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IST to ESB: distance & flight time
Istanbul (Istanbul Airport) → Ankara (Esenboğa International Airport)
236 mi
380 km · 205 nm
1h 5m
estimated nonstop flight time
Same time
time difference · heading east
See live IST→ESB fares Phone-only fares on this route — call free
Flight time details
236 miles nonstop takes roughly 1h 5m gate to gate, flying east. Add 45–90 minutes per connection if there's no nonstop service. Both airports share the same local time, so schedules read exactly as flown.
The two airports
- IST — Istanbul Airport · Istanbul, Turkey
- ESB — Esenboğa International Airport · Ankara, Turkey
Distances are great-circle ("as the crow flies") — the same basis airlines use for frequent-flyer miles.
Alternate airports can cut this fare
Flying from or into a nearby airport is the #1 trick our agents use to beat online prices. Call and we'll compare every combination on one call.
Near IST
- ISL · Atatürk International Airport21 mi away
- SAW · Sabiha Gökçen International Airport39 mi away
- TEQ · Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport44 mi away
- BTZ · Bursa Airport73 mi away
Near ESB
- ANK · Etimesgut Air Base20 mi away
- KFS · Kastamonu Airport92 mi away
- ONQ · Zonguldak Airport106 mi away
- NAV · Nevşehir Kapadokya Airport125 mi away
Frequently asked questions
How far is IST from ESB?
The flight distance from Istanbul (IST) to Ankara (ESB) is 236 miles (380 km, 205 nautical miles), measured along the great-circle route airlines actually fly.
How long is the flight from IST to ESB?
A nonstop flight takes about 1h 5m gate to gate. Actual time varies with winds, routing and season — eastbound transatlantic flights, for example, are usually faster than the return.
Are there nonstop flights from IST to ESB?
Nonstop service on IST–ESB depends on the season and the day of week. Run the fare search on this page with the nonstop filter applied to see current direct options; when there is no nonstop, a single connection through a carrier hub adds roughly 2–4 hours to the 1h 5m nonstop estimate.
What is the cheapest way to fly from IST to ESB?
Compare live fares online, then call CheapoTrav — our agents have unpublished consolidator fares on IST–ESB that never appear on search engines, with no booking fees.
Why are some IST to ESB fares phone-only?
Consolidator contracts let us sell certain IST–ESB tickets below the price airlines permit us to publish online, so those fares can only be quoted over the phone. Call the travel desk and an agent will check phone-only inventory for your dates.