€58 Find Cheap Flights from Bucharest to Istanbul – Compare and Save

3 airlines operate flights between Bucharest and Istanbul Airport. The airlines offering direct flights on this route include:

• Turkish Airlines
• TAROM
• Animawings

Flights from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport may depart from several airports in Bucharest area, including Bucharest Baneasa (BBU) and Bucharest Otopeni Intl (OTP). Flights usually arrive at Istanbul (IST).

Here are some options for this route, based on selected ticket types and cabin classes:

• TAROM: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Turkish Airlines: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class
• Animawings: a cabin bag and a checked bag in Economy class

Bag allowance can vary by ticket type, cabin class, route, and airline, so travellers should check the fare details before booking.

Only Economy class is available on flights from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport.

On this route, stopover flights are cheaper than direct options on average. Stopover fares average €140 return via Budapest Ferenc Liszt Intl (BUD), compared with €154 for direct.

There is no standard. Checked bag policies vary by airline on this route. Most carriers charge €26–€86 for the first checked bag in Economy. Premium fares and elite status bookings typically include a free checked bag.

One-stop flights from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport most commonly connect through:

• Chișinău Intl (RMO) – 65% of one-stop connections
• Belgrade Nikola Tesla (BEG) – 10% of one-stop connections
• Budapest Ferenc Liszt Intl (BUD) – 10% of one-stop connections
• Warsaw Frederic Chopin (WAW) – 10% of one-stop connections

Chișinău Intl (RMO) handles the largest share of one-stop connections on this route.

On the Bucharest to Istanbul Airport route, being flexible with your departure day can save you up to 8%. Sunday is the cheapest day at €147 return on average, while Wednesday is the most expensive at €159 – a €12 difference. Cheaper weekend fares like these are typical of routes dominated by weekday business travel.

A flight is considered delayed when it departs 15 minutes or more after its scheduled time. This is the standard used by the US Department of Transportation and most airline industry reporting. On the Bucharest to Istanbul Airport route, 12% of flights were delayed in the past 3 months, with delays averaging 1 hour 46 minutes.

Morning is the busiest departure period on Bucharest to Istanbul Airport flights, with 51% leaving in that window. Afternoon departures account for 33%, Night flights for 16%, and Evening flights for 0%.

Some of the most popular sights in Istanbul Airport are Istanbul City Centre, Taksim Square, and Taksim. These are among the most viewed places in Istanbul Airport on KAYAK.

These are the earliest and latest flight times available from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport:

• Earliest: departs at 05:45 and lands at 07:18
• Latest: departs at 21:45 and lands at 23:18.

The flight takes about 1h 33m.

Last-minute fares on this route (booked within 2 weeks of departure) run 30% above the route average of €154. Book 24 weeks before departure for the lowest fares.

A direct flight from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport takes 1h 33m, covering 662 km.

Yes, a valid passport is required for this international route. Many destinations require at least six months of validity beyond your travel dates. Check your passport expiry well before booking.

Yes. Based on fares seen in the past 5 days, return flight prices on this route showed a wide range, from about €92 to €591. That means the highest observed fare was about 6x higher than the lowest one.

One-way fares from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport are currently lower than usual. Average one-way flight prices are about €78, which is 15% below the typical average for this route.

Turkish Airlines is slightly above the route average for timely arrivals, while TAROM has a lower on-time arrival rate. On-time arrival rates on Bucharest to Istanbul Airport flights are:

• Turkish Airlines: 91% on time
• TAROM: 84% on time
• Animawings: 83% on time

On average, flights on this route are punctual 88% of the time.

Morning flights have the fewest delays on this route. Delays tend to pile up throughout the day as one late flight pushes the next, so earlier departures are usually more reliable.

Flying via Warsaw Frederic Chopin (WAW) gives the shortest average 1-stop total travel time of 6h 03m, compared to 7h 32m via Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS) and 7h 57m via Chișinău Intl (RMO).

Istanbul Airport (IST) hosts 5 major car hire companies, with daily rates starting from around €9 for economy cars. Top options include:
• CIRCULAR
• Avec Car Rental
• Ok Mobility
• Alamo
• Autounion Car Rental

Return flights from Bucharest to Istanbul Airport range from €129 to €195, with an average of €154 over the past 12 months. Anything below €129 counts as a good deal.