Istanbul Airport is a major airport serving the city of Istanbul, Turkey. The airport opened in 2019 replacing Atatürk Airport, the former airport serving the city. Since opening, IST has quickly become one of the best and busiest airports in Europe and the World.

As the cities former airport became one of Europe’s top five busiest airports, expansion was needed in order for the city to handle further expected passenger growth. Due to the airport’s location closer to the city, further expansion was not possible necessitating a new airport in a more open area. The new airport began contraction in 2014 and although currently open further expansion projects are planned up until 2027.

The airport serves as a hub for national flag carrier Turkish Airlines. The airport is also served by another 99 airlines that offer flights to over 300 destinations across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, North America, South America and Oceania. Istanbul Airport is one of the few airports in the world to offer flights to six inhabited continents and serves as major hub at the crossroads of Europe, Asia and Africa.

Istanbul Airport’s single terminal building that caters to both international and domestic flights with five concourses extend from the main terminal building. Five runways service the large terminal, three which are currently in use and two acting as backups. Operations are overseen by the tulip shaped traffic control tower.

The airport is truly an airport of the future, featuring a modern design that draws heavily from the culture and architecture of the city it serves. The terminal building is one of the largest in the world and features high ceilings that tower over the wide, unobstructed open spaces that use natural lighting to great effect. These open spaces are full of numerous retail and dinning options and all the amenities travellers expect from a modern airport of this size.

The airport is located approximately 50 km from the historic core of Istanbul. At this time, taxi is by far the best option when arriving at the airport with a travel time of 50 minutes. The Havaist and IETT public buses are also available but can take over an hour and half to reach the city centre. There are currently plans to extend the metro line from the airport to the city which when fully operational should offer a faster option for visitors to the city.