Pegasus Airlines has released tickets on the new Zagreb – Istanbul (SAW) route. We can say that this route is intercontinental, because Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, about 30 kilometers from the city center.
This is great news for all travelers who want to go to Istanbul, because Pegasus knows how to offer very favorable ticket prices. How long have you been waiting for the price reductions of Turkish Airlines in order to reach Istanbul cheaply, and now the competition is coming and surely Turkish Airlines will offer more favorable prices a little more often, even though passengers to Istanbul are not their only priority, but passengers who continue their journey to other destinations.
But Pegasus Airlines is not a classic low-cost carrier like Ryanair and Wizzair that we are used to. Pegasus also offers the possibility of a guaranteed transfer, i.e. a trip with Lufthansa and a transfer in Frankfurt or with KLM and a transfer to Amsterdam.
Pegasus flies to many destinations in Turkey, but also in the Middle East and Europe, closer to that part of Asia. They fly to the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Kazakhstan, etc.
Timetable
Pegasus will offer two flights a week, on Thursdays and Sundays, and the first flight will depart on Thursday, January 18, 2024.
- PC376 ZAG-SAW —4— 16:15-20:20 18/01 –
- PC376 ZAG-SAW ——-7 12:45-16:50 21/01 –
- PC375 SAW-ZAG —4— 15:05-15:20 18/01 –
- PC375 SAW-ZAG ——7 11:35-11:50 21/01 –
On Thursday, the flight arrives from Zagreb to Istanbul at 20:20, which is exactly at the time when flights from Istanbul depart to eastern destinations such as Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait. But even on Thursday, some connections can be made to cities like Antalya, Izmir, Tbilisi or Tehran.
On Sundays, the flight arrives in Istanbul at 16:50, which is the ideal time for a connecting flight to: Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Doha, Kuwait, Muscat, Astana, Riyadh, etc.
So if you’re looking at traveling to that part of the world, look for Sunday flights, as you’ll have a lot more connecting options.
On the way back, most flights from Asia and other eastern destinations arrive in the morning, so Sunday is ideal for returning to Zagreb, as you will have the least amount of time to wait between flights. The waiting time will be from 2 hours upwards. On Thursdays, the flight to Zagreb leaves Istanbul much later at 15:05, so if you are transferring from more distant destinations, you will have to wait up to ten hours, but definitely at least 5-6 hours.
If you are only going to Istanbul
The M4 metro line was extended in 2022 to the Sabiha Gokcen airport, and it is no longer dependent on buses and taxis, which were very often stuck in traffic. The metro does not go directly to the tourist part of the city, but ends on the edge of the Asian side of Istanbul, so you need to change to a train to the center.
This train is very interesting because it passes under the sea and connects the Asian and European sides of Istanbul. Transfer at the penultimate stop of the M4 line at Ayrılık Çeşmesi station.
You also have the possibility to go by boat from the last station to the European side, it is an opportunity to explore Istanbul for the first time, because certainly one of the most important tourist attractions is the Bosphorus cruise.
Hand luggage
Pegasus allows only one piece of hand luggage. So it can be hand luggage with the largest dimensions of 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm, or one piece of smaller hand luggage measuring up to 40 cm x 30 cm x 15 cm.
The weight of hand luggage must not exceed 8 kilograms.
If you come with several pieces of hand luggage, you will have to hand over the excess during boarding, so that it can be stored in the luggage compartment of the aircraft, and of course, you will have to pay an additional 50 euros for this.
Little about Pegasus Airlines
Pegasus Airlines is a Turkish low-cost carrier. Immediately everyone will have a question, are they a safe carrier, the short answer to that is yes. Pegasus Airlines is a safe carrier and you can book tickets to travel with them without worry.
According to planespotters.net, Pegasus Airlines has 102 active aircraft in its fleet.
- 7x Airbus A320 (180 seats)
- 44x Airbus A320neo (186 seats)
- 39x Airbus A321neo (239 seats)
- 12x Boeing 737-800 (189 seats)
In the future, Pegasus’ fleet will consist only of Airbus A320neo and A321neo aircraft, and the A320ceo and Boeing 737-800 aircraft are now in the process of being retired.
