Airports in Istanbul

Ataturk International Airport (IST) in Istanbul claims to be the airport serving the most non-European routes in 2011. Like Istanbul, Ataturk Airport is a meeting-point between east and west. Ataturk International Airport is a major air hub for the region and is one of the top 20 busiest airports in the world.

Passengers traveling through Ataturk International Airport will be pleased to know that the airport has a great selection of duty-free shops including tobacconists, perfume shops and many name brand stores such as Hugo Boss, D&G, DKNY, Dior, Armani, Gucci, Guess and Prada. What better way to keep yourself entertained between flights or while waiting for your flight than to embark on a shopping extravaganza?

Most airlines from across the world offer flights to Istanbul. Low-cost carriers such as Atlasjet, Pegasus Airlines, IZair and Sky Airlines all offer cheap flights to Ataturk International Airport. Ataturk is also the main hub for the national carrier Turkish Airlines, which flies to destinations including Amsterdam, Birmingham, Cape Town and Chicago as well as Dubai, Hong Kong, Singapore, New York, and Paris.

The airport was designed with Istanbul’s unique East-meets-West history in mind. This is particularly evident in the architecture of the building, such as the intricate mosaic tiling of the airport floors. It serves as a great introduction to the beautiful Ottoman architecture in Istanbul.

Named after the world’s first female combat pilot, Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW) is located 22 miles (35 km) south-east of the center of Istanbul, on the Asian side of the bi-continental city. Built in response to ever rising numbers of visitors to Istanbul, the airport handled about 11 million passengers in 2010.

Comprising one newly built terminal for both international and domestic arrivals and departures, Sabiha Gokcen International has a capacity of 25 million passengers (which it expects to reach by 2023) and a host of shops, facilities and services that are on par with global standards. In 2010, it was awarded the title “World’s Best Airport” at the World Low Cost Airlines Congress in London.   

With a light rail link scheduled to be completed at the end of 2011 (reducing traveling time to the city to 29 minutes), as well as an extensive array of existing transport options available to and from the city, Sabiha Gokcen International is a convenient gateway to Istanbul and surrounds. Moreover, friendly and efficient staff make it a pleasure to visit.