Once known as the ‘City of the World’s Desire’, Istanbul lies on the border of Europe and Asia and is a perfect melting pot of the cultures of both, which you can explore with our cheap flights from Australia here at Globehunters.
Whether it’s in the architecture, food or the people, Istanbul is completely unique in the way that it blends East and West, with plenty to see and do for travellers of all ages.
If you fancy immersing yourself in the local way of life, why not try a Turkish bath (also known as a ‘hamam’) or head to the Grand Bazaar to try and grab a bargain, and once you’re all shopped out, you can relax in one of the traditional tea gardens.
However, Istanbul isn’t all about tradition, with lots of modern bars and restaurants to head to once the sun goes down and cosmopolitan shops to wander around.
Some of the main sights to try and see include the magnificent Hagia Sophia basilica and the Topkapi Palace, but the best days in Istanbul are those spent exploring on your own and discovering everything that this exciting city has to offer.
Scroll down to compare flights on all our route to Istanbul from Australia to ensure that you get the very best price, including on business class and first class flights too.
5 Things You Need to Know About Istanbul
If you’re heading to Istanbul, here are five important things to know before you set off:
Time Difference: UTC +3 hours
Currency: Turkish Lira
Native Language: Turkish
Weather: Due to sitting on two separate bodies of water, Istanbul has a very varied climate. For example, the northern coast can experience twice as much rain and has an average temperature of 12.8°C compared to 15°C on the south coast. High humidity means that fog is also very common.
Sales Tax: 18% (8% on clothing and 1% on certain foods)
Flying to Istanbul from Australia
If you’re flying to Istanbul from Australia, here’s everything you need to know, including flight times and entry requirements.
Flight Times
Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from Australia to Istanbul, so you’ll have to stop over somewhere (usually in the Middle East, such as Abu Dhabi or Dubai).
The flight time will vary depending on your departure airport and the length of your layover, but will generally take about 17-21 hours.
Entry Requirements
As of 2014, you cannot obtain a visa on arrival in Turkey, so Australian citizens will need to apply for one in advance at Turkey’s eVisa website.
This visa will allow you to stay in the country for up to 90 days, but you must have a passport with at least 60 days validity as well.
Airlines That Fly to Istanbul
While there are currently no airlines offering direct flights from Australia to Istanbul, here are some of those with indirect services:
- Etihad
- Virgin Australia
- Emirates
- Qantas
The Airports
Istanbul is home to two airports:
- Istanbul Atatürk Airport (IST)
- Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)
Istanbul Atatürk (IST)
This is the city’s main airport and is located 24km west of the city centre. To get to the city from the airport, you can catch the Istanbul metro M1A line, which goes through some of the major parts of the European side of the city, or there are also shuttle services and taxis.
Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
Sat on the Asian side of the city, Sabiha Gökçen mainly serves domestic flights although some flights from Australia will arrive here.
The airport is located 35km southeast of the city centre but currently isn’t very close to rail or Metro links, meaning that your best bet will either be a taxi or the E10 or E11 shuttlebus into the city.
10 Istanbul Must-Dos
If you’re visiting Istanbul for the first time and are wondering what the main things to see and do are, here are our top ten picks:
- Hagia Sophia
- Sultan Ahmed Mosque
- Bosporus
- Topkapi Palace
- Grand Bazaar
- Basilica Cistern
- Taksim Square
- Dolmabahçe Palace
- Hippodrome of Constantinople
- Golden Horn
Book Cheap Flights to Istanbul with Globehunters
Now that you’ve seen all that Istanbul has to offer, check out our full range of cheap fares from Australia to Istanbul here at Globehunters today, and speak to our experienced travel team to ensure that you get the very best deal.
We can even assist you in cooking hotels and car hire too, should you need them.