Travelling from Istanbul to Moscow: what you need to know
Get your holiday planning started by considering where you'll take off for your flight from Istanbul to Moscow. Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) are Istanbul's main airports.
Vnukovo Airport (VKO) and Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME) are Moscow's major gateways.
Around 4 hours 20 minutes is how long you'll be travelling on a direct Istanbul to Moscow flight.
Istanbul and Moscow share the same timezone, UTC+3.
The most popular route for flights from Istanbul to Moscow is from Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST) to Vnukovo Airport (VKO). You can select from 62 services every week between these two airports. If you'd like to set off at the first opportunity, the earliest flight from IST to VKO is the 01:05 Turkish Airlines service. If you prefer travelling later, the final scheduled service is at 22:10 with Turkish Airlines.
Leave plenty of time to catch your Istanbul to Moscow flight. Generally, it's best to arrive at least two hours before international departures and an hour ahead for domestic flights.
During popular months like April, it's a good idea to get to the airport earlier. Arrive two hours before a domestic departure and four hours ahead of an international flight whenever you're flying during high season in general.
How to find the cheapest flights from Istanbul to Moscow
Book five months before travelling. Pricing trends show that this is the ideal window for finding cheap Istanbul to Moscow flights.
August is the best month for scoring an amazing deal on a plane ticket from Istanbul to Moscow. If you'd like to travel during a different time of year, the 'Whole month' tool will show you the lowest prices for every month.
Stay on top of deals for cheap flights from Istanbul to Moscow by setting up a Price Alert. We'll send you an email or push notification on the app when a new discounted fare appears.
Find a cheap Istanbul to Moscow flight with the help of our filters. Select your ideal departure time, duration and airlines, then sort the results by 'Cheapest' to see the best deals.
Flying from Istanbul
Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST)
Start your journey at Istanbul Ataturk Airport (IST), which offers a range of direct flights from Istanbul to Moscow. From IST, you can fly seamlessly to Vnukovo Airport (VKO) or Moscow Domodedovo Airport (DME).
You'll have your pick of airlines that offer direct Istanbul to Moscow plane tickets out of IST. Get on board with any of these:
Think about adding a stopover to possibly find a cheaper Istanbul to Moscow flight. Just deselect 'Direct flights only' when searching for departures from Istanbul Ataturk Airport. Break up your trip (and maybe save some cash) by stopping at one of these airports:
Tbilisi International Airport (TBS)
Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV)
Antalya Airport (AYT)
The journey from central Istanbul to IST takes around 1 hour 45 minutes on public transport. If you drive, ride-share or grab a cab, you'll cover the 20 miles in 50 minutes or so, depending on traffic.
Have an early flight from Istanbul to Moscow? Avoid the stress of rushing to the airport (and sneak in some extra precious sleep) by choosing one of these stays near Istanbul Ataturk Airport:
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)
Consider booking your direct flight from Istanbul to Moscow departing Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW). Nonstop connections from SAW will get you to Vnukovo Airport (VKO).
AJet offers direct Istanbul to Moscow plane tickets from SAW. Book your preferred window (or aisle) seat and get to your destination in a single stretch.
Visit friends or family or just take a moment to recharge with a stopover. If you'd like to split up your Istanbul to Moscow flight, browse these options when departing from Sabiha Gokcen International Airport:
Izmir Adnan Menderes Airport (ADB)
Milas-Bodrum Airport (BJV)
Antalya Airport (AYT)
SAW is about 19 miles from central Istanbul. It'll take 55 minutes or so to get to the airport driving from the city centre. Public transport takes roughly 1 hour 30 minutes.
It's your holiday, so why not book an additional night away? Think about kicking back in one of these hotels near Sabiha Gokcen International Airport the day before your flight from Istanbul to Moscow:
Sabiha Gokcen International Airport has an on-time performance rate of 76.93%. This figure reflects how frequently flights departing from this airport land on schedule.
Best time to go to Moscow
It's time to plan your trip dates for your flight from Istanbul to Moscow. July is the busiest month to visit Moscow. If you like a more relaxed atmosphere, go in February.
The warmest month in Moscow is July, with temperatures ranging between 12ºC (54ºF) and 31ºC (88ºF). Lock in your Istanbul to Moscow ticket then if this is the type of weather you enjoy.
If you like travelling in cooler conditions, search for a cheap flight from Istanbul to Moscow in January when temperatures average between -18ºC (0ºF) and 0ºC (32ºF).
Explore more of Russia
Nizhniy Novgorod is just one of the many places in Russia waiting to be explored after you've seen Moscow. Around 240 miles to the east, its top attractions include Monument to cosmonaut Komarov, A.M.Gorkiy Childhood Museum and Dlinnaya Staraya Lestnitsa.
Around 290 miles south of Moscow, Voronezh is another essential stop in Russia. Experience this destination's highlights firsthand at Dom Gardenina, Skver Dzerzhinskogo and Alleya Slavy Voronezhskikh Olimpiytsev-Dinamovtsev.
