Istanbul Airport overtakes Heathrow as Europe’s busiest hub

Istanbul Airport has emerged as Europe’s busiest hub, overtaking London Heathrow in passenger traffic during July 2026. Istanbul Airport recorded approximately 8.15 million passengers, while Heathrow handled 7.86 million, marking a 1.5% year-on-year decline for the London hub.

On August 16, 2026, Istanbul Airport set a new record for both daily passengers and flights in Turkey and Europe, processing 290,287 passengers and 1,739 flights in a single day. Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu noted that these milestones strengthen the airport’s position as a global transit center.

In contrast, Heathrow’s performance was impacted by a 20.2% drop in traffic to the Middle East due to regional disruptions. Heathrow officials are currently advocating for a third runway to address capacity saturation, whereas Istanbul Airport continues to expand its capacity with plans for a fourth runway by the end of 2026.

Despite the growth in Istanbul, recent flight disruptions were noted across Europe on August 15, with Istanbul and Antalya among the major centers experiencing delays. Turkish Airlines recorded 207 delays, primarily at Istanbul Airport, while SunExpress saw 104 delays, mostly in Antalya.