Istanbul is the only city in the world which lies on two continents. If that's not enough to lure the travelers, then maybe the incredible sights, good bargains and the interesting mix of European and Asian cultures will.

The airports

Istanbul's major airport is Ataturk International Airport, located 28 km from downtown, on the European side. Turkish Airlines, United Airlines, British Airways and American Airlines fly directly from London (Heathrow and Stansted). Turkish Airlines also provides direct flights to Manchester, while if you need to fly from other UK cities you need to make a stop along the way. A list of airlines serving the airport can be found here.

To get from the airport to the downtown area, there are quite a lot of options. Travelers can choose between taxis, havas and metro. The site provides a useful list of approximate taxi fares to certain parts of the city. If you prefer to drive your own in Istanbul, here is a list of car rental agencies available at the airport.

The second airport serving Istanbul is Sabiha Gokcen Airport, located on the Asian side of the city. The airport serves a variety of low-cost carriers. Pegasus Airlines and easyJetfly directly from London (Gatwick and Stansted) but if you need to fly from other UK airport you need to make a stop along the way. A complete list of airlines serving the airport can be found here.

There are quite a lot of options to get from the airport to the city. A complete list (with details) can be found here. Suffice is to say that taxi can be very expensive because of the airport's location. If you prefer to drive your own car, here is a list of car rental agencies available at the airport.

More details about Istanbul

Have an incredible time in Istanbul and if you need more details about traveling there, check out our Istanbul Travel Guide. Should you want to read more about the rest of Turkey you can also check out our WhyGo Turkey Travel Guide.