Travelling from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA): What you need to know
Get your holiday planning started by considering where you'll board your flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA). Istanbul Airport (IST) and Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) are Istanbul's main airports.
Expect to be in the air for 5 hours 20 minutes. That's the average journey time for a direct Istanbul to Almaty International Airport flight.
Almaty International Airport is located in Almaty. The city runs on the UTC+5 timezone and is two hours ahead of Istanbul.
Istanbul Airport (IST) to Almaty International Airport (ALA) is the most popular route. There are 20 direct departures a week to pick from. If you have things to do before heading off, take the last flight with Turkish Airlines at 11:55pm. Go for the first IST to ALA departure with Turkish Airlines at 12:45am if getting there sooner works for you.
For a stress-free journey, arrive at the airport two hours ahead of international flights and one hour before domestic departures. This will give you plenty of time to catch your flight from Istanbul to ALA.
Popular months like August or other peak periods mean bigger queues and potential delays. Stay on schedule by arriving at the airport even earlier. Aim for at least four hours ahead of an international flight and two hours before a domestic departure.
Airports in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Fly without interruptions from Istanbul Airport (IST). Direct flights from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA) are available from here.
You'll find a direct flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport with Turkish Airlines. This popular carrier offers services from IST.
The airline most travellers choose when flying between IST and ALA is Turkish Airlines.
We make it easy to book cheap flights from Istanbul to ALA that include a stopover. To explore the options leaving from Istanbul Airport (IST), uncheck 'Direct flights only.' Then, choose a flight with a stop long enough to tour the city of your choice. Some popular stopovers between IST and ALA include:
Tashkent Islam Karimov International Airport (TAS)
Dushanbe International Airport (DYU)
Atyrau Airport (GUW)
Located around 40 kilometres from the centre of Istanbul, IST can be reached in about 45 minutes by car, depending on traffic. The journey on public transport will take roughly 1 hour 10 minutes.
In search of a comfortable hotel close to Istanbul Airport? If you're catching an early flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport, these accommodation options will have you sleeping a quick hop from check-in:
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)
You can book a direct Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA) plane ticket out of Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW). Work out whether leaving from SAW works best for your plans.
Pegasus offers direct flights from Istanbul to ALA out of SAW. Book your favourite aisle (or window) seat and reach your destination in a single hop.
Pegasus Airlines is the top choice for passengers flying from SAW to ALA.
Pegasus Airlines is the most punctual carrier flying from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport to Almaty International Airport, with 79.31% of its services arriving on schedule.
Split up your flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport with a stop so you can stretch your legs or tick another place off your list. Top stopovers between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and ALA are:
Doha Hamad International Airport (DOH)
Antalya Airport (AYT)
Bodrum Milas Airport (BJV)
SAW is about 48 kilometres from central Istanbul. It'll take 1 hour 5 minutes or so to get to the airport in a car from the city centre. Public transport takes approximately 1 hour 40 minutes.
Start your holiday early with an extra night away from home. Before catching your Istanbul to ALA flight, stay in one of these hotels close to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport:
When it comes to flight punctuality, Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport has an on-time arrival performance of 68%.
About Almaty International Airport (ALA)
The last thing you want is a long journey to your hotel if you're arriving on a late flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport. Get comfy at one of these accommodation options near ALA instead:
Get the best deal by reserving your vehicle around two weeks before your Istanbul to Almaty International Airport flight.
Getting from Almaty International Airport (ALA) to central Almaty
From Almaty International Airport, central Almaty is around 14 kilometres away. It takes about 30 minutes to reach the city centre by car.
It typically takes 50 minutes if you're travelling by public transport.
How to find the cheapest flights from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA)
Rs34,018 is currently the best price for a one-way ticket from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport. Return flights start from Rs71,736. These prices can change based on availability and demand.
To find cheap flights from Istanbul to ALA, book ahead. Airlines typically offer their most competitively priced fares when tickets first go on sale.
If you have some flexibility with your trip dates, try using the 'Whole month' tool. It'll give you the lowest price in every month when searching for your Istanbul to Almaty International Airport ticket.
Spend less time searching for cheap plane tickets from Istanbul to ALA by creating a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or notification on the app when prices go down.
Bag the best deal on a flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport with the help of the filters. Pick your preferred departure and arrival times, airlines and number of stops. You can also sort your results by 'Cheapest,' 'Fastest' or 'Best.'
The best time to fly from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA)
December is the quietest month for flights from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport (ALA), while January is the busiest. Choose the best time to go to Almaty based on whether you want a lively atmosphere or a more laid-back vibe.
When booking your Istanbul to ALA plane ticket, consider the kind of weather you prefer. July is the warmest month in Almaty, with temperatures ranging from 12ºC to 33ºC.
Look for cheap tickets from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport in January if you want to travel in cooler conditions. Temperatures are at their lowest then, ranging between -16ºC and 3ºC.
More about Almaty
Start your Almaty trip right by choosing the ideal place to stay. As soon as you've booked your flight from Istanbul to Almaty International Airport, check out our selection of hotels including:
There are so many things to do and see in this city, it can be difficult to know where to begin. Ascension Cathedral, Abay Kazakh State Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre and Smotrovaya are highlights which should be on any good Almaty itinerary.
Explore more of Kazakhstan
Zharkent is just one of the many cities in Kazakhstan waiting to be explored once you've seen Almaty. Around 257 kilometres away to the east, check out popular attractions including Zharkent Mosque, Muzey Izobrazitel'nogo Iskusstva Im.a.kasteyeva and Central Mosque.
Make your way 225 kilometres northeast from Almaty and you'll reach Tekeli, another favourite among visitors to Kazakhstan. No trip is complete without seeing Ushchel'ye Cherkasay and Soldatskoye Ushchel'ye.
