Istanbul Airports

Istanbul airports

There are 3 airports in Istanbul. One is on the Asian side and two are on the European side of Turkey. The name of the one located on the Asian side is Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) and the ones on the European side are Istanbul Airport (IST) and Ataturk Airport (ISL).

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)

It is an international airport and is named after  Sabiha Gökçen adoptive daughter of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk. She was the first female fighter pilot and her name has written in the Guinness book of world records.

The airport is located 32 km (20 mi) southeast of the city center. It is one of the largest airports in the country and one of the busiest airports in the middle east. 

The reason of the foundation was that Ataturk Airport was not large enough for both domestic and international flights. It was founded in 2001 and had several changes. They have made the capacity double on 25 December 2023. Now it is capable of 40 to 80 aircraft movements and serve 25 million passengers annually. It has got 112 check-ins, 24 online check-in counters, a VIP building and apron viewing CIP halls with business lounges. 

The airport's cargo terminal has a capacity of 90,000 tons per year and is equipped with 18 cold storage depots.

Other facilities of the new terminal include a four-storey car park with a capacity of about 4,718 vehicles + 72 bus (3.836 indoors and 882 + 72 bus outdoors), a four-storey hotel with 128 rooms adjacent to the terminal. There is also a Multi Aircraft Ramp System (MARS), allowing simultaneous service to 8 aircraft with large fuselages (IATA code E) or 16 middle-sized fuselage aircraft (IATA code C) installed. 

Istanbul Airport (IST)

It is located on the European side of Turkey and is the largest airport in Turkey and 2nd busiest in Europe. Most of the flights of Ataturk and Sabiha airport has transferred to this airport. The first phase was started in 2018. It’s been told that it has to serve almost 200 million passengers annually. 

Construction

The construction of this airport is unique and was made by international design team working. The interior architecture is Islamic and Turkish. Its watchtower is tulip-shaped. It has won the best design and architecture award in 2016.

Istanbul airport has got 4 phases.

 The first stage is the main terminal with an area of 1,440,000 m2 (15,500,000 sq ft) and capacity of 90 million passengers annually. It’s got an indoor car park capable of 12000 vehicles. 

The second stage will add a third independent runway to the east of the main terminal. fourth remote runway with an east–west heading and additional taxiways and apron areas has also been added.

 It is planned that the third stage has a second passenger terminal with a capacity of 60 million annual passengers and an estimated area of around 960,000 m2 (10,300,000 sq ft), as well as an additional runway and new support facilities area. 

The fourth and final stage of expansion will, along with adding another runway, allow for the construction of satellite terminals with a combined capacity of 50 million passengers and an area of up to 800,000 m2 (8,600,000 sq ft) if needed.

Advanced technology 

This airport uses artificial intelligence which is very efficient in terms of energy consumption. has an ultra-advanced security system.

It has got smart technologies such as biometric identity recognition, advanced and intelligent passport control centers, automatic baggage delivery centers and routing technologies that allow passengers to find themselves.

Access ways to Istanbul airport

You can access this airport easily through the subway. You need to stup at  Gayrettepe and Halkali metro lines. You can also use other public transportation such as taxi from from the city center and Taksim Square.

Ataturk Airport (ISL)

This airport used to be the main airport of Istanbul. But nowadays this airport has assigned into Cargo aircraft, commercial jets, general aviation and aircraft maintenance and

Commercial flights transferred to Istanbul airport since 2019. 

Ataturk airport national garden

Turkey’s government has announced that they are going to construct national garden on and around one of the two runways of former Atatürk Airport. Since there are little spaces available for constructing green areas, new parks are often made on spots formerly occupied by factories or other major facilities.