Istanbul Airport (IST)

About Istanbul Airport

Istanbul Airport (IATA code IST) is the largest airport serving Istanbul, Turkey's biggest city. It opened in 2018 and took over the IST code from the old Atatürk Airport, which no longer handles scheduled passenger flights. The airport is located on the European side of the city, north of the centre near the Black Sea coast.

IST is the main hub of Turkish Airlines and one of the world's major transfer airports, connecting Europe, Asia, Africa and the Middle East. Istanbul has a second big airport, Sabiha Gökçen (SAW), on the Asian side, so always check which one your flight uses.

Getting to the city centre

The airport is quite far from the historic centre, so plan the transfer in advance. The main options are:

• Metro — the M11 line connects the airport with the city's metro network at Gayrettepe and other interchange stations.
• Havaist buses — airport buses run to many districts on both sides of the Bosphorus.
• Taxi — available outside arrivals around the clock.

Journey times depend heavily on traffic. Check routes and payment options on the official airport website before you go.

Practical tips

A few simple habits make the airport part of your trip much smoother:

• Arrive early, especially in peak travel seasons: queues at check-in, security and passport control can build up quickly.
• Double-check the airport code and terminal on your booking — cities with several airports are easy to mix up.
• Check passport validity and entry requirements with official sources such as the embassy or consulate.
• The terminal is very large: if you have a connection, follow the transfer signs and keep an eye on the walking time to your gate.

Flights to Istanbul

Planning a trip to Istanbul? On mibilet you can compare flights Baku – Istanbul from our partners and book directly with the partner you prefer. Whether a direct flight is available and which airlines operate the route can change with the season, so check the current search results rather than relying on old information. To find the cheapest travel dates, open the price calendar; for other routes, start on the flight search page.