Istanbul Airport becomes world's most connected aviation hub

Istanbul Airport has become the world's most connected aviation hub, overtaking London Heathrow according to the 2026 Megahubs ranking by aviation data provider OAG. Based on the Connectivity Index, which measures transfer possibilities on the busiest day of the year, Istanbul secured the top spot with an index of 265.4, serving 337 destinations. Turkish Airlines provides 80 percent of the capacity at the Istanbul hub.

London Heathrow fell to second place, seeing a six percent decrease in possible connections compared to the previous year. Amsterdam Schiphol maintains its third-place position. The top three most connected hubs are currently located in Europe.

Frankfurt Airport dropped three places from its previous ranking of fourth to seventh globally. Despite the decline, it remains a major European hub, ranking fourth in Europe behind Istanbul, London Heathrow, and Amsterdam. Lufthansa continues to dominate operations at Frankfurt, accounting for 53 percent of all flights.