Award flights from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)
Award space from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)
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AwardTool saw award space on 2 airport pairs between Chicago (ORD, MDW) and Istanbul Airport (IST) in the last 30 days. Lowest economy: 11,900 miles on ORD–IST (GOL Smiles). Lowest business class: 57,500 miles + $47.20 on ORD–IST (American Airlines AAdvantage). Lowest first class: 110,000 points + $67.20 on ORD–IST (Alaska Atmos Rewards).
Prices observed – .
Page regenerated from the Nov 12, 2026 data snapshot (normally daily). Summary last changed . Seats change quickly.
- Lowest economy
- 11,900 pts + taxes not reported
- ORD–IST · Smiles
- Lowest premium economy
- 30,000 pts + $253.60
- ORD–IST · Flying Blue
- Lowest business class
- 57,500 pts + $47.20
- ORD–IST · AAdvantage
- Lowest first class
- 110,000 pts + $67.20
- ORD–IST · Atmos
Business class was lowest on ORD–IST: 57,500 miles + $47.20 with American Airlines AAdvantage. The lowest on another airport pair was 90,000 miles + $369.90 with Air France/KLM Flying Blue on MDW–IST. With American Airlines AAdvantage, business class started at 57,500 miles + $47.20, about 2.6 times the points of its lowest economy award (22,500 miles + $47.20).
Compare programs by cabin
The lowest one-way award each program showed in each cabin, sorted by points.
Economy
Lowest economy from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points: 11,900 miles + taxes not reported with GOL Smiles on ORD–IST (seen on 186 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| GOL SmilesLowest observed | 11,900 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 186 |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 18,750 pts + $163.20 | ORD–IST | 277 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 20,000 pts + $161.60 | ORD–IST | 64 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 22,500 pts + $47.20 | ORD–IST | 164 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 34,000 pts + $35.30 | ORD–IST | 308 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 35,000 pts + $395.60 | ORD–IST | 319 |
| Emirates Skywards | 35,000 pts + $294.00 | ORD–IST | 305 |
| Turkish Miles & Smiles | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 327 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 40,000 pts + $29.00 | ORD–IST | 148 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 42,500 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 153 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 42,500 pts + $75.91 | ORD–IST | 151 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 43,500 pts + $378.60 | ORD–IST | 217 |
| United MileagePlus | 44,000 pts + $5.60 | ORD–IST | 191 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 51,300 pts + $42.80 | ORD–IST | 28 |
| Etihad Guest | 90,000 pts + $335.60 | ORD–IST | 314 |
Premium Economy
Lowest premium economy from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points: 30,000 miles + $253.60 with Air France/KLM Flying Blue on ORD–IST (seen on 274 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| Air France/KLM Flying BlueLowest observed | 30,000 pts + $253.60 | ORD–IST | 274 |
| Virgin Atlantic Flying Club | 33,000 pts + $162.90 | ORD–IST | 22 |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | 40,000 pts + $47.20 | ORD–IST | 103 |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 42,500 pts + $111.90 | ORD–IST | 129 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 45,000 pts + $590.80 | ORD–IST | 90 |
| United MileagePlus | 55,000 pts + $9.00 | ORD–IST | 154 |
| Emirates Skywards | 86,000 pts + $294.00 | ORD–IST | 61 |
| GOL Smiles | 86,800 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 10 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 93,800 pts + $1,756.10 | ORD–IST | 142 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 99,700 pts + $35.30 | ORD–IST | 96 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 109,108 pts + $128.71 | ORD–IST | 9 |
Business Class
Lowest business class from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points: 57,500 miles + $47.20 with American Airlines AAdvantage on ORD–IST (seen on 120 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest observed | 57,500 pts + $47.20 | ORD–IST | 120 |
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 60,000 pts + $365.40 | ORD–IST | 272 |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 62,500 pts + $377.70 | ORD–IST | 151 |
| Turkish Miles & Smiles | 65,000 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 327 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 70,000 pts + $1,045.60 | ORD–IST | 186 |
| Air Canada Aeroplan | 75,000 pts + $83.91Mixed cabin | ORD–IST | 41 |
| Avianca LifeMiles | 80,000 pts + $53.50 | ORD–IST | 2 |
| Qatar Airways Privilege Club | 85,000 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 56 |
| United MileagePlus | 88,000 pts + $13.60 | ORD–IST | 167 |
| Emirates Skywards | 96,000 pts + $1,254.00 | ORD–IST | 266 |
| JetBlue TrueBlue | 102,500 pts + $42.80 | ORD–IST | 2 |
| Qantas Frequent Flyer | 108,000 pts + $1,595.80 | ORD–IST | 149 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 415,500 pts + $35.30 | ORD–IST | 71 |
| Etihad Guest | 523,250 pts + $768.50 | ORD–IST | 300 |
| GOL Smiles | 858,400 pts + taxes not reported | ORD–IST | 1 |
First Class
Lowest first class from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points: 110,000 points + $67.20 with Alaska Atmos Rewards on ORD–IST (seen on 55 dates).
| Program | Points + taxes | Airports | Dates seen |
|---|---|---|---|
| American Airlines AAdvantageLowest, mixed cabin | 85,000 pts + $47.60Mixed cabin | ORD–IST | 1 |
| Alaska Atmos Rewards | 110,000 pts + $67.20 | ORD–IST | 55 |
| Lufthansa Miles & More | 171,575 pts + $1,573.40 | ORD–IST | 137 |
| Delta SkyMiles | 415,500 pts + $35.20 | ORD–IST | 236 |
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats.
Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) at a glance
- From
- Chicago (ORD, MDW)
- To
- Istanbul Airport (IST)
- Programs with award space seen
- 16 of 20 programs tracked on this route
- Nonstop award space seen
- Yes, in economy and business class, via Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, GOL Smiles, Turkish Miles & Smiles and United MileagePlus
- Airlines seen on these awards
- Aegean Airlines (A3), American Airlines (AA), Air Canada (AC), Air France (AF), Finnair (AY), British Airways (BA), Delta Air Lines (DL), Aer Lingus (EI), Emirates (EK), Ethiopian Airlines (ET), Etihad Airways (EY), flydubai (FZ) and 18 more
- Departures with open awards
- Nov 2026 to Oct 2027
- Latest departure with space
- Observation window
- Awards observed in the last 30 days
- Distance
- 5,459–5,464 miles (8,786–8,793 km) between the airports, great-circle
- Destination guide
- Award flights to Istanbul Airport (IST)
Compare airports
Lowest one-way award AwardTool observed on each airport pair between Chicago and Istanbul Airport (IST), with the program and the number of departure dates seen.
| Airports | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Istanbul Airport (IST) | 11,900 pts + taxes not reportedSmiles · 186 dates | 30,000 pts + $253.60Flying Blue · 274 dates | 57,500 pts + $47.20AAdvantage · 120 dates | 85,000 pts + $47.60AAdvantage · 1 date · Mixed cabin |
| Chicago Midway (MDW) to Istanbul Airport (IST) | 35,000 pts + $169.00Flying Blue · 16 dates | 65,000 pts + $258.00Flying Blue · 12 dates | 90,000 pts + $369.90Flying Blue · 15 dates | — |
Not seen means AwardTool hasn't observed this cabin on this route in the last 30 days. It doesn't mean the airline has no seats.
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
Lowest observed by cabin, Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)
- Economy: 11,900 miles on Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Istanbul Airport (IST) with GOL Smiles, which showed economy award space there on 186 dates.
- Premium Economy: 30,000 miles + $253.60 on Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Istanbul Airport (IST) with Air France/KLM Flying Blue, which showed premium economy award space there on 274 dates.
- Business Class: 57,500 miles + $47.20 on Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Istanbul Airport (IST) with American Airlines AAdvantage, which showed business-class award space there on 120 dates.
- First Class: 110,000 points + $67.20 on Chicago O’Hare (ORD) to Istanbul Airport (IST) with Alaska Atmos Rewards, which showed first-class award space there on 55 dates.
Observed award examples
| Departure | Cabin | Airports | Program | Points + taxes | Seats | Stops | Observed (UTC) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Economy | ORD–IST | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 18,750 pts + $163.40 | 9+ | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Economy | ORD–IST | Avianca LifeMiles | 40,000 pts + $29.00 | 9+ | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| Premium Economy | ORD–IST | Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 30,000 pts + $253.70 | 9+ | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Business | ORD–IST | American Airlines AAdvantage | 57,500 pts + $47.20 | 3 | 1 stop | Check this date | ||
| Business | ORD–IST | Turkish Miles & Smiles | 135,000 pts + taxes not reported | 1 | Nonstop | Check this date | ||
| First | ORD–IST | American Airlines AAdvantage | 85,000 pts + $47.60Mixed cabin | 1 | 2 stops | Check this date | ||
| First | ORD–IST | Alaska Atmos Rewards | 110,000 pts + $1,615.60 | 5 | 2 stops | Check this date | ||
| First | ORD–IST | Lufthansa Miles & More | 171,575 pts + $1,573.50 | 9+ | 1 stop | Check this date |
Prices are one-way per traveler: the program's points or miles plus taxes and carrier fees in USD, as AwardTool observed them in the observation window. Award space changes constantly. A seat we saw may be gone, and space we haven't seen may exist. Always confirm with a live search before transferring points; most transfers can't be reversed.
Nonstop award space
- Economy: nonstop from 40,000 miles + taxes vary via Turkish Miles & Smiles on ORD–IST, which showed nonstop space there on 327 dates (5 programs had nonstop space).
- Business class: nonstop from 65,000 miles + taxes vary via Turkish Miles & Smiles on ORD–IST, which showed nonstop space there on 327 dates.
Best months to fly from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points
Each month shows the lowest award seen across the 2 airport pairs, with that program's open dates on the airport pair behind it.
| Month | Economy | Premium Economy | Business | First |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 18,750 pts + $163.50 (19 dates)Flying Blue | 33,000 pts + $162.90 (4 dates)Virgin Atlantic | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (6 dates)AAdvantage | 85,000 pts + $47.60 (1 date)AAdvantage · Mixed cabin | |
| 18,750 pts + $163.40 (31 dates)Flying Blue | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (31 dates)Flying Blue | 57,500 pts + $47.20 (5 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + $67.20 (3 dates)Atmos | |
| 18,750 pts + taxes not reported (23 dates)Flying Blue | 30,000 pts + $253.70 (22 dates)Flying Blue | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (23 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (19 dates)Atmos | |
| 11,900 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)Smiles | 30,000 pts + taxes not reported (12 dates)Flying Blue | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (18 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (16 dates)Atmos | |
| 12,000 pts + taxes not reported (24 dates)Smiles | 30,000 pts + taxes not reported (23 dates)Flying Blue | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (16 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (4 dates)Atmos | |
| 12,100 pts + taxes not reported (9 dates)Smiles | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (27 dates)Flying Blue | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (18 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)Atmos | |
| 12,000 pts + taxes not reported (20 dates)Smiles | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (7 dates)AAdvantage | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (6 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)Atmos | |
| 21,875 pts + taxes not reported (25 dates)Flying Blue | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (7 dates)AAdvantage | 171,575 pts + taxes not reported (10 dates)Miles & More | |
| 13,000 pts + taxes not reported (31 dates)Smiles | 70,000 pts + taxes not reported (5 dates)Miles & More | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | 177,682 pts + taxes not reported (5 dates)Miles & More | |
| 13,000 pts + taxes not reported (10 dates)Smiles | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (10 dates)AAdvantage | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (10 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (4 dates)Atmos | |
| 13,100 pts + taxes not reported (18 dates)Smiles | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (4 dates)AAdvantage | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (7 dates)AAdvantage | 110,000 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)Atmos | |
| 25,000 pts + taxes not reported (26 dates)Flying Blue | 40,000 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | 57,500 pts + taxes not reported (2 dates)AAdvantage | 177,682 pts + taxes not reported (1 date)Miles & More |
A month's taxes are those of an award AwardTool recorded at that month's lowest price for a departure that month. “Taxes not reported” means the data has none for that month; the award still has taxes and fees.
Points that transfer to these programs
| Program | Amex | Bilt | Capital One | Chase | Citi | Wells Fargo |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Air France/KLM Flying Blue | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant | 1:1 · Instant |
| American Airlines AAdvantage | — | — | — | — | 1:1 · Instant | — |
Check current transfer bonuses. Most transfers can't be reversed. AwardTool's list has no transfers from these US card programs to GOL Smiles.
Questions about Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) award flights
Which airports had the lowest award prices from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)?
In business class, ORD–IST with 57,500 miles + $47.20 (American Airlines AAdvantage). In economy, ORD–IST with 11,900 miles (GOL Smiles). Prices are the lowest AwardTool observed in the last 30 days; search live before transferring points.
Which airport pairs between Chicago and Istanbul Airport (IST) had award space?
ORD–IST (economy, premium economy, business class and first class) and MDW–IST (economy, premium economy and business class). Airport pairs not listed had no award space AwardTool observed in the last 30 days.
How many points does it take to fly from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)?
The lowest economy award AwardTool has seen was 11,900 miles with GOL Smiles. GOL Smiles showed economy award space on 186 departure dates at any price (newest observation Nov 11, 2026, 20:23 UTC). The lowest business-class award AwardTool has seen was 57,500 miles + $47.20 with American Airlines AAdvantage. Seen Nov 11, 2026, 02:14 UTC for a Dec 7, 2026 departure. American Airlines AAdvantage showed business-class award space on 120 departure dates at any price (newest observation Nov 12, 2026, 05:36 UTC). Search live before transferring points.
Which loyalty programs had award space from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)?
16 programs in the last 30 days: American Airlines AAdvantage (economy 164 dates, premium economy 103 dates, business class 120 dates, first class 1 date); Air Canada Aeroplan (economy 151 dates, premium economy 9 dates, business class 41 dates); Alaska Atmos Rewards (economy 319 dates, premium economy 90 dates, business class 186 dates, first class 55 dates); Avianca LifeMiles (economy 148 dates, business class 2 dates); JetBlue TrueBlue (economy 28 dates, business class 2 dates); Delta SkyMiles (economy 308 dates, premium economy 96 dates, business class 71 dates, first class 236 dates); Emirates Skywards (economy 305 dates, premium economy 61 dates, business class 266 dates); Etihad Guest (economy 314 dates, business class 300 dates) and 8 more. Dates count departure dates with an open award.
Can you fly nonstop from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points?
Yes. AwardTool observed nonstop award space in economy and business class, bookable via Air Canada Aeroplan, Avianca LifeMiles, GOL Smiles, Turkish Miles & Smiles and United MileagePlus. The lowest nonstop award in economy was 40,000 miles with Turkish Miles & Smiles.
How much are taxes and fees on award flights from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)?
Taxes and fees on each program's lowest award ranged in economy from $5.60 with MileagePlus (44,000 miles + $5.60) to $395.60 with Atmos (35,000 points + $395.60); in business class from $13.60 with MileagePlus (88,000 miles + $13.60) to $1,595.80 with Qantas (108,000 points + $1,595.80). GOL Smiles did not report taxes for its lowest economy award. Turkish Miles & Smiles and Qatar Airways Privilege Club did not report taxes for their lowest economy and business-class awards. Amounts are one way per traveler in USD and can differ on other dates and routings.
Which credit card points can book awards from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)?
American Express Membership Rewards: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (5:4), Delta SkyMiles (1:1), Emirates Skywards (5:4), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Bilt Rewards: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), Alaska Atmos Rewards (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Emirates Skywards (1:1), Etihad Guest (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1), Turkish Miles & Smiles (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Capital One Miles: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (5:3), Emirates Skywards (2:1.5), Etihad Guest (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1), Turkish Miles & Smiles (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Chase Ultimate Rewards: Air Canada Aeroplan (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), United MileagePlus (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Citi ThankYou Points: American Airlines AAdvantage (1:1), Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Emirates Skywards (1:0.8), Etihad Guest (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Qantas Frequent Flyer (1:1), Qatar Airways Privilege Club (1:1), Turkish Miles & Smiles (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). Wells Fargo Rewards: Avianca LifeMiles (1:1), JetBlue TrueBlue (1:1), Air France/KLM Flying Blue (1:1), Virgin Atlantic Flying Club (1:1). These are US card programs; ratios come from AwardTool's transfer partner list. Check current bonuses first.
What's the best month to fly from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST) on points?
Counting only month prices from programs with award space on 2 or more dates that month, and leaving out unusually low outliers: in economy, the lowest award was for Mar 2027 departures, 12,000 miles + taxes not reported with Smiles (24 dates); in business class, the lowest award was for Jan 2027 departures, 57,500 miles + taxes not reported with AAdvantage (23 dates). The month table shows every lowest price, including those. Based on dates we observed, not a forecast.
When do award seats open for flights from Chicago to Istanbul Airport (IST)?
Booking windows before departure published by the programs with award space here (AwardTool's program data, reviewed Nov 6, 2026): Qatar Airways Privilege Club about 361 days, Avianca LifeMiles about 360 days, Emirates Skywards about 360 days and 11 other programs. AwardTool saw award space on this route for departures as late as Oct 27, 2027; seats can open earlier or later, and released seats may already be booked. See award release dates by program.