Cheap flights from Warsaw to Istanbul

December is the cheapest month on this route, and the price calendar below shows how the rest of the year compares. Summer is the busiest stretch, when school holidays in both Poland and Turkey push fares up, so book well ahead if you plan to travel between June and August. Spring and autumn are calmer and still good for walking the city. Midweek departures usually cost less than Friday and Sunday flights, and the weeks around public holidays fill up early. If your dates are flexible, compare a couple of months either side of your plan before you commit.

There are no direct flights between Warsaw and Istanbul, so every option on this route involves a stop. Wizz Air, Wizz Air Malta, Pegasus and Sun Express are the low-cost names — the fare buys a seat and a small bag, and everything else is an add-on. Aegean Airlines and Sky Express connect through Greece, while KLM Cityhopper, KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, Lufthansa and Air France sell full-service itineraries with a checked bag and a protected connection at their hubs. That protection matters: if a low-cost leg is delayed, a self-transfer leaves you buying a new ticket. Compare what is actually included before you pick the cheaper-looking fare.

Istanbul has two airports and they are not interchangeable. Istanbul Airport sits on the European side, well outside the city, and the metro plus bus network gets you to the centre without a car. Sabiha Gokcen is on the Asian side, closer to Kadikoy and the eastern districts but a long haul from Sultanahmet and the European centre. Both have taxis and private transfers, and both sit far enough out that traffic can double your journey at rush hour. Check which airport your connection lands at before you book the onward leg, and leave generous time if you are connecting to a domestic flight.

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

• Check which Warsaw airport you leave from, since F. Chopin and Modlin are far apart and need different transfer plans.
• Confirm whether your fare includes a checked bag, because low-cost tickets on this route usually do not.
• If your trip is booked as two separate tickets, leave a long gap between flights — a missed connection is yours to fix.
• Check passport and visa rules for Turkey before you pay, and make sure your passport has enough validity left.
• Decide which Istanbul airport suits your plans, since Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gokcen serve different sides of the city.
• Book early for summer and around public holidays, and look at December if your dates are open.