$322 Find Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

This is the cheapest one-way flight price found by a KAYAK user in the last 72 hours by searching for a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul departing on 9/10. 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

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

 
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Istanbul.
These are the airlines KAYAK users have selected most often from within our search results in flight searches from San Francisco to Istanbul.
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Cheap Flights from San Francisco to Istanbul (SFO-IST)

 
Here are some of the best deals found on KAYAK recently from the most popular airlines for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Istanbul 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 San Francisco to Istanbul

Mon, Oct 6 - Thu, Oct 23
 Logo
8:25 pm - 3:25 amSFO-IST
21h 00m1 stop
 Logo
4:20 am - 12:50 pmIST-SFO
18h 30m1 stop
Wed, Sep 3 - Tue, Sep 23
KLM Logo
8:25 pm - 3:25 amSFO-IST
21h 00m1 stop
KLM Logo
5:05 pm - 11:45 amIST-SFO
28h 40m1 stop
$717KLM
Find Deal
Sun, Aug 31 - Thu, Sep 25
Delta Logo
8:25 pm - 3:25 amSFO-IST
21h 00m1 stop
Delta Logo
4:20 am - 12:50 pmIST-SFO
18h 30m1 stop
$799Delta
Find Deal
Mon, Oct 6 - Tue, Oct 21
Delta Logo
11:05 am - 3:25 amSFO-IST
30h 20m2 stops
Delta Logo
4:20 am - 12:50 pmIST-SFO
18h 30m1 stop
$804Delta
Find Deal
Sun, Sep 7 - Tue, Sep 23
Lufthansa Logo
7:25 pm - 9:20 pmSFO-IST
15h 55m1 stop
Lufthansa Logo
2:00 pm - 12:59 amIST-SFO
20h 59m2 stops
$826Lufthansa
Find Deal
Tue, Sep 2 - Mon, Sep 22
British Airways Logo
4:30 pm - 3:05 pmSFO-SAW
36h 35m1 stop
British Airways Logo
3:00 pm - 1:50 pmSAW-SFO
32h 50m1 stop
$858British Airways
Find Deal
Sun, Aug 31 - Wed, Sep 24
United Airlines Logo
1:20 pm - 9:20 pmSFO-IST
22h 00m1 stop
United Airlines Logo
6:10 am - 12:40 pmIST-SFO
16h 30m1 stop
$860United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Sep 3 - Wed, Sep 24
British Airways Logo
10:14 am - 3:05 pmSFO-SAW
18h 51m2 stops
British Airways Logo
4:15 pm - 1:50 pmSAW-SFO
31h 35m1 stop
$862British Airways
Find Deal
Sun, Aug 31 - Wed, Sep 24
United Airlines Logo
6:30 am - 1:05 pmSFO-IST
20h 35m2 stops
United Airlines Logo
2:00 pm - 7:55 pmIST-SFO
15h 55m1 stop
$865United Airlines
Find Deal
Wed, Oct 8 - Mon, Oct 27
Lufthansa Logo
7:25 pm - 9:20 pmSFO-IST
15h 55m1 stop
Lufthansa Logo
7:00 pm - 9:05 pmIST-SFO
36h 05m2 stops
$881Lufthansa
Find Deal
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KAYAK's insights & trends for San Francisco to Istanbul flights

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

What is the cheapest San Francisco to Istanbul flight route?

The cheapest price for flight routes found by users searching on KAYAK in the last 2 weeks for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Istanbul.

Our data shows that the cheapest route for a return flight from San Francisco to Istanbul cost $754 and was between San Francisco (SFO) and Istanbul Airport (IST). On average, the best prices are found if you fly this route. The average price for a return flight for this route is $771.

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

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

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

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

To calculate monthly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each month over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Istanbul, 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 San Francisco to Istanbul is March, where tickets cost $979 (return) on average. On the other hand, the most expensive months are June and December, where the average cost of round-trip tickets is $1,554 and $1,344 respectively.

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

To calculate weekly average prices, KAYAK takes all prices for each week before departure over the last year for round-trip flights from San Francisco to Istanbul, 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 San Francisco to Istanbul, you should book around 5 weeks before departure. For the absolute cheapest price, our data suggests you should book 23 weeks before departure.

Good to know

Cheapest flight$322
Flight from San Francisco to Istanbul Airport

When to book flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

Are your dates flexible? Find out the best times to travel from San Francisco to Istanbul 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 flights from San Francisco to Istanbul

  • What are some of the best transportation options to get from the Istanbul Airport (IST) to the center of Istanbul?

    For those passengers that would like to use public transportation to get from the airport to the city center, the best option is to travel on the IETT buses operated by the Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality. Travelers that would prefer to make the trip by taxi should expect a trip time of about 32 minutes.

  • Will I need to obtain a visa before traveling on a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul?

    Travelers making a trip to Istanbul will need to obtain a visa before the trip. If you are traveling on a vacation, you can stay for up to 90 days in the country when you obtain an e-Visa through the website of the Embassy of the Republic of Turkey.

  • Does the Istanbul Airport offer any shower facilities for passengers?

    Passengers will find shower facilities available at the IGA Lounge, that sits on the Airside of the International Terminal right past passport control. There are also shower facilities available at The Ambassador Spa & Beauty Salon, which has a location on the Airside of Terminal One right next to the IGA Lounge.

  • Are there any hotels that are close to the Istanbul Airport?

    There is a hotel that has a location right at the airport property, and it's called the YOTEL Istanbul Hotel Landside. Another option that is close to the airport is the Park Inn by Radisson, Istanbul Airport, Odayeri but be aware that this hotel does not offer a shuttle to and from the airport.

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

    In the last 3 days, the lowest price for a flight from San Francisco to Istanbul was $322 for a one-way ticket and $709 for a round-trip.

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

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

  • Which airports will I be using when flying from San Francisco to Istanbul?

    When flying out of San Francisco you will be using San Francisco. You will be landing at one of these airports: Istanbul or Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen.

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

    We unfortunately don’t have that data for this specific route.

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

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

  • What is the most popular layover when flying to Istanbul from San Francisco?

    Frankfurt am Main is the most popular layover city among KAYAK users traveling from San Francisco to Istanbul.

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

    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 San Francisco to Istanbul.

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

    KAYAK’s flight Price Forecast tool uses historical data to determine whether the price for a flight to Istanbul from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Istanbul?

    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 Istanbul with an airline and back to San Francisco with another airline.

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

    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 Istanbul from San Francisco 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 San Francisco to Istanbul

  • A terrific way to get from the Downtown San Francisco area to the San Francisco International Airport (SFO) before a flight to Istanbul is to take the Bay Area Rapid Transit Yellow or Red line trains that make the trip from the Civic Center station in San Francisco to the airport in around 30 minutes.
  • If you plan on having someone drop you off at the San Francisco International Airport before your flight to Istanbul, one great option is to utilize the Kiss and Fly Lot that passengers will find right adjacent to the rental car center to the southwest of the terminal buildings. Once passengers have had the chance to say their goodbyes, they can easily board the Blue Line AirTrain to take them to a terminal building at the airport.
  • If you plan on driving your own car to the San Francisco International Airport, this airport allows you to book your parking online up to two hours before your flight. Once you book online, you will receive a QR code that will allow you to enter and exit the airport parking lot without ever interacting with anyone at the airport.
  • Passengers that plan on taking a pet or a service animal with them through the San Francisco International Airport should know that this airport offers seven different pet relief areas. For passengers on an international flight to Istanbul, there is a pet relief area past the security checkpoints near the A Gates of the International Terminal.
  • If you are looking for an easier way to travel through the San Francisco International Airport, this airport offers its Airport Butler service that creates a customized experience for passengers looking for help with any part of their travel through this airport.

Prefer to fly direct from San Francisco to Istanbul?

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

Direct departures

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

Direct returns

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

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

 
See real verified KAYAK customer reviews for airlines flying from San Francisco to Istanbul. 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 San Francisco to Istanbul? 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.
8.0
DeltaOverall score based on 7965 reviews
8.5Crew
7.9Entertainment
7.9Comfort
8.2Boarding
7.3Food
Airline reviews

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

8.0 ExcellentBrian, Jun 2025LAX - SFO
Read more Delta reviews

There are 4 flights in consecutive gates with about the same departure time. Two flights were boarding at the same time. One was delayed or boarding would be happening at the same time. I am not sure what Delta and LAX need to do to have a better layout at the end of Terminal 2

There was a security issue at the airport and we were unable to land. We circled endlessly and then landed at another airfield for fuel. We then circled the airport again, almost landed but didn’t fully touch down before circling again. I am thankful to the crew for keeping us safe- the issue was the airline and staff at the airport getting us seats on our connecting flights. That part was hours of searching for someone and getting in double my steps.

Most aspects were good however if they assign boarding zones they ought to enforce them or why bother? My luggage from SAN-JFK-MAD was lost in NY so I without my main bag for two days upon arrival in Spain. They were helpful in tracking it and eventually delivered it to my hotel. The flub was because of a delay upon arrival in NYC. I had booked 2 1/2 hours between flights but we had to hold on the taxiway for an hour after landing while waiting for a clear gate which likely caused the baggage error.

Excellent flight, the planes were newer, they did a nice job with boarding, great service overall.

It would be nice if was given wires ear buds. Overall was a good experience was able to sleep on the plane

737-800 in first class was pretty dumpy. Seat had an uncomfortable angle, storage under the seat was blocked so even my very modest backpack didn't fit, power outlet was flaky. Weird tiny seat pockets that couldn't hold a gallon ziploc bag, emesis bag missing, etc. etc. No in-flight service due to turbulence. Crew was excellent, boarding was smooth despite a full flight.

Delta flight was on time, seats were comfortable, and crew was nice.

Bathrooms dirty sinks clogged. No one seemed to clean them. Plane very old

Thank you for not flipping the plane on the run way. You guys get a 5 star rating for the flight!!!

Boarding is, as it always is… horrible. Gate lice. Slow moving zones. Too many people with carry ons

Very comfortable (upgraded to business class). The audio on my screen didn’t work, but I managed to play the audio through my phone while watching the screen.

Flight was late as pilot crew had to land at different airport in their previous flight. Passengers boarded and had to wait for pilots inside plane. Series of incomplete and unnecessary announcements by an annoying voice, rather than complete, informative announcements.

Breakfast was not loaded at SFO due to catering company change. Seems like a major airline at a major hub would have thought of something else or warned passengers to pick up food before boarding a 3 hour flight.

Boarding seemed to be organized bedlam. For what ever reason, preboarding took longer than 20 minutes. Made the plane 20 minutes late taking off. Luckily we arrived on time. Flight crew seemed very friendly. Only slight turbulence.

They hired a new catering company the same day of my flight. They botched the job by not delivering the right carts and after THREE HOURS waiting, the flight crew timed out (flight was 19 hours long and FAA rules state crew can’t work more than 14 hours long). So they CANCELED OUR FLIGHT!! Worst experience ever. Avoid UAL at all costs.

The personnel were professional and friendly. The Boeing 737 Max 9 is too claustrophobic and was very warm at both airport gates, and still warm in the air.

While the staff was pleasant and helpful, the following observations are for your awareness. There was some delay on the tarmac on take off and landing. The paid lunch/food offerings were limited. Entertainment was only available on WiFi at a cost.

get E+, a must for 5 hours flight if you are tall

Liked fold flat bed. Didn’t like having no window. Didn’t like poor choice of food and being served dinner very late, hours after take off of a 7:40pm flight. Servers not friendly. Food horrible in business class.

Everything is good except the dinner and breakfast. The sandwich is very delicious. Toilet is clean, I only use one of them. Flight attendants are very nice. 👍👍

Bad experience; they are not good anymore. They charge too much for luggage seat are so uncomfortable, Flight delays which may miss your next flight, they don’t care if you miss the flight or not. Zero customer services for front desk representatives Istanbul's airport I’m not using this airline any more.

I’ve been traveling for 20 years. I tried Turkish airline for the first time horrible horrible service and it would be my last time even if I get offer for a free ticket, I will not accept it. They have races and the worst Flight attendant

It wasn't good. I didn’t understand. They changed 320 dollars for 2 luggage. My ticket was regular and I paid almost 1200.00 dollars. Why they did charge? I want my money back.. thanks Yılmaz polat

Very punctual, the onboard staff was friendly and correct, the flight was fortunately very calm, the toilets were clean, in short, an excellent experience Thanks

Ordered Vegan meal - it was ok, but not exceptional. Seat ok row 39 middle section aisle. Nearly full flight - crew was busy but they did the best they could. There was a USB A port at the seat. I listened to my own music and only looked at flight information. One nice thing was the connection information was made available in the screen.

Very nice and friendly crew. Boarding system can be improved.

The Etickets had been changed (Why?) without notice ; Hence, that caused troubles when checking in. Not until I contacted my ticket agent and was given correct Etickets could I then check in.

Cleanliness of seats, trays, storage pockets need more attention, but everything else was good.

A great airline, no complaints at all. My experience with Cheap Tickets was very disappointing however. Two hours after purchasing the flight they called to tell me that the ticket price had gone up. I’ve never heard of such a thing. That is called false advertising; I will never use this ticketing service again and will warn all friends to never use it.

One of the worst check in process at the DIA as well as the boarding counter Changed seat at the last minute and assigned middle seat while I paid for window seat. Requested many times but to no avail . horrible customer service and very poor process Requesting refund for seat that was changed last minute

Cheapest airlines I have ever been on. I got downgraded and never got on united. I got rerouted through Vancouver onto jetwesf

Very small and uncomfortable seats, Hard to hear entertainment system sound. Horrible food. Staff doesn't care much about the passengers. 2nd time they didn't give me my vegetarian meal. They asked me regular food with meat. The airline and staff was from United airlines.

Checkin took along timen only.few angents available at.checkin desk. Customer support over phone no existence

At baggage claim, I was given the wrong printed ticket. The ticket belonged to another passenger for a different flight — to Zurich instead of Frankfurt (layover). I was even allowed to pass security, and when I asked the Lufthansa employee if I was on the correct flight, and why it was changed. The employee said everything was correct and I should board. When I got on the plane, there was someone in my seat, and the crew on the plane finally realized that I was on the wrong plane. When I got off the plane, nobody was willing to help, and the security refused to provide my original printed ticket. That was until I showed them that I took a photo of the ticket; once they realized I had photographic evidence, they were suddenly ready to help me. The Lufthansa employee began communicating with other airlines and found a flight that would take me to my destination via Polish Airlines. I was required to once again go through security, re-check my bag, and once again pay for my checked bag and weight overage fees. This experience was incredibly stressful and very frustrating, as you can imagine. A Lufthansa employee told me I would be eligible for a refund. Please tell me what steps I need to take in order to make that happen. Thank you!

Good service … bus transfer upon arrival from plane to terminal: atrocious!!!

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

My flight was late from US to Frankfurt so I missed my connecting flight flight and I had to wait for long to catch the next flight which was very tiring. Otherwise everyone was very nice.

No entertainment since it was a 3 hr flight. Good leg room for economy.

Everything went really well. Snacks could be better and there was no tea/coffee service after dinner. Crew was helpful and friendly.

Lufthansa charged me $280 to take skiiis when in the US the boot bag and skiis are one check-in bag. This was not advertised and a real shock at the airport. They only took the boot bag as a check-in item. The seats have been squeezed together like any economy airline and legroom is not as good as it used to be. Otherwise, the flight was fine and staff was helpful for making my connection.

The entertainment selection was ok, but overall not bad! The crew was great.

Good crew and boarding process. Horrible food and one of the most uncomfortable aircraft seats I have ever sat in. The cabin temperature was warm which made it hard for my family to sleep.

bad, made it to connecting flight and they didnt let me board

The check-in of my luggage was terrible. When purchased my tickets, one luggage and one carry-on was part of the fight. My flight was switched from British to American Airline. During check-in of luggage at the airport, I was denied and had to pay extra $75. How do I get reimbursed for this extra luggage payment?

This was the second time on BA, food terrible, bathrooms gross,( granted, that was mostly due to the disgusting children urinating all over it)boarding was late and disorganized. No gate issued until last minute st Heathrow, bad system, caused undue stress. Seats were painful, that's what you get for traveling like a poor in economy, right BA? Should have been able to afford business or first class if you want to actually be able to walk upright without back pain after a trip.

This was the second time on BA, food terrible, bathrooms gross, boarding late and disorganized. No gate issued until last minute st Heathrow, bad system, caused undue stress.

The delay was not communicated via text and the person who helped with check in also didn’t inform me about the delay. I ended up missing my connection and it was a waste of 5 hours. The crew didn’t mention there would be someone at the gate informing of if I would be rebooked and there was no signage. Overall a very poor experience. The British Airways app was also very buggy, and didn’t work. I will avoid flying with British Airways when possible.

Cancelled flight minutes before boarding. Rescheduled flight was two days later

The flight attendants were EXTREMELY personable and appreciated the service, lights going off after dinner (probably the norm, but I haven’t flown evening overnight flights in a while). Thank you!

Business class seats were very dated on my plane. Very little storage, charging ports were not easily accessible, tv screen kept flopping away. Vegetarian food was disappointing: hardly any protein and severely under-seasoned. Crew was lovely.

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