Istanbul's Airport Options: A Tale Of Two Travel Hubs

Istanbul is served by two airports: the New Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW). The New Istanbul Airport is the larger of the two, serving more than 76 million passengers in 2023, making it the second-busiest airport in Europe. Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the second airport serving Istanbul and is also used for international and domestic flights.

Istanbul Airport (IST) is the larger of the two airports

Istanbul Airport served more than 76 million passengers in 2023, making it the second busiest airport in Europe that year, after Heathrow Airport. It was also the second busiest airport in the Middle East and the seventh busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic. By serving more than 58 million international passengers, it was the sixth busiest airport in the world in terms of international passenger traffic. The airport serves up to 122 countries and is the hub for Turkish Airlines.

Istanbul Airport is still undergoing construction. Once fully completed by 2027, it will have six sets of runways (eight in total), 16 taxiways, and a total annual passenger capacity of 150 million. If fully expanded to a capacity of 200 million, the airport will have four terminal buildings with interconnecting rail access, combining for a total indoor area of 3,200,000 square metres (34,000,000 sq ft).

The airport currently has one terminal in service for domestic and international flights and five runways (three main and two backups) that are currently in operation. The airport features a total of five concourses—A, B, D, F, and G—with a total of 143 passenger boarding bridges.

Istanbul's other airport, Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW), is located on the Asian side of the city. It is the second airport serving Istanbul but is considered the main airport compared to the new Istanbul Airport. Sabiha Gökçen Airport is closer to the city centre than Istanbul Airport and is served by more airlines and transport services.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) is the second airport

Istanbul has two international airports: the new Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). Sabiha Gökçen Airport is the second airport serving Istanbul.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is located on the Asian side of the city, in the Pendik district, 50 kilometres from Taksim Square. It was opened in September 2000 and is named after Sabiha Gökçen, Turkey's first female pilot and the world's first female combat pilot during the late 1930s. She was also one of the stepdaughters of Ataturk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport has a capacity of 35 million passengers per year and is served by several international and local airlines. The airport has two runways and a single terminal that handles both domestic and international flights. It is connected to the city by subway, taxi, and shuttle bus services.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is closer to the city centre than Istanbul Airport, which is located 33-35 kilometres away. However, Sabiha Gökçen Airport does not have a direct train to the city, making journey times longer. It is served by slow public transport services, with connections to bus, metro, and ferry, taking around 2 hours and 8 minutes. Private shuttles and taxis are faster options, taking around 33 minutes.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport offers several facilities for travellers, including CIP and VIP lounges, duty-free shops, bars, cafeterias, pubs, restaurants, a hotel, a post office, banks, emergency medical services, car rental services, and car parks.

Ataturk Airport is now closed to civilian passenger traffic

Yes, there are two airports in Istanbul: Ataturk Airport and Sabiha Gokcen International Airport.

Ataturk Airport is now closed to civilian passenger flights. All passenger flights from Ataturk Airport have been undertaken by the new Istanbul Airport, which opened on 29 October 2018. Ataturk Airport is still used for cargo and general aviation and provides maintenance services.

The new airport is located in the Çatalca- Göktürk-Arnavutköy area, on the European side of the city, 40km/24.8 miles from Taksim and 52km/32.3 miles from Kadıköy. It is a major transportation hub, connecting three continents: Europe, Asia, and Africa. The airport currently has one terminal building, which is the biggest terminal building under one roof worldwide. However, three more terminals are planned to be added to the airport complex in the long term.

Istanbul Airport is served by Turkish Airlines and Turkish Cargo, which use the airport as a base for operations. The airport serves more than 350 domestic and international destinations in 110 countries, and its duty-free area is one of the largest in the world. The airport provides numerous services and amenities, including retail stores, luggage storage, medical services, banks, currency exchange areas, family services, lounges, and pet relief areas.

The closure of Ataturk Airport to civilian passenger traffic has allowed for the consolidation of all passenger flights at the new Istanbul Airport, improving efficiency and providing a more seamless travel experience for passengers travelling to and from the city.

Istanbul Airport is located on the European side of the city

Istanbul has two international airports: Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). Istanbul Airport is located on the European side of the city, in the Arnavutköy district. It is the largest airport in Turkey and the second busiest airport in Europe, serving more than 76 million passengers in 2023. The airport is about 35km north of the city centre (Taksim Square) and is reachable by car from the O-7 motorway and/or D.020 highway. It is also accessible via the M11 metro line, which was opened in January 2023.

Istanbul Airport is a relatively new aviation hub, having opened in 2018 and taken over all passenger flights from the former main airport, Ataturk Airport, in 2019. It is expected to host more than 200 million passengers annually by 2025, which would make it the world's busiest airport. The airport currently has one terminal in service, which is the largest terminal building under one roof worldwide. It also has five runways and five concourses, serving numerous domestic and international destinations.

Istanbul Airport is located in the Çatalca- Göktürk-Arnavutköy area, between the Black Sea coast towns of Yeniköy, Tayakadin, and Akpınar. The area is a 7,600-hectare region near Lake Terkos, encompassing old open-pit coal mines that were later filled with soil. The airport is about 40km from Taksim and 52km from Kadıköy. It is also close to the Bosphorus, with Bosphorus cruises considered one of the top experiences in Istanbul.

Istanbul Airport features extensive facilities and services, including a large duty-free area, numerous retail stores, baggage wrapping and luggage storage, pharmacies and medical services, banks and currency exchange services, family services and playgrounds, lounges and spa facilities, pet relief areas, and special services for passengers with disabilities.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is located on the Asian side

Istanbul is served by two airports: Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). Sabiha Gökçen Airport is located on the Asian side of the city, in the Pendik district, at a distance of 12 kilometres to Pendik, 40 kilometres to Kadiköy, and 50 kilometres to Taksim Square. It is also only 10 minutes away from the Istanbul Park Formula 1 race circuit.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is named after Sabiha Gökçen, the first woman pilot of Turkey and the first female combat pilot in the world during the late 1930s. She was also one of the stepdaughters of Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey, and lived between 1913 and 2001.

The airport opened in September 2000 and is run by a private foreign company, Malaysia Airports, under the regulations of the State Airports Authority (DHMI). It has a capacity of 35 million passengers per year and is served by several international and local airline companies.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport is closer to the city centre than Istanbul Airport, which is located 33.5 miles (54 kilometres) away. It is served by good road connections and several public transport options, including buses, shuttles, taxis, and car hire services. The airport is also connected to the Kadiköy district by subway.

Sabiha Gökçen Airport has a single terminal that handles both domestic and international flights. Inside the terminal, there are CIP and VIP lounges, duty-free shops, bars, cafeterias, pubs, restaurants, a hotel, a post office, banks, emergency medical services, car rental services, car parks, and more.

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