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Cheap Flights from Cape Town to Istanbul

Compare Cape Town to Istanbul flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Istanbul

Book the best Istanbul fare with no extra fees

Flight deals from Cape Town Airport to Istanbul

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from Cape Town Airport to Istanbul? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from R 8,906. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Istanbul.R 4,548 per passenger.Departing Sat, 3 Oct.One-way flight with Norse Atlantic Airways (UK).Outbound indirect flight with Norse Atlantic Airways (UK), departs from Cape Town on Sat, 3 Oct, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,548, select.
Istanbul.R 4,780 per passenger.Departing Fri, 15 May.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Fri, 15 May, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,780, select.
Istanbul.R 4,781 per passenger.Departing Fri, 19 Jun.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Fri, 19 Jun, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,781, select.
Istanbul.R 4,792 per passenger.Departing Thu, 10 Sep.One-way flight with Norse Atlantic Airways (UK).Outbound indirect flight with Norse Atlantic Airways (UK), departs from Cape Town on Thu, 10 Sep, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,792, select.
Istanbul.R 4,951 per passenger.Departing Thu, 23 Apr.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Thu, 23 Apr, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 4,951, select.
Istanbul.R 5,247 per passenger.Departing Tue, 14 Jul.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Tue, 14 Jul, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,247, select.
Istanbul.R 5,313 per passenger.Departing Fri, 20 Mar.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Fri, 20 Mar, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 5,313, select.
Istanbul.R 7,131 per passenger.Departing Sat, 1 Aug.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Sat, 1 Aug, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 7,131, select.
Istanbul.R 8,021 per passenger.Departing Wed, 10 Jun.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Wed, 10 Jun, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 8,021, select.
Istanbul.R 8,033 per passenger.Departing Tue, 14 Jul.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Tue, 14 Jul, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 8,033, select.
Istanbul.R 8,169 per passenger.Departing Wed, 20 May.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Wed, 20 May, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 8,169, select.
Istanbul.R 8,287 per passenger.Departing Wed, 23 Dec.One-way flight with Qatar Airways.Outbound indirect flight with Qatar Airways, departs from Cape Town on Wed, 23 Dec, arriving in Istanbul Sabiha.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 8,287, select.
Istanbul.R 10,257 per passenger.Departing Wed, 9 Sep.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Wed, 9 Sep, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 10,257, select.
Istanbul.R 10,696 per passenger.Departing Sat, 3 Oct.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Sat, 3 Oct, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 10,696, select.
Istanbul.R 11,012 per passenger.Departing Wed, 23 Dec.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Wed, 23 Dec, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 11,012, select.
Istanbul.R 11,381 per passenger.Departing Thu, 27 Aug.One-way flight with Turkish Airlines.Outbound direct flight with Turkish Airlines departs from Cape Town on Thu, 27 Aug, arriving in Istanbul.Price includes taxes and charges.From R 11,381, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from Cape Town to Istanbul

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like Cape Town to Istanbul flights are currently cheapest in October.
Mar
from R 5,313
Apr
from R 4,951
May
from R 4,780
Jun
from R 4,781
Jul
from R 5,247
Aug
from R 7,131
Sep
from R 4,792
Oct
from R 4,548
Nov
Find prices
Dec
from R 8,287
Jan
Find prices
Feb
Find prices

Direct flights from Cape Town to Istanbul

Alternative Cape Town to Istanbul routes

Looking for the cheapest, fastest or easiest route from Cape Town to Istanbul? You could fly into the following airports instead.

Istanbul Sabiha

30km from central Istanbul
Closest
from R 4,780
Search flights

Istanbul

34km from central Istanbul
Cheapest
from R 4,548
Search flights

Cape Town to Istanbul: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight foundR 4,548
Cheapest month to flyOctober
Average flight time11 hrs, 12 mins
Most popular airlineThai Airways
Average flights per week20

Check out these Istanbul hotels

Ready to plan your stay? Other travellers rate these Istanbul hotels for cleanliness, service and location.
Broyt Hotel
8.47 km from city centre
R 2 349
Per night
Masif House
0.80 km from city centre
R 559
Per night
Lokalist, Istanbul, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
3.77 km from city centre
R 1 968
Per night
Broyt Hotel
8.47 km from city centre
R 2 349
Per night
Masif House
0.80 km from city centre
R 559
Per night
Lokalist, Istanbul, a Tribute Portfolio Hotel
3.77 km from city centre
R 1 968
Per night
Explore top-rated hotels

Finding cheap flights from Cape Town to Istanbul: Frequently asked questions

There are 2 airports in Istanbul: Istanbul Sabiha and Istanbul.
The best price we found for a return flight from Cape Town to Istanbul is R 8,820. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
11 hours and 12 minutes is the average flight time from Cape Town to Istanbul.
Thai Airways, IndiGo and Turkish Airlines fly direct from Cape Town to Istanbul.
As of March 2026, there are 20 flights per week flying from Cape Town to Istanbul.
The cheapest month to fly from Cape Town to Istanbul is usually May.
If you're flying from Cape Town Airport, the cheapest airport near Istanbul is Istanbul Sabiha – which is 30.3 km away from the centre of Istanbul. We've found flights into this airport from R 8,820.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from Cape Town Airport to Istanbul on Monday, 4 May 2026.
Yes – the average flight time is 11 hours and 12 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Istanbul but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Istanbul is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
In March, the average temperature is usually around 8°C. August is typically the warmest month in Istanbul, when it usually averages around 27°C. You can expect the least rain in August. The coldest month is January, with temperatures averaging 4°C. The rainiest month is December.
Currently, Qatar Airways and Turkish Airlines offer the cheapest flight tickets to Istanbul.

Flying from Cape Town International Airport (CPT) to Istanbul: what you need to know

  • The average length of a direct flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul is 11 hours 5 minutes.

  • Istanbul is one hour ahead of Cape Town, where Cape Town International Airport is located. Istanbul observes the UTC+3 timezone.

  • With seven weekly departures between the two airports, Cape Town International Airport (CPT) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) is the most popular route. Catch Turkish Airlines's 16:35 flight to get your trip from CPT to IST underway.

  • For a smooth journey, turn up at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and an hour before domestic departures. That way, you can comfortably catch your CPT to Istanbul flight.

  • Heading away during a peak time like public or school holidays? Expect longer queues at check-in and security. Give yourself extra leeway and arrive up to four hours before international flights and two hours before domestic departures.

  • Direct Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul tickets are available for booking. Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) is where you'll be landing.

  • Book your favourite seat with Turkish Airlines. This airline operates direct flights from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul.

  • Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your trip and maybe even tick a new city off your list. When browsing for flight tickets from CPT to Istanbul, deselect the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Popular options include:

    • London Heathrow Airport (LHR)

    • Dubai Airport (DXB)

    • Hamad International Airport (DOH)

  • To reach CPT from central Cape Town, it'll take about 20 minutes by car. It's roughly 18 kilometres from the airport to the city centre.

  • Want a relaxed start to your travels? Stay near CPT. Whether you're taking an early flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul or just don't want to be rushed, these hotels are worth a look:

  • 81.65% of flights leaving Cape Town International Airport arrive at their destination on schedule. With its strong on-time stats, you're unlikely to experience delays when jetting out of CPT.

How to find the cheapest flights from Cape Town International Airport (CPT) to Istanbul

  • R 4,548 is currently the lowest price for a one-way Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul flight. Return flight tickets start from R 8,820. These fares can change depending on availability.

  • To pick up cheap flights from CPT to Istanbul, reserve your journey one month ahead of your planned departure.

  • The best month for scoring cheap Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul tickets is May. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare prices, then select the dates offering the lowest fares.

  • There's no need to check back in every day to see if fares have dropped when you create a Price Alert. We'll notify you the moment there's an even bigger deal on cheap flights from CPT to Istanbul.

  • Save money on your flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul with the help of our filters. Select your preferred duration, departure time and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to see the best deals.

Airports in Istanbul

Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)

  • The distance from Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) to central Istanbul is roughly 48 kilometres. It'll take you about 50 minutes to reach the centre driving.

  • Travelling by public transport will take you around 1 hour 45 minutes.

  • The last thing you need is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul. Book one of these accommodation options near IST instead:

  • Travel at your own pace with an Istanbul Ataturk Airport rental car. Book your wheels from Hit, Avec car rentals or Eren Rent a Car and discover more of Istanbul and beyond.

  • Reserving your ride from Istanbul Ataturk Airport about two weeks in advance of your flight from CPT to Istanbul can help you lock in the best possible rate.

Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)

  • Once your flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul has landed, you can reach the city centre in around 55 minutes by car. Central Istanbul is roughly 48 kilometres from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW).

  • If you choose to travel on public transport, the journey will take you 1 hour 30 minutes or so.

  • You'll find some great places to rest your head close to SAW. Tuck yourself in and get cosy after your CPT to Istanbul flight at any of these well-located options:

  • Forget about inconvenient public transport timetables or slow-moving cab lines. Grab a Sabiha Gokcen International Airport rental car and blaze your own trail. Check out the availability and rates from Essence, Eren Rent a Car and 724 Rent.

  • Score the best price by securing your ride from SAW four weeks ahead of time. You'll also have access to a greater range of vehicles.

Best time to go to Istanbul

  • Carefully consider your dates before securing your flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul. The city buzzes during high season, but rates are typically higher and major attractions can be busy. Visit Istanbul in the low season if you prefer a more relaxed vibe.

  • Before booking a Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul flight ticket, think about the weather you're most comfortable in. August is the warmest month in Istanbul, with temperatures ranging from 20ºC (68ºF) to 30ºC (86ºF).

  • January has average temperatures of between 2ºC (36ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF). Search for a cheap ticket from CPT to Istanbul around that time if you want to travel when it's cooler.

More about Istanbul

  • Start your Istanbul trip off on the right foot by choosing the ideal place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from Cape Town International Airport to Istanbul, check out our selection of hotels including:

  • Every great journey has to include some sightseeing. The Basilica Cistern, Topkapi Palace and Galata Tower are essential stops on your Istanbul itinerary.

Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)

  • Istanbul is always a good idea, but there are so many other corners of Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be discovered. Around 354 kilometres east of Istanbul, a visit to Ankara will keep your itinerary packed. Start with attractions like Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Kocatepe Mosque (Kocatepe Camii) and Genclik Park.

  • Izmir is another sought-after destination in Türkiye (Turkey) and is around 322 kilometres south-west of Istanbul. No journey is complete without a visit to Kordonboyu, Kadifekale Castle and Alsancak.

More travel options

Plan the rest of your trip from Cape Town to Istanbul

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.