Cheap flights from Istanbul to Krakow

When to fly: February is the cheapest month on this route, and the winter months around it, December and January, stay close behind, because few travellers want Krakow in the cold. Fares climb through spring and summer and peak around the school holidays, when Polish families fly out and Turkish visitors arrive. Weekday departures, Tuesday and Wednesday in particular, usually undercut Friday and Sunday. Polish and Turkish public holidays fill planes in both directions and push connecting fares up, so check them against your dates. Book a few weeks ahead in winter, and much earlier for summer travel.

No airline flies Istanbul to Krakow nonstop, so every option here is a connection. Wizz Air and Pegasus are the low-cost names to check first, with Ajet close behind; expect a cabin bag only, and pay extra for a checked bag, a seat and food. Turkish Airlines, LOT Polish Airlines and Lufthansa are full-service, so a checked bag and a meal usually come with the ticket, and a missed connection inside their own network is their problem, not yours. Air Serbia, Aegean Airlines, Scandinavian Airlines and Vueling show up as connecting partners as well. Compare what is included, not just the fare.

Krakow has one airport, Balice, and it sits outside the city rather than in it. A train links the terminal with the main station, and buses and taxis cover the same trip; the ride into the centre takes well under an hour, though traffic and the time of day change that. If you land late, check the last train and bus times before you book, because the airport goes quiet overnight. Also note that your connection may leave you at a different airport from the one you started at in Istanbul, so leave room between the two legs.

Currency

PLZ (zł)

Power sockets

Type C, E · 230 V

Language

Polish

Emergency number

112, 986, 997

Driving side

right

Calling code

+48

Internet domain

.pl

EU / Schengen

EU member, Schengen area

Population of Krakow

804 k (2023)

Time zone

UTC+02 (Europe/Warsaw)

Country facts: Wikidata

• Istanbul has two airports, so confirm whether you leave from Istanbul Airport or Sabiha Gokcen before you pay.
• On a low-cost ticket, add a checked bag, a seat and food to see the real total.
• If your connection is on separate tickets, a delay on the first leg is your problem, not the airline's.
• Check that your passport and any visa or entry rules for Poland are valid for your dates.
• Allow enough time between flights if you change airports or terminals in the connecting city.
• February is the cheapest month here, so weigh it against your own dates before booking.