Istanbul to Samsun flights
Samsun lies 619 km (385 mi) east of Istanbul, in the same time zone. What the numbers say about getting there, and where to book.
A nonstop flight would take about 1 h 33 min gate to gate, based on the distance and typical cruise speed with taxi and climb allowed for; connecting itineraries add the layover on top.
| Istanbul | Samsun | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Turkey | Turkey |
| Population | 15.7 million | 394,050 |
| Elevation | 39 m (128 ft) | 64 m (210 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+3 (Europe/Istanbul) | UTC+3 (Europe/Istanbul) |
| Nearest large airport | SAW, 33 km out | SZF, 20 km out |
Airports at each end
Leaving Istanbul
Istanbul is served by 4 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), 33 km (21 mi) from the centre, whose 11,614-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft. The alternatives are İstanbul Airport (IST, 34 km), Tekirdağ Çorlu Airport (TEQ, 87 km), Bursa Yenişehir Airport (YEI, 99 km).
Arriving in Samsun
Samsun is served by 2 airports with scheduled flights within 100 km. The closest large one is Samsun-Çarşamba Airport (SZF), 20 km (12 mi) from the centre, with a longest runway of 9,843 ft, which limits it to short and medium-haul aircraft. The alternatives are Amasya Merzifon Airport (MZH, 85 km).
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Samsun-Çarşamba Airport (regional) | SZF | 20 km (12 mi) | 9,843 ft | 18 ft |
| Amasya Merzifon Airport (regional) | MZH | 85 km (53 mi) | 9,600 ft | 1,758 ft |
Book a flight to Samsun
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Flights are sold here by AirOrSeaTravel through our booking partner, Nuitée, which takes the payment; the ticket is issued by the airline. How this works.
Staying in Samsun
Our booking partner lists 61 places to stay in Samsun. Of the 29 with a star rating, the largest group is 3-star (16), and 3 are five-star. Across 18 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8 out of 10. Guests have left 5,807 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Samsun
Live rooms and prices from our booking partner, booked and paid for here. Free cancellation is marked where it applies.
Common questions
How far is Samsun from Istanbul?
619 km (385 mi) in a straight line, east of Istanbul.
How long does it take to get from Istanbul to Samsun by air?
About 1 h 33 min, estimated from distance and typical speeds for a nonstop flight. Timetables and traffic decide the real figure.
Is there a time difference between Istanbul and Samsun?
No, both are on Europe/Istanbul at the moment.
Which airports are used for Istanbul to Samsun flights?
Typically Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) to Samsun-Çarşamba Airport (SZF); Samsun also has MZH.
Where can I stay in Samsun?
Our booking partner lists 61 places to stay in Samsun, bookable on this site.
Where these facts come from
- GeoNames (CC BY 4.0): population, elevation, time zone, postal codes
- Wikidata (CC0): area, sister cities, visitor numbers, heritage listings, stations and ports
- OurAirports (public domain): airports, runways
- Natural Earth (public domain): map outlines
Data compiled 13 September 2026. Hotel figures are from our booking partner’s catalogue on that date. Journey times on this page are estimates from distance, not timetables; check the operator before you rely on one.