Roberta Aguirre
Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is a major hub for international travel and has three airports: Istanbul International Airport (IST), Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW), and Atatürk Airport. Istanbul Airport, which opened in 2018, is located 35km north of the city centre in the Arnavutköy district by the shores of the Black Sea. It is the world's largest airline terminal, with one terminal building, five runways, and six piers. The airport is a major transportation hub, connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa, and is expected to host more than 200 million passengers by 2025.
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What You'll Learn
Istanbul Airport's location
Istanbul, the largest city in Turkey, is a major hub for international travel. The city has three airports: Istanbul Airport, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, and Atatürk Airport.
Istanbul Airport, also known as Istanbul International Airport, is located in the Çatalca-Göktürk-Arnavutköy area, on the European side of the city. It is situated 35 kilometres north of the city centre (Taksim Square) and is accessible by taxi and shuttle bus services. The airport currently has one terminal in service for domestic and international flights, with four runways in operation and five concourses for various airlines. The terminal features a huge duty-free shopping area, restaurants, cafeterias, bars, CIP and VIP lounges, a large car park, conference halls, medical services, and more. Istanbul Airport is the hub for Turkish Airlines and serves more than 350 domestic and international destinations in over 100 countries.
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, located on the Asian side of the city, was named after Sabiha Gökçen, the first woman pilot of Turkey and the first female combat pilot in the world during the late 1930s. The airport is situated in the Kurtkoy neighbourhood of the Pendik district and is about 50 kilometres from Taksim Square. It has two runways and is managed by Malaysia Airports under the regulations of the State Airports Authority.
Atatürk Airport, formerly the main airport of Istanbul, now primarily handles cargo flights. It is located about 35 kilometres from Istanbul Airport.
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Other airports in Istanbul
Istanbul has two other airports apart from the new Istanbul International Airport (IST). These are the Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) and the Atatürk Airport.
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport
Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is located on the Asian side of Istanbul, in the Pendik district at Kurtkoy. It is named after Sabiha Gökçen, Turkey's first female pilot and the world's first female combat pilot in the late 1930s. The airport was constructed between 1998 and 2000 and is currently operated by Malaysia Airports, a private foreign company. It features two runways and serves both international and local airline companies.
Atatürk Airport
Atatürk Airport was the former main airport of Istanbul before the opening of the new Istanbul International Airport. It was located approximately 35km (22 miles) away from the new airport, in the Yesilkoy neighbourhood. The airport was built between 1949 and 1953, opening officially on 1 August 1953. Atatürk Airport was named after Mustafa Kemal Atatürk, the founder of the Republic of Turkey. Over time, the airport struggled to keep up with increasing air traffic, leading to the construction of the new Istanbul International Airport. Today, Atatürk Airport is mostly used for cargo flights, with all commercial passenger flights having been transferred to the new Istanbul International Airport as of April 2019.
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Transport to/from Istanbul Airport
Istanbul Airport (IST) is located on the European side of the city, 35km north of the city centre (Taksim Square) in the Arnavutköy district. It is one of three airports in Istanbul, the others being Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) on the Asian side of the city, and Atatürk Airport, which has now shut down all civilian passenger traffic.
Istanbul Airport is easily accessible by car or public transportation. The airport is located on the D20 highway in the Tayakadın area of the Arnavutköy district and can also be reached from the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge via the North Marmara motorway.
By taxi
Taxis operate 24/7 from Istanbul Airport to the city centre. The journey takes around 60 minutes, depending on traffic. There are three categories of taxi: orange taxis, which are cheaper; blue taxis, which are more expensive and comfortable; and black taxis, which are the most luxurious and costly.
By bus
Airport shuttle buses are also available to the city centre. The H-1, H-2, H-3, H-6 and H-8 buses operate to Istanbul Airport. Havaist and IETT buses travel from Istanbul Airport to downtown. IETT offers five different routes between the airport and the city centre, and its buses are wheelchair accessible. Fares range from 15.33₺-85₺ (0.84€-4.66€/080.$-4.60€).
By metro
The Istanbul Airport metro line (M11) runs from Istanbul Airport to Kâğıthane in 24 minutes, and will reach Gayrettepe in the future. The metro comprises 10 stations in total: Gayrettepe, Kağıthane, University-Hasdal, Kemerburgaz, Göktürk, İhsaniye, Istanbul Airport and Cargo Terminal, Taşoluk, and Arnavutköy. The travel time between Gayrettepe and İstanbul Havalimanı stations is 30 minutes.
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Istanbul Airport's facilities
Istanbul Airport, also known as Istanbul New Airport, is located in the Çatalca-Göktürk-Arnavutköy area, on the European side of the city. It is one of three airports in Istanbul, the other two being Atatürk Airport and Sabiha Gökçen International Airport. Istanbul Airport is currently the second-busiest airport in Europe and the seventh-busiest airport in the world in terms of total passenger traffic.
Istanbul Airport boasts a wide range of facilities and services to enhance the passenger experience. The airport features a hotel with 451 rooms for overnight or hourly accommodation, various restaurants offering international and local cuisine, cafeterias, bars, and several kiosks. For travellers' convenience, there are also grocery stores, florists, newsstands, and a pharmacy. The airport provides medical services, banking offices, and ATMs, as well as a large car park with 40,000 parking spots spread across five blocks.
For entertainment, the airport offers television viewing areas, a youth lounge, a library, and museums with exhibitions. Passengers can also take advantage of complimentary services such as Wi-Fi, prayer rooms, and fresh air terraces. There are game ports gaming zones and iGA Pass Experiences to keep travellers engaged during their downtime.
Istanbul Airport is also a hub for business and transportation services. It provides office and commercial space rentals, cargo and logistics centres, and advertising opportunities. The airport offers car rentals, urban and intercity transportation options, and easy access to public transport, including shuttle buses and a light railway (metro) to the city centre.
The airport is expected to undergo further development, with plans to expand the current single terminal building into four terminals upon completion. This will enhance its capacity to serve an increasing number of passengers and reinforce its position as a significant aviation hub connecting Europe, Asia, and beyond.
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Istanbul Airport's history
Istanbul currently has two international airports: Istanbul Airport (IST) and Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW). Istanbul Airport is located in the Arnavutköy district on the European side of the city, around 35km north of the city centre. Sabiha Gökçen Airport is on the Asian side of the city, 40km from Kadıköy and 50km from Taksim Square.
The first aerodrome in Istanbul was opened in the Yesilköy neighbourhood in 1911 for military use by the Ottoman Armed Forces. It was expanded in 1933 when today's Turkish Airlines started its flights with two Curtiss Kingbird aircraft. Flights from Istanbul to Ankara and Athens began, and a new passenger terminal was built. This marked the beginning of the airport's 86-year history. It was originally named Yesilköy Airport, but was renamed Atatürk International Airport in the 1980s.
By 2013, Atatürk Airport was one of the busiest airports in Europe, ranking fifth by passenger traffic. In 2017, it handled over 100 million passengers combined with Sabiha Gökçen Airport, Istanbul's other international airport. However, due to its location, hemmed in by the city on three sides and the Sea of Marmara on the other, it was unable to expand to meet growing demands. Sabiha Gökçen Airport was also at capacity.
The decision was made to build a new airport, well away from the city, with ample space to expand. Construction of the new Istanbul Airport began in 2015. The airport is located in the Çatalca-Göktürk-Arnavutköy area, north of central Istanbul, and covers a 7,600-hectare region near Lake Terkos. The airport was unofficially known as 'Istanbul New Airport' during construction, and its new official name was announced at the opening ceremony on 29 October 2018. The first flight from the airport was Turkish Airlines flight TK2124 to Ankara on 31 October 2018.
The full transfer of all scheduled commercial passenger flights from Atatürk Airport to Istanbul Airport took place on 6 April 2019. As of February 2022, all cargo operations have also been relocated to the new airport. Istanbul Airport is now the largest airport in Turkey and the second-busiest airport in Europe, serving more than 76 million passengers in 2023.
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Frequently asked questions
Istanbul has three airports: Istanbul Airport, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, and Atatürk Airport. Istanbul Airport is located in the Çatalca-Göktürk-Arnavutköy area, on the European side of the city, 35km north of the city centre. Sabiha Gökçen International Airport is on the Asian side of the city, in the Pendik district, 50km from Taksim Square. Atatürk Airport has been closed to civilian passenger traffic since the opening of Istanbul Airport in 2019.
The airport code for Istanbul Airport is IST.
Istanbul Airport currently has five runways (three main and two backups) in operation, with a sixth runway expected to be added in the future.
Istanbul Airport has five car parks—Green, Yellow, Blue, Red, and Turquoise—that offer both short-term and long-term parking.
Travellers can get from Istanbul Airport to the city centre by taxi, shuttle bus, or light railway (metro).
