Istanbul Airport (IST) Guide 2024: Your Ultimate Guide to Turkey's Major International Airport

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Updated September 2024

Key takeaways

Istanbul Airport, with one terminal and five runways, aims to serve 200 million passengers by 2025.

Airport facilities include smoking and non-smoking terraces, free Wi-Fi kiosks, and other services.

Unique services include therapy dogs, Turkish cultural exhibitions, and more.

Transportation options include shuttle buses, 24/7 taxis, and intercity services to nearby cities like Bursa and Tekirdağ.

Table of Contents

Istanbul Airport overview

With its unique design that emphasizes Turkey’s traditions and celebrates its cultures, Istanbul International Airport stands 90 meters high over a 1,440.000m2 area, building on its historical identity as ‘the gateway between two worlds.’

Since June 2019, only one terminal and five operational runways have been functional, but project completion, with airport capacity capable of holding more than 200 million passengers, is set for 2025.

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Airport code

Istanbul Airport is identified by the codes IST for the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and LTFM for the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO).

Location

Istanbul Airport is located at Arnavutköy, Istanbul, Turkey, 40km/24.8 miles from Taksim and 52km/32.3 miles from Kadıköy.

Arrivals and departures

Travelers can find detailed international departure and arrival schedules by visiting the official Istanbul Airport website.

For the latest flight information, travelers can use online travel search engines like Wego. Just enter your departure and arrival cities to see real-time flight schedules.

Terminal

Since the airport has only one functioning terminal, domestic flights can be accessed through doors 1 and 2, with check-in counters D and E. International flights will be accessed through the remaining doors with check-in counters E, F, G, H, and J.

Airlines

As one of Turkey’s major international airports, Istanbul Airport has partnered with numerous airlines worldwide, including:

Aegean Airlines
Aeroflot
AfrIqiyah Airways
Air Albania
Air Algerie
Air Astana
Air France
Air Moldova
Air Serbia
All Nippon Airways
Asiana Airlines
Ata Airlines
AtlasGlobal
Azerbaijan Airlines
Belavia
Badr Airlines
British Airways
Buraq Air
China Southern Airlines
EgyptAir
Emirates
Ethiopian Airlines
Etihad Airways
FlyBaghdad
Fly Jordan
Ghadames Air Transport
Gulf Air
Indigo
Iran Air
Iran Aseman Airlines
Iraqi Airways
Jazeera Airways
Jordan Aviation
Kam Air
KLM
Korean Air
Kuwait Airways
Lot Polish Airlines
Lufthansa
Libyan Airlines
Libyan Wings
Mahan Air
Meraj Airlines
Middle East Airlines
Nouvelair
Oman Air
Onur Air
Pegasus Airlines
Qatar Airways
Red Wings Airlines
Royal Air Maroc
Royal Jordanian
Saudia
Scat Airlines
Sichuan Airlines
Singapore Airlines
Somon Air
Taban Air
Tarom
Transavia France
Tunisair
Turkish Airlines
Turkmenistan Airlines
UIA
Uzbekistan Airways

Services and facilities

Similar to its design, Istanbul Airport offers passengers an experience that is out of the ordinary.

General Services

Istanbul Airport provides the following services for its arriving and departing passengers:

There are thirteen smoking terraces. Ten are on the international airside, while the other three are on the domestic airside.
Fresh air terraces can be found at the international flight gates B1 and F8 to accommodate non-smokers.
Prayer rooms or worship facilities are offered by the airport, catering to different religions.
One-hour free Wi-Fi kiosks found at the following locations:
- Bosphorus
- Near the C-E doors
- Domestic departures floor
- Transfer level
- iGA Lounge
- International baggage claim area
- Arrivals hall
Charging stations are available at the check-in waiting areas and at the seating areas near the gates.
Various bank and ATM services are available in domestic and international areas on the arrivals and departures floor.
The Istanbul International Airport offers global exchange services, including foreign currency exchange, tax refunds, and money transfer services.
Beauty services and spa amenities are provided by the airport to create a rewarding experience for its travelers.
The Istanbul Airport security has enforced baggage security and restrictions to ensure the safety of all arriving and departing passengers.
Complimentary water dispensers can be accessed across 18 locations within the airport.

Therapy dogs

The airport provides therapy dogs to create and ensure a pleasant and relaxing atmosphere for all travelers, especially for passengers who experience flight-related stress.

Museums and exhibitions

Since opening in 2019, Istanbul Airport has paved the way for travelers to get a glimpse of Turkish culture through its “Türkiye’s Treasures; Faces of the Throne” exhibition, which is held on the international departures floor and covers an area of 1,000 sqm.

This exhibit displays 316 works from 29 museums.

Health services

With the motto “People First and Always,” the Istanbul International Airport offers uninterrupted health services such as the Polyclinic, located on the departing passenger floor on the landside and on the apron floor on the airside.

Emergency medical services and Pharmacies are also available.

Accommodation

YOTEL Istanbul Airport is known as one of the largest airport hotels in the world. The hotel hosts 451 cabins (rooms), 171 on the landside and 280 on the airside.

Please note that all passengers can book the landside of the YOTEL, but only international travelers can book the airside or YOTELAIR.

How do you get to and from Istanbul Airport?

Travelers can get to and from the Istanbul Airport by availing any of the following transportation options:

Shuttle buses

Public airport shuttle buses serve Havaist, İETT, and Metro points. The Istanbul Airport transport website provides pick-up and drop-off points, passing routes, timetables, and a list of fees for each. Intercity transportation services are also offered on the Bursa, Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kocaeli and Sakarya routes.

Please note that services for disabled passengers are only available on the Havaist shuttle buses. For assistance, you can contact the shuttle service at 0850 888 33 34 or drop them an email at [email protected].

For more information on the shuttle bus timetables, please visit the Istanbul Airport official website.

Airport taxi

Taxi services are also available 24/7. Taxi types are the black ‘E’ type, the turquoise ‘D’ type, and the orange ‘C’ type taxis. Travelers who prefer taxi service should go to the main stands at the Plaza Section’s domestic and international passenger exit doors or the vehicles on the departure floor (2nd floor).

For a guide on taxi fares and other details, you can check out the Istanbul Airport transport page or contact the services at: