Istanbul Airport named world's 5th busiest in August
Turkish Airlines airplanes prepare for their next flights in Istanbul Airport, Istanbul, Türkiye, Oct.19, 2021. (Shutterstock Photo)


Istanbul Airport was ranked among the 10 busiest airports in the world in August, rising from 14th to the fifth spot in a report prepared by Official Airline Guides (OAG), the world's leading aviation data and analysis provider.

Istanbul Airport operator IGA said Monday that the report showed the busiest airport in the world remained Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in the United States.

It was followed by Dubai International Airport in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Dallas Fort Worth International Airport in the U.S.

While Tokyo International Airport in Japan ranked fourth, Istanbul Airport ranked fifth on the list.

Heathrow Airport in the United Kingdom ranked eighth, Los Angeles International Airport ninth and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in France came in 10th.

Istanbul Airport – the metropolis’ mega airport – was officially declared open in late October 2018, before becoming fully operational in April 2019.

It reflected the emergence of Istanbul, Europe’s largest city straddling Europe and Asia, as a major regional transport hub.

Istanbul Airport can handle 90 million passengers a year in the current phase, which, while it is a high figure, is nothing compared to its potential capacity to serve 200 million after the completion of all phases, making it the world’s largest.

All four phases of the airport’s construction and expansion, including six runways, are expected to be completed by 2028.