Getting here
Flights & airports
European Side
Istanbul Airport (IST)
If you plan to fly direct, you will fly into the Istanbul Airport on the European side. It is about one hour to one and a half hours from the hotel area. However, it is a beautiful drive, so do not be alarmed.
Asian Side
Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
If you do plan to have a layover, see if you can fly to Sabiha Gökçen, which is already on the Asian side. This will be a shorter drive to the hotel, as you are already on the Asian side.
Popular routes
Where everyone comes from
From Europe
Direct flights from London, Paris, Berlin, Amsterdam, Rome, Madrid and more — usually 3 to 4 hours. Turkish Airlines and national carriers fly the routes daily.
From North America
Turkish Airlines flies direct from New York (JFK), Chicago, Washington, Boston, Toronto and more — around 9 to 10 hours overnight, arriving in the afternoon.
From the Gulf & Asia
Frequent direct connections from Dubai, Doha, Abu Dhabi, Baku, Riyadh and regional hubs — 4 to 5 hours for most routes.
When to book
Timing is everything
- · Aim to arrive by Tuesday the 25th or Wednesday the 26th of May, so you can join the welcome dinner.
- · Fares to Istanbul typically dip 6–8 weeks before travel; book by mid-July if you can.
- · Departures on Sunday the 13th or Monday the 14th avoid a rushed last night — the reception runs late, happily.
Transfers
From the airport
A private car can meet you at arrivals and bring you straight to either hotel — Wyndham Grand Kalamış or Elite World Grand Küçükyalı. Just include your flight number in your RSVP. Otherwise, official airport taxis (the yellow stand, fixed prices by zone) and the metro both work well.
Transportation→