Cheap flights from Aberdeen to Istanbul

The expensive stretch runs through the summer holidays and the weeks around Christmas and New Year, when holiday traffic between the UK and Turkey peaks. Work back from there and the picture softens: November is the low point on this route, with early autumn not far behind. May edges up again as spring settles over Istanbul. The fare calendar here covers September through December, then March and May, so weigh those months side by side before you fix a date. Midweek departures tend to cost less than Friday or Sunday, and shifting the trip by a day or two can move the fare as much as changing the month.

The difference you feel most is at the connection: every ticket involves a change of plane, and the carriers differ in where you wait and what the fare includes. KLM Royal Dutch Airlines funnels you through Amsterdam, British Airways through London, and Scandinavian Airlines through one of its Nordic hubs, with at least a cabin bag included. Aer Lingus connects through Dublin, often on an Emerald Airlines hop out of Dyce. Easyjet is the low-cost pick, cheaper at first glance but selling bags and seat choice separately. Loganair and Cityjet usually appear as the short first leg that hands you over to a larger network.

Istanbul Airport is enormous, which means long walks to the gate, a passport queue that swells when several arrivals land together, and a transfer into town that traffic can stretch well past an hour, since it sits far out on the European side. Sabiha Gokcen, across on the Asian side, is smaller and usually quicker to leave, but still a long drive from the old city. The metro reaches both airports, and taxis or pre-booked transfers cover the rest; a reloadable city travel card pays off if you plan to keep using public transport. Pick the airport that matches your hotel's side of the city, because crossing between the two in traffic eats into your day.

Currency

TRY (₺)

Power sockets

Type C, F · 230 V

Language

Turkish

Emergency number

112, 177

Driving side

right

Calling code

+36

Internet domain

.tr

Population of Istanbul

15.7 M (2023)

Time zone

UTC+03 (Europe/Istanbul)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Decide between Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen first, since they sit on opposite sides of the city and the transfer into town differs sharply.
• Add baggage and seat fees to an Easyjet fare before comparing it with the full-service carriers, which usually include a cabin bag.
• Check your passport meets Turkey's entry rules, including remaining validity, and whether your nationality needs any travel authorisation.
• If your booking comes as two separate tickets, leave a generous buffer at the connection, as the second airline need not rebook you.
• Compare the months the calendar covers, since November marks the low point and December and May tend to climb.