IST - SFO

$513 Find Cheap Flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco - Compare and Save

This is the cheapest round-trip flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from Istanbul to San Francisco departing on 10/29. Fares are subject to change and may not be available on all flights or dates of travel. Click the price to replicate the search for this deal.
1 adult
1 adult, Economy, 0 bags

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Everything you should know

Cheapest round-trip
$513
Typical prices: $709-$902
Scandinavian Airlines
Thu 10/29Wed 11/11
IST - SFO • 1 stop
Cheapest non-stop
$801
Typical prices: $812-$911
Turkish Airlines
Thu 9/17Wed 9/30
IST - SFO • Non-stop
Top airlines
Cheapest • from $513 (round-trip)
Best reviews • 7.8 score
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
+1
Airline reviews
Airline reviews
+1
Nonstop flights
You can fly direct with Turkish Airlines. Average duration is 13h 27m
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
+1
Direct flights
Direct flights
+1
Avoid delays
Most punctual • 81% on-time
Best time • Fewest delays
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
Top layover airports
Cheapest • Avg $599 (round-trip)
Shortest trip • 16h 20m (one-way)
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to book
in advance
Our data shows that travelers who book at least 3 weeks in advance save around 17% compared to booking last minute.
Insights
Insights
Insights
Insights
When to travel
Cheapest • 23% price drop
Most popular
Good to know
Good to know
+1
+1
Good to know
Good to know
+1
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We hope you love your trip to San Francisco!
Flight Deals
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Expert advice
Flight Deals

Cheap Flights from Istanbul to San Francisco (IST-SFO)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from Istanbul to San Francisco that are departing in the next months. While these flights were available on KAYAK in the last 72 hours, prices and availability are subject to change and deals may expire.
Discover the best prices for you by selecting your travel dates on KAYAK.

Recent round-trip flight deals from Istanbul to San Francisco

Thu, Oct 29 - Wed, Nov 11
Scandinavian Airlines Logo
5:30 am - 3:50 pm-
20h 20m
Scandinavian Airlines Logo
4:45 pm - 4:40 am-
24h 55m
$513Scandinavian Airlines
Fri, Dec 4 - Mon, Dec 7
Scandinavian Airlines Logo
5:30 am - 2:50 pm-
20h 20m
Scandinavian Airlines Logo
4:45 pm - 4:40 am-
24h 55m
$538Scandinavian Airlines
Wed, Sep 16 - Tue, Sep 29
Delta Logo
5:20 pm - 11:45 am-
28h 25m
Delta Logo
9:30 am - 1:20 am-
29h 50m
$709Delta
Tue, Sep 15 - Tue, Sep 29
Delta Logo
5:20 pm - 11:45 am-
28h 25m
Delta Logo
7:20 am - 4:20 pm-
23h 00m
$709Delta
Thu, Sep 17 - Wed, Sep 30
Lufthansa Logo
5:40 am - 12:40 pm-
17h 00m
Lufthansa Logo
9:05 pm - 2:05 am-
19h 00m
$727Lufthansa
Thu, Sep 17 - Wed, Sep 30
Lufthansa Logo
5:40 am - 12:40 pm-
17h 00m
Lufthansa Logo
9:05 pm - 2:05 am-
19h 00m
$729Lufthansa
Thu, Sep 17 - Wed, Sep 30
KLM Logo
6:00 am - 11:45 am-
15h 45m
KLM Logo
5:19 pm - 1:20 am-
22h 01m
$755KLM
Thu, Sep 17 - Wed, Sep 30
KLM Logo
6:00 am - 4:24 pm-
20h 24m
KLM Logo
5:19 pm - 1:20 am-
22h 01m
$760KLM
Tue, Oct 6 - Fri, Oct 16
United Airlines Logo
5:40 am - 12:40 pm-
17h 00m
United Airlines Logo
2:40 pm - 9:25 pm-
20h 45m
$763United Airlines
Tue, Oct 6 - Sat, Oct 17
United Airlines Logo
5:40 am - 12:40 pm-
17h 00m
United Airlines Logo
2:40 pm - 9:15 pm-
20h 35m
$763United Airlines
Booking Insights

KAYAK's insights & trends for Istanbul to San Francisco flights

Get data-powered insights and trends into flights from Istanbul to San Francisco to help you find the cheapest flights, the best time to fly and much more.

How much is a round-trip flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

This analysis is based on the cheapest round-trip price found on KAYAK in the last 12 months by searching for a flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco departing in October.

Flight prices are below average for this route right now.

Flights to San Francisco from Istanbul Airport usually cost between $951 and $1,224 in October.
The lowest price found in the past 5 days was $513 on Scandinavian Airlines (Oct 29-Nov 11).

What’s the cheapest day of the week to fly from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

The average price of all round-trip flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco clicked on KAYAK for each day over the last 12 months.

If you are looking for a flight deal from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco, look for departures on Thursdays and avoid leaving on a Saturday, as it's usually the priciest day. When flying back from San Francisco, Monday is the cheapest day to fly and Friday is the most expensive.

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the median of all values for each month.

The cheapest month for flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco is January, where tickets cost $666 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are July and August, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,157 and $1,110 respectively.

Can I save money by flying with a layover from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

The average round-trip price for all non-stop flights, flights with one layover, and flights with two layovers for the route found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks.

No, with an average price for the route of $771, prices are generally cheapest when you fly direct.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco, removes the top 0.1% to account for outliers, and then takes the average of all the values for each week.

To get a below average price on the flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco, you should book around 3 weeks before departure, which saves you about 17% compared to booking last minute. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 19 weeks before departure.

Expert advice

Expert advice for your flight from Istanbul to San Francisco

 
AI-powered summary based on content written by travel experts. AI can make mistakes.
KAYAK teamed up with top travel experts to share the best tips for your journey.
Our travel experts
Jenna Scatena

Jenna Scatena

Expert on IST

Journalist and Travel Writer, Jenna Scatena is an award-winning travel writer with a love for sharing stories and exploring new places, especially by Vespa. Though she's from San Francisco, she has spent a significant chunk of her vacation days over the last decade eating her way through Texas and sleeping in hotels around the world—especially in California, the Middle East, and Europe.

Blane Bachelor

Blane Bachelor

Expert on SFO

Blane Bachelor is a journalist and editor specializing in travel and aviation who writes regularly for top global outlets. Born and raised in Florida, Blane has worked and lived in four countries, including the Netherlands, where she’s currently based with her family. Her favorite way to get to know a new destination is by running or riding a bike around town – or hearing a spooky ghost story about local history. She will always choose the window seat.

Good to know

Low season

February

Cheapest flight

$513
Best time to beat the crowds with an average 13% drop in price.
Most popular time to fly with an average 11% increase in price.
Flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco

When to book flights from Istanbul to San Francisco

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from Istanbul to San Francisco based on our flight data from the last year. Discover the cheapest month and even day to fly.
Estimated round-trip price
KAYAK looks at all historical flight data for each date to provide a predicted price for one-way trips or round-trips with a duration up to 40 days. While we try to provide actual minimum prices for each date, some prices are predictions and actual prices may differ.

FAQs for booking Istanbul Airport to San Francisco flights

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

    In the last 5 days, the lowest price for a flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco was $655 for a one-way ticket and $513 for a round-trip.

  • Do I need a passport to fly between Istanbul Airport and San Francisco?

    A passport is required to fly from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco.

  • Which aircraft models fly most regularly from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    The Airbus A350-900 is the aircraft model that flies most regularly on the Istanbul Airport to San Francisco flight route.

  • Which airline alliances offer flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    oneworld, SkyTeam, and Star Alliance are the airline alliances operating flights between Istanbul Airport and San Francisco, with oneworld being the most commonly used for this route.

  • On which days can I fly direct from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    There are nonstop flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco on a daily basis.

  • Which is the best airline for flights from Istanbul to San Francisco, KLM or Delta?

    The two airlines most popular with KAYAK users for flights from Istanbul to San Francisco are KLM and Delta. With an average price for the route of $565 and an overall rating of 7.8, KLM is the most popular choice. Delta is also a great choice for the route, with an average price of $747 and an overall rating of 7.8.

  • How does KAYAK find such low prices on flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    KAYAK is a travel search engine. That means we look across the web to find the best prices we can find for our users. With over 2 billion flight queries processed yearly, we are able to display a variety of prices and options on flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco.

  • How does KAYAK's flight Price Forecast tool help me choose the right time to buy my flight ticket from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to San Francisco from Istanbul Airport is likely to change within 7 days, so travelers know whether to wait or book now.

  • What is the Hacker Fare option on flights from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    Hacker Fares allow you to combine one-way tickets in order to save you money over a traditional round-trip ticket. You could then fly to San Francisco with an airline and back to Istanbul Airport with another airline. Booking your flights between Istanbul Airport and SFO can sometimes prove cheaper using this method.

  • What is KAYAK's "flexible dates" feature and why should I care when looking for a flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

    Sometimes travel dates aren't set in stone. If your preferred travel dates have some wiggle room, flexible dates will show you all the options when flying to San Francisco from Istanbul Airport up to 3 days before/after your preferred dates. You can then pick the flights that suit you best.

KAYAK’s top tips for finding a cheap flight from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco

  • Looking for a cheap flight? 25% of our users found flights on this route for $1,078 or less one-way and $935 or less round-trip.

Prefer to fly direct from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco?

 
Direct data is based off flight results for the next 60 days. Find direct flights from all airlines flying direct from Istanbul to San Francisco.
Find which airlines fly direct from Istanbul Airport to San Francisco Airport, which days they fly and book direct flights.

Direct departures

Istanbul to San Francisco

Monday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Tuesday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Wednesday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Thursday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Friday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Saturday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Sunday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

See more direct flights

Direct returns

San Francisco to Istanbul

Monday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Tuesday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Wednesday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Thursday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Friday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Saturday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

Sunday

Turkish Airlines

Turkish Airlines

See more direct flights

Reviews of the top 5 airlines serving from Istanbul to San Francisco

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from Istanbul to San Francisco. Airline scores are aggregated from all reviews left by passengers on KAYAK after flying with an airline. KAYAK doesn’t show reviews that are older than 5 years. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews.
Need help choosing which airline to fly with from Istanbul to San Francisco? KAYAK airline reviews give an overall score for each airline based on loads of factors, including comfort, boarding, in-flight entertainment and more, to make your decision easier. See airline scores according to verified KAYAK customer reviews.
7.8
KLMOverall score based on 1553 reviews
8.4Crew
7.8Boarding
7.3Food
7.2Entertainment
7.7Comfort
Airline reviews

I think I previously submitted my feedback about flight lead Katherine in a different field by mistake. Please see those comments. Comments for Hyd to AMS are it was good. The flight lead and service met expectations for satisfactory high quality service but the flight lead did not stand out as exceptional as did the leads on the other two flights so I don’t remember anything specific one way or the other besides the fact I was satisfied.

10.0 ExcellentEmily, Jul 2026
Read more KLM reviews

I think I previously submitted my feedback about flight lead Katherine in a different field by mistake. Please see those comments. Comments for Hyd to AMS are it was good. The flight lead and service met expectations for satisfactory high quality service but the flight lead did not stand out as exceptional as did the leads on the other two flights so I don’t remember anything specific one way or the other besides the fact I was satisfied.

Flight lead was a gentleman with silver hair and he went out of his way to shake hands and interact with each passenger seated in business class. A medical emergency took place during our flight and he handled it with perfect poise and professionalism. He was gracious and confidently competent. Just what you want from a leader,

Crew is not the cheerful type. very slow meal service (this is their style as have flown this many times)

Flight was ok but lack of communication cost me to literally beg to be put on another flight as connecting flight had departed

Legroom not all it could be, especially when the seat in front is reclined. Otherwise it was good, food and beverage were nice.

This fight left ahead of time which meant it arrived early which was great. Staff were very professional, but as with all these Short hop Flights the food was a disappointing snack There was no entertainment on this flight, but I did not expect any

I flew premium economy and this was a good option. Although the seats didn’t recline much, I was able to get some sleep with my head propped against the window. The food was good and the entertainment was wonderful The staff were very attentive and professional

Seats were nice and comfy. Crew was polite and attentive. Business class is awesome and worth the money.

It was operated by Delta. Boarding took a long time. How difficult can it be? Overall decent trip. Liked the Salt Lake City airport. Better option than Chicago for transfers.

We left one hour late because of technical difficulties. The economy comfort seats are great for the price. The crew was mediocre, they do not provide a pleasant experience, they just deliver food and drinks and give orders, not very amicable, no service and hospitality focus.

The flight was done by SkyWest only WIFI no entertainment center are available on the CRJ

Delta is always late. Ruined our first day of a short vacation. Timing is important. We pay to stay on an itinerary

We sat on the runway for over an hour before departure. That was unwelcome.

Everything went smoothly, although the usual gripes about airline travel were still present: the boarding process is inefficient, the snack selection is limited, and so on. Since there was extra space on the flight, the gate agent rearranged many people's seats to put people on the aisles and windows, leaving the middle seats empty, as much as possible, which was pretty great.

One of the flight attendants was a little cranky. I appreciated the free wifi and plug to charge my laptop

WiFi didn’t work most of the time. The usb chargers would work only occasionally for 5 mins and wouldn’t charge after that. Had to keep trying repeatedly at each of the seats in the row.

Generally on time departures and arrivals, clean planes, sky miles membership provides great benefits (complimentary upgrades, etc).

my mom urmila patel needed a wheelchair which was not available on the curbside. she needed to walk almost 50 meters inside (at the risk of falling) and then had to wait in line to get a wheelchair (this is not ok). Once obtained she had to seat in it for 30-45 minutes for someone to take her in thru the checkin process (which was fairly smooth and easy). the lady who helped her with her checkin process was very courteous and helpful

Awful - both legs. The check in was awful, getting on the plane required walking down a spiral staircase (dangerous), then taking a bus about 5 miles out from the terminal. The seat was broken (I was in business), there was no internet during the flight (both legs). The aircraft was very old. I saw rust in some place, tape holding things up in the bathroom. This was an unacceptable experience for such a long haul flight.

I usually get upgraded so my experience is usually amazing. I did not get upgraded this time - which was fine - but the wifi had issues, the monitors were going in & out, & (though not Delta's fault) one of the gentlemen next to me desperately needed a shower.

Nice, it was nice to have a free night's stay because our layover was over 18 hours.

The staff at the boarding or the rudest uninformative and no English whatsoever they’re very rude as if they are envious of you travelling I don’t understand how could someone would be this rude and this out of touch and cold

In this long haul flight, flight attendants never stopped moving and giving excellent service. Very impressive. Very comfortable seats and excellent food

Service and food were decent, seats are a bit too narrow. Leg room is normal. Bathroom should be cleaned more frequently. WiFi is cumbersome and should be simplified.

they have cancell the flight with no reasons, My parents were in the cold weather in the airport for 24 hours they did not give any hotel and food. I hate Turkish Airline, this is our last time that we ha ve chosen Turkish Airline.

Good service, the airline also provided a traveling kit bag (tooth brush, socks, slippers, visor for sleeping).

Food excellent Bathrooms improve cleanliness needed Staff fairly well attentive Entertainment fair Seats lie flat worked well

Connection was a headache due to a delay on arrival flight

Paying for reserved seats and never received the seats I paid for !! Just fake and a surprise out of their " box "

I had connection flight. I barely made it to the next flight. I had to run to get to the next flight which was far away from where my first flight was landed . On top of that they search my stuff before boarding that added to the time. Food was ok but they forgot to serve our row with drink and also when it was our turn, they ran out of second option for food and we didn’t have any options for food.

Generally good. Not their fault but the design of the Boeing 747 had seating supports directly in line with my legs. So my legs always had to straddle this support which caused body misallignment. Such poor design from Boeing. There was no USB port for me to charge my phone. The screen touch control was very poor.

Best flight attendants ever! Very customer and service oriented, courteous, professional and helpful.

Never happened. Flight was delayed. Had to be re rojyed

The plane was very clean. The bathroom was clean as well. The land crew were very polite and informative and helpful. They informed me that there is a long way and challenging to go from international terminal to national terminal and in addition to getting my suitcases and going through customs and dropping them again for my second leg of trip which was San Francisco to Los Angeles . I have left knee issue and had a recent fall with aching muscles all over, the land crew suggested wheelchair help for me, God bless her. If I did not have help, I could not make it to my last terminal. Thank you UNITED AIRLINE!

I was very happy with everything, thank you for the smooth flight ✈️

helpful and friendly. The Lufthanza people I dealt with before my holiday were so unhelpful by comparison.

Entertainment system is old. Food can be tastier Need to provide toothbrush and toothpaste at least when asked.

This was the best carrier, comfort, service, good food, on time experience on a long haul flight. New, clean, quiet, smooth aircraft!!!

The plane was clean and the staff courteous and professional. The seat bottom was uncomfortable but only after many hours. It had a pressure point that left me a small bruise on my right leg (very surprising). The pasta was terrible (hard on the edges sticking out and soggy on the bottom edges) but I guess that's how it comes out in a microwave (?). The entertainment was glitching and shutting off every 20 minutes or so but, in the end, we made it home safely with very little turbulence and that's what really matters.

Would never fly lauffthabsa again. Seats were way too crowded together....very uncomfortable le

Generally very good. I think their service is better than some other big names I used to travel with. Their food variety is second to none - and you can place order beforehand. Their seating design is a bit awkward for service, I'd say. Flight attendants must be tall enough - long legs and arms - to reach the window seat passenger while crossing over the isle passenger. Also appreciated the variety on entertainment.

Lovely big plane. Excellent take off and landing. Cabin crew were so nice. Flight in time no delays

The crew has always been great on BA. They are very friendly and accommodating. I like that they have vegetarian options already in the menu. And the free wine is a nice perk.) I noticed (both directions of my trip) minor upgrades/ replacements needed on the plane itself (touch screen didn't work with touch; bathroom light didn't go on). However, this is one of my favorite airlines.

There was a delay for the San Francisco-London flight, but we were all informed via text and email. The staff was very friendly and nice and the food was good. I do recommend that the airline offer something without eggs or something vegan for the vegetarian meal option. A lot of Indians are lacto-vegetarian, while some could be allergic to eggs/dairy.

Audi visual not working for a whole group of seats in first class. How does a plane leave the main hub in such poor condition? How much that we can’t see so immediately is also compromised?

main meals are horrible but then you dont fly for the food

Great flight. One unique individual assisting in business class who should have not been there. Need more generic meals, not British centric.

It was good although our flight to the UK was cancelled and rescheduled for two days later. This was after we were already seated on the plane. We missed the first leg of our trip. BA did put us up at a hotel and paid for our meals but we lost our hotel costs in Glasgow.

I am a 25+ years American Airlines member. British Airways is simply above and beyond in every customer satisfaction category.

The crew were good. The flight was on time. The entertainment choice was ok. But the food was bad, tasted and texture were awful.

Everything you need to know for your flight from Istanbul to San Francisco

Information on your arrival and departure airports