Travelling from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) to Istanbul: what you need to know
Take a direct flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul and you'll be in the air for around 1 hour 35 minutes.
Istanbul is one hour ahead of Athens, where Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport is located. Istanbul runs on the UTC+3 timezone.
The busiest flight route is from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) to Istanbul Airport (IST). You can pick from 62 services between these airports every week.
Give yourself plenty of time to make your ATH to Istanbul flight. A good rule of thumb is to arrive two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
You can expect longer queues during popular months such as July. Arriving up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours for domestic departures is a wise move.
Start your trip at ATH and travel nonstop to Istanbul Airport (IST). That's where you can expect to touch down when searching for Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul tickets.
These are some of the popular airlines operating direct flights from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul:
Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your trip and perhaps even explore another city. When searching for plane tickets from ATH to Istanbul, uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to see where you can visit along the way. Consider one of these popular options:
Vienna International Airport (VIE)
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB)
Thessaloniki International Makedonia Airport (SKG)
The journey from central Athens to ATH takes about 40 minutes by public transport. If you drive, ride-share or take a taxi, you'll cover the 19 kilometres in 35 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
Catching an early flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul? Avoid rushing to the terminal (and get some extra shut-eye) by choosing one of these stays close to ATH:
Of all flights departing from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport, 76% arrive on time at their destination.
How to find the cheapest flights from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) to Istanbul
$83 is currently the best price for a one-way Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul flight. Return plane tickets start at $154. These prices can change based on availability and demand.
Book six months before you want to fly. Research on pricing trends suggests this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from ATH to Istanbul.
The best month for picking up cheap Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul tickets is November. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare all available prices, then choose the dates offering the lowest fares.
You don't need to check in daily to see if fares have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll notify you as soon as there's an even better deal on cheap flights from ATH to Istanbul.
Select your preferred departure and arrival times, airlines and number of stops with our filters. Then, sort the results for your flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul by 'Cheapest,' 'Best' or 'Fastest.'
Airports in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Airport (IST) to central Istanbul takes about 45 minutes by car. The centre is roughly 40 kilometres away.
If you're travelling on public transport, expect a journey time of about 1 hour 10 minutes.
The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul. Check in to one of these accommodation options near IST instead:
To get the lowest price, book your ride from Istanbul Airport around two weeks ahead of your flight from ATH to Istanbul.
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) is around 48 kilometres from central Istanbul. Once you've disembarked your flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul, it'll take you around 1 hour 5 minutes to reach the heart of the city in a taxi or ride-share.
If you choose to travel on public transport, the ride to the centre takes 1 hour 40 minutes or so.
Hang the 'Do not disturb' sign on your door and rest at a hotel close to SAW. Here are a few options where you can take a load off after your ATH to Istanbul flight:
Avoid potential price surges. Securing your ride four weeks before your arrival at SAW can help you lock in a better rate.
Best time to go to Istanbul
It's time to work out your dates for your flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul. August is the most popular month to travel to Istanbul. If you prefer a quieter vibe, go in February.
Lock in a Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul plane ticket with a departure in July if you want to experience the city during its warmest month. Expect temperatures to range from 21ºC to 30ºC.
Look for cheap tickets from ATH to Istanbul in January if you want to travel in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 2ºC and 11ºC on average.
More about Istanbul
Start your Istanbul trip right by choosing the ideal place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport to Istanbul, check out our selection of hotels including:
There are so many things to see and do in this city it can be difficult to know where to start. Historic Areas of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia Museum and Hagia Sophia History Museum are popular attractions which should feature on any good Istanbul itinerary.
Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)
Ankara is just one of the many cities in Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be explored after you've seen Istanbul. Around 354 kilometres away to the east, its best attractions include The Roman Theatre, Kocatepe Mosque (Kocatepe Camii) and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
Around 322 kilometres southwest of Istanbul, Izmir is another essential stop in Türkiye (Turkey). Get a taste of what this destination has to offer at Aegean Coast, Smyrna Basilika and Ataturk Konak Square.


