İstanbul Airport
Istanbul, TürkiyeIST / LTFM
International hub · 116 direct destinations · 6 runways · longest runway 13,451 ft
54 °F · RainSource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Route
Istanbul → Sofia
IST
Istanbulİstanbul Airport
Istanbulİstanbul AirportSOF
SofiaSofia Airport
SofiaSofia Airport- Distance
- 290 mi
- Estimated flight time
- ~1h 5m
Same local time in Istanbul and Sofia.
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
- 1
- busiest month · Jan
- 48 min
- measured flight time
- 8 / 12
- months seen
Through the year
Per day, month by month
- 1Jan2026
- –Feb
- 1Mar
- 1Apr
- 1May
- 1Jun
- 1Jul
- 1Aug
- 1Sep
- –Oct2025
- –Nov
- –Dec
In October 2025, November 2025, December 2025 we saw less traffic at Istanbul in general than usual; compare that month with care.
In February 2026 we do not see this direction because of limited reception; the opposite direction is seen.
Airlines
Who flies it
Turkish Airlinesspring
Through the day
Departure times
Local time in Istanbul. Most departures between 07:00 and 10:00.
- 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
- 0.2Tue
- 0.2Wed
- 0.2Thu
- 0.1Fri
- 0.3Sat
- 0.1Sun
Fleet
Aircraft observed
- Airbus A321A32151%
- Airbus A321neoA21N25%
- Boeing 737-900B73911%
- Boeing 737-800B73810%
- Airbus A320A3203%
All the numbers in a table
| Month | Per day | Seen | Airlines |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 2026 | 1 | 6 |
|
| February 2026 | We do not see this direction because of limited reception; the opposite direction is seen. | ||
| March 2026 | 1 | 4 |
|
| April 2026 | 1 | 5 |
|
| May 2026 | 1 | 6 |
|
| June 2026 | 1 | 11 |
|
| July 2026 | 1 | 16 |
|
| August 2026 | 1 | 9 |
|
| September 2026 | 1 | 6 |
|
| 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 IST-SOF - not a booking guarantee.
About this route
- International route: Istanbul and Sofia are in different countries.
- The opposite direction has also been observed as a direct connection.
- Direct destinations observed from Istanbul: 116.
- Direct destinations observed from Sofia: 106.
The airports on this route
Sofia Airport
Sofia, BulgariaSOF / LBSF
Major airport · 106 direct destinations · 1 runway · longest runway 11,811 ft
46 °F · CloudySource: METAR observation via the NOAA Aviation Weather Center
Alternative airports for this journey
Same journey, a different airport nearby - with an observed direct connection.
About the route from Istanbul to Sofia
The observed direct connection between İstanbul Airport (IST) and Sofia Airport (SOF) covers approximately 290 mi. The estimated flight time is around 1h 5m. Turkish Airlines has been observed on this connection in the available route data.
Frequently asked questions about this route
- How far is Istanbul from Sofia by air?
- The great-circle distance between İstanbul Airport and Sofia Airport is approximately 290 mi.
- How long is the flight from Istanbul to Sofia?
- Based on the distance, the estimated flight time is about 1h 5m. This is an estimate, not a schedule.
- Is there a direct connection from Istanbul to Sofia?
- Yes, a direct connection between IST and SOF 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 Istanbul to Sofia?
- On average around 1 flights a day, measured over twelve months (October 2025 to September 2026) in the flight archive, with 63 observed flights. Mainly Turkish Airlines. That is an observation, not a timetable.
- What is the current time difference between Istanbul and Sofia?
- Same local time in Istanbul and Sofia.
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.