I normally recommend www.whichbudget.com to see which low fare airlines fly which routes, but the site seems to be down right now. Check the sticky’s on the “cheap flights” forum for tips and other links and post this there with your dates for more help.

Train is 33 hours and bus would be longer. IMO, flying is the only way to do this unless you want to take a week or more and spend time in Romania, Bulgaria and the Balkans. I found $214US for April 28 on Tarom using expedia — not all that bad for saving a couple of days of time.

Thanks Oldlady flying does seem the better option ill check that out now.

I checked Skyscanner and ITASoftware for you, and see some round-trips in June for $237 total on Malev Airlines (couldn’t remember your travel window). I see this flight at this price bookable on Expedia or Malev.hu. Malev and Turkish Airlines are the only nonstop options, and those 2 seem to be cheapest most dates in June.

Thanks for that Don the date will be about 29th september and only one way im looking now and i’ve found a direct flight for $400 does that sound right to you?

I found 75,700 forints for your date — about $380 US, non-stop on Malev for the 29th. CheapOair.com showed it cheaper for the 28th shows, but that didn’t show on the Malev site.

I can see why you’re looking at a non-stop as the 1 stops had a 10 hour layover in Bucharest — although you could spend an interesting few hours wandering there and save maybe $100 on flight.

No, $400 one-way does not sound right to me, especially since I found you round trip nonstops for $237.

I checked again and see $209 USD one-way total with taxes on British Airways… but… with connection at Heathrow (2hr, 15 min layover).

I see the Tarom flight connecting at Bucharest for $213 one-way total Sep. 29 if booked now. 10hr, 25min overnight layover.

CheapOAir.com has the nonstop Malev flight for $276.

In the end, you might do better to book the Malev round trip for $238 and just use the first half of that ticket—the nonstop from BUD to IST—and just forego the return portion of that ticket.

Whichbudget has some 2 airline ideas for you to make your own connections, but considering what I call the Price/Hassle Quotient, I don’t think this would be worth it.

You could also do it with Easyjet flights from BUD to LTN or LGW, then to IST, but same day flight schedules won’t work—you’d have to plan to spend at least a night in London—with associated costs to make this $103 flight price work out.

Thanks a lot Don i did see the cheaper ones with the stopover I’ll check them out again because it does seem silly to spend that much when i could go for the cheaper option.
Thanks so much for you help i really appreciate it.