Cheap Flights to Istanbul on Delta and United- From $525 Total from NYC

Last November I jumped on a Delta fare sale to Istanbul, which came to $576 total from JFK to Istanbul, building in stops in Rome and Amsterdam. In total I banked over 10,000 valuable Medallion Qualifying Miles. Flights to Istanbul are on sale again - and this time it's for travel in from October 20 through December 10 and the price comes in even cheaper at $525. I played around and made a few mock bookings on both Delta and United to see what I could find.

I found Delta had flights for $525 roundtrip for NYC-IST non-stop or you could add in a stopover in Paris (CDG), Rome (FCO), or Amsterdam (AMS) and just pay the extra tax - so really a great deal. Update: It looks like only layovers less than 24 hours are allowed in these cities.

While I keep swearing how I will never fly coach internationally again (I’m not being a snob, it’s just not enjoyable as a 6’7″ man), when I find a great deal it's sometimes very hard to pass up. While these aren't upgradeable, Platinum and Diamond Medallions will at least be able to advantage of free Economy Comfort (discounted for Gold and Silver) which Delta has on its entire international fleet and will be on all its domestic aircraft by June 7 as well. If you haven't been to Istanbul or are looking to rack up an easy 10,000 Elite Qualifying Miles, this is something to consider.

I had a fantastic time when I went to Istanbul so I highly recommend visiting at some point, even if you decide this fare isn't for you.

Be sure to check out some recommendations on what to do in Istanbul and where to stay in our previous Destination of the Week: Istanbul post. You can also read my hotel review of the Park Hyatt Istanbul from my trip last year.

Hat tip TPG Twitterer @TheDJK! If you don't follow me on Twitter already, join the fun here.
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