Istanbul to Kars (IST–KSY) — Airlines, Schedules & Connections

IST Airport Page →
751 mi airlines 0/wk
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Flight Schedule 2 flights Verified 3w ago
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  Flight Airline AC Dep Arr Dur OTP Sched  
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TK2715
TK Turkish
320
12:40 PM
+03
3:05 PM
+03
2h 25m
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M T W T F S S
Prices
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TK2717
TK Turkish
32B
3:15 PM
+03
5:40 PM
+03
2h 25m
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M T W T F S S
Prices

No flights match your filters.

No nonstop flights on this route. connecting options below.

✦ 1-STOP
✧ 2-STOP Loading...
Istanbul to Kars
Connecting service available through multiple hubs.
751 mi 2 1-stop hubs

While no nonstop service exists between IST and KSY, connecting options are available through 2 hubs.

Also explore IST Routes KSY Routes IST Live Flights KSY Live Flights
Connections

Connection Landscape

Beyond nonstop. 1-stop and 2-stop options for IST to KSY.
1-STOP
One-Stop Connections
2
Hubs
~15h
Fastest
~18h
Longest
TZX ~15h 15m ADB ~18h 40m
Verified with published schedule alignment and minimum connection time.
2-STOP
Two-Stop Connections
93
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.
Alternatives

Other ways to reach Kars from Istanbul

Nearby airports with service to Kars Airport.
Metric IST→KSY SAW→KSY
Distance from IST – 40 mi
Nonstop airlines 0 1
Weekly flights 0 7
Pendik, Istanbul (SAW) to Kars flights
Airports within 200 miles of IST with service to Kars Airport.
Know before you go

Travel Essentials

Practical planning for this route.
Time Difference
0h
Kars is 0 hours the same as Istanbul.
IST: +03 · KSY: +03

When it's 6:00 PM in Istanbul, it's 6:00 PM in Kars.
Distance & Flight Time
751 mi / 1,209 km
Getting to IST

Istanbul Metro M11 Gayrettepe–İstanbul Havalimanı line connects the airport to the broader metro network; from Gayrettepe (Mecidiyeköy/Levent area) the journey is about 35 minutes (₺60–70 with Istanbulkart). The line runs roughly 5am to midnight.Havaist express buses serve Taksim, Kadıköy, and other major hubs (₺50–80, 45–90 minutes depending on traffic). Taxis use a meter; expect ₺400–600 from Taksim or Sultanahmet. The airport is 35km northwest of the city; traffic on the O-7 motorway can be severe during peak hours.

Facts

IST–KSY Quick Facts

Key statistics for the Istanbul to Kars route.
Route details
Distance751 mi / 1,209 km
Time difference0 hours
Airlines (nonstop)0
1-stop connections2 hubs
Origin: IST
Full nameİstanbul Airport
IATA / ICAOIST / LTFM
TimezoneEurope/Istanbul
Passengers/yr80.1M
Elevation325 ft / 99 m
Destination: KSY
Full nameKars Airport
IATA / ICAOKSY / LTCF
TimezoneEurope/Istanbul
Elevation5,889 ft / 1,795 m
FAQ

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about IST to KSY flights.
Yes, 1-stop connections are available through TZX and ADB. These options provide additional schedule flexibility.
Yes, return flights from KSY to IST are available. Use the direction toggle at the top to view the return schedule.
Nearby alternatives include SAW. See the Alternatives section for a full comparison.
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.
Flight time is 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 30 minutes on the 1,300 km sector. Kars sits at 1,768 meters elevation on the eastern Anatolian plateau. Winter flights may experience turbulence during approach due to mountain winds.
Turkish Airlines operates nonstop service from Istanbul Airport, typically 1 daily flight. Pegasus Airlines also serves the route from Sabiha Gokcen on select days. Equipment is usually 737-800 or similar narrowbody. Frequencies increase slightly in summer when tourism to Ani peaks.
Kars Harakani Airport is 6 km south of Kars city center. The Ani archaeological site is about 45 km east of Kars near the Armenian border. The drive to Ani takes about 40 minutes on a two-lane road. Taxis in Kars will do the round trip, or you can arrange a minibus tour from the city center.
Kars has one of the coldest climates in Turkey. Winter temperatures regularly drop to minus 20 Celsius. Snow covers the city from November through April. Summers are mild with highs around 25 to 30 Celsius. The Ani ruins and surrounding landscape are most accessible from May to October. Winter visitors come for the frozen Lake Cildir and the Sarikamis ski area.
The Dogu Ekspres runs from Ankara to Kars in about 24 hours. It became a social media sensation and tickets sell out weeks in advance, especially for the winter scenic route. The train is a tourism experience, not a time-efficient alternative to flying. Istanbul to Ankara is a separate 4.5-hour high-speed rail trip, so the total Istanbul-Kars journey by train exceeds 28 hours.

Istanbul to Kars

Istanbul to Kars is a 1,300 km domestic route with a flight time of about 2 hours 20 minutes. Turkish Airlines flies nonstop from Istanbul Airport daily, with Pegasus adding frequencies from Sabiha Gokcen. Kars is the gateway to the Ani ruins, a UNESCO World Heritage Site that was once a medieval Armenian capital on the modern Turkish-Armenian border.

The city sits at nearly 1,800 meters and has a Russian-era grid plan dating from the 19th century, with stone buildings that give it a character unlike most Turkish cities. Tourism traffic has increased thanks to the Dogu Ekspres train trend, but flying is the practical option if time matters. Winter brings extreme cold and snow, attracting visitors to Sarikamis ski resort and frozen Lake Cildir. Kars Airport is just 6 km from the city center, keeping ground transfers short.