Showing 3 British Airways Flights from Istanbul - Starting at Just ₹55,016

  About Istanbul

Istanbul is one of the popular cities in Turkey which has been split by the Bosphorus Strait to have parts of it in Europe as well as Asia. The old city is known for its rich Byzantine heritage, which can still be witnessed in a majority of the monuments and tourist attractions. Istanbul is the financial, economic, historical and cultural hub of Turkey and witnesses a great turnover of tourists every year, especially during peak seasons.

Aside from being one of the largest cities in the world, Istanbul's population is quite high for a European city. The city is always crowded and can often get overwhelming with the excess crowd. There are various ways to reach the city, such as flights to Istanbul and cruises to the city's port from the Mediterranean Sea.

As a tourist hub, the city witnesses tourists flocking over from all directions. While their airport is busy with a plethora of flights flying in and out of Istanbul, even their sea routes see the same fervour. Ships and cruise voyages are a big hit among tourists who have the luxury of time and who also enjoy the luxe lifestyle. Many cities such as Barcelona, Nice, Athens, Sardinia, and more, have regular cruises heading to the port of Istanbul.

Some of the major highlights of the city are the Byzantium structures such as the Basilica Cistern, Chora Museum, to name a few. Accommodation prices fluctuate depending on the travel season.

Best time to visit Istanbul

Istanbul witnesses the best climate between March to May and September to November. As the city faces tremendous humidity to the point of annoyance, the summers and winters are also not ideal for travelling to Istanbul. However, Istanbul still receives an extensive crowd between June to August, summer. Even with the temperatures soaring high, many folks from the cold countries flock over to enjoy the hot sun and humid weather. It might be taxing to the ones already living in hot and humid atmospheres. The demand for Istanbul's summers is surprisingly high. The peak season comes with high-priced tags on hotel rooms in Istanbul. Even flights to Istanbul during the summer months are expensive. However, if you're planning a trip from India, which already enjoy its share of hot and humid weather, summer is definitely not the best time for you.

Months leading to winter and summer though, they are really pleasant and favourable for travelling and engaging in touristy activities. September to November bring the city's temperatures down as the roads are blessed with a cold breeze and quaint environment. Even the flight tickets to Istanbul drop, and there are cheap and affordable flight deals that you can acquire. These months usually witness rain showers, due to which, the tourism is put at a standstill. For a budget-traveller though, it is the best time to visit. The accommodation prices drop exceptionally in the city during this season, paving way for booking hotels in Istanbul for cheap. Another perk of this season is how various cultural festivals take place. Istanbul Biennial, Istanbul International Puppet Festival, Istanbul Theatre Festival, Contemporary Istanbul and Akbank Jazz Festival, are some of the festivals organised by the city to entertain the locals as well as the tourists. The March to May months are just as pleasant before summer takes over. Despite the humidity in the air, the spring and fall season caters to the tourism industry by keeping the heat and stickiness at a bare minimum.

Places to visit in Istanbul

Istanbul exquisite palaces and ornate religious structures have always been a fancy for history enthusiasts and tourists driven by cultural relevance. The city's major tourist attractions are centrally located, making traversing to the place convenient. However, thanks to the proximity, this has led to the city of Istanbul being excessively noisy, crowded and chaotic. That shouldn't stop you from exploring the streets of the city though You should visit the Blue Mosque and the Hagia Sophia Museum. These two attractions are known to be the most important ones in Istanbul and should not be missed. Istanbul's Faith district's another pearl is the Süleymaniye Mosque, which is known to be one of the perfect architectural structure in Ottoman-style. The Bosphorus Strait of Istanbul is a natural wonder on its own with the strategic waterways that connect the Black Sea to the Mediterranean and simultaneously, dividing the city of Istanbul into two separate continents. This is easily one of the best sights and definitely worth checking out. You can even find fancy restaurants that overlook the strait.

The Basilica Cistern (also called Yerebatan Sarnici) is the largest Byzantine cistern that has managed to survive all through centuries. It is a beautiful site with an underground water reservoir, which is roughly calculated to be the size of two football fields. Another relic from the Byzantine period is the Chora Museum, which was originally a church from the old era. There are some modern structures too that add to Istanbul's charm with the Istanbul Modern museum being one of them. It is a private museum which collects and exhibits artwork that has contemporary significance.

Things to do in Istanbul

Located very close to the Blue Mosque is the Grand Bazaar, which is one of the oldest and massive shopping markets across the globe. With over 5,000 shops and 60 streets, the bazaar tends to overwhelm tourists with its colossal size. Not to mention how the place is constantly bustling with overzealous salesmen. The bazaar also has many quaint cafes and restaurants where you will find a lovely amalgam of cuisines ranging from the Mediterranean to Turkish to Middle Eastern. Many tourists have advocated that simply opting for a stroll around the city streets is the best kind of tourist activity one can indulge in when in Istanbul. Interacting with people and learning new stories about the place is definitely something people would enjoy. Plus, it would also be a good learning experience as you will have many more stories to return with from Istanbul.

Food and Restaurants in Istanbul

Istanbul's dreamy scenic landscapes and cityscapes are not the only marvels that would steal your heart. The city's lovely melange of cuisines from Turkish to the Mediterranean is quite impressive and will go down well with you. The fusion food from the Middle East and Asia further add to the charm of the exquisite delicacies sold on the streets of Istanbul. You will particularly enjoy their kebabs and mezes (tapas-like plates), a popular dish known across Turkey as well as other Middle Eastern countries. The cuisine comprises meat, beans, vegetables and nuts, which combine to make quite the flavour that to get your attention. Another important ingredient for the Turkish is yogurt, which is used as a companion for a majority of their meals. The street food is just as marvellous with döner and simit, to name a few staple dishes. Besides, if the food expedition gets too heavy and makes you conk off, you can also down some impeccable Turkish coffee and feel rejuvenated.

To experience some of the high-end luxe restaurants in Istanbul, visit Ulus 29 which faces the famed Bosphorus, Râna Meyhane for some lip-smacking Ottoman and Mediterranean cuisine. You can take this food expedition further by visiting Banyan to savour some Asian delicacies and St. Regis Brasserie to indulge in some French food. These places are fancy and have some of the best views of the city's Bosphorus Strait. To resort to a more fun and noisy backdrop, head to some meyhanes, located in every nook and corner of the city. Babel Cafe and Restaurant would give you one of the best Turkish dishes.

How to reach Istanbul (Transportation)

Istanbul's international airport, also known as Ataturk International Airport, is the city as well as Turkey's busiest airport. As a city that attracts a lot of tourists, the international airport is well-connected with several major cities in the world. Flight connectivity to Istanbul from India is exceptional. There are direct flights that fly to Istanbul from major cities in the country, including, Mumbai, Delhi and Bangalore. Turkish Airlines, Oman Air, Aeroflot, Ukraine International Airlines are some of the major airlines that have services for direct flights to Istanbul from Indian cities. The distance from India to Turkey is quite decent and can be covered in about seven to ten hours. Depending on whether you choose a connecting flight or a flight with a layover, the duration to reach Istanbul from India would differ accordingly. Turkish Airlines offer direct flights without any layovers and connecting flight business from Mumbai, which takes only seven hours to reach. Direct flights come with a setback of burning a hole in your pocket.

As long as you don't mind paying extra money and spending less time on the flight, you can opt for direct flights. However, if you wish to snag cheap flight tickets to Istanbul, you will either have to pick the flights with longer durations or the ones with layovers. While booking your flight tickets, ensure to book your hotel room in Istanbul as well. You might receive some online flight deals for booking Istanbul flight and accommodation.

  About British Airways

British Airways is the United Kingdom's national flag carrier with its headquarters in London's Heathrow Airport. In fact, Heathrow Airport is the hub for British Airways. The airline is known to be the second largest in the United Kingdom with respect to fleet size and passenger traffic. The airline follows UK-based regional airline EasyJet, which is a low-cost airline with its headquarters at London Luton Airport. Back in 2011, British Airways and Iberia (Spain-based airline) formed a merger to create International Airlines Group (IAG), a holding company with its registration in Madrid, Spain. International Airlines Group is known to be the third-largest airline group in the world with respect to annual revenue. It stands at the second position in the Europe continent. IAG is listed on the London Stock Exchange and is also listed in the FTSE 100 Index (Financial Times Stock Exchange or Footsie). British Airways managed to become the first-ever airlines to generate a revenue of over USD 1 billion out of passenger traffic on a single route, in a year. The international route in question here is the New York-JFK - London-Heathrow route.

The airlines came into existence in 1974, after an aviation board called British Airways Board was established by the British Government. The main idea behind the genesis of the government body was to manage the two national airline corporations, British Overseas Airways Corporation and British European Airways as well as two regional airlines namely, Cambrian Airways and Northeast Airlines. In 1974, the four airlines were merged to form a solo airline named British Airways. The airline was managed by the government for about 13 years following the merger but eventually was privatised in 1987. British Airways is also known as one of the founding members of the airline alliance, Oneworld, along with Cathay Pacific, American Airlines and Qantas.

Although British Airways' main hub is at Heathrow Airport, a major presence of the airlines can also be witnessed at Gatwick Airport. In fact, the airline also has a base in London City Airport, where its subsidiary, BA Cityflyer operates from. Major international routes are connected through British Airways and operated from Heathrow Airport. In fact, British Airways owns about 40 per cent of slots at the Heathrow Airport in London. After the formation of British Airways, following the merger of the former four airlines in the United Kingdom, the aircraft was given a new look with white, blue and red colour schemes. At the same time, a stylised version of Union Jack was painted on the tail fins. The same was designed by Negus and Negus. However, after many alterations and changes, the CEO of British Airways, Bob Ayling, in 1999, announced that the planes flying under the airlines would adopt the tailfin design of Chatham Dockyard Union Flag that was initially supposed to be used only on the Concorde aircraft. Since then, all the aircraft have been given the Chatham Dockyard Union flag livery.

Fleet size of British Airways

As of 2020, British Airways has a strong fleet of 276 aircraft. These include Airbus A318-100, Airbus A319-100, Airbus A320-200, Airbus A321-200, Airbus A350-1000, Airbus A380-800, Boing 747-400, Boeing 777-200, Boeing 777-300, Boeing 787-8, Boeing 787-9, Embraer 170 and Embraer 190. British Airways was recognised to be the largest operator for Boeing 747-400s with 57 aircraft in its fleet.

British Airways Baggage Allowance

The limitations for baggage allowance in British Airways is divided into the weights and size for checked as well as hand luggage. The checked bag cannot exceed the dimension of 90 x 75 x 43cm. This also includes the handles, pockets and wheels. Interestingly, the airline does have diverse rules and protocols to be followed depending on the cities where the airline would be flying to. Not to mention how the mid-haul and long-haul flights would have different rules. The best thing about British Airways is that their website has all the answers regarding baggage allowances. Along with the checked and cabin baggage, the passenger is also allowed to carry sports equipment, musical instruments and other fragile items. A special procedure needs to be undertaken to carry the said items on the flight. If you are travelling with an infant, you will be allowed to carry strollers and a dedicated bag with baby products onboard. It would be best to know what you can carry for your cabin baggage.

Provisions to increase the checked baggage allowance at British Airways' flights are also available. You might even get good deals online if you try to add more to your allowance. The bags cannot weigh more than 32 kg, and if the weight does exceed, you will be asked to pay a nominal fee. Overweight bags can be carried, but an additional charge will need to be paid at the counter.

British Airways In-flight services

First-class - British Airways' in-flight services offered on the first-class include fourteen private cabins with 6 ft 6 in beds as well as 15-inch entertainment screen and in-seat power outlets. These facilities are available on some of their aircraft namely Boeing 777-200s, Airbus A380s, Boring 787-9s, Boeing 747-400s and Boeing 777-300ERs. The airline provides the first-class passengers with pre-flight dining experience along with the option to pick their seat ahead of the flight. There are intimate spaces available on the flight for comfortable legroom.

Club World - Club World is basically the business class cabin of British Airways. The same is present in various aircraft such as Airbus A380, Airbus A318, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 and Boeing 747-400. Some select aircraft of Airbus A321 also has a business class cabin which features recliner seats that can be converted into full flatbeds. To expand their business class seats, the airlines also launched the Next Generation New Club World. The Club World cabins have been designed in such a way that they share a similar design on all the widebody aircraft that have aisle seats facing forwards. In 2019, British Airways also introduced new business-class seats featuring a suite with a door in their new A350 aircraft.

World Traveller Plus - Also known as Premium Economy class, the World Traveller Plus cabin is available on all A380, B777, B787 and B747 aircraft. The seats on the premium economy class are wider with more legroom and additional seat comforts such as footrest and power sockets. The meal package can also be upgraded from what is being offered at the World Traveller bar. It is the ideal balance between business class and economy class in-flight services.

World Traveller - World Traveller is the mid-haul and long-haul economy class cabin which offers a slew of in-flight services. Some of them include a seat-back entertainment deck, complimentary food and drinks, blankets and pillows too. The recliner seats are quite comfortable with personal AVOD Tv systems installed. These are available on A321s, B787s, B747s, A380s and B777s. The economy class also offers power sockets and USB plug-in points. The outlets cater to the UK and the US plugs.

Popular routes and top cities for British Airways

British Airways is recognised to serve over 160 destinations which include about eight domestic routes and a whopping 26 international routes connecting to the United States. As one of the founding members of Oneworld airline alliance, British Airways caters to many popular international cities. Some of the popular cities include Paris, New York-JFK, San Francisco, Brussels, Calgary, Vancouver, Chengdu, Shanghai, San Jose Dubrovnik, Prague, Copenhagen, Cairo, Luxor, Addis Ababa, Marseille, Paris, Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Mykonos, Hong Kong, Bangalore, Mumbai, Delhi, Tel Aviv, Milan, Naples, Rome, Tokyo, Osaka, Nairobi, Luxembourg City, Mexico City, Marrakech, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Auckland, LagosWarsaw, Lisbon, Moscow, Riyadh, Cape Town, Singapore, Seoul, Ibiza, Madrid, Valencia, Colombo, Stockholm, Zurich, Istanbul, Abu Dhabi, Bristol, Glasgow, Liverpool, Manchester, Plymouth, Detroit, Tampa, Seattle, Washington and Victoria Falls to name a few. These cities see flights from British Airways on a regular basis.

Why travel with British Airways?

British Airways has some of the best facilities available that make it one of the most sought-after airlines to travel. You can book British Airways flights at reasonable costs and find flexible fares. Plus, you can also upgrade your ticket to premium economy and business class, depending on what you want. For long-haul flights, there are complimentary in-flight services available on British Airways. You can opt for web check-in also on their portal or on their mobile app. Within 24 hours of departure, there is free seat selection available for passengers. The flight schedule of British Airways is always put up on its website with regular updates. Usually, the airline is known to be extremely punctual with respect to their short-haul carriers travelling within the United Kingdom. However, in case if there are any delays, they are all mentioned or notified to the passenger on their phone. Besides, you can always opt to know more about flight status through their apps and portals. British Airways' in-flight services are exquisite and offer world-class facilities to ensure a comfortable transit.

  About Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport is one of the biggest airports in Turkey and serves as an international airport. The airport is situated on the Arnavutköy district, which falls on the European side of the city. Istanbul Airport is reserved for passenger use and should not be confused with Istanbul Atatürk Airport. The airport previously served for commercial flight services. However, the passenger flights were shifted to Istanbul Airport. Istanbul Atatürk Airport is closed for passenger flights, and only Istanbul Airport serves to allow operations of commercial flights.

Istanbul Airport is currently working on expansion plans. Some of the phases of infrastructural development and upgradations are yet to be completed. In fact, the airport authorities have segregated the expansion plans into various stages to enable consistent work. The eventual aim is to accommodate a whopping number of 200 million passengers in a year.

Istanbul Airport has four runways with one terminal that caters to both domestic and international flight movement. While there is only one terminal, the airport as been divided into five concourses and lettered alphabetically, A, B, C, D, F and G. Further with respect to the airport security, they have about 3,500 security personnel. These include 1,850 police, 750 immigration officers, providing airport security.

About Airport Terminals

Currently, the Istanbul Airport has one functioning terminal which services domestic and international flight activities. There are four runways that are operational and made of asphalt. The terminal does have a total of five concourses lettered A, B, D, F and G along with 143 total boarding bridges for passengers alphabetically. Since the one terminal takes care of both, domestic and international flights, the concourses divide the passengers flying from within Turkey and internationally. The Istanbul Airport has 3,500 security personnel dedicated to keeping the vicinity safe. Not to mention how a total of 1,850 police along with 750 immigration officers who are expected to join the airport security. The Istanbul Airport does have extensive plans to expand the terminals from the functional ones. The main terminal is known to have the capacity of passenger 90 million annually. It poses a tough competition with Dubai International Airport Terminal 3, which also boasts a large floor area. Istanbul Airport's runways are quite large, with one of them being 4,100 metres long.

About Airport Authority

Istanbul Airport is owned by General Directorate of State Airports Authority. However, it is being operated by Istanbul Grand Airport. The General Directorate of State Airports Authority is primarily a Turkish government body that takes care of the smooth functioning of a majority of airports in Turkey. They are also responsible for the regulation and overseeing the air traffic in the airspace that falls under the Turkish territory. Although the authority takes care of operations of many airports, the exceptions include Istanbul Airport, Milas-Bodrum Airport, Antalya Airport and Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport. The operations of Istanbul Airport are undertaken by Istanbul Grand Airport. They have been working extensively on enabling the airport to be one of the best in the world.

Much recently, the authority came up with a project called Istanbul Airport City, which is set to bring about an intriguing urban development design. The airport city's design has since been enhanced with provisions for world-class amenities to support the Istanbul Airport's functions. The Airport City's unique concept has been undertaken by Perkin+Will, a renowned international design company. Istanbul Airport City model's location is parallel to the Istanbul Airport. The best part about the project's design is how it resembles the city of Istanbul. IGA aims to make the Istanbul Airport City as the cultural and economic hub for Turkey. The Istanbul Airport City will have four main zones which would be directly connected to the core zone of Terminal 1. The Istanbul Airport City is also slated to have an aviation academy and university, retail, hotels, hospital facility and more. IGA is also planning on bringing sustainable practices to enable a positive approach to environmental management.

Top airlines flying from Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport is gifted with great airlines connection. There are many flights that fly to and from the Istanbul Airport and have dedicated park bays too. In fact, the airport also sees Indian airlines, IndiGo. It is the only Indian airline that is available at the Istanbul Airport. In fact, the airline has devoted direct flight to IndiGo. Along with the Indian airline though, the Istanbul Airport further sees a lot of international connections too. With Turkish Airlines taking the majority of air traffic, the airport does witness flights of airlines such as Aegean Airlines, Aeroflot, Air Albania, Air Astana, Air France, Air Moldova, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, British Airways, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Gulf Air, Iran Air, Jazeera Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airways, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Libyan Airlines, Oman Air, Pegasus Airlines, Qatar Airways, Saudia, Singapore Airlines, Tunisair, Sichuan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Ukraine International Airlines and Uzbekistan Airways. The Istanbul Airport does lack cargo operations as a majority of the operations are being taken up by Istanbul Atatürk Airport.

Facilities at the Istanbul Airport

ATM and foreign exchange - ATM kiosks and forex counters are available at regular intervals at the airport. In fact, you can find the forex counters at the arrivals section of all terminals. It would be best to go through the airport's website if you need to know the exact location of the forex counters. The information desk would also perfect place for you to visit.

Baggage - The airport offers a slew of baggage-related facilities such as baggage delivery, baggage wrapping, porter services and more. These services are perfect as they would help you with all your luggage woes.

Prayer rooms - Dedicated multi-faith rooms have been installed at the airport. They can be availed by visitors, and there are 44 rooms in total. Half of them serve men, and the other half serve women. You must know the ones that you can enter.

Restaurants and cafes - Food courts, establishments and upscale restaurants are also present at the airport terminals. You can find them at the departures and arrivals spaces. In fact, many of the lounges in the airport also cater to an exquisite culinary experience.

Lounges - The Istanbul Airport accommodates a slew of airline lounges, including VIP rooms and business conference halls. These make it convenient for the passengers who are travelling with first-class and business-class tickets. The lounge also has spas and upscale restaurants to make it a good experience for travellers.

Medical services - Medical services such as emergency teams and pharmacies are also available at the airport. You can visit the information desk to find out more about their paramedic services. Pharmacies are also present at the departures and arrivals sections of the terminals. This is to ensure that an emergency situation is catered to immediately.

Nursing rooms - For new mothers with infants, dedicated nursing rooms have also been installed. The rooms are perfectly hygienic and sanitized to ensure that the mothers feel safe about the environment. The area also has baby products and essentials such as baby powders and diapers.

Special assistance - Special assistance and porter services are also offered at the airport. In fact, you can inform your airlines about the services you require which need special assistance and the airport would provide you with the same.

Smoking zone - To keep the air of the airport fresh, they have restricted smoking in public. There are dedicated smoking rooms in the airport lounge that you can visit. In case you do not have any on you. Provisions to purchase the same is also available.

How to reach Istanbul Airport

Public Transport

Much recently, the Istanbul Airport worked on bringing forth a dedicated public transportation link that would be connected to the city. There are many scheduled rides that would reach you to the Istanbul Airport as well as the city. There are taxis and other public transportations that are available at the airport. Not to mention how you can find them from anywhere in the main city too. You can find bus routes to take to reach the Istanbul Airport on their website.

Rentals and taxis

You can find taxis and rental cars that would reach you to Istanbul Airport. It might be nice to take up cars and taxis for a relaxed departure. It is essential for you to plan your route in advance to make sure that you reach the Istanbul Airport on time. Maps would guide you perfectly to the airport. It is essential that you keep a check on the traffic that the Istanbul city possesses. Since Istanbul is known to be extremely crowded and busy at all times, it would be best to plan a route in advance to reach the Istanbul Airport without any delay in the schedule. The airport does offer 24/7 taxi service that can be found at several counters. You can book a ride from the departures as well as the arrivals.