FlightsTurkiye

Flights to Istanbul from the UK 2027: Fares, Airlines and Flight Time

Heathrow to Istanbul started at £174 nonstop for mid-January 2027 in our 23 October check, against £365 over New Year. From Sunday Istanbul is three hours ahead of the UK.

Ekaterina VildonyaAuthor23 October 20268 min read

Flights to Istanbul from the UK 2027: Fares, Airlines and Flight Time

Return flights from London Heathrow to Istanbul for 19 to 24 January 2027 started at £174 nonstop when we checked Google Flights on 23 October, while the same route over New Year, 28 December to 2 January, started at £365. The check came two days before the UK clocks go back on Sunday 25 October, the same day airlines switch to their winter timetables. Türkiye does not change its clocks, so from Sunday Istanbul is three hours ahead of London instead of two.

That time gap shapes the day you arrive. A Heathrow departure at 06:55 lands at Istanbul Airport at 13:50 local time after a flight of just under four hours. An evening departure lands after midnight. For most UK travellers the choice is less about the airline than about which airport, which hour, and which week.

At a glance
London–Istanbul (IST), nonstop return	From £174, about 3 h 55 min (19–24 Jan 2027, checked 23 Oct 2026)
Same route over New Year	From £365 (28 Dec 2026 – 2 Jan 2027)
Stansted–Istanbul, nonstop	From £211
Manchester–Istanbul, nonstop	From £229, about 4 h 05 min to 4 h 20 min
London–Antalya, February	easyJet from £95, SunExpress from £141 (16–23 Feb 2027)
London–İzmir for Ephesus	Stansted nonstop from £144 (19–24 Jan 2027)
Time difference from 25 October	Istanbul 3 hours ahead of the UK
Visa	Not required for UK passport holders on tourist visits up to 90 days in 180

Turkish Airlines Airbus A350 on the runway at Istanbul Airport

Who flies from the UK to Istanbul this winter

Two Istanbul airports serve the UK, and they are not interchangeable.

Istanbul Airport (IST), on the European side north of the city, takes Turkish Airlines and British Airways from Heathrow, plus Turkish Airlines from Gatwick, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh. Turkish Airlines also added Stansted to Istanbul Airport from 18 March 2026, its sixth UK airport, Business Traveller reported when the route was announced; our search found a nonstop Stansted–IST evening departure. If you plan to stay in Sultanahmet, Taksim or Karaköy, this is usually the simpler choice. The drive to the Old City takes around 45 to 60 minutes outside rush hour.

Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), on the Asian side, is Pegasus Airlines' base. Pegasus has flown from Stansted for years and, according to Travel Daily News, started a new London Gatwick to Sabiha Gökçen service on 15 June 2026. Travel Gossip reported last year that the Stansted route had reached 36 flights a week. SAW works well if you stay in Kadıköy or Üsküdar. If your hotel is in Sultanahmet, allow over an hour by road, more at rush hour.

Our 23 October search found the cheapest January fares at Heathrow, which is not always the case. Pegasus fares often look lowest at first, but a checked bag is extra on its basic fares.

What we found for January, New Year, February and summer

All prices below are return economy fares for one adult, with taxes, from Google Flights on 23 October 2026.

Quiet January (19–24 January 2027). Heathrow to IST nonstop from £174, with morning, midday and evening departures in the £174 to £176 range. Gatwick nonstop from £227, Stansted from £211. Manchester to IST nonstop from £229.

New Year (28 December – 2 January). Heathrow nonstop from £365, Gatwick from £388. Google flagged these as "currently high" and noted that the cheapest time to book is usually up to five months before departure. If you want Istanbul for New Year's Eve, you are already late; book this week rather than next month.

Beach in February. If Istanbul is one half of a split trip, the coast is cheap in winter. London to Antalya for 16 to 23 February started at £95 with easyJet from Gatwick and £141 with SunExpress. Jet2 from Stansted was £199.

Antalya in summer, for comparison. The same week in early August, 3 to 10 August 2027, started at £323 nonstop with Corendon. Mid-May was £181 with SunExpress.

Ephesus. London Stansted to İzmir, the airport for Ephesus, started at £144 nonstop for the January dates.

Turkish Airlines Boeing 777 flying under dark cloud

IST vs SAW, direct vs one stop: quick comparison

	Istanbul Airport (IST)	Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
Main UK carriers	Turkish Airlines, British Airways	Pegasus
UK airports	Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh	Stansted, Gatwick
Best for hotels in	Sultanahmet, Taksim, Karaköy, Beşiktaş	Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Asian side
Bags	Usually included on full-service fares	Often extra on basic fares
Our private transfer	From $60 per vehicle	Quoted on request

One-stop fares were sometimes cheaper by a few pounds in our search, but the connections ran from five hours to over 16 hours. On a route of under four hours nonstop, the saving rarely justifies the time.

Arrival day: what the time change means

From 25 October, add three hours to UK time. A 17:10 Heathrow departure lands just after midnight in Istanbul; an evening flight from Manchester at 22:30 lands at 05:35. Late arrivals are not a problem at either airport, but public transport into the Old City thins out late at night, which is why many UK visitors book a private transfer for the first night.

Our drivers track the flight and wait in the arrivals hall with a name board. If your flight is delayed, the pickup moves with it. For the first full day we usually suggest a morning walking tour of the Old City, because the Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Hippodrome are a short walk apart and the winter queues are short before 10:00.

UK passport holders do not need a visa for tourist trips to Türkiye of up to 90 days in any 180-day period. Your passport should be valid for at least 150 days from the date you arrive. Our visa guide for 2027 covers other nationalities in the same group.

Turkish Airlines tail fins lined up at Istanbul Airport

What this means for your trip

If your dates are flexible, January and February are the cheapest months to fly from the UK, and our 23 October check confirmed it: under £180 return from Heathrow in mid-January, against roughly double for New Year. Book at least two months out for school holidays and Christmas.

Choose the airport by where you will sleep. Book a full-service fare if you plan to bring shopping home from the Grand Bazaar. And if you are combining Istanbul with the coast or Ephesus, fly open-jaw: into Istanbul, home from Antalya or İzmir, with a domestic flight in between. Our guide to an Istanbul and coast holiday from the UK explains the routings, and how much a flight to Istanbul costs has month-by-month averages. Travellers from North America can compare our US winter fares report.

Questions travellers are asking

How much is a flight from the UK to Istanbul?

A return flight from London to Istanbul started at £174 nonstop from Heathrow for 19 to 24 January 2027 when we checked Google Flights on 23 October 2026, while New Year dates started at £365 and Manchester fares started at £229. Prices rise sharply around Christmas, Easter and the summer school holidays.

How long is the flight from London to Istanbul?

A nonstop flight from London Heathrow, Gatwick or Stansted to Istanbul takes about 3 hours 50 minutes to 4 hours, and from Manchester about 4 hours 5 minutes to 4 hours 20 minutes, depending on the airport and the wind. Remember to add the time difference, which is three hours from 25 October 2026.

Which airport is best for Istanbul, IST or SAW?

Istanbul Airport (IST) is better for most first-time visitors because it is closer to Sultanahmet, Taksim and Karaköy by road and has the most UK flights, while Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) suits travellers staying on the Asian side or flying Pegasus. Check where your hotel is before choosing the cheapest fare.

What is the cheapest month to fly to Istanbul from the UK?

January and February are usually the cheapest months to fly from the UK to Istanbul, outside the New Year week, and our 23 October search found nonstop Heathrow returns from £174 for mid-January compared with £365 over New Year. November is also good value, apart from half-term dates.

Do UK citizens need a visa for Turkey?

No, UK passport holders can visit Türkiye for tourism without a visa for up to 90 days within any 180-day period, as long as the passport is valid for at least 150 days from arrival. Other passports issued in the UK may follow different rules, so check yours before booking.

What is the time difference between the UK and Istanbul?

From 25 October 2026, when the UK returns to Greenwich Mean Time, Istanbul is three hours ahead of the UK, and from 28 March 2027, when British Summer Time begins, the gap returns to two hours. Türkiye stays on UTC+3 all year and does not change its clocks.

Which airlines fly direct from the UK to Istanbul?

Turkish Airlines flies direct to Istanbul Airport from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Manchester, Birmingham and Edinburgh, British Airways flies from Heathrow, and Pegasus flies from Stansted and Gatwick to Sabiha Gökçen. Schedules change by season, so check the airline's timetable for your exact dates.

Plan it with us

We meet UK flights at both Istanbul airports and build the days around your arrival time. Send your flight details on WhatsApp at +90 545 307 67 88.

VIP private airport transfer, Mercedes Vito, from $60 per vehicle
Istanbul Old City morning highlights, small group, from $120
Bosphorus dinner cruise and Turkish night show, from $90
Istanbul city tour package, 4 days, from $699

Sources: Google Flights fares checked 23 October 2026 for 19–24 January, 28 December – 2 January, 16–23 February, 11–18 May and 3–10 August 2027; Travel Daily News (Pegasus London Gatwick–Sabiha Gökçen launch, 15 June 2026); Travel Gossip, 31 July 2025 (Pegasus UK frequencies); Business Traveller, 3 July 2025 (Turkish Airlines Stansted route from 18 March 2026); UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office travel advice for Turkey (entry requirements).