The Istanbul Airport (also referred to as Istanbul International Airport IST) is the heartbeat of Turkish aviation – and one of the largest airport projects in the history of the modern era. It was opened on the European side of Istanbul in 2018, replacing the older Ataturk Airport, and immediately became an international aviation giant, becoming the second-busiest airport in Europe and the seventh-busiest in the world by total passenger traffic in 2024.
You can be passing by on a Turkish Airlines connection or you can be arriving to visit one of the greatest cities in the world, getting around IST can or cannot be the making or breaking point of your travelling experience. This has it all: the history and facilities of the airport, and useful information on security, places to smoke, car hire, and changing money.
The control tower of the Istanbul Airport is designed like a tulip, a national flower in Turkey, which stands as a great architectural symbol that you will see when coming in.
IST Airport Overview: Contact, Address, and Key Details
| Category | Information |
| Airport Name | Istanbul Airport (IST) |
| IATA / ICAO Code | IST / LTFM |
| Address | Tayakadin, No:1, Terminal Caddesi, 34283 Arnavutkoy, Istanbul, Turkiye. |
| Terminals | 1 Main Passenger Terminal (handles both domestic & international flights) |
| Website | https://www.istairport.com/ |
| Runways | 5 Runways |
| Airlines Operating | 90+ Passenger Airlines |
| Hub For | Turkish Airlines |
| Destinations Served | 300+ International and Domestic Destinations Served. |
| Elevation | 99 m |
The Airport Of A Brief History
Since the old Ataturk Airport in Istanbul was now hemmed in by the urban center on three sides and the Sea of Marmara on the other, it could not expand. It was decided to construct a completely new plant, far north of the city on the Arnavutko district side of Lake Terkos. It started construction in earnest in 2015 after a groundbreaking ceremony in June 2014, and a Turkish consortium won a 25-year operating lease.
It was inaugurated on 29 October 2018 – on the 95th anniversary of the Turkish Republic. The final operations, with all the planned commercial flights moved over, being successful on 6 April 2019, and the coveted IST airport code being transferred off Atatürk.
Size, Terminals & Concourses
Thirdly, IST has one major terminal, which is among the three largest in the world, consisting of five concourses (A, B, D, F, and G), of which only the G one is used by domestic flights: A, B, D, F, and G are used by international arrivals and departures. The airport features five runways that are operational and 143 passenger boarding bridges. By 2027, when all the expansion stages have been achieved, IST will have the capacity of 150 million passengers per year, with a possible maximum of 200 million.
Grimshaw Architects, Nordic Office of Architecture and Haptic Architects were the principal designers, and Scott Brownrigg was the principal delivery architect – a truly global creative project, which resulted in a terminal whose roof was in a continuous wave form with a well-lit interior.
IST Airport Security Wait Times
Istanbul Airport security is comprehensive and well-staffed and has a population of more than 3,500 security personnel. With that said, waiting can be fairly long and depend on the day of the week and the season.
Off-peak hours
Mid-morning (10am1pm) and early afternoon are likely to be fast moving and may take less than 20 min.
Peak hours
Waits in the morning (5-8am) and evening (6 9pm) can be 30-45 minutes.
- Get to the airport at least 3 hours prior to international flights – IST is a big place and walking to the gates or to the check-in area can be a long distance.
- The airport has special fast track lanes on business class and premium frequent flyers.
- Have electronics and liquids available – security is in line with international best practices.
IST Airport Smoking Areas
Throughout its terminals, Istanbul Airport is a no-smoke airport, as per the aviation codes in Turkey. It is forbidden to smoke in the terminal building, even in toilets and in minor corridors.
There are special smoking areas, which are located at the departure level, before you go through security.
Once airside (past passport control), there are no smoking areas. Prepare in case you have a lengthy layover.
Note: E-cigarettes and vaping devices will be restricted in the same manner as the traditional tobacco products within the terminal.
IST Airport Car Rental
The car rental business of IST is well-established and has all the major international and domestic agencies. The car rental desks are on the arrivals level of the main terminal, which is easily accessed soon after clearing the customs.
Key agencies at IST
Hertz, Avis, Budget, Enterprise, Europcar, Sixt and local Turkish car rental companies such as Garenta and Decar.
Booking tips
It is highly advisable to pre-book online particularly during summer. Peak rates can be 30-50 higher when walking in.
- It is advisable to carry with you a valid international driving permit (IDP) together with your home licence, but EU licences are usually accepted.
- Coming into central Istanbul may take about 45-90 minutes, depending on traffic and it may be heavy during rush times.
Tip – You might want to drive to the city, in that case, you should come off-peak or you can use airport metro (Istanbul Airport Metro, M11) to get to the city and get your rental car when leaving.
IST Airport Currency Exchange
Exchanging the currency is easy at IST and there are a variety of choices before and after passing the passport control. The local currency is the Turkish lira (TRY), but euros and US dollars are common in tourist-oriented places in Istanbul.
The exchange booths of the Döviz offices and big Turkish banks are distributed throughout the arrivals and the departures halls.
ATMs
ATMs with competitive rates across the interbank rates are found everywhere in the terminal – they are usually better than bureau de change rates. Seek the machines of big Turkish banks (Garanti, İş Bankası, Yapı Kredi).
Do not change a lot at the first booth you pass when you enter the arrivals section since rates are not usually as favourable. Take a few steps to get a better choice.
Euros, dollars, and pounds as well as lira are accepted in post-security duty-free shops.
Other Notable Facilities
IST has good passenger facilities. The Airport has a mosque, the Ali Kuşcu Mosque in Airport City, the first LEED Gold-certified mosque in the world, that serves a congregation of up to 6,000 people. There are also prayer rooms provided airside to the travellers.
It has VIP and frequent-flyer lounges (the CIP Lounge of Turkish Airlines is especially popular), medical services, convention centres, and a big assortment of shopping and dining establishments in its five concourses.
Getting to Istanbul from the Airport
It is a metro ride (M11) to the city, taking approximately 35 minutes to Gayrettepe, and is tied into the larger Istanbul Metro system. At the specified taxi rank outside arrivals, taxis and ride-hailing apps (the local version of Uber is called BiTaksi) can be found. The buses of Havaş airport also serve the routes to the city centre and to the major destinations such as Taksim Square.
FAQ
In the case of international flights, it is advisable to be at the airport at least 3 hours before takeoff. Istanbul Airport is not the smallest in the world and the distance between check in counters and gates may be very significant. Security and passport control lines may cause a lot of time loss during the peak travel seasons (summer and major holidays), and it is much appreciated to arrive early.
There is no visa needed to most nationalities provided that you do not leave the international transit zone. There are however nationalities that need a transit visa even when airside. The Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs has varying requirements based on passport and these requirements may change, so always be sure to check the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs site or with your airline before traveling. Provided that you intend to leave the airport and enter Turkey, a separate e-Visa is needed in most cases.
The M11 metro (serving Gayrettepe in approximately 35 minutes, with Havaş airport buses serving Taksim Square and other city centers) is the most convenient, and taxis are available on the official rank outside of arrivals, as well as ride-hailing apps like BiTaksi. Coming into the city centre usually takes 45-90 minutes with heavy traffic that may occur during rush hours.
Usually, the city centre of Istanbul (especially the Grand Bazaar and the independent exchange offices known as döviz) have better exchange rates than the airport. At that, the ATMs at the airport are connected to large Turkish banks (Garanti, İş Bankası, Yapı Kredi), which usually provide close-to-interbank rates and are a good choice to get some initial cash. Do not use the initial exchange booths outside entrances to the arrivals – they usually have the best margins.
Yes, there is free Wi-Fi all over Istanbul Airport in departures and arrivals, as well as on the airside. Connect to the “iGA Free WiFi” network and register with your email or phone number for access. The speed is typically sufficient to browse and send messages, but can slow down during the busiest time. Premium lounges like Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge provide faster connections with dedicated ones to the qualified passengers.