Cheap flights from South Africa to Istanbul from R4 782

In general, February is the cheapest month to fly from South Africa to Istanbul. Due to it being the ‘off-season’ during this time, you can expect flight prices to be around R9 186. If you are unable to visit Istanbul during the month of February, then departing from South Africa during the month November is also very affordable. Most momondo users find prices during this month for around R9 679.

On average, the least expensive day to fly to Istanbul from South Africa is on a Tuesday. momondo users have found tickets for Tuesday departures for as low as R11 896. However, this price may fluctuate depending on the airline, the season, and holidays. The most expensive day to fly to Istanbul is Saturday, with ticket prices averaging around R13 075.

The cheapest time of day to fly to Istanbul is in the evening when flights can be purchased for as low as R12 210. Flights in the afternoon are often more expensive, with an average ticket price of R12 570.

Fly from Cape Town Intl to Istanbul for the best South Africa - Istanbul flight prices

You are more likely to see cheaper flights to Istanbul from South Africa when booking weeks ahead of your departure date. In general, you can expect to find flights to Istanbul for around R10 399 when searching weeks before you fly. However, flight prices might be lower outside of this timeframe. For example, people recently found flights to Istanbul from South Africa for as low as R9 466 on momondo.

Qatar Airways, Etihad Airways, and Emirates are the most popular carriers operating from South Africa to Istanbul

Qatar Airways, Emirates and Turkish Airlines are the top three most popular airlines that fly to Istanbul from South Africa according to our data. Qatar Airways is the first choice among our users, with 55% of people opting to fly with this airline when travelling to Istanbul. Keep in mind that there are 11 different airlines that fly to Istanbul on a routine basis, so you have a few additional options to choose from.

Historically, on average around 10% of flights between South Africa and Istanbul have experienced a delay on any given week. The average delay length over the past 12 months has been 140 minutes.

Generally, flights departing in the early afternoon tend to experience fewer delays. Flights departing in the morning have, in the past, seen delays more frequently in comparison.

Wednesday is statistically the day of the week that experiences the fewest delays on this flight route. Sunday has historically seen more delays on average compared to the rest of the week.

According to our data, Turkish Airlines have had the fewest delays on this route over the last 12 months, with about 9% of their flights experiencing any sort of delay.

The number of flights available between South Africa and Istanbul is 6 per day as of May 2026. The most frequent departure time is 16:00, with 72% of daily flights leaving in the afternoon.

43 flights are operational weekly from South Africa to Istanbul as of May 2026. The most popular departure day for this route is Mon, with 16% of flights per week taking off on this day.