Flying to Istanbul
Pay in instalments with PayJustNow, Float or Happy Pay. Totals include every fee.
Johannesburg (JNB)
about 12 hours · One stop
R 4 189 ×3
R 12 567 all in
Search+2
Cape Town (CPT)
about 14 hours · One stop
R 5 176 ×3
R 15 529 all in
Per-payment figures are the all-in total divided by 3 and rounded. The number of payments and the schedule differ by partner — Happy Pay splits over 2 — and your own plan depends on that partner's approval. You see it in full before you confirm. Fares are the lowest seen for a sample date about six weeks out, not a quote; airline pricing moves constantly.
Best time to fly
Weather, crowds and fares move together in Istanbul. These are the trade-offs.
April to May
Spring — mild, tulips out across the city, before the summer heat and crowds.
September to November
Autumn, warm and settled, and many people's preferred window.
June to August
Hot and humid, at its busiest.
December to March
Cold and grey, occasionally snowy, with the shortest queues and lowest fares.
Before you go
Two airports
IST and SAW are on opposite sides of the city, over an hour apart. Confirm which yours is before booking a hotel.
Mosque etiquette
Shoulders and knees covered; women should carry a headscarf. Mosques close to visitors during prayer.
Istanbulkart
One card covers Metro, tram, bus and the ferries, and the Bosphorus ferry is the best-value sightseeing in the city.
Bargaining
Expected in the Grand Bazaar, not in ordinary shops.
About Istanbul
Istanbul is the only city on two continents, and the split is not just geography — the Bosphorus divides it into halves that genuinely feel different. Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapı sit within a few minutes of each other in Sultanahmet; the Asian side is where the city actually lives.
It is also one of the world's great connection points, which makes a stopover here easy to add to a longer trip east.
Getting in from the airport
Istanbul Airport (IST) is about 40 km north-west of the centre and the drive can take well over an hour in traffic. The M11 Metro connects it to the city. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side is the second airport and much further from Sultanahmet — check which one your ticket uses.
Entry requirements for South African passport holders
Türkiye has operated an electronic visa system for many nationalities, applied for online before travel, and requirements for South African passport holders have changed over time. Confirm the current position with the Turkish embassy or your airline before booking, and check whether a passport validity margin beyond your return date is required.
Entry rules change. Confirm the current requirements with the destination's embassy or consulate before you travel — this page is a guide, not an authority.
Flying to Istanbul, answered
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Last reviewed by Fly n Pay Later editorial team.