⚡ Fare recorded April 25, 2026 · Prices change daily

Istanbul to Athens flights

Istanbul (IST) to Athens (ATH): 344 miles (553 km) great-circle, about 1h 10m nonstop by our estimate. Cheapest fare observed: $144 round-trip on Sky Express, nonstop, departing July 8, 2026.

GQSky ExpressGQ671
Depart
IST
Istanbul, Turkey
09:30
2026-07-08
✈
Arrive
ATH
Athens, Greece
Returns 07:00
2026-07-16
Stops
non-stop
Distance
344 mi
Est. nonstop time
1h 10m
Trip type
Round-trip
$144
Round-trip · per person
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About this flight

When did the cheapest Istanbul to Athens fare fly?

$144 round-trip, Sky Express GQ671, departing 2026-07-08 at 09:30, returning 2026-07-16. The recorded itinerary left on a Wednesday, returning on a Thursday 8 nights later; the fare was observed 74 days before departure. "Book this flight" opens Kiwi.com with the same airline and dates.

Route facts

How far is Istanbul from Athens?

  • Distance: 344 miles (553 km) great-circle, heading southwest.
  • Estimated nonstop flight time: about 1h 10m.
  • Departure airport: Istanbul Airport (IST), Istanbul, Türkiye, UTC+3 on July 8, 2026.
  • Arrival: Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH), Greece, UTC+3 on July 8, 2026.
  • Time difference: none on the recorded date.
  • Route type: international, Türkiye to Greece.
  • Arrival airport elevation: 308 ft.
  • Recorded itinerary: Sky Express GQ671, non-stop, round-trip, 8 days between departure and return.
Fare comparison

How does the Istanbul to Athens fare compare with other routes from IST?

At $144, it ranked 7th of the 30 round-trip fares we recorded from IST (median $194). That is 41.9 cents per great-circle mile (round-trip price over one-way distance), above the IST median of 20.9 cents across 30 round-trip routes.

Routes from IST of similar length: Nevşehir (352 mi) at $74 and Antalya (322 mi) at $59.

IST to ATH is the only one of 30 IST routes where Sky Express priced cheapest. It is the 28th longest of the 30 routes we track from IST.

Other ways in

What did other cities pay to fly to Athens?

Of 21 departure airports with a fare to Athens, Istanbul (IST) ranked 6th at $144. Lowest: $62 from Budapest (BUD); highest: $1500 from Havana (HAV); 7 nonstop. Cheapest-fare airlines (routes): Wizz Air Malta (4), Ryanair (3), Wizz Air (3), Aegean Airlines (1), Air Canada (1) and Copa (1), plus 8 more.

The reverse, Athens (ATH) to Istanbul (IST), was $133 round-trip on Sichuan Airlines, nonstop, departing May 20, 2026. Athens to Istanbul flights.

Entry requirements

Do you need a visa to fly to Greece?

That depends on your passport and trip, so check the official source for Greece: European Commission: Schengen visa policy. Connecting elsewhere? Check that country's transit rules too.

Sources

Where do these numbers come from?

Travelpayouts fares (cheapest per route, observed April 25, 2026); OurAirports coordinates and elevations; IANA zones Europe/Istanbul, Europe/Athens; flight time is our estimate.

FAQ

Istanbul to Athens flight questions

How far is Istanbul from Athens by plane?

+
Istanbul is about 344 miles (553 km) from Athens on a great-circle line from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH), heading southwest. It is the 28th longest of the 30 routes we track from IST. The recorded itinerary was nonstop.

How long is the flight from Istanbul to Athens?

+
About 1h 10m nonstop by our estimate for 344 miles (500 mph cruise plus 30 minutes, not a timetable). The recorded Sky Express fare was nonstop. 21 airports in our feed had a fare to Athens; this one ranked 6th, and 7 of the 21 were nonstop.

What is the time difference between Istanbul and Athens?

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On July 8, 2026, Istanbul was on UTC+3 (Europe/Istanbul) and Athens on UTC+3 (Europe/Athens), so the two cities shared the same clock time: noon in Istanbul was 12:00 in Athens. Daylight saving changes it: in mid-January 2026 the gap is Athens 1 hour behind, in mid-July no difference.

How much is a flight from Istanbul to Athens?

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As observed on April 25, 2026: $144 per person round-trip on Sky Express flight GQ671, departing July 8, 2026, returning July 16, 2026, nonstop. At $144, it ranked 7th of the 30 round-trip fares we recorded from IST (median $194). That is 41.9 cents per great-circle mile (round-trip price over one-way distance), above the IST median of 20.9 cents across 30 round-trip routes. Prices change daily, so check the live fare.

Is there a nonstop flight from Istanbul to Athens?

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Yes, the cheapest recorded fare was a nonstop Sky Express flight, GQ671, on July 8, 2026. Into Athens, 7 of the 21 recorded fares were nonstop. From IST, 22 of 30 were. The reverse, Athens (ATH) to Istanbul (IST), was $133 round-trip on Sichuan Airlines, nonstop, departing May 20, 2026.

Which airports serve flights from Istanbul to Athens?

+
It departs Istanbul Airport (IST) in Istanbul, Türkiye, and arrives at Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH) in Athens, Greece. An international flight, Türkiye to Greece. Routes from IST of similar length: Nevşehir (352 mi) at $74 and Antalya (322 mi) at $59.

Where else near Athens can you fly from Istanbul?

Dalaman (DLM) $56Antalya (AYT) $59Podgorica (TGD) $174Tivat (TIV) $277Belgrade (BEG) $222Nevşehir (NAV) $74All flights from Istanbul →

Other cities with flights to Athens

From Budapest (BUD) $62From Venice (VCE) $84From Warsaw (WAW) $99From Bucharest (OTP) $101From Vilnius (VNO) $115From Tel Aviv (TLV) $153

Ready to fly?

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