Istanbul Airport (IST)
Istanbul Airport (IST) at a glance
Istanbul Airport is Europe's youngest mega-hub and its busiest airport by aircraft movements, handling 84.4 million passengers in 2025, up 5.5% in a year, from a single terminal that is the largest in the world under one roof. Opened in 2018 to replace Ataturk Airport, it was conceived as the biggest airport on Earth, with capacity growing toward 200 million passengers.
The airport is the physical engine of Turkish Airlines' strategy: positioned within a 3,000-mile radius of 60+ countries, it lets the carrier connect more nations than any other airline. With five runways and Europe's first triple independent simultaneous operations, Istanbul has the runway capacity its Western European rivals can only dream of.
Hub & base airlines
| Airline | Role | Terminal |
|---|---|---|
| Turkish Airlines | Primary hub and home base | Main terminal |
Terminals & infrastructure
Istanbul Airport's single terminal is the largest in the world under one roof, designed for 90 million passengers and expandable toward 200 million at full build-out. Five runways enable simultaneous triple independent operations, a European first, and the airport regularly leads the continent in daily flights. The iGA consortium operates it under a build-operate-transfer model, with a metro line connecting to the city center.Full specifications
Latest Istanbul Airport (IST) coverage from AeroTime
Frequently asked questions
Its terminal is the world's largest under one roof, sized for 90 million passengers today with a master plan that extends capacity toward 200 million at full build-out.
Turkish Airlines, which bases its entire long-haul operation there and serves more countries than any other airline in the world.
Ataturk Airport closed to scheduled passenger flights in 2019 when operations moved to the new airport; it now handles cargo, general aviation and state flights.