Flying from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST): What you need to know
Chicago has a couple of airports where you can kick off your travels. Check out your options for reserving a flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) flying out of O'Hare International Airport (ORD) or Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW).
Expect to be in the air for 10 hours 30 minutes. That's the average time for a direct Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight.
The timezone in Istanbul is UTC+3, which is eight hours ahead of Chicago. Istanbul Ataturk Airport is located in Istanbul.
O'Hare International Airport (ORD) to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) is the most popular route. There are 15 direct weekly flights to choose from. If you have things to do before leaving, take the last flight with Turkish Airlines at 11:45pm. Opt for the first ORD to IST departure operated by Turkish Airlines at 11:25am if you want to get going earlier.
Your flight from Chicago to IST won't wait if you're late, so show up at the airport on time. Arrive up to one hour in advance for domestic flights and two hours ahead when you're travelling internationally.
High season means busier airports, so show up even earlier. Give yourself at least two hours before a domestic flight and four hours for an international journey to keep to your schedule.
Airports in Chicago
O'Hare International Airport (ORD)
You can take a direct flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) out of O'Hare International Airport (ORD).
Turkish Airlines is a leading airline that offers direct flights from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport leaving from ORD.
Turkish Airlines is the airline most travellers choose for flights from ORD to IST.
Stopovers are the perfect opportunity to break up your journey and possibly even tour another city. When searching for cheap flights from Chicago to IST departing from O'Hare International Airport (ORD), deselect the 'Direct flights only' box to find all potential stops. Some popular options include:
London Heathrow Airport (LHR)
Frankfurt Airport (FRA)
Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport (ATH)
ORD is about 40 kilometres from central Chicago. If you're ride-sharing, driving or catching a cab from the centre, it'll take 35 minutes or so to get there, depending on the traffic. If you're planning to take public transport, expect the travel time to be around 55 minutes.
Want a stress-free start to your travels? Stay near O'Hare International Airport. Whether you've booked an early flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport or just don't like being rushed, these hotels are just the thing:
74.85% of flights that leave from O'Hare International Airport arrive at their destination on time.
The address for ORD is 10000 West O'Hare.
Chicago Midway International Airport (MDW)
Knock a new city off your list or just take some time to unwind with a stopover. If you'd like to break up your flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, check out these options when departing from Chicago Midway International Airport:
Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport (ATL)
Denver International Airport (DEN)
Seattle-Tacoma International Airport (SEA)
MDW is about 19 kilometres from central Chicago. It'll take 20 minutes or so to get to the airport by car from the city centre. Public transport takes approximately 45 minutes.
Get your vacation started early with an extra night away from home. Before catching your Chicago to IST flight, stay in one of these hotels close to Chicago Midway International Airport:
Looking at how often flights stay on schedule, Chicago Midway International Airport has an on-time arrival rate of 77.88%.
You'll find MDW at 5700 South Cicero.
Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD)
When looking for a flight ticket from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) out of Chicago Rockford International Airport (RFD), you can choose from a few stopover options. Consider making a detour to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX), one of the busiest transit hubs on this route.
The journey time to RFD from the centre of Chicago is around 4 hours 15 minutes by public transport. If you're in a car, it'll take you about 1 hour 25 minutes to cover the 137 kilometres or so.
Make catching an early Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight one of the easiest parts of your trip. Book a room at one of these hotels close to Chicago Rockford International Airport and get to your check-in counter with time to spare:
Airports have an on-time performance rating that measures how often flights arrive at their destinations without delays. At RFD, that figure is 76.19%.
Chicago Rockford International Airport is located at 2 Airport Cir.
About Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
The last thing you want is a lengthy journey to your hotel if you're arriving on a late flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Stay at one of these accommodation options near IST instead:
Grab an Istanbul Ataturk Airport rental car and discover Istanbul and beyond with your own wheels. Hit, Avec car rentals and Eren Rent a Car are popular outlets to choose from here.
Lock in the best possible rate by booking your ride around two weeks before your Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport flight.
Getting from Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) to central Istanbul
Istanbul Ataturk Airport is roughly 32 kilometres from central Istanbul. How long it'll take to get there by car rental or cab depends on the time of day. Do some research before your trip.
Travelling on public transport will take you around 1 hour 45 minutes.
How to find the cheapest flights from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
C$331 is the lowest price for a one-way ticket from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Return flights start at C$781. These fares may change based on availability.
Book five months before you want to travel. Research into pricing trends suggests this is the ideal window for finding cheap flights from Chicago to IST.
The best month for landing cheap Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport tickets is October. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare prices, then choose the dates with the lowest fares.
Snapping up a cheap flight ticket from Chicago to IST is a breeze with Price Alerts. Simply set up one of these automatic alerts and we'll get in touch when there's a price drop.
Hunt down a great price on a flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport with the help of the filters. Pick your ideal arrival and departure times, airlines and number of stops. You can also sort your results by 'Fastest,' 'Cheapest' or 'Best.'
The best time to fly from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
Think about the pace you're looking for when planning your trip dates. February is the quietest month to go to Istanbul. August is when most people book flights from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST), which may be ideal if you're after more action.
The warmest month in Istanbul is August, with temperatures ranging between 20ºC (68ºF) and 30ºC (86ºF). Lock in your Chicago to IST flight ticket then if that's your idea of comfortable weather.
January sees temperatures of between 2ºC (36ºF) and 11ºC (52ºF). Look for cheap tickets from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport around that time if you'd rather travel in cooler conditions.
More about Istanbul
Start your Istanbul trip right by choosing the perfect place to stay. After booking your flight from Chicago to Istanbul Ataturk Airport, explore our range of hotels including:
You'll find loads of awesome things to do in Istanbul when you're ready to get out and sightsee. Kick things off at Hagia Sophia History Museum followed by Hagia Sophia Museum and Historic Areas of Istanbul.
Explore more of Türkiye (Turkey)
Eskisehir is just one of the many places in Türkiye (Turkey) waiting to be explored once you've taken in the sights of Istanbul. Around 225 kilometres away to the south-east, top sights here include Eskişehir, Eskişehir and Eskişehir Odunpazarı Evleri.
Around 153 kilometres east of Istanbul, Adapazarı is another favourite stop in Türkiye (Turkey). Start your sightseeing at Ozanlar Ulu Cami, Güllük Cami and Valide Cami.
