Cape Town to Istanbul (CPT–IST) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

CPT Airport Page →
5,239 mi airlines 21/wk
On-time Some delays Frequent delays
Flight Schedule 5 flights Verified 4h ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
✈ Nonstop
TG9223cs
TG Thai
359
4:35 PM
SAST
4:35 AM+1
+03
11h
M T W T F S S
Prices
6E4328cs
6E IndiGo
359
4:35 PM
SAST
4:35 AM+1
+03
11h
M T W T F S S
Prices
TK45+2
TK Turkish
359
4:35 PM
SAST
4:35 AM+1
+03
11h
M T W T F S S
Prices
TK44+2
TK Turkish
359
1:45 AM
+03
11:50 AM
SAST
11h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices
6E4327cs
6E IndiGo
359
1:45 AM
+03
11:50 AM
SAST
11h 5m
M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

1-STOP More options, longer trips
2-STOP Loading... Reach the hardest destinations
Cape Town to Istanbul
1 carrier, 21 flights/week nonstop.
1 Airlines 21 Flights/wk 5,239 mi 11h nonstop +1h ahead 19 1-stop hubs

CPT–IST is served by 1 airline with nonstop service. Turkish Airlines leads the route. The flight covers 5,239 miles in approximately 11h. Beyond nonstop, 19 hubs offer 1-stop connections.

Airline Landscape

All carriers operating nonstop CPT–IST service, compared side by side.
Airline Freq/wk Aircraft Duration Dep OTP Alliance Codeshares
TK Turkish Airlines Also: 6E, TG 7 359 11h Star Alliance 6E, TG
Aircraft on this route
359 Airbus A350-900 – 6E, TG, TK
Alliance coverage
Star Alliance: TK (7 flights/wk, 100%)
OTP based on airport-level delay snapshots. Duration ranges reflect seasonal/directional variation.

Weekly Schedule Pattern

Nonstop flight frequency by day of week, CPT to IST direction.
Mon
3
flights
Tue
3
flights
Wed
3
flights
Thu
3
flights
Fri
3
flights
Sat
3
flights
Sun
3
flights
Departure time distribution
12 AM6 AM12 PM6 PM12 AM
Morning departures
Afternoon/evening departures
3
Nonstop flights
21
Outbound / wk
14
Return / wk

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for CPT to IST.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
19
Hubs
~15h
Fastest
~44h
Longest
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
1,414
Candidates
Two-stop connections loaded in the connections tab above.
Connections computed from published schedules with minimum connection time verification. Use the interactive explorer above the fold to filter by airline, tier, and layover time.

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
+1h
Istanbul is 1 hour ahead of Cape Town.
CPT: SAST · IST: +03

When it's 6:00 PM in Cape Town, it's 7:00 PM in Istanbul.
Distance & Flight Time
5,239 mi / 8,431 km
Nonstop flight time is approximately 11h 0m.
Getting from IST

M11 Metro to Gayrettepe takes about 35 minutes (₺60–70 with Istanbulkart) with connections to M2 (Taksim) and M7. Runs from 5am to midnight. The metro bypasses O-7 motorway traffic, which is frequently heavy into the city.Havaist buses serve major destinations including Taksim, Kadıköy (European and Asian sides), and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (₺50–80). Taxis from arrivals are metered; insist on the meter. Journey to Sultanahmet or Taksim costs ₺400–700 depending on traffic. Rental cars available. Hotel shuttles common for business hotels near the city.

Istanbul Climate

The new airport sits 35km from central Istanbul on the European side, slightly inland and exposed to Black Sea weather systems. Winters (December–March) are cold (0–8°C) with fog, rain, and occasional snow. Snow on the exposed plateau is more likely than in the city. Ice on taxiways causes delays.

Summers are warm (25–32°C) with dry, reliable weather. Spring and fall bring heavy rain and strong northerly winds (Poyraz) that can affect smaller aircraft. Fog is the primary low-season disruption risk. The airport's elevated position makes it slightly windier than the Atatürk site it replaced.

CPT–IST Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Cape Town to Istanbul route.
Route details
Distance5,239 mi / 8,431 km
Flight time11h
Time difference+1 hour
Airlines (nonstop)1
Weekly flights21 out / 14 return
1-stop connections19 hubs
Origin: CPT
IATA / ICAOCPT / FACT
TimezoneAfrica/Johannesburg
Passengers/yr10.4M
Elevation151 ft / 46 m
Destination: IST
IATA / ICAOIST / LTFM
TimezoneEurope/Istanbul
Passengers/yr80.1M
Elevation325 ft / 99 m

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about CPT to IST flights.
Nonstop flights from Cape Town International Airport to İstanbul Airport take approximately 11h. The route covers 5,239 miles.
1 airline operates nonstop service: Turkish Airlines. Plus 2 codeshare partners.
There are approximately 21 nonstop flights per week from CPT to IST. The return direction has about 14 weekly flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through MUC, ADD, MRU, JNB, FRA, DOH, DXB, LHR, NBO, MIA, ZRH, CDG, NBJ, LGW, AMS, GRU, IAD, ATL and EWR. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Istanbul is 1 hour ahead of Cape Town.
Yes, return flights from IST to CPT are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Click the 'Search Flights' button to check availability and prices on Google Flights. You can also compare airlines and schedules on this page to find the best option.
Route data is updated regularly from official airline schedules. On-time performance data comes from recent airport delay snapshots.

Flights from CPT to IST

Cape Town International Airport (CPT) and İstanbul Airport (IST) are connected by nonstop service from Turkish Airlines. With 21 weekly departures, this is a well served route.

CPT to IST Flight Duration and Schedule

Nonstop flight time from CPT to IST ranges from 11 hours 0 minutes. The route covers a distance of 5,239 miles (8,431 km). There are approximately 21 weekly flights outbound and 14 return, totaling 35 flights per week in both directions.

Connecting Options and Alternatives

19 one-stop connections are available, with the fastest taking approximately 15 hours via MUC. Two-stop connections are also available via intermediate hubs.