Istanbul is two hours forty minutes from Amsterdam — less than the flight to London with a tailwind. Technically it straddles two continents, practically it’s one of the most accessible genuinely different cities you can reach from Schiphol. And the fares, once you know when to look, are often cheaper than a summer weekend in Ibiza.
Which airline, which airport
Turkish Airlines operates multiple daily flights from Schiphol to İstanbul Airport (IST) and consistently sets the benchmark price on this route. As the dominant carrier, they’re also the airline that other carriers price against — so when Turkish goes on sale, everyone does. Booking six or more weeks out gets you into their competitive pricing tier.
Corendon Airlines and Pegasus Airlines offer lower base fares but fly to Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) on Istanbul’s Asian side. SAW is 50km from the European city centre — add 60–90 minutes and €10–15 for the bus or shuttle to wherever you’re staying. If you’re based on the Asian side or heading straight to Kadıköy, SAW is actually convenient. For most visitors, IST is worth the slightly higher fare.
Getting from IST into the city is genuinely easy. The metro line runs to Gayrettepe in about 35 minutes for roughly €1.30. Taxis exist but come with the usual Istanbul negotiation dynamic — either use the meter or agree on a price before you get in, not after.
When to go and what fares look like
Istanbul runs on a different tourist calendar than Mediterranean beach destinations. April through June is the most popular period for good reason — weather is mild (18–24°C), the tulip festival fills parks in April, and the city is energetic without being overwhelmed. Fares in April and May typically sit in the €120–200 return range.
July and August are hot (32–35°C) and busy with domestic Turkish tourism, but still moderately priced for international visitors — €130–180 return, which is not expensive by European summer standards. September and October are arguably the best months: cooler temperatures (20–25°C), fewer crowds, and fares dropping to €100–140 return. October in Istanbul is seriously good.
January and February are the cheapest months to fly on this route. Turkish Airlines fares can fall to €80–110 return, the city is quiet, and the museums — Hagia Sophia, the Archaeology Museum, Istanbul Modern — are at their most navigable. Cold (4–8°C), but not harsh. The Grand Bazaar and the Çarşamba flea market in February are experiences in themselves without the summer scrum.
To see current prices across all airlines and filter by airport, search Amsterdam to Istanbul on Trip.com — you can separate IST and SAW results to compare like-for-like.
Visas: sort this before you fly
Dutch citizens need a visa for Turkey. The e-Visa is the right choice: go to evisa.gov.tr, pay $50, and receive it digitally within minutes. It’s valid for 90 days within a 180-day period. Don’t leave this for the airport — the e-Visa takes five minutes at home and saves queuing on arrival. Make sure your passport has at least six months of validity beyond your return date.
Why Istanbul is particularly good value right now
The Turkish lira has lost significant value against the euro over the past several years. For Dutch visitors spending euros, this creates a genuine pricing advantage that applies to almost everything: restaurants, hotels, local transport, museums, activities. A proper dinner at a fish restaurant on the Bosphorus — the kind that would cost €80+ per person in Amsterdam — runs €20–30 in Istanbul. A day’s local transport on the Istanbulkart travel card costs about €2. Entry to Topkapi Palace is around €15.
This makes Istanbul one of the best-value destinations currently reachable from Schiphol — particularly since the flight itself is cheap and short.
Where to stay and what to explore
Sultanahmet is the historic heart: Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque, Topkapi Palace, the Grand Bazaar, and the Basilica Cistern are all walkable from each other. It’s the most touristic area, but even the hotels here cost less than equivalent accommodation in Amsterdam or Barcelona.
Beyoğlu and Karaköy are where the city’s restaurants, bars, and independent shops concentrate — more interesting for food and nightlife than Sultanahmet, and with better boutique hotel options. Kadıköy on the Asian side is the most local-feeling neighbourhood: excellent street food, good coffee shops, and a ferry crossing to Europe for about €0.60 that’s one of the more enjoyable commutes in any city.
For Amsterdam to Istanbul flight deals and destination guides, visit LaliFly.