Istanbul: airBaltic Flights from the Baltics & Helsinki for €55 (w/o Luggage)

Istanbul water station

AirBaltic will fly to Istanbul from Riga from April 2023 onward and is currently selling the tickets for those flights at a meagre price. Non-stop from Riga, you would pay €69, and you’d even pay as little as €55 if you start your trip in Vilnius, Tallinn, or Helsinki. The fare that includes luggage, however, costs €112.

These prices can be found from late May until September 2023, usually on Monday, Wednesday, Friday, or Sunday. Our search form can redirect you to our flight search which will find you the cheapest online travel agency. Alternatively, you can also select to be redirected to airBaltic’s website. AirBaltic charges roughly €20 more but will give you the option of booking a fare that includes luggage.

You can fly from the following cities:

image 309

The 3-hour flight between Riga and Istanbul is operated with an Airbus A220-300, as are some of the feeder flights. Overall, airBaltic offers a pretty average economy class experience.

If the war is still ongoing, you’ll obviously fly around Ukraine

Search & Book

The fare rules don’t mention any restrictions, but we’ve only been able to find these flights between late May and September 2023. Also, you can only fly on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays.

Google Flights can help you find available dates (the prices before May are often incorrect) and you can then book these flights through an online travel agency (find the cheapest one on our Travel-Dealz flight search). You can also pay roughly €20 more to book directly on airBaltic’s website.

Mileage

As airBaltic isn’t a member of any airline alliance, you won’t earn any miles on these flights.

Destination

Hotel prices in Istanbul usually start at roughly €25-55, depending on the hotel category and the specific dates. Whichever category and hotel you opt for, make sure to get the best price! Our recommendation is to search on booking.com, or even on our own Travel-Dealz hotel search:

Information & Tips for Istanbul

Istanbul is the largest city, economical and cultural capital of modern day Turkey. While political power resides in Ankara, Istanbul is famous for its long and moved history. Formerly known as Byzantium and Constantinople, it has been one of the most important cities of European and Oriental politics for over 2.000 years. Aside from the fact that it is split between two continents (Asia and Europe), poeple associate Istanbul with its modern day lifestyle and cultural variety. Its most famous sights are the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.

Best time to visit

The city is blessed with mild winters, with the average temperature hitting a bottom 8 degrees in December and January. This alternates with very hot summers. Since it is located at the conflux of the Black Sea and Aegean Sea, humidity tends to be high all year round. If you dislike hot, humid days, avoid Istanbul during the summer. Otherwise, it is a year round destination.

From the airport(s) to the city

Istanbul Int’l Airport

This brand new airport (opened in 2018) is the main hub for Turkish Airlines. All long haul flights to Istanbul arrive here. It is located on the European side of the city. It is not yet connected to Istanbul’s metro system, so buses are the only option to get to the city center by public transport. There are 18 bus lines operating to different parts of the city, taking 30-90 minutes for 2-4€.

Istanbul Sabiha Gokcan Airport

This airport is home to many LCCs, mainly Pegasus Airlines. It is located on the Asia side of the city. It has no connection to Istanbul’s metro system, too. There are few bus lines operating to the city center, taking around an hour at a cost of 18TL (approx.2,30€).

→ All Dealz for Istanbul

Cover Picture: Photo by Vlad Surkov on Unsplash

Leave a Reply

Required fields are marked *.


Note: If your comment does not appear on the page immediately, it must first be approved by a moderator. This is especially the case if you are commenting for the first time.


Search