At just under four hours for a direct flight to Turkey, the country is becoming one of the hottest places for UK holidaymakers. The ease of accessibility to the country is one of Turkey’s drawcards, with most of the major European airlines – as well as the nation’s own carrier Turkish Airlines – providing regular flights in and out of the area.

Lufthansa, KLM, Air France, Alitalia, Olympic, Swiss Air, Malev Hungarian Airlines, Austrian Airlines, BMI and British Airways all service the London-Istanbul route (with many providing stopovers in central European countries). Only British Airways and Turkish Airlines fly direct, and this usually works out as the cheapest option.

A benefit of flying Turkish Airlines is the fact that their flights are scheduled so that you can transfer onto connecting domestic flights within optimal times of arriving in the country. Being the national airline they also have an extensive network of domestic flight routes, giving more choice to people travelling away from Istanbul.
How to obtain cheap flights to Turkey

There are a few things you can do to make sure you get the best priced tickets. Firstly, the internet is fast becoming one of the best tools for finding cheap flights. There are a number of online travel dealers who offer some great deals, but it is best to research the fare thoroughly with a variety of different companies.

Also be sure to check out each airline’s own website to compare the prices, as with most you don’t have to pay the booking fee that some e-dealers charge, saving you money in the end. Try expedia.co.uk, ebookers.com or cheapestflights.co.uk for cheap flights. On average, a flight to Turkey wil cost around £170.

Charter Flights

During the peak periods, there are a number of charter flights that head to popular Turkish destinations such as Izmir, Bodrum and Dalaman. These flights are usually organised by wholesale travel agencies for their package customers, but surplus seats are sold off to independent travellers at a relatively cheap price. The downside to these flights is that travellers have to be flexible in their plans, as often the flights only leave on certain days (and returning on a specific date) and can be sporadic. The upside is that if you are flexible, you can score a return flight from around £90 upwards. Try charterflights.co.uk or justtheflight.co.uk for charter flights.