The most convenient way to get to Turkey from Russia and the post-Soviet countries is by air. But in order not to get confused in the numerous aviation ports of the Turkish capital, it is better to study all the airports of Istanbul in advance.
Ataturk
Ataturk Airport (Istanbul Ataturk Havalimani airport) is located in the European part of the city, 22 km from the historical center of Istanbul. In 1912, a military airfield was built here, and passenger traffic started in 1933.
The modern air terminal was erected in 1956 and subsequently modernized more than once. In 1985, the airport was named after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founder of the Turkish Republic.
Currently, the main airport of Istanbul is ranked 3rd in Europe and 11th in the world in terms of air traffic, which is carried out by more than 70 airlines.
Here is the headquarters of the national air carrier Turkish Airlines, as well as the bases of the Turkish airlines Atlasglobal and Onur Air. The planes fly to more than 300 destinations on different continents, a record number of flights in one day - 1119. In 2021, the airport served more than 63 million passengers.
Infrastructure
The airport has 4 terminals. The main ones are Terminal I (International) for international air transportation and D (Domestic) for domestic flights, which are connected by an underground passage. There are also terminals for private jets and air cargo.
The international terminal has 34 gates to the takeoff field, 224 check-in desks and 11 baggage collection and delivery points.
The domestic terminal has 12 gates, 96 check-in counters and 11 luggage compartments.
Inside there are electronic boards with flight schedules, information on which is updated in real time.
The Ataturk Airport Terminal Map will help you navigate when traveling to Turkey.
Departure area of international and domestic terminals:
Arrivals area of international and domestic terminals:
There are two parking blocks marked on the map. An open parking lot for 1,034 cars is located near Terminal D, an indoor (for 7,200 cars) - near Terminal I.
The covered parking has premium class spaces and a separate area for guests of the airport hotel. Depending on the rental time, you will pay for parking from 8.52 to 26 liras per day. Open parking rates are 6 liras per hour or 20 liras per day.
Services
Ataturk Airport is known for its comfort. All inscriptions and names are duplicated in English. There are many shops, cafes and restaurants with European and Turkish cuisine, fast food of famous companies (Starbucks, Burger King), ATMs, pharmacies, currency exchange offices, children's playgrounds, mother and child rooms, an art gallery and a mosque.
Luggage storage at Ataturk Airport operates around the clock, the cost is 15-20 liras per day for small-sized luggage, 30 liras - for average, 45 liras - for large-sized ones.
Free Wi-Fi is available throughout the complex. Smoking rooms in the International Terminal can be found in the passport control area, in Terminal D - in the security check area.
Duty free shops are open around the clock. They sell branded clothing, shoes and accessories, toys, perfumes and cosmetics, tobacco and cigars, elite varieties of tea and coffee, sweets and drinks. Turkish Lira, Euros and US Dollars are accepted.
If you wish, you can take out insurance right at the airport.
Turkey has a Tax Free system - VAT refund for foreign tourists on purchases worth more than 100 Turkish liras. When leaving the country, you need to present your purchases with receipts and receive money from one of three tax-free companies: Turk Refund, DSD Refund or Global Blue.
The transit area at Istanbul Airport is equipped with enhanced comfort lounges for business class passengers. There are 5 different types of lounge areas: Primeclass Lounge, Primeclass CIP, HSBC Premier, ISG International CIP, Comfort. Guests are provided with high-speed Internet, snacks and drinks, TV. Shower is available in Primeclass CIP and Comfort.
If you need to transfer at Ataturk Airport to another flight, please note that it will take at least 30-60 minutes to complete all procedures and go to the desired gate.
Passengers who make international transit flights on Turkish Airlines planes and wait for a transfer from 6 to 24 hours are offered free bus tours around Istanbul from Ataturk Airport. To get to them, you need to check in at the Hotel Desk in the international terminal at least 30 minutes before the start of the trip, presenting a boarding pass for the next flight. There are 5 types of routes for exploring the main attractions of Istanbul, breakfast or lunch.
If the flight is delayed, passengers are directed to the hotel at the Istanbul airport. The TAV Airport Hotel can be accessed directly from the terminal.
There are also Airport Inn Hotel, WOW Airport Hotel, WOW Istanbul Hotel and Rox Hotel Airport nearby. Lovers of comfort can stay in hotels of well-known international chains - Hilton, Radisson, Renaissance or Sheraton.
How to get there
From the airport to different districts of Istanbul can be reached by various means of transport.
Istanbul Metro from Airport - Line M1 runs from Ataturk Airport (Havalimani Station) through the European side of the city to Esenler or Aksaray Bus Stations. At Aksaray or Zeytinburnu, you can change to the high-speed tram (line T1), which will take you to Sultanahmet, to the embankments of Eminonu or Karakoy, Kabatas pier.
Trains run from 6.00 to 00.15. Access to the metro with tokens (5 liras) or rechargeable cards (10 liras), which can be bought at the station. A one-time tram ticket costs 4 lira.
Another popular option is the bus from Ataturk Airport. The 96T municipal bus takes you to Bakirkoy, Yenikapi, Aksaray bus station or Taksim square. Buses run from 06.00 to 23.00 with an interval of 45-50 minutes, the ticket price is 4 lira.
There are also branded express buses of the Hawatash company, which run from the airport to Taksim Square from 04.00 to 01.00 every 30 minutes. The fare is 12 liras.
If you need to get to the Asian part of the city, the most convenient way is to use sea transport. The ferry departs from Bakirkoy to Bostanci and Kadikoy from 07.50 to 20.40 on weekdays and from 09.00 to 22.20 on weekends. The intervals between flights are from 20 minutes to 1.5 hours, the cost of tickets is 7.5 liras. You can get from the airport to Bakirkoy by the Havatash bus.
The price of a taxi from Ataturk Airport is calculated according to the following scheme: for landing 4 lira, for each kilometer of the way 2.5 lira. The trip to the city center will cost about 65 liras, the journey time is about 45 minutes.
There are two tariffs on taxi meters in Istanbul: daytime gunduz (number 1) and night gece (number 2). The second tariff is 50% higher and is valid from 00.00 a.m. to 06.00 a.m. Therefore, you need to look at the clock and the tariff set by the taxi driver.
The most comfortable option is a transfer from Ataturk Airport:
- You can choose a car of any class and capacity, make an order online or at the airport.
- The driver will meet you with a nameplate.
- The price indicated when booking will be fixed, it includes an hour of waiting at the airport and 15 minutes at the hotel.
- For a trip to the Sultanahmet or Fatih districts, you will pay about 120 liras, to Bakirkoy - 110 liras, to Kadikoy - 270 liras.
You can rent a car at the airport. International rental companies Alamo, Avis, Budget, Europcar, Hertz, Sixt and others operate in Istanbul. But it should be borne in mind that Turkey has a very heavy traffic, which can create difficulties even for an experienced driver.
Reference Information
Name: Istanbul Ataturk Airport (English), İstanbul Atatürk Havalimanı (tur.)
IATA code: IST
ICAO code: LTBA
Official website: ataturkairport.com
Online board of departure and arrival of Ataturk airport
Address: Yeşilköy, 34149 İstanbul, Turkey
Phone for inquiries: +90 (212) 463-30-00, +90 (212) 465-55-55
Directorate phone: +90 (212) 663-62-62
Email address: [email protected]
There is no official website in Russian for Ataturk International Airport.
Sabiha Gokcen airport
Sabiha Airport is located in the Asian part of the city, 35 km from the center.It was built in 2001 and named after the first Turkish female pilot, Sabiha Gokcen, the adopted daughter of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.
45 airlines are based at the airport, offering passengers mainly low-cost flights: Sun Express, Pegasus Airlines, Atlasjet, Germanwings, Transavia, Wizz Air and others.
The Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport annually receives up to 20 million passengers and operates about 220,000 flights to Europe, the USA, the Middle East, Russia and Asia - a total of 28 countries in 123 destinations.
Infrastructure
The new terminal with an area of 200,000 square meters serves domestic and international flights. The international traffic area is on the right, local traffic on the left. The arrivals area is located on the first floor, the departure area is on the second.
The terminal has 112 check-in counters from various airlines and 24 machines for self-issuing boarding passes. There is also a separate VIP terminal for important government officials.
All parking at the airport is paid. They can accommodate over 4,700 cars and 72 buses (3,836 indoor parking spaces for cars).
Departure area:
Arrival area:
Services
Istanbul's Gokcen Airport provides traditional services for passengers: luggage storage, round-the-clock currency exchange, a conference room. Wireless Internet is paid, you can pay for access in special machines.
The halls house 25 stores, including boutiques of popular brands Nike and Victoria's Secret. The three duty-free halls cover 4500 m², but there are restrictions on the number of purchases.
The terminal has branches of banks, VAT refund points, as well as eateries, cafes and restaurants with Turkish and European cuisine, including McDonald’s, Sbarro, Starbucks, Burger King, Trattoria Milano.
There is a pharmacy in the departure area where you can buy not only medicines, but also hygiene products.
There are 3 lounge areas for business class passengers: ISG CIP Lounge, Lounge Istanbul (for Turkish Airlines ticket holders and Elite card holders), as well as an exclusive lounge for domestic passengers. The CIP Lounge has a billiard room, a library and a business center, while Lounge Istanbul has a shower, prayer rooms for women and men, a computer room, and a children's playroom. Guests are provided with snacks, hot meals and drinks.
The ISG Airport hotel with 128 rooms serves the crews of airlines and transit passengers.
How to get there
There is no metro line near Sabiha Gokcen Airport, but in the coming years it is planned to extend the M4 line to it.
There are 10 municipal buses running from the airport to different districts of Istanbul from 04.00 to 01.00 every 30 minutes:
- The E10 and E11 buses run 24 hours a day. They follow to the Kadikoy pier, and then you can change to a ferry or metro going to the European part of the city.
- By bus KM22 you can get to the Kartal metro station, by E3 - to the business districts Maslak and Levent.
- By E9 - to Bostanji area, by 18H - to Sultanbeyli sleeping area. The fare is 4-5 liras.
There are also Havabus express buses from the airport, which can take you to Kadikoy or Taksim. The fare is 9-16 liras.
You can get to the center from the airport by taxi, but the trip will be expensive: to Taksim Square - 180 lira, to Sultanahmet - 200 lira.
Many transit passengers arrive in Istanbul at Ataturk Airport, and they have to fly further from Sabih (or vice versa). Therefore, they are interested in how to get from Sabiha to Ataturk. There are several ways:
- Take the Havabus bus to Taksim Square, then change to the Hawatash bus to Ataturk Airport.
- Take the Havabus bus to Kadikoy Square, then take a ferry to Eminonu, from there take the T1 high-speed tram to the Zeitinburnu metro station, take it to the M1 line to Havalimani station (Ataturk airport).
- By bus KM22 to Kartal metro station, by metro to Ayrilikcesme station, there change to the Marmaray train, get off at Yenikapu station. From Yenikapu you can take the Havatash bus to the airport or walk 10 minutes to the Aksaray metro station and take the M1 line to the Havalimani stop (Ataturk airport).
- By taxi. The distance between the airports is about 80 km, so it will cost about 150 liras.
The trip from one airport to another, depending on the route, can take from 1.5 to 3 hours.
Reference Information
Name: Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen airport (English), İstanbul Sabiha Gökçen Havalimanı (tur.)
Address: ISG Yönetim Binası Pendik 34912 Istanbul, Turkey
ICAO code: LTFJ
IATA code: SAW
Phone for inquiries: +90 (216) 588-88-88
Directorate phone: +90 (216) 588-80-00
Hotel reservation: +90 (216) 588-50-00
Official website: www.sabihagokcen.aero
Online board of arrivals and departures
Email: [email protected]
New Yeni Havalimani Airport
Currently, 35 km from the city, the giant İstanbul Yeni Havalimani air port is being completed. Istanbul's new airport is almost three times the size of Ataturk - it has 114 airfield exits and is capable of handling up to 90 million passengers a year.
It is already partially in use, with full commissioning planned for March 2021. After that, Ataturk Airport will be closed and a city park will be arranged in its place, and its international code IST will be given to the new airport.
But the complete Yeni Havalimani project is much larger: it will be implemented until 2021, and after construction is completed, the airport will be able to serve up to 150 million passengers a year.
Conclusion
There are currently three operating airports in Istanbul: Ataturk, Sabiha Gokcen and the new Yeni Havalimani. Today, most flights arrive and depart from Ataturk and Sabiha airports. But these two airports are already struggling to cope with the current flow of passengers, and opportunities for their expansion have been exhausted. In March 2021, it is planned to launch a new airport, after which Ataturk will be closed and become part of history.
