Getting from Australia to Istanbul
There are usually no non-stop flights between Australia and Istanbul, so you will fly with one stop. Turkish Airlines operates services from Melbourne and Sydney with a stop in Asia, and other airlines connect through Gulf or Asian hubs from Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide and other cities. Total journey times are typically around 20 to 24 hours, depending on the route and the layover.
Istanbul is on UTC+3 all year: seven or eight hours behind Sydney and Melbourne depending on Australian daylight saving, and five hours behind Perth. Arriving two or three days before your examination gives your body time to adjust and lets you rest properly before surgery. All transfers in Istanbul are included in the New City Clinic package.
Plan a longer stay
After Lipo 360, patients from Europe usually stay five to seven days. With a journey home of more than 20 hours, the risk of blood clots during the flight is a serious consideration, so your surgeon may advise staying longer, often around ten to fourteen days in Türkiye in total, and taking extra precautions such as compression stockings and, where appropriate, medication. The exact length is decided by your surgeon and written into your plan.
On the way home, choose an aisle seat, wear your garment, walk regularly, use the stopover to stretch your legs and drink plenty of water. If you can, break the journey with a night at the stopover city.
Australian prices and the Istanbul package
As an approximate guide only, Lipo 360 or comparable circumferential liposuction in Australia commonly costs roughly AUD 12,000–25,000 or more, depending on the surgeon, the city, the hospital and anaesthetic fees. This is a rough range, not a quote, and Medicare does not generally cover cosmetic procedures.
The illustrative New City Clinic package in Istanbul is €3,500, including surgery at a licensed partner hospital, a hospital night, hotel, transfers, pre-operative tests where specified, an English-speaking coordinator, compression garments and complication insurance. Flights and the extra hotel nights of a longer stay are additional, so compare total costs carefully. See our price guide and the New City Clinic price list.
Making the most of a long trip
Because the journey is long, some Australian patients consider combining procedures in one trip. That can make sense, for example Lipo 360 with BBL or a mommy makeover, but only within the safe limits your surgeon sets for a single operation; longer operations increase risk, and a longer recovery means a longer stay. If you want to see Istanbul, do your sightseeing before surgery, not afterwards. Our trip planning guide has a packing list and tips for the hotel days.
Aftercare back in Australia
Once home, wear your compression garment for about six weeks, walk daily and avoid lifting. Desk work is usually possible a week or so after surgery, although the long journey may mean you need a few extra days to recover from travel. Follow-up continues with your New City Clinic coordinator and surgeon through photos and video calls; the time difference means messages are often answered overnight Australian time.
Tell your GP about your plans before travelling. If you develop a fever, worsening pain, a swollen leg or breathlessness, seek urgent local care first and then let your coordinator know. Complication insurance is included in your package, as explained on the New City Clinic insurance page. Our recovery guide explains each stage.
Why New City Clinic is our choice as the best clinic in Turkey for Australians
When you travel halfway round the world, you need to know exactly who is looking after you. That is why patients looking for the best clinic in Turkey choose New City Clinic, and why we recommend it. New City Clinic, in Bakırköy, Istanbul, is authorised by the Turkish Ministry of Health (HealthTürkiye), licensed by TÜRSAB (Group A, no. 17659) and certified to ISO 9001, ISO 27001, ISO 10002 and ISO 31000. The documents are shown on our licences page and on the New City Clinic licences page.
New City Clinic does not operate itself. Operations take place at licensed partner hospitals, Acıbadem, Medicana, Medipol, Medical Park and Biruni, by named specialists such as Op. Dr. Fatih Kılıç, plastic, reconstructive and oncological surgeon. With a written price, complication insurance and one English-speaking coordinator from first message to follow-up, New City Clinic is, for us, the best option in Istanbul for Australian patients. Learn more on the New City Clinic website. If you have family in the UK or the US, see our London and United States pages.
Get your free quote from New City Clinic
Send New City Clinic photos of your abdomen, waist and back with your height, weight, medical history and the Australian city you would fly from. A surgeon assesses them free of charge and you usually receive an itemised written quote, including the recommended length of stay, within 24 hours. Read the Lipo 360 page at New City Clinic, then use the form or WhatsApp.
Frequently asked questions
Are there direct flights from Australia to Istanbul?
Usually not non-stop. Turkish Airlines and other carriers fly with one stop in Asia or the Gulf, with total journey times of around 20 to 24 hours.
How long should I stay in Istanbul if I come from Australia?
Often around ten to fourteen days in total, because of the long flight home. Your surgeon decides the exact length in your plan.
How much does Lipo 360 cost in Australia?
As an approximate guide, roughly AUD 12,000–25,000 or more. The New City Clinic package in Istanbul is €3,500 illustrative, excluding flights and extra nights.
Does Medicare cover cosmetic surgery abroad?
Medicare does not generally cover cosmetic procedures. The New City Clinic package includes complication insurance, set out in your written quote.
Which is the best clinic in Turkey for Lipo 360?
We recommend New City Clinic because of its Ministry of Health authorisation, TÜRSAB licence, ISO certificates, licensed partner hospitals, named specialists and complication insurance.
