Istanbul to Sofia flights
Sofia lies 502 km (312 mi) north-west 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 24 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 | Sofia | |
|---|---|---|
| Country | Turkey | Bulgaria |
| Population | 15.7 million | 1.2 million |
| Elevation | 39 m (128 ft) | 562 m (1,844 ft) |
| Time now | UTC+3 (Europe/Istanbul) | UTC+3 (Europe/Sofia) |
| Nearest large airport | SAW, 33 km out | SOF, 8 km out |
What changes when you arrive in Sofia
Crossing from Turkey into Bulgaria: money changes from the Lira to the Lev (BGN); the dialling code becomes +359; the emergency number is http://www.wikidata.org/entity/Q1061257.
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 Sofia
Sofia is served by one airport with scheduled flights. The closest large one is Sofia Airport (SOF), 8 km (5 mi) from the centre, whose 11,811-ft runway is long enough for long-haul wide-body aircraft.
| Airport | Code | From centre | Longest runway | Elevation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sofia Airport | SOF | 8 km (5 mi) | 11,811 ft | 1,742 ft |
Book a flight to Sofia
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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 Sofia
Our booking partner lists 1,815+ places to stay in Sofia (statistics below are from the first 1,000). Of the 785 with a star rating, the largest group is 4-star (602), and 16 are five-star. Across 509 properties with at least 50 reviews, the average guest score is 8.9 out of 10. Guests have left 415,858 reviews in total.
Book a hotel in Sofia
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 Sofia from Istanbul?
502 km (312 mi) in a straight line, north-west of Istanbul.
How long does it take to get from Istanbul to Sofia by air?
About 1 h 24 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 Sofia?
No, both are on the same offset at the moment.
Which airports are used for Istanbul to Sofia flights?
Typically Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) to Sofia Airport (SOF).
What currency do I need in Sofia?
The Lev (BGN).
Where can I stay in Sofia?
Our booking partner lists 1,815+ places to stay in Sofia, 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 14 September 2026. Hotel and hostel 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.