Flights Istanbul → Helsinki
IST → HEL
Route overview
The flight route operates from Istanbul, where the airport opened in 2018, to Helsinki, utilizing an Airbus A321 aircraft. The destination city's airport, which has been operational since 1952, serves over 16 million passengers annually.
Your rights on this US flight (DOT)
US flights have no statutory cash compensation for delays. Under the US DOT rules, if your flight is cancelled or significantly changed and you decline rebooking, you're owed an automatic refund of the unused ticket. The tarmac-delay limit is 3 hours (domestic) / 4 hours (international). Amenities for controllable delays depend on each airline's contract of carriage.
US flight refund rules & checker →General information, not legal advice.
The Istanbul (IST) → Helsinki (HEL) route is operated by Scandinavian Airlines System, Turkish Airlines. FlightGuard's average computed risk is 11.4/100 (low), updated in real time from weather, ATC delays, strikes, NOTAMs, fuel and flight history. At Helsinki the average ATFM delay is 0.3 minutes (main cause: atfm). Departing from Istanbul the average ATFM delay is 3.5 minutes.
Heading to Helsinki: what to expect in this direction
Flying from Istanbul (IST) to Helsinki (HEL) heads north for about 2,133 km, a flight time of roughly 3h 5m.
Air-traffic congestion: departing Istanbul the average ATFM delay is 3.5 min (atfm); arriving into Helsinki it is 0.3 min (atfm).
Route facts
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Airline punctuality on this route
| Airline | On-time | Average delay | Cancellations |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scandinavian Airlines System (SK) | 85% | 18 min | 0.0% |
Airlines operating IST-HEL
Frequently asked questions about IST-HEL
Route-specific punctuality data isn't available yet. Check your flight on FlightGuard for a real-time analysis.
The cancellation rate varies by airline and season. Check your flight risk for an up-to-date estimate.
The route is operated by 2 airlines: Scandinavian Airlines System, Turkish Airlines.
Enter your flight number on FlightGuard for a real-time analysis based on 9 factors: weather at Helsinki, ATC delays, strikes, NOTAMs, fuel, airline punctuality and recent trends.
US flights have no statutory cash compensation for delays. Under US DOT rules, if the airline cancels or significantly changes your flight and you decline rebooking, you're owed an automatic refund of the unused ticket. The tarmac-delay limit is 3 hours (domestic) / 4 hours (international). Meals or hotels for controllable delays depend on each airline's contract of carriage.
