec 3 - Dec 17

$1,208  →  $780

35%

14 nights

Dec 6 - Dec 20

$1,213  →  $918

24%

11 nights

Dec 1 - Dec 12

$1,208  →  $944

22%

21 nights

Dec 1 - Dec 22

$1,185  →  $923

22%

Popular Airports to fly from San Francisco to Istanbul

San Francisco - Istanbul route insights

💸 Price insights

Recent fares are above the typical level

Recent fares from San Francisco to Istanbul are above the typical level for the route.

📅 Best time to fly

March is historically cheapest at $612

Historically, March is the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Istanbul, with a median price of $612.

⏱️ Flight duration

Typically 26h 20m, long-haul

The typical flight duration for this long-haul route is 26 hours and 20 minutes.

✈️ Airlines & availability

Connecting flights are dominant

Connecting flights make up 77.6% of deals, with a median of 2 stopovers.

🏆 Airline highlight

Turkish Airlines offers direct flights

Turkish Airlines offers direct flights from San Francisco to Istanbul.

🎯 Booking tip

Frequent deals available daily

Deals for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul are frequent, with over 1 deal per day.

San Francisco main airports to depart from

San Francisco International (SFO)

Cheapest

San Francisco International is a good option for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul.

📍 ~20 km from city center (reachable by car or train)

💸 Flights from ~$780

Istanbul main airports to arrive at

Istanbul Airport (IST)

Cheapest

Istanbul Airport is a primary gateway to Istanbul, offering convenient access to the city.

📍 ~35 km from city center (reachable by car, bus)

💸 Flights from ~$780

Sabiha Gökçen International (SAW)

Sabiha Gökçen International provides an alternative arrival point for Istanbul and surrounding areas.

📍 ~40 km from city center (reachable by car, bus)

💸 Flights from ~$847

Airports nearby Istanbul used as alternative

Esenboğa International (ESB)

Esenboğa International can be a useful alternative due to its extensive flight network and reliability.

📍 ~350 km from Istanbul (requires domestic flight or high-speed train).

💸 Flights from ~$1097

Adnan Menderes (ADB)

Adnan Menderes is a strong alternative for Western-bound international flights with high reliability.

📍 ~300 km from Istanbul (usually requires a separate domestic leg).

💸 Flights from ~$1042

Yenişehir (YEI)

Yenişehir offers proximity to Istanbul's Asian side and the southern Marmara region.

📍 ~90 km from Istanbul (accessible via Osmangazi Bridge or ferry).

💸 Flights from ~$1298

Burgas (BOJ)

Cheapest

Burgas is the closest international airport outside of Turkey, useful for specific travel documents.

📍 ~200 km from Istanbul (requires crossing an international land border).

💸 Flights from ~$949

Business & First Class Flight Deals to Istanbul

Discover luxury on the budget with premium cabin class on flights from San Francisco to Istanbul.

Elite

Best Elite deals to Istanbul

Exclusive daily First Class, Business Class, and Premium Economy flight deals, refreshed every 24 hours.

From SFO

Elite

Nov 09

Istanbul, Turkey

90% AI deal score

$2,723

$2,085

Save $638

From SFO

Elite

Jul 25

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,811

$4,161

Save $2,650

From SFO

Elite

Jul 11

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,937

$4,166

Save $2,771

From SFO

Elite

Sep 06

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,734

$4,166

Save $2,568

From SFO

Elite

Sep 15

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,681

$4,167

Save $2,514

From SFO

Elite

Sep 16

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,675

$4,167

Save $2,508

From SFO

Elite

Jul 13

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,930

$4,177

Save $2,753

From SFO

Elite

Aug 19

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$6,005

$4,706

Save $1,299

From SFO

Elite

Oct 14

Istanbul, Turkey

89% AI deal score

$2,682

$2,094

Save $588

From SFO

Elite

Aug 07

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,080

$4,144

Save $1,936

From SFO

Elite

Aug 08

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,080

$4,144

Save $1,936

From SFO

Elite

Aug 14

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,183

$4,144

Save $2,039

From SFO

Elite

Aug 18

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,172

$4,144

Save $2,028

From SFO

Elite

Aug 14

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,190

$4,160

Save $2,030

From SFO

Elite

Jul 12

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,662

$4,166

Save $2,496

From SFO

Elite

Aug 27

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$6,239

$4,167

Save $2,072

From SFO

Elite

Oct 21

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$2,679

$2,134

Save $545

From SFO

Elite

Oct 21

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$2,679

$2,134

Save $545

From SFO

Elite

Nov 05

Istanbul, Turkey

88% AI deal score

$2,726

$2,234

Save $492

From SFO

Elite

Aug 07

Istanbul, Turkey

87% AI deal score

$6,003

$4,168

Save $1,835

From SFO

Elite

Aug 10

Istanbul, Turkey

87% AI deal score

$5,961

$4,173

Save $1,788

From SFO

Elite

Jul 15

Istanbul, Turkey

86% AI deal score

$6,076

$4,144

Save $1,932

From SFO

Elite

Jul 09

Istanbul, Turkey

86% AI deal score

$6,189

$4,169

Save $2,020

From SFO

Elite

Jul 30

Istanbul, Turkey

86% AI deal score

$6,217

$4,170

Save $2,047

From SFO

Elite

Aug 11

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,414

$4,144

Save $1,270

From SFO

Elite

Aug 12

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,421

$4,144

Save $1,277

From SFO

Elite

Aug 12

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,420

$4,144

Save $1,276

From SFO

Elite

Aug 13

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,421

$4,144

Save $1,277

From SFO

Elite

Aug 17

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,444

$4,144

Save $1,300

From SFO

Elite

Aug 19

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,452

$4,144

Save $1,308

From SFO

Elite

Aug 19

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,429

$4,144

Save $1,285

From SFO

Elite

Aug 19

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,417

$4,144

Save $1,273

From SFO

Elite

Aug 20

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,453

$4,144

Save $1,309

From SFO

Elite

Aug 22

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,455

$4,144

Save $1,311

From SFO

Elite

Aug 26

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,456

$4,144

Save $1,312

From SFO

Elite

Aug 11

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,445

$4,151

Save $1,294

From SFO

Elite

Aug 25

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,466

$4,151

Save $1,315

From SFO

Elite

Aug 20

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,452

$4,154

Save $1,298

From SFO

Elite

Sep 25

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,542

$4,155

Save $1,387

From SFO

Elite

Aug 25

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,465

$4,159

Save $1,306

From SFO

Elite

Aug 25

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,465

$4,159

Save $1,306

From SFO

Elite

Sep 25

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,572

$4,163

Save $1,409

From SFO

Elite

Sep 07

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,574

$4,166

Save $1,408

From SFO

Elite

Sep 07

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,591

$4,167

Save $1,424

From SFO

Elite

Sep 10

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,603

$4,167

Save $1,436

From SFO

Elite

Jul 05

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$5,888

$4,187

Save $1,701

From SFO

Elite

Aug 10

Istanbul, Turkey

85% AI deal score

$6,150

$4,698

Save $1,452

From SFO

Elite

Aug 12

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,386

$4,144

Save $1,242

From SFO

Elite

Aug 13

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,386

$4,144

Save $1,242

From SFO

Elite

Aug 11

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,421

$4,155

Save $1,266

From SFO

Elite

Aug 13

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,414

$4,160

Save $1,254

From SFO

Elite

Aug 13

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,397

$4,161

Save $1,236

From SFO

Elite

Sep 07

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,512

$4,161

Save $1,351

From SFO

Elite

Aug 19

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,446

$4,165

Save $1,281

From SFO

Elite

Sep 25

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,532

$4,173

Save $1,359

From SFO

Elite

Aug 12

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,445

$4,187

Save $1,258

From SFO

Elite

Aug 12

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,397

$4,187

Save $1,210

From SFO

Elite

Aug 10

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,080

$4,698

Save $1,382

From SFO

Elite

Aug 20

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$5,983

$4,755

Save $1,228

From SFO

Elite

Aug 21

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,002

$4,805

Save $1,197

From SFO

Elite

Jul 13

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,539

$4,874

Save $1,665

From SFO

Elite

Jul 12

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,546

$4,955

Save $1,591

From SFO

Elite

Sep 06

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,689

$5,097

Save $1,592

From SFO

Elite

Sep 02

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,750

$5,098

Save $1,652

From SFO

Elite

Sep 03

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,745

$5,098

Save $1,647

From SFO

Elite

Sep 06

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,769

$5,098

Save $1,671

From SFO

Elite

Sep 06

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,769

$5,098

Save $1,671

From SFO

Elite

Sep 15

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,681

$5,098

Save $1,583

From SFO

Elite

Sep 02

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,755

$5,103

Save $1,652

From SFO

Elite

Sep 03

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,751

$5,103

Save $1,648

From SFO

Elite

Sep 06

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,769

$5,103

Save $1,666

From SFO

Elite

Sep 06

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,713

$5,103

Save $1,610

From SFO

Elite

Sep 17

Istanbul, Turkey

84% AI deal score

$6,675

$5,103

Save $1,572

From SFO

Elite

Jul 14

Istanbul, Turkey

83% AI deal score

$6,056

$4,494

Save $1,562

From SFO

Elite

Aug 04

Istanbul, Turkey

83% AI deal score

$5,796

$4,895

Save $901

From SFO

Elite

Aug 16

Istanbul, Turkey

83% AI deal score

$6,053

$4,904

Save $1,149

From SFO

Elite

Jul 30

Istanbul, Turkey

83% AI deal score

$6,241

$4,923

Save $1,318

From SFO

Elite

Jun 23

Istanbul, Turkey

83% AI deal score

$6,943

$5,473

Save $1,470

From SFO

Elite

Jul 21

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$6,064

$4,723

Save $1,341

From SFO

Elite

Jul 28

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$5,937

$4,723

Save $1,214

From SFO

Elite

Jul 28

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$5,931

$4,723

Save $1,208

From SFO

Elite

Jul 28

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$5,967

$4,723

Save $1,244

From SFO

Elite

Jul 29

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$5,950

$4,723

Save $1,227

From SFO

Elite

Jul 15

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$5,933

$4,723

Save $1,210

From SFO

Elite

Jul 22

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$6,254

$4,723

Save $1,531

From SFO

Elite

Jun 23

Istanbul, Turkey

82% AI deal score

$6,861

$5,473

Save $1,388

From SFO

Elite

Jul 20

Istanbul, Turkey

81% AI deal score

$6,221

$4,953

Save $1,268

From SFO

Elite

Jul 31

Istanbul, Turkey

81% AI deal score

$6,214

$4,973

Save $1,241

From SFO

Elite

Oct 05

Istanbul, Turkey

81% AI deal score

$2,685

$2,318

Save $367

From SFO

Elite

Jul 06

Istanbul, Turkey

81% AI deal score

$2,846

$2,576

Save $270

From SFO

Elite

Jul 06

Istanbul, Turkey

81% AI deal score

$2,846

$2,576

Save $270

From SFO

Elite

Aug 05

Istanbul, Turkey

80% AI deal score

$5,317

$4,704

Save $613

From SFO

Elite

Aug 05

Istanbul, Turkey

80% AI deal score

$5,407

$4,723

Save $684

From SFO

Elite

Sep 05

Istanbul, Turkey

80% AI deal score

$2,698

$2,403

Save $295

From SFO

Elite

Sep 16

Istanbul, Turkey

80% AI deal score

$2,706

$2,410

Save $296

From SFO

Elite

Oct 12

Istanbul, Turkey

80% AI deal score

$2,777

$2,466

Save $311

From SFO

Elite

Sep 14

Istanbul, Turkey

80% AI deal score

$2,703

$2,481

Save $222

From SFO

Elite

Aug 04

Istanbul, Turkey

79% AI deal score

$5,227

$4,713

Save $514

From SFO

Elite

Aug 05

Istanbul, Turkey

79% AI deal score

$5,218

$4,726

Save $492

From SFO

Elite

Nov 01

Istanbul, Turkey

79% AI deal score

$5,156

$4,740

Save $416

Frequently Asked Questions About Flights to Istanbul

Historically, the optimal booking window for flights from San Francisco to Istanbul is 14-27 days before departure. During this period, the average price was $946. Booking within 0-6 days of departure typically sees an average price of $982, while waiting until 7-13 days out can result in an average price of $1347. For those booking 60+ days in advance, the average price was $1190, indicating that early booking does not always guarantee the lowest fare.

Across the trailing quarter, a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul is considered a good deal if it is priced at or below $754. The median price for this route was $1044. Flights priced at $1323 or more are typically in the higher price range. By comparing prices to these historical benchmarks, travelers can assess the value of a potential flight.

Historically, March has been the cheapest month to fly from San Francisco to Istanbul, with a median price of $612. January also offered lower prices, with a median of $751. In contrast, the annual median price for this route was $1044. Travelers looking for more budget-friendly options should consider flying in these months.