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Cheap Flights from Lyon (LYS) to Istanbul (IST)

Compare Lyon to Istanbul flight deals

Find the cheapest month or even day of the year to fly to Istanbul

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Flight deals from Lyon to Istanbul

Looking for a cheap last-minute deal or the best return flight from Lyon to Istanbul? Find the lowest prices on one-way and return tickets right here.
Istanbul.£78 per passenger.Departing Sun, 10 May, returning Wed, 13 May.Return flight with Transavia France.Outbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Lyon on Sun, 10 May, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Istanbul on Wed, 13 May, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £78, select.
Istanbul.£95 per passenger.Departing Sat, 26 Sep, returning Wed, 14 Oct.Return flight with Wizz Air UK.Outbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Lyon on Sat, 26 Sep, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Istanbul on Wed, 14 Oct, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £95, select.
Istanbul.£98 per passenger.Departing Tue, 16 Jun, returning Wed, 24 Jun.Return flight with Wizz Air UK and Transavia France.Outbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Lyon on Tue, 16 Jun, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound indirect flight with Transavia France, departs from Istanbul on Wed, 24 Jun, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £98, select.
Istanbul.£98 per passenger.Departing Wed, 27 May, returning Wed, 3 Jun.Return flight with Transavia France.Outbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Lyon on Wed, 27 May, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Istanbul on Wed, 3 Jun, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £98, select.
Istanbul.£101 per passenger.Departing Tue, 3 Mar, returning Mon, 16 Mar.Return flight with Wizz Air UK.Outbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Lyon on Tue, 3 Mar, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Istanbul on Mon, 16 Mar, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £101, select.
Istanbul.£110 per passenger.Departing Sat, 3 Oct, returning Wed, 7 Oct.Return flight with Wizz Air UK.Outbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Lyon on Sat, 3 Oct, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound indirect flight with Wizz Air UK, departs from Istanbul on Wed, 7 Oct, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £110, select.
Istanbul.£113 per passenger.Departing Sun, 21 Jun, returning Sun, 5 Jul.Return flight with Transavia France.Outbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Lyon on Sun, 21 Jun, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Istanbul on Sun, 5 Jul, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £113, select.
Istanbul.£113 per passenger.Departing Sun, 21 Jun, returning Sun, 28 Jun.Return flight with Transavia France.Outbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Lyon on Sun, 21 Jun, arriving in Istanbul.Inbound direct flight with Transavia France departs from Istanbul on Sun, 28 Jun, arriving in Lyon.Price includes taxes and charges.From £113, select.

Find the cheapest month to fly from Lyon to Istanbul

We’re always keeping an eye on fares, so you can find the best one in seconds. It looks like Lyon to Istanbul flights are currently cheapest in May.
Mar
from £101
Apr
from £115
May
from £78
Jun
from £98
Jul
from £125
Aug
from £194
Sep
from £124
Oct
from £110
Nov
from £140
Dec
from £207
Jan
Find prices
Feb
from £259

Direct flights from Lyon to Istanbul

Lyon to Istanbul: Alternative routes

Compare routes from Lyon to Istanbul below. You may find an airport to fly into that's cheaper, faster, or easier than Istanbul.

Istanbul Sabiha

19 miles from central Istanbul
Closest
from £93
Search flights

Istanbul

21 miles from central Istanbul
Cheapest
from £78
Search flights

Lyon to Istanbul: Flight information

The things to know before you go.
Cheapest flight found£78
Cheapest month to flyMay
Average flight time3 hrs, 19 mins
Most popular airlineMalaysia Airlines
Average flights per week52

Finding cheap flights from Lyon to Istanbul: Frequently asked questions

The best price we found for a return flight from Lyon to Istanbul is £78. This is an estimate based on information collected from different airlines and travel providers over the last 4 days and is subject to change and availability.
3 hours and 19 minutes is the average flight time from Lyon to Istanbul.
IndiGo, Turkish Airlines and Malaysia Airlines fly direct from Lyon to Istanbul.
As of March 2026, there are 57 flights per week flying from Lyon to Istanbul.
The cheapest month to fly from Lyon to Istanbul is usually May.
After crunching the numbers on our flight calendar, we found that it's currently cheapest to fly from Lyon Airport to Istanbul Airport on Sunday, 10 May 2026.
Yes – the average flight time is 3 hours and 19 minutes.
We show every price from over 1,200 airlines and travel agents, comparing them all so you don’t have to. If you know you want to fly to Istanbul but you’re not ready to book, set up a Price Alert. We’ll track prices for you, and let you know when they rise or fall.
We crunched all the numbers in our flight calendar and it looks like the cheapest time to book a flight to Istanbul is around 40 days in advance, so don’t leave your flight to the last minute.
Currently, Transavia France offers the cheapest flight tickets to Istanbul.

Flying from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport (LYS) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST): what you need to know

  • The average time for a direct flight from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport is 3 hours 20 minutes.

  • The timezone in Istanbul is UTC+3, which is two hours ahead of Lyon.

  • Take your pick of 20 weekly Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flights. The 06:00 departure with Transavia France is the earliest you can take. Turkish Airlines operates the last service of the day at 19:10.

  • Arrive at the airport on time so you don't miss your LYS to IST flight. Be there at least two hours ahead for international flights and an hour early for domestic departures to avoid a last-minute sprint to the gate.

  • Be prepared for bigger queues in popular months like September. Arriving up to four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours for a domestic departure is a wise move.

  • Turkish Airlines is your gateway to exploring Istanbul (and maybe even some other great parts of Türkiye (Turkey)!). Check out the direct flights from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport offered by this popular airline.

  • The airline most travellers prefer to fly with on this route is Turkish Airlines.

  • If you want to include a stop along the way, just deselect 'Direct flights only' when searching for your ticket from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. These are the top stopovers between LYS and IST:

    • Belgrad Nikola Tesla Airport

    • Strasbourg Airport

    • Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport

How to find the cheapest flights from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport (LYS) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)

  • £41 is currently the best price for a one-way Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight. Return flights start from £78. These fares may change depending on demand.

  • To get cheap tickets from LYS to IST, reserve your trip ten months before your departure.

  • Organise your trip for September. That's the cheapest month for flights from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. If you're flexible on when you fly, try out the 'Whole month' tool to find the cheapest airfare across every month.

  • Getting your hands on cheap flights from LYS to IST 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 new deal comes up.

  • Tailor your flights with filters. Choose your ideal arrival and departure times, airlines and total journey duration. You can also sort the results by 'Best,' 'Fastest' or 'Cheapest' flights from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport.

Handy information about Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport (LYS)

  • Of the departures from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport, 69.6% arrive as scheduled at their destination.

  • Central Lyon to Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport is approximately 19 miles. Depending on traffic, it'll take about 35 minutes to get there if you're driving, ride-sharing or catching a cab.

  • Planning to catch public transport? Expect a trip time of around 45 minutes.

  • Catching an early flight from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport? Avoid the last-minute rush to the terminal (and catch some extra z's) by choosing one of these stays near LYS:

Arriving at Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)

  • The last thing you need is a lengthy trip to your hotel if you're landing late on a Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight. Stay at one of these accommodation options near IST instead:

  • Grab an Istanbul Ataturk Airport rental car and discover Istanbul and beyond with your own wheels. Hit, Avec car rentals and Eren Rent a Car are popular outlets you can book with here.

  • Reserving your ride from Istanbul Ataturk Airport about two weeks ahead can help you secure the lowest rate.

Getting from Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) to central Istanbul

  • Istanbul Ataturk Airport is roughly 30 miles from central Istanbul. The drive time takes around 50 minutes.

  • It takes roughly 1 hour 45 minutes if you're travelling on public transport.

When to fly to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)

  • It's time to pick your trip dates for your flight from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. April is the busiest month to head to Istanbul. If you're after a quieter vibe, go in February.

  • The warmest month in Istanbul is August, with the temperature ranging between 20ºC (68ºF) and 30ºC (86ºF). Book your flights from Lyon Saint-Exupery International Airport to Istanbul Ataturk Airport in this month if this is the type of weather you like.

  • If you like cooler conditions, look for a cheap ticket from LYS to IST in January. Average temperatures are between 2ºC (36ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF) then.

Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)

  • Ankara is just one of the many places in Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be discovered once you've seen the sights of Istanbul. Around 220 miles away to the east, popular attractions include Museum of Anatolian Civilizations, Kocatepe Mosque (Kocatepe Camii) and Genclik Park.

  • Around 200 miles south-west of Istanbul, Izmir is another favourite stop in Türkiye (Turkey). Experience this destination's highlights firsthand at Kordonboyu, Kadifekale Castle and Konak Square.

More travel options

Plan the rest of your trip from Lyon to Istanbul

Prices shown on this page are estimated lowest prices only. Found in the last 45 days.