Pegasus Launches Daily Gatwick - Sabiha Gökçen Flights: What Changes for Travel to Istanbul

Pegasus Airlines has opened daily summer connections between London Gatwick Airport and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen. For travelers, this is not just another flight to Turkey, but an additional budget corridor between southeastern England, Istanbul, and the resorts of Turkey, the Middle East, and the Caucasus.

The new route started in mid-June 2026 and is scheduled to operate daily throughout the summer season. According to an official announcement from Pegasus, flight PC1185 departs from Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport at 11:55 local time and arrives at London Gatwick at 14:15. The return flight PC1186 departs from Gatwick at 15:20 and arrives in Istanbul at 21:15. For passengers, this is a convenient daytime option without a night arrival in London and without an overly early departure from the city.

The route is important because it complements existing daily Pegasus flights between Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen and London Stansted. Now passengers from London and southeastern England have two main airports to choose from, and tourists planning a vacation in Turkey or a layover in Istanbul gain more flexibility in dates, prices, and logistics. For those flying specifically from Gatwick, it is useful to check the London Gatwick (LGW) airport page and the current Gatwick online board before the trip, as the summer season traditionally creates additional pressure on security checks, baggage counters, and transport to the terminals.

What Exactly Changed for the London - Istanbul Route

Before the launch of Gatwick, Pegasus passengers in the London region primarily relied on Stansted. This was convenient for northern and eastern London, but not always optimal for travelers from Sussex, Surrey, Kent, southern London, or those using rail routes via London Victoria, London Bridge, or Thameslink. Gatwick in such geography often shortens the ground portion of the journey, and sometimes makes a morning or daytime departure less risky.

The second important point is Sabiha Gökçen. This is not the main new Istanbul airport IST, but a separate large aviation hub on the Asian side of the city. For some tourists, it may even be more convenient if the trip is related to the Kadıköy, Üsküdar, Pendik districts, business zones of the Asian part, or resort routes further east and south of Turkey. Separate pages are available on the site for Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) airport, its online board, as well as transfers and taxis from SAW, which is especially useful for passengers arriving at this airport for the first time.

Pegasus positions the route as budget. In the release, the airline indicated starting fares from 54.99 pounds one way including taxes, but such prices always depend on the date, flight load, chosen package, baggage, seat in the cabin, and booking method. Therefore, the practical conclusion is simple: the new flight can create better competition on the London - Istanbul route, but does not guarantee equally low fares for all dates of the peak summer.

Why Gatwick is Important for the Tourism Market

London Gatwick remains one of the UK's main airports for leisure traffic. Its network is strong on routes to Europe, the Mediterranean, the Middle East, Africa, and long-haul destinations through low-cost and hybrid models. The appearance of Pegasus on a daily line to Sabiha Gökçen strengthens exactly that segment where demand is formed not only by business trips, but also by family vacations, visiting relatives, short city breaks, trips to resorts, and complex routes with transfers.

For Gatwick, this is also a signal that airlines continue to seek slots and passengers on routes that combine a large urban agglomeration, tourism, and transit potential. Turkey in this sense has several strong points: Istanbul is a destination in its own right, Turkish resorts remain among the most popular for British tourists, and Sabiha Gökçen operates as a Pegasus transfer hub for domestic and international destinations.

According to Pegasus, through its main hub at Sabiha Gökçen, passengers can continue their journey to 160 destinations in 56 countries, including 39 destinations in Turkey. For a tourist, this means that the Gatwick - SAW flight can be considered not only as a flight to Istanbul, but also as an option for access to Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Izmir, Ankara, Cappadocia, the Black Sea coast, the Caucasus, or the Middle East. At the same time, a transfer on separate tickets requires a time buffer and careful checking of baggage rules.

What This Means for Travelers from Ukraine and Europe

For Ukrainian travelers, this news has indirect but practical significance. Due to the closed Ukrainian airspace, many international routes are still built through European airports, including Warsaw, Krakow, Chisinau, Budapest, Prague, Vienna, London, or other cities that are easily accessible by ground transport or a separate flight segment. If the journey includes a British part or a departure from London, Gatwick can become another path to Istanbul and further through the Pegasus network.

However, it is important here not to confuse route convenience with document simplicity. The UK is not part of the Schengen Area, and the rules for entry into Britain, transit through British airports, and entry into Turkey depend on citizenship, passport type, visa history, and purpose of the trip. Before booking, British transit conditions, Turkey's rules for a specific passport, and the airline's document requirements should be checked separately. The fact of a direct flight does not replace a visa check.

For trips to Istanbul, it is also worth considering the difference between SAW and IST airports. If the hotel or meeting is planned near the European part of the city, Sultanahmet, Taksim, Levent, or the new Istanbul Airport, the journey from Sabiha Gökçen may be longer, especially during peak hours. If the route is related to the Asian part or a subsequent domestic Pegasus flight, SAW may be a more logical choice. For comparison, you can also view the Istanbul Airport (IST) page and its transfers to the city.

How to Plan a Transfer via Sabiha Gökçen

The biggest mistake on such routes is to buy the cheapest combination without a time buffer. If the ticket is issued as a single booking, the airline or sales system usually allocates a minimum transfer time and bears more responsibility for the connection. If the passenger independently combines a flight to Gatwick, a Pegasus flight to SAW, and a subsequent flight further, the risks increase: a delay of the first segment, a queue at passport control, the need to re-check baggage, or a terminal change can break the entire route.

For the summer season, it is better to allow a wider buffer, especially if the journey includes baggage, children, overnight ground travel, or different airlines. Pegasus, on its page for the London - Istanbul route, advises arriving at the airport at least three hours before an international flight. This is not a formality: on peak days, queues for security checks, baggage registration, and passport procedures can be longer than in the off-season.

Special attention should be paid to baggage packages. The low-cost model makes the basic fare attractive, but the final price depends on carry-on luggage, checked baggage, seat selection, meals, ticket flexibility, and payment method. For a family or a passenger with large baggage, the difference between the basic fare and the full estimate can be noticeable. Therefore, it is worth comparing not only the price in the search engine, but also the final amount after adding all necessary services.

Who Will Benefit Most from the New Flight

The most obvious audience is tourists from southern London and southeastern England, for whom Gatwick is more convenient than Stansted. The second segment is passengers looking for a budget flight to Istanbul without a transfer. The third is travelers who use Istanbul as a gateway to Turkish resorts or cities where Pegasus has a strong domestic network. The fourth is those flying to destinations outside Turkey but willing to build a route via SAW instead of large traditional hubs.

There is also a less obvious advantage: competition between London airports can help passengers choose not only the airline but also more convenient ground logistics. For example, families with children or passengers with suitcases may prefer the airport that is easier to reach without several metro transfers. If the departure is early or the return is late, it is worth comparing trains, buses, taxis, hotels near the airport, and overnight options in advance. For this, the hotels near Gatwick page may be useful.

What to Check Before Booking

The exact date and time of flight PC1186 from Gatwick and PC1185 from Sabiha Gökçen, as seasonal schedules may be adjusted.
The arrival airport in Istanbul: SAW and IST are located in different parts of the city and have different transfer logistics.
Carry-on and checked baggage rules in the selected Pegasus fare package.
Visa and transit requirements for the UK and Turkey according to your citizenship.
Transfer time if the journey consists of several separate tickets.
Ground transport after arrival, especially if arrival at SAW is scheduled for the evening.

Conclusion

The launch of a daily Pegasus flight between London Gatwick and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen is a noticeable expansion of choice on one of the most active tourist routes between the UK and Turkey. It does not change entry rules and does not eliminate the need to carefully read the conditions of low-cost fares, but it adds a real alternative for those for whom Gatwick is more convenient than Stansted, and Sabiha Gökçen is suitable for Istanbul, transfers, or further trips through Turkey.

For travelers, the main thing is to perceive the new route as a useful tool, rather than as an automatically best solution for every trip. If you correctly compare the full price, baggage, travel time to the airport, document rules, and transfer in Istanbul, the Gatwick - Sabiha Gökçen flight can become a convenient and economical way to reach Turkey in the summer of 2026.