Cheap Flights from London (LHR) to Istanbul (ISTA)

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      British Airways
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      Compare London Heathrow to Istanbul flight deals

      Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Istanbul

      Book the best Istanbul fare with no extra fees

      Flight deals from London Heathrow to Istanbul

      Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul? If you want to travel next month, return fares start from $308. Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.

      Find the cheapest month to fly from London Heathrow to Istanbul

      We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like London Heathrow to Istanbul flights are currently cheapest in December.

      Direct flights from London Heathrow to Istanbul

      American Airlines
      Avianca
      British Airways
      EVA Air
      Icelandair
      IndiGo
      LATAM Airlines
      PIA
      RwandAir
      Sichuan Airlines
      South African Airways
      Turkish Airlines
      United

      Alternative London Heathrow to Istanbul routes

      Looking for the cheapest, fastest or easiest route from London Heathrow to Istanbul? You could fly into the following airports instead.

      London to Istanbul: Flight information

      The things to know before you go.
      Cheapest flight found$294
      Cheapest month to flyNovember
      Average flight time3 hrs, 54 mins
      Most popular airlineBritish Airways
      Average flights per week264

      Finding cheap flights from London Heathrow to Istanbul: Frequently asked questions

      There are 2 airports in Istanbul: Istanbul Sabiha and Istanbul.
      The best price we found for a return flight from London Heathrow to Istanbul is $294. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
      3 hours and 54 minutes is the average flight time from London Heathrow to Istanbul.
      Turkish Airlines, British Airways and IndiGo fly direct from London Heathrow to Istanbul.
      As of August 2026, there are 302 flights per week flying from London Heathrow to Istanbul.
      The cheapest month to fly from London Heathrow to Istanbul is usually November.
      If you're flying from London Heathrow Airport, the cheapest airport near Istanbul is Istanbul – which is 34.4 km away from the centre of Istanbul. We've found flights into this airport from $294.
      After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul on Tuesday, 3 November 2026.
      Yes – the average flight time is 3 hours and 54 minutes.
      We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Istanbul but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.

      We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Istanbul is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.

      In August, the average temperature is usually around 25°C. August is typically the warmest month in Istanbul, when it usually averages around 27°C. You can expect the least rain in August. The coldest month is January, with temperatures averaging 4°C. The rainiest month is December.
      Currently, Lufthansa and British Airways offer the cheapest flight tickets to Istanbul.

      Travelling from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Istanbul: what you need to know

      • The average length of a direct flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul is 4 hours 5 minutes.

      • Istanbul is three hours ahead of London, where London Heathrow Airport is located. Istanbul runs on the UTC+3 timezone.

      • With 62 flights a week between the two airports, London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Istanbul Airport (IST) is the most popular route. British Airways operates the earliest flight at 06:10. If you're eager to get more out of your day before jetting off, the latest flight from LHR to IST is with Turkish Airlines at 22:35.

      • To avoid rushing for your LHR to Istanbul flight, leave plenty of time for things like check-in and baggage drop. Arriving two hours before international departures and an hour before domestic flights is the standard rule.

      • Flying during a peak month like July? School holidays and other popular seasons can mean longer queues and delays at security. Be extra cautious and get there up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours before a domestic departure.

      • Start your journey at LHR and fly straight to Istanbul Airport (IST). That's where you can expect to touch down when searching for London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul tickets.

      • Turkish Airlines is a leading airline that operates direct flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul.

      • Consider adding a stopover to potentially unlock a cheaper plane ticket from LHR to Istanbul. Just uncheck 'Direct flights only' during your search. Take a detour (and maybe pocket some savings) by stopping at one of these popular airports:

        • Amsterdam Schiphol Airport (AMS)

        • Frankfurt Airport (FRA)

        • Munich Franz Joseph Strauss Airport (MUC)

      • Located around 26 kilometres from the centre of London, LHR can be reached in about 45 minutes by car. The journey on public transport will take roughly 25 minutes.

      • Want a hassle-free start to your holiday? Stay near LHR. Whether you have an early flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul or want to avoid feeling rushed, these hotels have you covered:

      • 78% of flights taking off from London Heathrow Airport arrive at their destination on time.

      How to find the cheapest flights from London Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Istanbul

      • The best price we've found for a one-way London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul flight is $170. The cheapest price for a return flight is $294. Keep in mind fares can change due to availability at the time of booking.

      • Book eight months before travelling. Pricing trends show that this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from LHR to Istanbul.

      • Schedule your trip for January. That's the best month for landing an awesome deal on London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul tickets. If you're open to different travel dates, use the 'Whole month' tool to access the cheapest price across every month.

      • You don't need to check in daily to see if fares have dropped when you set up a Price Alert. We'll update you the moment there's an even better deal on cheap flights from LHR to Istanbul.

      • Tailor your flights with filters. Choose your ideal arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort the results by 'Best,' 'Cheapest' or 'Fastest' flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul.

      Airports in Istanbul

      Istanbul Airport (IST)

      • Istanbul Airport (IST) is around 40 kilometres from the centre of Istanbul. If you're catching a taxi or a ride-share, the drive takes roughly 45 minutes.

      • Travelling to the centre on public transport typically takes 1 hour 10 minutes.

      • The last thing you need is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're getting in late on a flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul. Reserve one of these accommodation options near IST instead:

      • Booking your vehicle from Istanbul Airport around two weeks in advance of your flight from LHR to Istanbul can help you lock in the lowest rate.

      Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)

      • The centre of Istanbul is located around 48 kilometres from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW). Once your flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul has touched down and you've navigated your way to arrivals, expect a drive of about 1 hour 5 minutes.

      • If you choose to travel on public transport, you'll reach the centre in 1 hour 40 minutes or so.

      • Following your LHR to Istanbul flight, tuck yourself in at a hotel near SAW. These are some comfortable accommodation options that'll help you get into relaxation mode:

      • Get exactly what you want. Securing your ride from SAW four weeks ahead of time often means lower prices and a wider range of vehicles.

      Best time to go to Istanbul

      • August is the busiest month for flights from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul. To skip the crowds, plan your trip to Istanbul in February.

      • Before booking a London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul plane ticket, think about what kind of weather you prefer. July is the warmest month in Istanbul, with temperatures ranging from 21ºC (70ºF) to 30ºC (86ºF).

      • Look for cheap tickets from LHR to Istanbul in January if you like travelling in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between 2ºC (36ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF) on average.

      More about Istanbul

      • Once you've booked your flight from London Heathrow Airport to Istanbul, find a hotel that offers both comfort and a great location. 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 hard to figure out where to start. Historic Areas of Istanbul, Hagia Sophia Museum and Hagia Sophia History Museum are popular attractions which should feature on any well-planned Istanbul itinerary.

      Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)

      • Ankara is just one of the many places in Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be discovered once you've seen the sights of Istanbul. Around 354 kilometres away to the east, popular attractions include The Roman Theatre, Kocatepe Mosque (Kocatepe Camii) and Museum of Anatolian Civilizations.

      • Izmir is another sought-after destination in Türkiye (Turkey) and is around 322 kilometres southwest of Istanbul. No journey is complete without a visit to Aegean Coast, Smyrna Basilika and Ataturk Konak Square.

      Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 12 days.