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If you've ever fancied exploring a city where Europe meets Asia, now’s your chance. Alicante-Elche Miguel Hernández Airport is adding a direct route to Istanbul this summer, operated by Turkish low-cost carrier Pegasus Airlines, with tickets starting from just €60 each way.

 

Flights are scheduled to start on Monday June 23, 2026, connecting Alicante with Istanbul's Sabiha Gökçen Airport four times a week, on Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays and Sundays.

 

Unlike a lot of seasonal routes, this one looks set to run all year round, and if you’re planning your summer holidays now, tickets are already on sale via the Pegasus Airlines website.

 

 

The four-flights-a-week schedule works out nicely for a long weekend, with three or four days being more than enough to get a real feel for what Istanbul has to offer. And there's plenty. The historic centre alone could keep you busy for days, with Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and Topkapi Palace all within easy reach of each other.

 

The Basilica Cistern, an ancient underground reservoir that's unlike anything else you'll see, is just around the corner, and the Grand Bazaar is an essential stop if you're up for a bit of sensory overload and some enthusiastic haggling.

 

Once you've ticked off the classics, it's worth jumping across to the Asian side of the city. Neighbourhoods like Üsküdar and Kadıköy have a noticeably different feel, more relaxed and local, with waterfront cafes, bustling markets and brilliant views back across to the European skyline.