Pegasus Airlines review: Doha – Istanbul flight

Pegasus Airlines is a Turkish low-cost carrier that offers direct flights from Doha to Istanbul several times a day. The flight time is approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes, making it a good affordable option for travelers looking for a low-cost flight from Doha, Qatar to Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye).

Pegasus Airlines also flies to over 100 destinations in 47 countries (including Turkiye, Europe, Asia, and Africa) operating a fleet of over 90 aircraft, including Airbus A320s & A321s and Boeing 737s.

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For my 2017 birthday, I was once again itching to celebrate it in another country. This time, with the help of Skyscanner’s “Everywhere” option, I came to learn that Istanbul via Pegasus Airlines was the cheapest flight I could get out of Doha, Qatar for December.

So it came to be that I spent my birthday week in Istanbul and Cappadocia, Turkey! But how was the Pegasus flight from Doha to Istanbul and vice versa? Check out my Pegasus Airlines flight review:

How to book the flight + flight details

Does Pegasus Airlines go to Istanbul airport? Pegasus Airlines flies from Doha to Istanbul via Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. The flight is approximately 4 hours and 15 minutes.

As of May 2023, there is one inbound flight to Istanbul and one outbound flight to Doha.

Pegasus Airlines Doha to Istanbul Flight schedule

Doha to Istanbul flight timings (*subject to change)

• 01:50 – 06:05 (Saturday, Wednesday, Friday, Sunday)
• 02:05 – 06:20 (Monday, Thursday)
• 04:00 – 08:15 (Tuesday)

Istanbul to Doha flight timings (*subject to change)

• 20:40 – 00:45 (Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Tuesday
• 22:50 – 02:55 (Monday)

Booking the flight was easy enough through their website. They also offer mobile booking through their iOS and Android apps.

Pegasus Airlines’ flight code is PC. The airline was founded in 1990 and is the second-largest airline in Turkey. It also has a Frequent Flyer program.

They have 4 flight options to choose from:

• Basic – with 8 kg hand luggage
• Essentials – with 20 kg baggage and 8 kg hand luggage
• Advantage – with seat selection, sandwich, 20 kg baggage, and 8 kg hand luggage
• Business Flex – with seat selection, free refund/reissue, 20 kg baggage, 12 kg hand luggage

As per the website, these are the hand luggage requirements: Cabin Baggage with a maximum weight of 8 kilograms and maximum dimensions of 55 cm x 40 cm x 20 cm, plus one small bag (e.g. handbag or laptop bag)

Pegasus Airlines DOH – SAW & SAW – DOH ticket price

Tickets can be purchased via credit card payment. The ticket prices also include airport taxes, fuel surcharges, service, and check-in fees.

I also purchased a hot meal (9 USD – Dec 2017) together with my flight (total of 264.98 USD – Dec 2017). Take note that you cannot change the meal choice after. You can, however, purchase add-ons after purchasing your ticket.

Ticke price as of May 2023 (*subject to change)

Pegasus Airlines (PC) round-trip flight (Doha to Istanbul and vice-versa) ticket price can range from QAR 1,496 to QAR 1,755) for May 2023. Roundtrip ticket prices can increase to QAR 2,128 for June and QAR 2,387 in July.

These prices are according to Google Flights price graph. It also said that the least expensive flights for similar trips to İstanbul usually cost between QAR 1,400–1,900.

Check-in and boarding

You can check in at the designated Pegasus Airlines counter at your departing airport or you can use the online check-in from 72 hours before the flight to 60 minutes before the flight.

Some airports also have kiosk machines that can print boarding passes. Airport check-in closes 60 minutes before international flight departure.

We did not avail of online check-in but instead chose to go to the airport early so we can request a window seat. Aside from our passport (which contains our visa) and flight reservation copy, we were asked to present our QID.

Our boarding passes were printed on paper boards and not on flimsy paper.

The check-in counter crew were courteous enough both at Hamad International Airport and at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. There was, however, a gate change at SAW and they announced it minutes before boarding.

The Seat and Flight

The cabin was in the normal 3-3 configuration and the plane is an A320.

Upon claiming my window seat, which had a wing view, I was disappointed to learn that the seat doesn’t recline. Oh well, it was only a 5 hours flight. It wasn’t the comfiest of seats, but for a low-cost carrier, of course, you cannot expect much. It was good enough for a short-haul flight.

But of course, if you plan on sleeping throughout the flight, make sure to bring your own pillow. In my opinion, no need for a blanket, and a hoodie is enough since the air conditioning inside the cabin wasn’t that cold.

The flight was uneventful except for the nice view of the Pearl as we were gaining altitude. We didn’t encounter any turbulence and the landing was good enough, not that smooth but not that bumpy either.

The flight to Istanbul and the flight back to Doha were both full. Just goes to show that even if it’s a budget airline, many still patronize it.

The flight left as scheduled but I cannot remember the reason why we landed at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport by 07:50H. ETA was 07:30H. Our flight time was supposed to be 4 hours and 40 minutes (Dec 2017).

I have heard from others that delays are normal with Pegasus.

In-Flight Meal

Since our flight was estimated to leave at 02:50H (Dec 2017), I figured I will go hungry on the more than 4-hour flight so I also purchased a hot meal. In hindsight, I should have just eaten or bought something at Hamad International Airport.

I ordered a Chicken Schnitzel meal and I and my friend were only a handful of people on the full flight that ordered meals. It was served around 03:25H.

The meal was really hot when served so it took a while before I had my first bite.

The Chicken Schnitzel was served with sauteed potatoes, bread, butter, olive oil, Mediterranean salad, lemon, and a chocolate mousse.

The chicken was okay but of course, don’t expect too much from airline food. The chocolate mousse was my favorite part of the meal, though.

When the drinks cart came, I ordered an apple juice thinking it was free. But apparently, there is no free water or drinks on this flight. Good thing I still have a 10 USD with me so I used that. However, when the flight attendant came back to give me change, he was asking if he can give me another drink in exchange. I could barely understand him with his accent but his tone of voice was what confused and irritated me.

I asked to have my change back, though, and they gave it almost when we were landing.

Customer service

Compared to budget airlines in Asia, the customer service of Pegasus Airlines still needs a lot of improvement. You can’t feel that warmness and sincerity from the flight attendants. I’m not expecting much but at least smile like you mean it, right? Maybe they were just in a bad day mood or they don’t like their jobs anymore, but still.

Scouring the internet for reviews, you will see similar reviews as well. There were also reviews on how their hotlines (phone or email) aren’t responsive regarding inquiries and requests.

Inflight entertainment/WiFi

There is no in-flight entertainment or WiFi onboard when I went on the flight. The only free entertainment available came in the form of the in-flight magazine, flypgs.com.

This was expected since Pegasus Airlines is a Low-Cost Carrier.

The flight back: Istanbul to Doha

On the flight back to Doha, it was unbearably hot! The kind of hot where you feel like you want to take off all your clothes and have a hard time breathing. A plea to the flight attendants led to nothing.

Since our flight back was 21:40H, we instead opt not to purchase a meal and ate at Sabiha Gökçen International Airport before the flight instead.

Also, I don’t know why, but the return flight was shorter than 30 minutes. As per our ticket, PC602 flight ETD is 21:40H from SAW and ETA at Hamad is 07:30 AM.

Tips for flying with Pegasus Airlines

• Read the FINE PRINT. Head to their website and read the FAQ and all the necessary details there.
• Bring your own in-flight entertainment.
• If you’re on a budget, buy your food and drinks at the airport before boarding.
• Check SeatGuru for the seat configuration

Pegasus Airlines Doha Contact Number

In case you need to contact Pegasus Airlines, you can call the following call center numbers as per their website:

+974 44421807 / 44420961

Overall Impression

If you’re the type who likes to spend more on the trip itself and not on the flights, then Pegasus Airlines is for you. However, if comfort and awesome customer service are part of your flight requirements, better book elsewhere.

With budget airlines, you get what you pay for. They will take you from Point A to Point B but don’t expect much else aside from that, especially freebies. For a relatively short-haul flight, Pegasus Airlines is tolerable. But if I were to fly long haul, I don’t think I’ll be booking with them.

Disclosure: This review is not paid for and is not sponsored by Pegasus Airlines. All opinions belong to the author and only aim to narrate her experience during the flights. 

EXPLORE TURKEY!

• Istanbul
• Cappadocia

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Have you flown with Pegasus Airlines? What do you expect from low-cost carriers/budget airlines? 

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