Flying from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST): What you need to know
There are a couple of airports where your trip can begin in New York. Check out your options departing from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) or Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR) when searching for a flight from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST).
The average time for a direct New York to Istanbul Airport flight is 9 hours 50 minutes.
Istanbul Airport is located in Istanbul. The city operates on the UTC+3 timezone and is eight hours ahead of New York.
With 23 direct weekly flights between the two airports, New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Istanbul Airport (IST) is the busiest route. Turkish Airlines operates the earliest flight at 12:10am. If you'd like to make the most of your day before you fly, the latest flight from JFK to IST is with Turkish Airlines at 8:45pm.
Arriving two hours before an international flight and one hour ahead of a domestic departure are travel rules to live by. Show up at the airport on time to catch your flight from New York to IST.
Going away during a peak month like July? Popular periods (like Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year) can add another hour at check-in and security. Be extra cautious and arrive up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours before a domestic departure.
Airports in New York
New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK)
Get there in one go from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). Nonstop flights from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST) are available from here.
Turkish Airlines is a popular airline that operates direct flights from New York to Istanbul Airport departing from JFK.
Turkish Airlines sees the most traveller bookings for flights from JFK to IST.
We make it a piece of cake to find cheap flights from New York to IST with a stopover. To explore the options leaving from New York John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK), uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Next, choose a flight with a stop long enough to tour your chosen city. Top stopovers between JFK and IST include:
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
JFK is around 24 kilometres from central New York. If you're ride-sharing, driving or catching a taxi from the centre, it'll take 45 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic conditions. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the trip time to be around 50 minutes.
Want an easy start to your travels? Stay near New York John F. Kennedy International Airport. Whether you have an early flight from New York to Istanbul Airport or prefer not to feel hurried, these hotels are the ideal choice:
73% of flights that depart New York John F. Kennedy International Airport touch down at their destination on schedule.
JFK is located at JFK Airport.
Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)
Looking to fly out of Newark Liberty International Airport (EWR)? Direct New York to Istanbul Airport (IST) plane tickets are available from this popular hub.
Catch your direct flight from New York to IST with Turkish Airlines. This is one of the main airlines that operates this route out of EWR.
Turkish Airlines is the most popular choice for travellers flying from EWR to IST.
Break up your flight from New York to Istanbul Airport with a stop so you can recharge or cross a new place off your list. Top stopovers between Newark Liberty International Airport and IST include:
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport (CDG)
You can arrive at EWR from central New York in approximately 35 minutes by car (depending on traffic conditions). The ride by public transport takes roughly 1 hour to cover the 24 kilometres or so.
Want to treat yourself to an extra night away before boarding your New York to IST flight? Relax in a hotel near Newark Liberty International Airport before your trip officially begins. These stays are expecting you:
Newark Liberty International Airport has an on-time performance of 71%. This figure shows how frequently flights that take off from this airport make it to their destination on time.
EWR is located at Building 1, Conrad Road.
New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA)
You can reserve a plane ticket from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST) with one or more stops leaving from New York LaGuardia Airport (LGA). These are some of the most common stopovers between LGA and IST:
Chicago O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
Boston Logan International Airport (BOS)
Toronto Pearson International Airport (YYZ)
LGA is roughly 13 kilometres from central New York. The drive from the city centre to the terminal takes about 30 minutes. If you're thinking about using public transport, expect a journey time of around 55 minutes.
Make departure day worry-free — stay near New York LaGuardia Airport and know you'll be at your boarding gate with time to spare. Check in to one of these hotels the day before if you're catching an early New York to Istanbul Airport flight:
Flights departing from LGA make it to their destination on schedule 69% of the time.
You'll find New York LaGuardia Airport at Hangar 7 Centre.
About Istanbul Airport (IST)
The last thing you need is a long journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from New York to Istanbul Airport. Make yourself comfy at one of these accommodation options near IST instead:
Lock in the lowest price by booking your ride around two weeks ahead of your New York to Istanbul Airport flight.
Getting from Istanbul Airport (IST) to central Istanbul
From Istanbul Airport, central Istanbul is around 40 kilometres away. It takes about 45 minutes to get to the city centre by car.
It typically takes 1 hour 10 minutes to get there using public transport.
How to find the cheapest flights from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST)
At the moment, $568 is the best price we've found for a one-way ticket from New York to Istanbul Airport. The cheapest price for a return flight is $1,110. Keep in mind fares may change due to availability at the time of booking.
To snap up cheap flights from New York to IST, book your plane ticket ten months ahead of your departure date.
March is when you're most likely to land a good deal on a New York to Istanbul Airport ticket. If you'd like to travel at a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will give you the lowest prices for each month.
You don't need to check back in every day to find out if prices have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll notify you when a new deal shows up on plane tickets from New York to IST.
Tailor your travel plans using filters. Choose your arrival and departure times, total journey duration and airlines. You can also sort your results by 'Cheapest,' 'Best' or 'Fastest' flights from New York to Istanbul Airport.
The best time to fly from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST)
Think about your travel style when deciding the best time to fly. February is the quietest month to visit Istanbul. August is when most people book flights from New York to Istanbul Airport (IST), which may be perfect if you're chasing more action.
The warmest month in Istanbul is July, with temperatures ranging between 21ºC and 30ºC. Book your New York to IST plane ticket then if you enjoy this type of weather.
January has temperatures of between 2ºC and 11ºC. Search for cheap tickets from New York to Istanbul Airport around that time if you want to travel in cooler conditions.
More about Istanbul
After booking your flight from New York to Istanbul Airport, choose a hotel that puts you where you want to be. Make one of these accommodation options your base for exploring Istanbul:
All great adventures should include some sightseeing. Hagia Sophia Museum, Historic Areas of Istanbul and Hagia Sophia History Museum are must-do's during your Istanbul adventure.
Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)
Istanbul has its own special appeal, but there are so many other parts of Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be discovered. About 225 kilometres southeast of Istanbul, a trip to Eskisehir will keep your itinerary packed. Start with leading attractions like Eskişehir Odunpazarı Evleri, Archeological Museum and TÜRASAŞ Revolution Cars Museum.
Any journey through Türkiye (Turkey) wouldn't be complete without visiting Adapazarı. Ağa Cami and Earthquake & Cultural Museum are highlights in this destination, which is around 153 kilometres east of Istanbul.