Travelling from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS): What you need to know
There are a couple of main airports where your trip can begin in Istanbul. Check out your options departing from Istanbul Airport (IST) or Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) when searching for a flight from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS).
Book a direct Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport flight and you'll be in the air for around 3 hours 25 minutes.
The timezone in Lyon is UTC+1, which is two hours behind Istanbul. Lyon Saint Exupery Airport is located in Lyon.
The most popular route is from Istanbul Airport (IST) to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS), with 16 direct services every week. If you're ready to head out sooner, the earliest flight from IST to LYS is the 7:10am Turkish Airlines option. If you need some extra time before takeoff, the last departure is at 9:20pm with Transavia France.
To ensure you get on your flight from Istanbul to LYS, allow plenty of time to check in and drop off your luggage. Arriving two hours ahead of international departures and one hour before domestic flights is the general travel rule.
Be prepared for bigger queues in popular months such as August and other peak periods. Arriving up to four hours in advance for an international flight and two hours for a domestic departure is a wise move.
Airports in Istanbul
Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Airport (IST) makes it easy to travel directly to your destination. Nonstop flights from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS) depart from this terminal.
Turkish Airlines is a leading airline that offers direct flights from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport leaving from IST.
Turkish Airlines is the airline with the highest passenger demand for flights from IST to LYS.
Think about adding a stopover to find cheap flights from Istanbul to LYS. Just deselect 'Direct flights only' when browsing departures from Istanbul Airport (IST). Pause your trip (and maybe pocket some savings) with a stop at one of these airports:
Munich Franz Joseph Strauss Airport (MUC)
Rome Leonardo da Vinci Fiumicino Airport (FCO)
Vienna International Airport (VIE)
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 takes roughly 1 hour 10 minutes.
Catching an early flight from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport? Avoid rushing to the terminal (and get some bonus sleep) by picking one of these stays close to Istanbul Airport:
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)
Prefer to leave from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)? Direct Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS) plane tickets can be booked from here.
Pegasus has direct flights from Istanbul to LYS out of SAW. Book your favourite window (or aisle) seat and get to your destination in a single hop.
Pegasus Airlines ranks number one in bookings on the SAW to LYS route.
With 66.67% of services arriving as planned, Pegasus Airlines is the most punctual carrier flying between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and Lyon Saint Exupery Airport.
Break up your flight from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport with a stop so you can stretch your legs or cross another place off your list. Some top stopovers between Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport and LYS include:
Budapest Ferenc Liszt International Airport (BUD)
Venice Marco Polo Airport (VCE)
Marseille Provence Airport (MRS)
SAW is around 48 kilometres from central Istanbul. It'll take you 1 hour 5 minutes or so to get to the airport by car from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 1 hour 40 minutes.
Start your holiday sooner with an additional night away from home. Before your Istanbul to LYS flight, unwind in one of these hotels close to Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport:
68% of flights taking off from Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport make it to their destination as expected.
About Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS)
Book a hotel close to LYS if you have a late flight from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport. Check in to one of these accommodation options and skip the long transfer:
To get the best deal, reserve your ride around three weeks ahead of your Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport flight.
Getting from Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS) to central Lyon
Central Lyon is around 26 kilometres from Lyon Saint Exupery Airport and takes about 30 minutes to reach by car. Work out your options for getting into the city, whether that's with a car hire, taxi or ride-share.
Travelling on public transport takes around 35 minutes.
How to find the cheapest flights from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS)
The lowest price we've found for a one-way ticket from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport is Rs11,584. For a return flight on this route, the best price is Rs30,248. Depending on how early you book and the availability, these fares can change.
Score cheap flights from Istanbul to LYS by booking two months ahead. Based on our research, that's the ideal time frame for landing a bargain.
The best month for finding cheap Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport tickets is July. Use the 'Whole month' tool to compare prices, then choose the dates offering the lowest fares.
Never miss a deal on plane tickets from Istanbul to LYS by setting up a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or notification through the app when a lower fare pops up.
Filters make it easier to land a deal on your flight from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport. Pick the airlines, flight times and stops that look good to you. Then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to find the best price quickly.
The best time to fly from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS)
June is when most people book flights from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport (LYS). Visit Lyon in January if you prefer a quieter experience.
Book a Istanbul to LYS plane ticket departing in August if you're eager to explore the city during its warmest month. You can expect temperatures in Lyon to range from 12ºC to 28ºC.
January has temperatures of between -4ºC and 8ºC. Search for cheap tickets from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport around that time if you like cooler conditions.
More about Lyon
Once you've booked your flight from Istanbul to Lyon Saint Exupery Airport, find a hotel that keeps you close to what you want to see. Make one of these options your base for exploring Lyon:
You'll find plenty of awesome things to do in Lyon when you're ready to see the sights. Start exploring at Fête Des Lumières followed by Lyon Old Town and Cite Internationale de la Gastronomie de Lyon.
Explore more of France
Lyon is always a good idea, but there are so many other corners of France just waiting to be explored. Around 274 kilometres south of Lyon, a trip to Marseille will keep you on the go. Start with attractions like Les Calanques, Calanques National Park and Basilique Notre-Dame-de-la-Garde.
Nice is another must-experience destination in France and is around 290 kilometres southeast of Lyon. No trip is complete without experiencing Vieux-Nice, Promenade Des Anglais and Plage de Nice.
