Lois Larson
Istanbul Airport is a £9.4 billion mega-airport northwest of Istanbul, near the Black Sea coast. It was built to accommodate the growing air traffic in the region and to serve as a global transit hub. The airport has one terminal, six runways, and ample parking spaces. It is designed to handle a colossal volume of traffic, with a capacity of 90 million passengers annually, which is planned to expand to 200 million in the future. On the other hand, Heathrow Airport, located in London, is one of the busiest airports in Europe and has long been a significant travel hub. Heathrow has multiple terminals and three runways, with plans for expansion to a third runway. While Heathrow has a high volume of passengers and international connections, Istanbul Airport's scale and capacity are impressive and may surpass Heathrow in the future.
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What You'll Learn
Istanbul Airport's size and infrastructure
Istanbul Airport is located 35 kilometres away from the city centre. It is the largest infrastructure project in the history of the Turkish Republic. The airport covers an area of 76.5 million square meters and is located near Lake Terkos. The airport is envisioned as a global transit hub between Asia, Africa, and Europe. It is designed to handle a colossal volume of air traffic, boasting six runways, four more than London's Heathrow Airport.
The airport's construction was divided into four phases. The first phase opened for service on 29 October 2018, with the airport fully operational and at full capacity since 6 April 2018. The airport features three technical blocks for repairs, maintenance, and fuelling, as well as an air traffic control tower, eight ramp control towers, and hangars for cargo and general aviation aircraft. The second stage will add a third independent runway to the east of the main terminal, as well as a fourth remote runway. The third stage is planned to add a second passenger terminal with a capacity of 60 million annual passengers and an estimated area of around 960,000 square meters.
When fully expanded, the airport will have four terminal buildings with interconnecting rail access, combining for a total indoor area of 3.2 million square meters. The airport will also have a 6.5 million square meter apron with a parking capacity of 500 aircraft and 70,000 cars. A medical centre, aircraft rescue and firefighting stations, hotels, convention centres, power plants, and wastewater treatment facilities will also be built.
Istanbul Airport handled about 80 million passengers in 2024, making it the largest and second-busiest international airport in Europe. By 2021, it was slated to accommodate up to 90 million passengers annually, with plans to expand to serve 200 million travellers in the future. This capacity nearly doubles that of Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, the busiest airport in the world as of 2020.
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Istanbul's air traffic volume
Istanbul Airport is one of the busiest aviation hubs in the world. It is the larger of the two international airports serving Istanbul, Turkey, and is located in the Arnavutköy district on the European side of the city. The airport is renowned for its expansive capabilities and strategic geographical positioning, serving as a global transit hub bridging continents.
The airport's sheer size and infrastructure are striking features, boasting six runways, four more than London's Heathrow Airport. This enables the airport to handle a colossal volume of air traffic. The airport is designed to accommodate up to 90 million passengers annually by 2021, with plans to expand and serve up to 200 million travellers in the future. This capacity surpasses even the busiest aviation hubs worldwide, such as Atlanta's Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport.
Istanbul Airport's innovative triple runway system has transformed global air traffic. This system allows three aircraft to land and take off simultaneously, increasing the airport's capacity and punctuality. The technology required for this complex operation includes advanced radar systems, precise navigation aids, and robust air traffic control protocols. The economic benefits of the triple runway system are significant, boosting the airport's revenue and contributing to the local and national economy by facilitating increased tourism and business travel.
The airport's construction included multiple terminals, boarding bridges, extensive parking facilities, and ancillary infrastructure to support its large-scale operations. The airport also features indoor car parks with a capacity of 12,000 vehicles, technical blocks for repairs, maintenance, and fuelling, air traffic control towers, ramp control towers, and hangars for cargo and general aviation aircraft. Several other services are available, such as hospitals, lounges, prayer rooms, convention centres, and hotels.
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Heathrow's ranking and performance
Heathrow Airport, also known as London Heathrow Airport, is the primary and largest international airport serving London, England, UK. Heathrow is owned and operated by Heathrow Airport Holdings, whose owners include Ardian, Qatar Investment Fund, and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The airport is the primary hub for airlines such as British Airways, Virgin Atlantic, and Lufthansa.
Heathrow has consistently ranked among the busiest airports globally, and in 2024, it was the busiest airport in Europe and the fourth busiest airport in the world by passenger traffic. Notably, in 2024, Heathrow was also the second busiest airport in the world by international passenger traffic and the airport with the most international connections.
In the 12 months ending in December 2022, Heathrow was ranked as the eighth busiest airport internationally by passenger traffic. During this period, it was surpassed by airports such as Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Istanbul Airport.
Heathrow's performance and ranking are influenced by its capacity and infrastructure. The airport currently has two parallel east-west runways and four operational passenger terminals. However, Heathrow has been operating at 99% capacity and risks being overtaken by European rivals with more runways, such as Paris' Charles de Gaulle and Frankfurt Airport. To address this, Heathrow has proposed the construction of a third runway to boost its capacity and maintain its competitiveness.
In addition to its focus on expansion, Heathrow has also demonstrated a commitment to environmental initiatives. The airport introduced the "Fly Quiet & Green" programme in 2017, which awards points to the 50 busiest airlines based on their performance across environmental benchmarks such as NOx emissions. However, the programme has faced criticism for a lack of transparency in its scoring methodology and the omission of some poorer-performing airlines.
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Istanbul's airport construction
The construction of Istanbul Airport, formerly known as Istanbul New Airport, was a massive undertaking. The airport is located approximately 35 km outside of Istanbul, between the residential areas of Yenikoy and Akpınar, along the Black Sea coast. The project was carried out in four stages, with an estimated budget of €12 billion ($16.65 billion). Construction began in June 2014 and the airport officially opened in late October 2018, with the first phase enabling it to serve 90 million passengers per year. The airport became fully operational in April 2019, replacing the Atatürk International Airport.
The decision to build a new airport was made due to the inability of Atatürk Airport and Istanbul's other international airport, Sabiha Gökçen, to expand and meet the growing demands placed on them. The new site for the airport was chosen to be well away from the city, ensuring ample space for future expansion. The construction of Istanbul Airport faced several challenges and controversies. According to the Environmental Impact Assessment (ÇED) report published in April 2013, a large number of trees would need to be cut down or relocated, raising environmental concerns. In February 2014, an Istanbul administrative court ordered the construction of the airport to be suspended due to violations of existing legislation related to the ÇED report.
The construction of Istanbul Airport was a massive undertaking, requiring the effort of hundreds of thousands of employees, including architects, engineers, labourers, and construction workers. The airport covers an area of approximately 76.5 million square meters and will comprise four terminals, six runways, 165 passenger boarding bridges, eight control towers, 16 taxiways, and an apron area of 6.5 million square meters with a parking capacity of 500 aircraft. The airport also features a state-of-the-art baggage handling system with a capacity of 30,000 bags per hour and an early baggage storage system.
The airport is designed to eventually handle 200 million passengers annually, which would make it the world's biggest airport in terms of passenger capacity. The expansion will be completed in multiple phases, with the second phase currently underway, aiming to increase the capacity to 120 million passengers by the end of 2025. The final stage of expansion will include the construction of satellite terminals, bringing the total indoor area to 3,200,000 square meters. In addition to its aviation facilities, Istanbul Airport will also feature a medical center, hotels, convention centers, power plants, and wastewater treatment facilities.
The construction of Istanbul Airport has faced criticism and controversies, particularly regarding worker safety and living conditions. In October 2019, UK publications reported on the high number of fatalities at the construction site, with unofficial estimates suggesting the death toll could be "higher than 400". Protests broke out among workers due to poor living conditions, issues with transportation, and delays in payments. Despite these controversies, Istanbul Airport has become a major hub for European aviation, serving a large number of international and transfer passengers. It has been recognised for its direct connectivity, outperforming its pre-pandemic performance and ranking among the top European airports.
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Heathrow's future as a megahub
Heathrow Airport in London has long been considered a mega-hub airport, being named the busiest airport in Europe in 2025. However, its status as a mega-hub is being challenged by new airports like Istanbul Airport, which boasts six runways, four more than Heathrow. Istanbul Airport is designed to handle a colossal volume of air traffic, with plans to accommodate up to 200 million travellers annually in the future.
Heathrow's future as a mega-hub airport is uncertain. While it has been deemed the strongest case for a new northeast runway to serve the country and support expansion to new destinations, there are concerns about its capacity and location. Some argue that the UK does not need a mega-hub airport and that a northern and southern hub concept would be more effective in reducing airport congestion. Heathrow's expansion plans, including a third runway, have been placed in limbo due to public inquiries and objections.
Additionally, the impact of Brexit on the UK's status as an air carrier hub is yet to be fully understood. The concentration of air traffic at hubs like Heathrow may primarily benefit business travellers, with leisure travellers potentially subsidising their convenience.
To maintain its status as a mega-hub, Heathrow has proposed expansion plans to improve airfield layout, increase aircraft stands, and enhance sustainability. These investments aim to improve resilience, punctuality, and environmental credentials. However, critics argue that runway expansion at Heathrow will lead to increased congestion and negatively impact European air transport operations.
In conclusion, while Heathrow currently holds the title of a mega-hub airport, its future is uncertain due to emerging competitors like Istanbul Airport, Brexit implications, and ongoing debates about expansion plans and their potential consequences.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Istanbul Airport is bigger than Heathrow. Istanbul Airport has six runways, four more than Heathrow. It is designed to handle a colossal volume of air traffic.
The Turkish government reserved 76 million square meters for the development of Istanbul Airport and further expansion in the next 100 years.
By 2021, Istanbul Airport was slated to accommodate up to 90 million passengers annually, with plans to expand to serve 200 million travellers in the future.
Heathrow has dropped out of the top 10 for connectivity and may be left behind by projects in Asia and the Middle East. Heathrow also faces constraints unless a third runway is built.
