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Istanbul Airport inaugurates fourth main runway

Updated 4 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-18 21:56 UTC → 2026-09-19 16:45 UTC · added removed

Istanbul Airport has officially inaugurated its fourth main runway, an 890 million euro project that increases the facility’s total runway count from five to six. Measuring 2,820 meters in length and 45 meters in width, this is the airport’s first east-west oriented runway, providing a departure from the existing north-south alignment. During the opening ceremony, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stated that the expansion aims to improve service standards by reducing taxiing and airborne waiting times, while also saving fuel and time. The new orientation is expected to enhance operational flexibility and improve on-time departure rates, particularly during adverse weather conditions. Erdoğan further noted that these developments will increase safety during takeoff and landing. Erdoğan emphasized Turkey’s strategic geographic position, noting that 1.5 billion people from 67 countries can reach the nation within a four-hour flight. He highlighted that the government is leveraging this connectivity through extensive investments in land, sea, and rail infrastructure. Addressing previous criticisms regarding the airport's location location, terrain, and feasibility, wind conditions, Erdoğan asserted that the facility has consistently broken records, including a flight record of 1,787 flights on August 30. records. He also noted that since 2002, the number of active airports in Turkey has increased from 26 to 58, and air transport agreements have expanded from 81 to 175 countries. 58. Economically, the airport currently employs 202,000 people and contributes approximately 2.2 percent to Turkey’s national income, valued at roughly 24.2 billion dollars. The government’s 2030 targets expansion is part of the Phase 2 investment plan by İGA Istanbul Airport. Recent facility investments also include increasing airport-related employment to 472,000 the 485-room Hilton Istanbul Airport and reaching a revenue of 44 billion dollars. the JETEX-İGA Terminal. Long-term strategic plans involve expanding to a total of nine runways to achieve an annual capacity of 200 million passengers.

Versions

  1. 2026-09-19 16:45 UTC Istanbul Airport inaugurates fourth main runway
  2. 2026-09-18 21:56 UTC Istanbul Airport inaugurates fourth main runway
  3. 2026-09-18 19:23 UTC Istanbul Airport inaugurates fourth main runway
  4. 2026-09-18 14:55 UTC Istanbul Airport inaugurates fourth main runway
  5. 2026-09-18 12:41 UTC Istanbul Airport runway expansion

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