[REVISION HISTORY]

Istanbul Airport runway expansion and hub growth

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-09-02 12:31 UTC → 2026-09-03 05:01 UTC · added ~~removed~~

In late July 2026, Istanbul Airport opened its sixth runway (09/27), a 2,820m by 45m east-west strip primarily for domestic departures. Designed to avoid intersecting the main north-south traffic corridor, the runway allows for up to four simultaneous take-offs, which is intended to reduce taxi times, queuing delays, and fuel use. With this addition, Istanbul Airport became the world’s seventh airport with the most runways, joining facilities such as Chicago O'Hare and Dallas/Fort Worth. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu stated that the fourth runway, also 2,820m by 45m, is in its final construction phase. Temporary acceptance is expected in August, with a full operational launch slated for the fourth quarter of 2026 to support independent four-runway operations. Following the expansion, Istanbul Airport has seen significant growth in traffic. In July, the airport recorded 8.15 million passengers, overtaking London Heathrow (7.86 million) to become Europe’s busiest aviation hub. Heathrow’s passenger numbers on Middle East routes fell by 20.2% in July, a decline attributed to the ongoing conflict between the United States and Iran. Heathrow management stated that “the case for expansion has never been clearer” as they seek government approval for a third runway to increase annual capacity from approximately 85 million to 150 million. By mid-August, EUROCONTROL data confirmed Istanbul Airport surpassed major hubs like Paris Charles de Gaulle and Amsterdam Schiphol, averaging 1,665 flights per day between August 10 and 16. ~~Globally, the airport ranked sixth for daily aircraft departures, averaging 843 take-offs per day. Minister Uraloğlu also~~ By early September 2026, İGA Istanbul Airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen noted that ~~Turkey has become the sixth busiest country~~ while conflicts in ~~Europe for air traffic volume, averaging 4,400 daily flights. On August 16,~~ the Gulf and Middle East have altered flight routes and increased costs, the airport ~~set~~ remains a ~~record~~ “secure transit hub for ~~Turkey and Europe by processing 290,287 passengers and 1,739 flights~~ East-West connections.” Despite a 1% increase in annual seat capacity and a ~~single day.~~ 2% rise in passenger numbers since the start of the year, OAG data shows the airport dropped from the 4th to the 6th busiest airport globally, trailing hubs such as Chicago, Shanghai, and Guangzhou.

Versions

Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.