Esenboğa International Airport
Ankara, TürkiyeESB / LTAC
Major airport · 6 direct destinations · 2 runways · longest runway 12,303 ft
50 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Ankara → Istanbul
ESB
AnkaraEsenboğa International Airport
AnkaraEsenboğa International AirportISTIstanbulİstanbul Airport
Istanbulİstanbul Airport- Distance
- 237 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~1h
Same local time in Ankara and Istanbul.
Observed nonstop
How often does this route fly?
Frequency
Daily at most
On average around 1 flights a day, observed from October 2025 to September 2026.
- 1
- flights per day
- 2
- busiest month · Mar
- 1
- quietest month · Jan
- 44 min
- measured flight time
- 5 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 1Jan2026
- 1Feb
- 2Mar
- 1Apr
- 1May
- –Jun
- –Jul
- –Aug
- –Sep
- –Oct2025
- –Nov
- –Dec
In November 2025, February 2026, March 2026, August 2026, September 2026 we saw less traffic at Ankara in general than usual; compare that month with care.
Airlines
Who flies it
Turkish Airlinesspring
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Ankara. Most departures between 11:00 and 14:00.
- 00:00
- 01:00
- 02:00
- 03:00
- 04:00
- 05:00
- 06:00
- 07:00
- 08:00
- 09:00
- 10:00
- 11:00
- 12:00
- 13:00
- 14:00
- 15:00
- 16:00
- 17:00
- 18:00
- 19:00
- 20:00
- 21:00
- 22:00
- 23:00
Through the week
By weekday
- 0.2Mon
- 0.1Tue
- 0.1Wed
- 0.1Thu
- 0Fri
- 0Sat
- 0Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Boeing 737-800B73836%
- Airbus A321A32120%
- Boeing 737 MAX 8B38M16%
- Boeing 777-300ERB77W12%
- Boeing 737-900B7398%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 1 | 3 |
|
| February 2026 | 1 | 4 |
|
| March 2026 | 2 | 2 |
|
| April 2026 | 1 | 10 |
|
| May 2026 | 1 | 6 |
|
| June 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| July 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| August 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| September 2026 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| October 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| November 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
| December 2025 | Not seen in this month. | ||
Airlines observed on this route
From observed callsign routes on ESB-IST - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- Intercontinental: this route connects two continents.
- Direct destinations observed from Ankara: 6.
- Direct destinations observed from Istanbul: 116.
The airports on this route
İstanbul Airport
Istanbul, TürkiyeIST / LTFM
International hub · 116 direct destinations · 6 runways · longest runway 13,451 ft
54 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
About the route from Ankara to Istanbul
The observed direct connection between Esenboğa International Airport (ESB) and İstanbul Airport (IST) covers approximately 237 mi. The estimated flight time is around 1h. Turkish Airlines has been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Ankara from Istanbul by air?
- The great-circle distance between Esenboğa International Airport and İstanbul Airport is approximately 237 mi.
- How long is the flight from Ankara to Istanbul?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 1h. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Ankara to Istanbul?
- Yes, a direct connection between ESB and IST has been observed in our route data.
- Which airlines have been observed on this route?
- In the available route data: Turkish Airlines.
- How often is there a flight from Ankara to Istanbul?
- On average around 1 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 25 observed flights. Mainly Turkish Airlines. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Ankara and Istanbul?
- Same local time in Ankara and Istanbul.
Where this data comes from
The route data comes from the flight archive (ADS-B, adsb.lol): which connections actually flew over the last twelve full months and who flew them, combined with our own airport, runway, and airline datasets. It is reference data about observed routes - not a current timetable and no claim about bookability.
The frequency and aircraft on this page come from the flight archive (ADS-B, 12 months, October 2025 to September 2026), summarized per route per month. We do not see every flight, so it is a floor, not a count.
Route data updated on October 11, 2026.