Flying from Frankfurt to Istanbul: what you need to know
There are two main airports you can fly out of in Frankfurt. Explore your options departing from Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) or Hahn Airport (HHN) when reserving your flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul.
When it comes to working out where to land in Istanbul, Istanbul Airport (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Airport (SAW) are the chief entry points.
Hop on a direct Frankfurt to Istanbul flight and you'll be in the air for an average of 3 hours 5 minutes.
Istanbul is two hours ahead of Frankfurt and is in the UTC+3 timezone.
Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) to Istanbul Airport (IST) is the busiest route. When looking for a flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul, you can choose from 49 services a week between FRA and IST.
To ensure you make your Frankfurt to Istanbul flight, leave plenty of time for things like check-in and baggage drop. Turning up two hours before international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the standard rule.
Flying over a peak time like September? School holidays and other popular seasons can mean longer queues at security. Be extra cautious and get there up to four hours ahead of international flights and two hours before domestic departures.
How to find the cheapest flights from Frankfurt to Istanbul
Lock in cheap Frankfurt to Istanbul flights by booking five months ahead. Based on our research, that's the ideal time for finding the biggest deals.
Plan your trip for October. That's the best month for scoring a great bargain on plane tickets from Frankfurt to Istanbul. If you're flexible on when you fly, use the 'Whole month' tool to find the lowest price across every month.
Locking in a cheap flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul is easy with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll notify you as soon as the price has dropped.
Find a cheap Frankfurt to Istanbul flight with the help of our filters. Select your ideal departure time, duration and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to see the best deals.
Flying from Frankfurt
Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA)
Depart from Frankfurt am Main Airport (FRA) and fly right through to Istanbul Airport (IST) or Istanbul Sabiha Airport (SAW). If you're looking for a direct flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul out of FRA, those are your landing options.
You'll find plenty of airlines that offer direct Frankfurt to Istanbul plane tickets out of FRA. The most popular include:
Consider adding a stopover to potentially save money on your Frankfurt to Istanbul flight. Simply uncheck 'Direct flights only' when searching for departures from Frankfurt am Main Airport. Take a pause at one of these airports:
Zurich Airport (ZRH)
Vienna Airport (VIE)
Bucharest Otopeni Airport (OTP)
FRA is around 11 kilometres from central Frankfurt. If you're driving, ride-sharing or catching a taxi from the centre, it'll take 25 minutes or so to get there, depending on traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the journey time to be around 20 minutes.
Looking for a convenient hotel near Frankfurt am Main Airport? If you're boarding an early flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul, these stays will have you moments from your departure gate:
Of the departures from Frankfurt am Main Airport, 74% land on schedule at their destination.
Hahn Airport (HHN)
Visit friends or family or just take a moment to recharge with a stopover. If you'd like to break up your Frankfurt to Istanbul flight, browse these options when leaving from Hahn Airport:
London Stansted Airport (STN)
Milan Bergamo Airport (BGY)
Palermo Airport (PMO)
HHN is about 105 kilometres from central Frankfurt. It'll take 1 hour 25 minutes or so to get to the airport in a car from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 2 hours 10 minutes.
Get a head start on your holiday with an additional night away from home. Before catching your flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul, kick back in one of these hotels near Hahn Airport:
Flights from Hahn Airport have a strong track record for punctuality, with 84% of them arriving right on cue.
Arriving in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Airport (IST) to central Istanbul takes about 45 minutes by car. The centre is roughly 32 kilometres away.
Travelling to the centre on public transport takes roughly 1 hour 10 minutes.
Consider booking a hotel close to IST if you're coming in on a late flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul. Check in to one of these accommodation options and skip the long transfer:
Travel at your own speed with a Istanbul Airport rental car. Pick up your wheels from Hit, Avec car rentals or Eren Rent a Car and chase adventure across Istanbul and beyond.
For the lowest price, reserve your vehicle from Istanbul Airport about two weeks ahead of your Frankfurt to Istanbul flight.
Istanbul Sabiha Airport (SAW)
As soon as your flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul has landed, you can get to the city centre in around 1 hour 5 minutes by car. Central Istanbul is approximately 31 kilometres from Istanbul Sabiha Airport (SAW).
You can expect the trip to take about 1 hour 40 minutes on public transport.
After your flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul, settle in at a hotel close to SAW. These are some great options that'll help you get into relaxation mode:
Essence, Eren Rent a Car and 724 Rent make collecting a Istanbul Sabiha Airport rental car simple. These trusted providers are located in or around the terminal and will get you on your way in no time.
Call dibs on the best options. Reserving your ride from SAW four weeks ahead of time often means lower prices and a greater selection of vehicles.
Best time to go to Istanbul
It's time to pick your dates for your flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul. August is the most popular month for a trip to Istanbul. If you prefer a more peaceful vibe, go in March.
The warmest month in Istanbul is July, with temperatures ranging between 21ºC and 30ºC. Book your Frankfurt to Istanbul ticket then if this is the type of weather you enjoy.
Search for cheap flights from Frankfurt to Istanbul in January if you'd rather travel during cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 2ºC and 11ºC on average.
More about Istanbul
After booking your flight from Frankfurt to Istanbul, decide where you'll be dropping your bags. Make one of these accommodation options your base for exploring Istanbul:
There are so many things to do and see in this city it can be tricky to know where to start. Hagia Sophia, Historic Areas of Istanbul and Hagia Sophia History and Experience Museum are top attractions which should be on any well-planned Istanbul itinerary.
Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)
Ankara is just one of the many cities in Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be discovered after you've seen Istanbul. Around 354 kilometres to the east, its top attractions include The Roman Theatre, Kocatepe Mosque and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.
Around 322 kilometres southwest of Istanbul, Izmir is another favourite stop in Türkiye (Turkey). No visit is complete without checking out Aegean Coast, Smyrna Basilika and Ataturk Konak Square.
