Travelling from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport (SFO): What you need to know
Planning your trip begins with working out where you'll leave from in Istanbul. Istanbul Airport (IST) is the city's main airport, so check out your options for booking a flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) departing from here.
Expect to be in the air for 13 hours 40 minutes. That's the average journey time for a direct Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport flight.
San Francisco is 11 hours behind Istanbul. San Francisco International Airport is located in San Francisco, which is in the UTC-8 timezone.
The most popular route is from Istanbul Airport (IST) to San Francisco International Airport (SFO), with 11 direct weekly services. If you're looking to take off without delay, the earliest flight from IST to SFO is the 7:10am Turkish Airlines option. If a later start suits your schedule, the last departure is at 1:50pm with Turkish Airlines.
To ensure you get on your flight from Istanbul to SFO, allow plenty of time to navigate the airport and find your gate. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and one hour before domestic flights is the general travel rule.
Travelling during a popular month like August? Public holidays and other popular seasons can lead to longer queues and delays at security. Be extra cautious and arrive up to four hours before an international flight and two hours before domestic departures.
Airports in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Airport (IST) will have you travelling directly to your destination. Nonstop flights from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport (SFO) take off from this terminal.
When jetting out of IST, you can take a direct flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport with Turkish Airlines.
Most passengers choose to book seats with Turkish Airlines between IST and SFO.
A stopover is the ideal opportunity to break up your journey and maybe even explore another city. When browsing cheap flights from Istanbul to SFO leaving from Istanbul Airport (IST), uncheck the 'Direct flights only' box to find out where you can stop along the way. Popular options include:
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
Hong Kong International Airport (HKG)
Vancouver International Airport (YVR)
Located around 40 kms (25 miles) from central Istanbul, IST can be reached in about 45 minutes by car (depending on traffic). The journey by public transport is roughly 1 hour 10 minutes.
Searching for a comfortable hotel close to Istanbul Airport? If you're catching an early flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport, these stays will have you sleeping conveniently close to check-in:
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)
Knock a new city off your list or just take a moment to reset with a stopover. If you'd like to break up your flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport, check out these options when departing from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport:
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Adolfo Suarez Madrid-Barajas Airport (MAD)
Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
You can get to SAW from the centre of Istanbul in about 1 hour 5 minutes by car (depending on traffic conditions). The journey on public transport takes roughly 1 hour 40 minutes to travel the 48 kms (30 miles) or so.
Start your holiday early with an additional night away from home. Before your Istanbul to SFO flight, unwind in one of these hotels close to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport:
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport has an on-time performance of 68%. This figure shows how frequently flights departing from this airport arrive at their destination on time.
About San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
Consider booking a hotel near SFO if you're catching a late flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport. Select one of these accommodation options and call it a night faster:
For the best deal, reserve your ride around one week in advance of your Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport flight.
Getting from San Francisco International Airport (SFO) to central San Francisco
Central San Francisco is around 21 kms (13 miles) from San Francisco International Airport and takes about 25 minutes to reach by car. Work out your options for getting into the city, whether that's with a car hire, taxi or ride-share.
Travelling on public transport will take you around 35 minutes.
How to find the cheapest flights from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
£321 is currently the lowest price for a one-way ticket from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport. A return flight starts at £487. These prices can change depending on availability and demand.
Booking in advance is often the key to scoring a cheap flight from Istanbul to SFO. Flight prices rise as demand increases, so the closer you get to departure, the more you'll likely spend.
Affordable Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport tickets are easier to find when your travel dates are flexible. Try using the 'Whole month' tool to compare fares across every month and then fly out on the cheapest day.
Locking in a cheap plane ticket from Istanbul to SFO is a piece of cake with Price Alerts. All you need to do is create one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch when a lower fare pops up.
Find a cheap flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport by using filters. Select your preferred duration, departure time and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' for the best deals.
The best time to fly from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport (SFO)
It's time to decide your travel dates for your flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport (SFO). July is when most people visit San Francisco. If crowds aren't your thing, go in December.
Lock in a Istanbul to SFO plane ticket departing in September if you want to explore the city during its warmest month. Expect temperatures in San Francisco to range from 12ºC to 24ºC.
If you like travelling in cooler conditions, look for a cheap ticket from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport in January when temperatures are between 5ºC and 16ºC.
More about San Francisco
When it comes to looking for somewhere to rest your head, you'll find the best places to stay in San Francisco right here. Browse these options once you've locked in your flight from Istanbul to San Francisco International Airport:
Golden Gate Bridge and Painted Ladies - Alamo Square are just a couple of the popular attractions to add to your San Francisco travel itinerary. Keep the momentum going by heading to Alcatraz Island.
Explore more of the United States
Fresno is just one of the many cities in the United States waiting to be discovered once you've seen the sights of San Francisco. Around 257 kms (160 miles) away to the east, popular attractions include Forestiere Underground Gardens, Shinzen Japanese Garden and Fresno Chaffee Zoo.
Around 129 kms (80 miles) northeast of San Francisco, Sacramento is another favourite stop in the United States. Experience major highlights starting with California State Railroad Museum, Old Sacramento State Historic Park and Crocker Art Museum.