Flying from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) to Erbil International Airport (EBL): what you need to know
Hop on a direct flight from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport and you'll be in the air for an average of 2 hours 25 minutes.
Istanbul and Erbil share the same timezone, UTC+3.
Flights from SAW to EBL start from 00:15 — the earliest with Pegasus. The last service of the day is at 23:45 with AJet. In total, you can take your pick of 67 weekly Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport flights.
Get to the airport on time so you don't miss your SAW to EBL flight. Be there at least two hours ahead for international flights and an hour early for domestic departures to avoid any last-minute rush.
Be prepared for longer queues during popular months such as August. Arriving up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours for a domestic departure will give you ample time for security and boarding.
Pegasus has direct flights from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport. Book with this popular airline, then get ready to see the sights in Erbil — and maybe even more of Iraq if time allows.
Pegasus is the airline with the highest passenger demand for this route.
Pegasus ranks as the leading on-time carrier for SAW to EBL flights, with 86.75% of its services arriving as scheduled.
If you want to explore another city along the way, just deselect 'Direct flights only' when searching for your ticket from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport. Here are the most popular stopovers between SAW and EBL:
Esenboga International Airport
Trabzon Airport
Antalya Airport
How to find the cheapest flights from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) to Erbil International Airport (EBL)
The cheapest price we've seen for a one-way Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport flight is R 1,080. A return fare right now is R 2,210. Depending on the availability and when you book, these fares may change.
Book 11 months before your departure date. After looking at the numbers on our calendar, this is how far you should book ahead to secure cheap tickets from SAW to EBL.
Organise your trip for October. That's the cheapest month for flights from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport. If you're flexible with your travel dates, try out the 'Whole month' tool to find the cheapest price across every month.
Snapping up cheap flights from SAW to EBL is a breeze with Price Alerts. Simply create one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you as soon as fares go down.
Pick your ideal arrival and departure times, airlines and number of stops with the filters. Or sort your results by 'Cheapest' to find the best deals on flights from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport.
Handy information about Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)
76.93% of flights leaving from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport arrive at their destination on schedule.
Central Istanbul to Sabiha Gokcen International Airport is around 48 kilometres. Depending on traffic, it'll take about 55 minutes to get there if you're driving, catching a cab or ride-sharing.
You can expect a trip time of roughly 1 hour 30 minutes on public transport.
Get your travels off to a leisurely start by staying near SAW. Whether you've booked an early flight from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport or just don't like being rushed, these hotels are ideal:
Arriving at Erbil International Airport (EBL)
The last thing you need is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're arriving on a late Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport flight. Check in to one of these accommodation options near EBL instead:
Grab an Erbil International Airport rental car and explore Erbil and beyond with your own set of wheels. Europcar, Avis and Hertz are top providers you can book with here.
To secure the lowest price, book your vehicle from Erbil International Airport about two weeks before you set off.
Getting from Erbil International Airport (EBL) to central Erbil
Erbil International Airport to the centre of Erbil has a drive time of around 20 minutes. It's approximately 11 kilometres away.
When to fly to Erbil International Airport (EBL)
July is the busiest month for flights from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport. To escape the crowds, visit Erbil in April.
The warmest month in Erbil is July, with the temperature ranging between 24ºC (75ºF) and 44ºC (111ºF). Lock in your flights from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Erbil International Airport in this month if this is the type of weather you like.
January sees average temperatures of between 1ºC (34ºF) and 14ºC (57ºF). Look for cheap tickets from SAW to EBL sometime then if you like travelling in cooler conditions.
Explore more of Iraq
Baghdad is just one of the many places in Iraq waiting to be explored after you've seen Erbil. Around 322 kilometres away to the south, well-known attractions include Baghdad Tower, Iraqi Museum and Al-Shaheed Monument.
If you're eager to discover another corner of Iraq, consider Mosul, roughly 80 kilometres west of Erbil. Nergal Gate - Nineveh, Jardim Do Edem and Southern Wall of Nineveh ancient city are highlights.