Istanbul Airport (IST): Turkey's Mega-Hub, Opened 2018

The primary airport serving Istanbul is Istanbul Airport (IATA: IST, ICAO: LTFM), located in the Arnavutköy district on the European side, ~35 km (22 mi) northwest of the city center (Sultanahmet/Taksim).

Key Facts

• Opened: October 29, 2018 (phased; fully operational April 2019).
• Replaced: Istanbul Atatürk Airport (ISL/ LTBA), now closed to commercial traffic.
• Capacity: 90M passengers/year (Phase 1); ultimate 200M (6 runways, 4 terminals) — world's largest planned.
• Operator: İGA (Istanbul Grand Airport) consortium.
• Hub for: Turkish Airlines (global network >300 destinations).

Transport to City

• Metro M11 (Gayrettepe–Kağıthane–IST): ~35 min, opened 2023. Extending to Halkalı.
• HAVAIST buses: 14 routes to key districts (Taksim, Sultanahmet, Kadıköy, etc.). 45–90 min.
• Taxis: Fixed fare zones (~€30–40 to center).
• Rental cars: All major brands on-site.

Facilities Highlights

• World's largest airport terminal under one roof (main terminal).
• YOTEL airside hotel, lounges (5 Turkish Airlines + partner), mosques, art installations, 200+ shops/restaurants.
• Advanced baggage (BHS), biometric boarding, robotic cleaning.

Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)

On the Asian side (Pendik). Serves low-cost carriers (Pegasus, AnadoluJet) and some international. Connected by M4 metro, IDO ferries, buses. Not a replacement for IST.