Istanbul Airport, marking one of the critical milestones for Turkish aviation, has hosted over 317.7 million passengers in the six years since it first opened for service, according to a report on Tuesday.
The first phase of the vast air hub, sitting on the edge of Istanbul – constructed over an area of 76.5 million square meters and setting global precedents in various aspects – was inaugurated in the ceremony marking Republic Day on Oct. 29, 2018.
The ceremony was attended by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and more than 50 high-level guests from around the world.
Heads of state and prime ministers from countries including Albania, Serbia, Qatar, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Pakistan, Sudan, Bosnia-Herzegovina and Bulgaria attended the opening.
The new airport, which aims to make Istanbul a global hub for both passenger and cargo transport, features expansive terminals, customs areas, independent runways, parking, dining and social amenities, drawing international attention in the aviation sector.
The airport has 53,700 square meters of duty-free area and 181 stores, along with 114 restaurants and cafes.
With a 1 million square meters of parking area, the airport currently hosts flights from 101 airlines.
To date, a total of 2.14 million flights have been conducted, carrying more than 317.71 million passengers. Approximately 1.4 million tons of cargo have also been transferred.
The airport offers flights to over 120 countries, reaching a total of 322 destinations, 45 of which are domestic and 277 international.
In 2022 and 2023, Istanbul Airport was recognized as Europe’s busiest international airport, according to data from the European Organization for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol).
Monthly data by Eurocontrol revealed the airport maintained its top position for most of this year, surpassing other major airports in European capitals such as Amsterdam, Paris and London.
In the six years since its opening, Istanbul Airport has received numerous awards, frequently earning international recognition.
The airport has received several top accolades this year as well, often scoring top points from passengers and travel enthusiasts in major magazines.
Most recently, it was chosen as the “Best Airport in the World” by readers of Conde Nast Traveler, one of the most prestigious travel magazines with a history of 115 years.
In the ranking determined by the votes of hundreds of thousands of travel enthusiasts, Istanbul Airport once again claimed the top spot in the world, as it did in 2022.
The airport also ranked first in Travel and Leisure magazine’s “Top 10 International Airports in the World” survey, scoring 95.79 points from readers, with results announced in July.
The airport was awarded the title of “Best Airport in Europe” in the category for airports serving over 40 million passengers by the Airports Council International (ACI Europe), with the award presented on July 5.
In April, it was also selected as one of the world’s top 10 airports in the 2024 Skytrax World Airport Awards, receiving additional honors for “Best Airport Food Services” and “Best Airport in Southern Europe.”
In March, Istanbul Airport was awarded “Airport of the Year” for the fourth time at the Air Transport Awards.
At the end of last year, it was also recognized by Global Traveler magazine readers in the U.S., earning accolades for “Best Airport,” “Best Airport in Europe,” “Best Airport for Shopping Experience,” “Best Airport with Dining” and “Best Duty-Free Shopping Experience in Europe.”
