Istanbul Airport turns seven with over 400 million passengers served - Get updated on what's happening in tourism!

As it celebrates its seventh anniversary, IGA Istanbul Airport, Türkiye’s gateway to the world, has officially welcomed more than 400 million passengers since its inauguration on Oct. 29, 2018.

Spanning 76.5 million square meters, the airport was opened by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and former Parliament Speaker Binali Yıldırım, joined by more than 50 international dignitaries. Since then, it has transformed Istanbul into one of the world’s leading aviation hubs, setting new records in passenger traffic and cargo operations.

A global hub of impressive scale

With a main terminal covering 1.4 square kilometers and an annual capacity of 90 million passengers, Istanbul Airport offers a duty-free zone of 53,700 square meters, 181 retail outlets, and 114 restaurants and cafés. When fully completed, the complex will handle up to 200 million passengers and serve over 350 destinations per year.

Currently, 115 airlines operate flights to 330 destinations in 120 countries, while total flight operations have reached nearly 2.7 million, carrying 400.7 million passengers as of mid-October 2025.

Record-breaking achievements

With 100 cargo destinations and a handling capacity of 4 million tons, the airport is also one of the world’s fastest-growing cargo hubs. Once all planned expansions are complete, capacity will rise to 5.5 million tons.

Istanbul Airport has been Europe’s busiest air hub for three consecutive years (2022–2024), surpassing Amsterdam, Paris, and London, according to Eurocontrol. It is also the first airport in Europe — and the second worldwide — capable of simultaneous triple independent runway operations, allowing three aircraft to take off and land at once.

In 2025, it overtook Frankfurt Airport to become the world leader in hub connectivity, maintaining top rankings in direct European connections for two years in a row.

International recognition

Istanbul Airport was named the World’s Best Airport by both Condé Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure in 2024 and 2025, while also achieving the highest customer service rating from the Airports Council International (ACI) earlier this year.

In just seven years, IGA Istanbul Airport has redefined Türkiye’s role in global aviation — a symbol of scale, connectivity, and ambition linking East and West like no other airport in the world.

Image Credit: © AA