Turkey Trips for US Travellers: Flights, Visa Rules and Prices

For Americans, the simplest way to do Turkey is a nonstop flight into Istanbul and a package that looks after the rest once you land. Our multi-city packages last 6 to 15 days and begin at $450 per person. They bundle internal flights, guided sightseeing and airport transfers, and you add hotels for each city. Season, hotel choice and package contents all change the cost, so contact us for the current figure. Paperwork is light: US citizens visiting as tourists can stay up to 90 days with no visa.

Flying in: nonstop routes and the time difference

Based on its 2026 timetable, Turkish Airlines runs nonstop service into Istanbul Airport (IST) from New York (JFK), Boston, Washington Dulles, Atlanta, Miami, Detroit, Chicago, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Denver, Seattle, San Francisco and Los Angeles. The New York flight lasts about 10 hours. Eastbound departures are mostly in the evening, arriving in Istanbul from late morning into the afternoon.

Türkiye uses UTC+3 throughout the year. In summer Istanbul is 7 hours ahead of New York, in winter 8 hours, and it runs 10 to 11 hours ahead of the Pacific coast. That is why we leave your arrival day open. A driver collects you in the arrivals hall, and guided touring begins the following morning.

Packages that suit visitors from the US

Selected US departure airports appear on three of the packages below; the rest begin at Istanbul Airport. On every page, hotels are an add-on:

What each package includes is not the same, so check every page. Round-trip international flights from selected US airports appear only on the New Year package, and your written quote fixes the fare for your airport and travel dates. For the rest, you buy the flight across the Atlantic yourself, which is often cheaper when you can use airline miles. Every package covers internal flights within Turkey, guided sightseeing and airport transfers.

Entering Türkiye on a US passport

If you hold a regular US passport, you can visit Türkiye visa-free for tourism or a short business trip, staying up to 90 days within any 180 days. Americans no longer have to buy the online e-Visa they needed before. A visa is still required for official US passports, and for anyone coming to work or study. If your passport is anything other than a standard tourist one, look up your situation on the US Embassy in Türkiye website.

What makes up the price

Each package has two parts, so the cost is easy to follow:

1. The core package: domestic flights, guides, transfers, lunch on touring days, and site tickets where the page lists them.
2. Hotels you select: each package page lets you choose economy, middle-class or luxury hotels city by city, and we price them for your dates. If you want to use hotel points, leave hotels out.

Extra costs: the flight from the US (unless it is listed as included), dinner on most evenings, the optional balloon ride in Cappadocia, and tips for drivers and guides. All prices are in US dollars, and sending a booking request involves no online payment.

8, 10 or 15 days?

Eight days takes in Istanbul, Cappadocia, Ephesus and Pamukkale at a quick pace. Istanbul needs at least two nights for the Old City and the Bosphorus, and you take two flights within Turkey. Pick this if you are short on vacation time.

Ten days leaves most first-time American visitors the most satisfied. Our 10-day Highlights of Turkey package gives three nights to Istanbul, three to Cappadocia and three around Kuşadası for Ephesus and Pamukkale.

Fifteen days finishes by the sea. The 15-day Highlights of Turkey trip ends with five nights on the Antalya coast and a flight home from Antalya, which is ideal in summer. The Turkey and Greece version goes on to Athens and Santorini instead.

The right season for an American trip

April–May and September–October line up with most US vacation schedules and bring the best weather in every region. Summer is high season, with expensive flights, temperatures above 30°C at Ephesus and morning lines at Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia. Around Thanksgiving, Istanbul is cooler and less busy. In winter, including on the New Year package, you accept cold nights in Cappadocia in return for small crowds and the festive mood in the city.

Cash, tips and other practical notes

• Currency: Turkey uses the lira, yet our packages are priced in US dollars. Card payment is common in the cities; carry a little cash for tips and small stores.
• Tipping: tips are not part of the package. Drivers and guides are glad of one when the tour ends, and you decide how much.
• Mosques: everyone covers shoulders and knees, and women wear a headscarf inside the Blue Mosque and Hagia Sophia.
• Walking: expect several hours a day on foot over uneven stone in Ephesus and the Istanbul Old City. Comfortable shoes are the most useful thing in your bag.

Browse our multi-city packages for Turkey or the Istanbul packages, or let us design a custom Turkey tour around your flight times. Coming from the UK? Our page on Turkey packages for UK travellers explains flights from Manchester and London and the rules for British passports. Starting in Canada? The page on Turkey packages for Canadians lists nonstop flights from Vancouver, Montreal and Toronto. Travellers with Mexican passports need an e-Visa, as described on Turkey packages for Mexican travellers. Flying from São Paulo? Read Turkey packages for Brazilians for the nonstop route and the opposite seasons.

Frequently Asked Questions