91€ Find Cheap Flights from Zurich to Istanbul Airport – Compare and Save

Only Turkish Airlines operates flights between Zurich and Istanbul Airport.

Flights from Zurich to Istanbul Airport usually depart from Zurich (ZRH) and arrive at Istanbul (IST).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• Turkish Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Gulf Air: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Only Economy class is available on flights from Zurich to Istanbul Airport.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average 176 € return via Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH), compared with 277 € for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge 17 €–86 € for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

The Boeing 737 MAX 8 family is used most often on this route, operated mainly by Ajet and Turkish Airlines. Other aircraft seen on the route include Airbus A321-100/200 variants.

One-stop flights from Zurich to Istanbul Airport most commonly connect through:

• Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG) – 60% of one-stop connections
• Warsaw Frederic Chopin (WAW) – 19% of one-stop connections
• Frankfurt am Main (FRA) – 10% of one-stop connections
• Munich Franz Josef Strauss (MUC) – 4% of one-stop connections

Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

Yes. Being flexible with your travel dates can save you up to 16% on the Zurich to Istanbul Airport route. Monday is the cheapest departure day at 257 € return on average, while Saturday is the most expensive at 305 €, a difference of 48 €. KAYAK's flexible dates feature shows options up to 3 days before and after your selected dates, making it easier to compare nearby fares.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Zurich to Istanbul Airport route, 12% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 2 hours 3 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Zurich to Istanbul Airport flights, with 40% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 40%, Evening flights for 20%, and Night flights for 0%.

Some of the most popular sights in Istanbul Airport are Taksim, Taksim Square, and Istanbul Sirkeci Terminal. These are among the most viewed places in Istanbul Airport on KAYAK.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Zurich to Istanbul Airport:

• Earliest: departs at 6:40 and lands at 9:42
• Latest: departs at 18:50 and lands at 21:52.

The flight takes about 3h 02m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 3% above the route average of 275 €. Book 6 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from Zurich to Istanbul Airport takes 3h 02m, covering 2.797 km.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

One-way fares from Zurich to Istanbul Airport are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about 104 €, which is 38% below the typical average for this route.

Turkish Airlines is the only airline operating Zurich to Istanbul Airport flights. 88% of its flights are on time.

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via Kastrup Copenhagen (CPH) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 6h 12m, compared to 6h 17m via Frankfurt am Main (FRA) and 6h 25m via Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS).

Istanbul Airport is 1 hour ahead of Zurich (Turkey Time vs Central European Time). Plan for the time shift when scheduling connections or first-day activities.

Istanbul Airport (IST) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around 9 € for economy cars. Top options include:
• CIRCULAR
• Avec Car Rental
• Ok Mobility
• Alamo
• Autounion Car Rental

Return flights from Zurich to Istanbul Airport range from 212 € to 358 €, with an average of 275 € over the past 12 months. Anything below 212 € counts as a good deal.