Deal Alert: US to Istanbul From $491 Round-Trip
Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available. View the current offers here.
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Airfare deals are typically only available on limited dates. We recommend you use Google Flights to find dates to fly, then book through an online travel agency such as Orbitz or Expedia, which allows you to cancel flights without penalty by 11pm Eastern Time within one day of booking. However, if you’re using The Platinum Card® from American Express, you’ll need to book directly with the airline or through the Amex Travel portal to get 5x MR points. Remember: Fares may disappear quickly, so book right away and take advantage of Orbitz or Expedia’s courtesy cancellation if you’re unable to get the time away from work or family
Heading to Turkey anytime soon? Well, even though it might take some time for you to check out the country's newest, largest airport, discounted flights from US cities to Istanbul (IST) are available from just $491 round-trip. You can fly from Indianapolis (IND), New York (JFK/LGA/EWR), Boston (BOS), Los Angeles (LAX), Miami (MIA), Atlanta (ATL) and Detroit (DTW) to Istanbul (IST) for cheap on full service carriers such as Air Canada, KLM and Delta Airlines. Flights from other airports appear to be on sale too, although they are likely above $550, just plug your departure city into Google Flights to see if there are any discounted tickets.
Once you’re booked, check out Get Your Guide’s list of best activities in Istanbul to maximize your time while on vacation.
To search, head to Google Flights and enter your origin and destination cities. Scroll through the calendar function to find dates and prices that work for you. Then click through to the airline or online travel agency (OTA) to book the deal.
Airlines: Air Canada, KLM, Delta
Routes: IND/JFK/LGA/EWR/BOS/LAX/MIA/ATL/DTW/SFO and likely more to IST
Cost: $491+ round-trip
Travel Dates: December 2018 – March 2019
Pay With: The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on airfare booked directly with the airline), Citi Premier® Card, Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare plus excellent trip delay insurance) or Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on travel)
Here are a few examples of what you can book:
Indianapolis (IND) to Istanbul (IST) for $491 round-trip on Air Canada:
New York (JFK) to Istanbul (IST) for $516 round-trip on KLM:
Boston (BOS) to Istanbul (IST) for $542 round-trip on Delta/KLM:
Los Angeles (LAX) to Istanbul (IST) for $548 round-trip on Delta/KLM:
San Francisco (SFO) to Istanbul (IST) for $550 round-trip on KLM via Delta:
Atlanta (ATL) to Istanbul (IST) for $551 round-trip on KLM:
Miami (MIA) to Istanbul (IST) for $556 round-trip via KLM:
Detroit (DTW) to Istanbul (IST) for $578 round-trip on KLM:
Maximize Your Purchase
Don’t forget to use a credit card that earns additional points on airfare purchases, such as The Platinum Card® from American Express (5x on flights booked directly with airlines or American Express Travel), Chase Sapphire Reserve, American Express® Gold Card, Citi Premier, Citi Prestige (5x on airfare) or the Chase Sapphire Preferred Card (2x on all travel purchases). Check out this post for more on maximizing airfare purchases.
