Quick Jump links to Istanbul Airports

Two airports Istanbul Airport (ISL) and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) serve Istanbul, a major city in Turkey. Istanbul Airport is a new airport which is set to replace the main Ataturk Airport in Istanbul, Turkey. Most parts of Istanbul airport is still under construction so it serves as a third international airport in Turkey. It is served by Turkish airlines with flights to domestic and international destinations. Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the second airport serving Istanbul but for now a major airport compared to the new Istanbul airport, it is also an international airport and handles flights to major cities in the world. The two airports are served by efficient public transport services from the airport to central Istanbul. We summarize all the information you need about the airports to make your next trip easy.

Istanbul Airport Vs. Sabiha Gokcen Airport

Istanbul Airport (ISL)

Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW)

    Istanbul Airport (ISL) Sabiha Gokcen Airport  (SAW)
Airport Maps Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) Map

Getting To The Airports From The City Centre

Distance from City Centre 33.5 miles(54 kilometres) 27.9 miles(45 kilometres)
Public Transport Operating Hours 24-hours 24-hours
Train N/A N/A
Shuttle Services N/A

Holiday Taxis operate on-demand from the airport.
Fare: $23-$150
Journey time: 33 min

Shuttle HavaBus also run every 5-30 minutes from the airport to the Istanbul Ulasim M2 train station in Taksim to central turkey.
Fare: $4-$5
Journey time: 1h 40 min

http://havatas.com

Bus

IETT and İstanbul Otobüs A.Ş. Bus Services run every 15 min.

Fare: $3-$6
Journey time: 45-60 minutes

Istanbul New Airport Transportation

Bus, line 251 bus, Metro, ferry all operate to the city centre every 5-30 minutes.

Fare: $3-$4
Journey time: 2h 8min

http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/main/pages/buses/156#,

http://www.metro.istanbul/

http://www.sehirhatlari.istanbul

Taxi

Around $24 - $30,
Journey time: 40-60 min.

Around $19-$24,
Journey time: 33 min.

Uber

Available on demand $22-$28

Uber fare estimator

Available on demand $20-$26

Uber fare estimator

   

Which Airport Is Most Suitable For Me?

How Close to City Centre

Istanbul Airport is a new airport and it is far from the city centre in Istanbul but is connected by bus, shuttle, taxi, private transfer and car hire services to the city centre.

Sabiha Gokcen Airport is also an international airport serving Istanbul, it is the closest to the city centre compared to the new Istanbul airport. It handles both domestic and international flights in and out of istanbul. The airport is linked to other parts of Istanbul by good roads buses, shuttles, taxis and car hire services.

Cost Factor

Istanbul Airport is a new airport and is served by Turkish airlines which handles flights to 5 destinations within the country. International flights will start sometime in January or later.

The airport is still very much under construction and is expected to take over from Ataturk Airport. It is served for now by buses, taxis and few car hire services.

Flight fares are very cheap from this airport but it is very far from the city centre.

There are currently no hotels available in the airport and closest ones are located half way towards the city centre. Based on this, Sabiha Gokcen airport is a better option to fly.

Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the second airport serving Istanbul and also used for international and domestic flights. The airport is closer to the city centre than Istanbul airport and is served by more airlines and transport services.

The airport is served by major airlines and handles both domestic and international flights. It is more expensive compared to Istanbul Airport.

Public transport, hotel prices and flight fares are higher, but the airport still remains a better choice for travellers.

Airport Delays

Avg Security & Immigration Delays: Low

Avg Flight Arrival Delays: No Delays.

Avg Security & Immigration Delays: Average

Avg Flight Arrival Delays: 20 minutes

Flight Fares Flight fares are cheaper at the airport. Sabiha Gokcen Airport flight fares are more expensive by over 50%.

Hotel Prices Per Day From (01-01-2018 to 02-01-2018) Searched on 02-12-2018

Hotel Hotels in the airport are still under construction and it is located very far from the city's population, travellers have to book hotels in the city centre before arrival.

ISG Airport Hotel - Special Class (4-Star)- $43

Marka Suit - $29,

Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kurtkoy (4-Star) - $72.


Car Hire Prices Per Week (01-01-2018 to 02-01-2018) Searched on 06-12-2018

Car Hire

Budget Cars: (Fiat 500, Fiat Panda, Hyundai I10, Peugeot 107, Citroen C1, Nissan Micra, and Ford Figo) $31.37-$85.58

Intermediate Cars: (Skoda Octavia, Vw Jetta, Renault Fluence, Honda Civic, Renault Fluence, Seat Toledo, Ford Mondeo, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Altis, Audi A3, Peugeot 3008, and Renault Scenic) $56.67 - $142.27

Luxury Cars: (Bmw 5 Series, and Mercedes E Class) $105.12-$174.57

Budget Cars: (Fiat 500, Fiat Panda, Hyundai I10, Peugeot 107, Citroen C1, Nissan Micra, and Ford Figo) $31.37-$85.58

Intermediate Cars: (Skoda Octavia, Vw Jetta, Renault Fluence, Honda Civic, Renault Fluence, Seat Toledo, Ford Mondeo, Toyota Corolla, Toyota Altis, Audi A3, Peugeot 3008, and Renault Scenic) $56.67 - $142.27

Luxury Cars: (Bmw 5 Series, and Mercedes E Class) $105.12-$174.57

Car Hire Companies Europcar, Hertz, Avis, Sixt, Budget, and Enterprise . Avis, Bizcar Rental, Budget, Europcar, Bostanci, Central, ÇİZGİ, Enterprise, Garenta , Goldcar, Nord Travel, Payless, Rent and National.
Online car hire Car Hire Istanbul Airport (ISL) Car Hire Sabiha Gokcen Airport  (SAW)

Airport Facilities

Shopping and Dining There are Duty-free shops available at the airport and other shops & restaurants such as D&R, Fashion Box, Samsonite, Toyzz Shop, Phablet Mobile Phone Accessories, Gloria Jean's Coffees, Seferi, Simit Sarayı, H Quick, Via Cafe, Mvnch. D&R, New Bazaar, Portes market & hediyelik eşya, SuperStore gift shop, Watsons, Altis gift shop, Selin Silver, Area Shop, Salkım Büfe, Levent Lostra, Bazaar Istanbul, Kartal Yuvası, TS Club Corner; GS Store, Fenerium, Bayram Bal Kuaför, Dolunay Market, Aero Shop, Zümrüt Jewellery, Samsonite, Jr. Robotics, BCK Gourmet, Victoria's Secret, Time Pieces, Phone Kiosk, Ermenegildo Zegna, Vakko Boutique, Micheal Kors, Gratis, Flower Shop, Türk Telekom, Turkcell, Vodafone, Tobacco Market, Simit Sarayı, Center Point, McDonalds, McDCafe, Drive Inn Cafe, Istanbul Cafe, Burger King, Popeyes, Sbarro, Usta Dönerci, Caribou Coffee, Mado Cafe, Starbucks, and many more.
Lounges There are lounges located in the operational terminal get the located by asking the information desk in the arrivals lobby of the airport. ISG CIP Lounge, Turkish Airlines Lounge Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen, and VIP Lounge.
Wi-Fi Services N/A Paid Wi-Fi available in designated areas. Internet kiosks are also available.
Transfer in and Around The Airport At this moment the airport currently has one terminal in service for domestic and international flights including four operational runways. But generally, the airport is designed to have 4 terminals. Sabiha Gokcen Airport is a single terminal airport which handles both domestic and international flights under one roof. It is easy to walk around on foot.
Currency Exchange & ATM cash Points Ziraat Bank Branch Office runs banking services and there are Denizbank - ATM, QNB - ATM, Yapı Kredi Bank - ATM, and Halkbank - ATM located in 4 areas around the airport. Türkiye İş Bank and Yapı Kredi Bank offer full banking services while other banks provide ATM cash points around the terminal building. For currency exchange, there are also kiosks located within the airports terminal building
Important phone numbers ISL Airport: 444 1 IGA / 444 1 442. SAW Airport: +90 216 588 88 88.
Major Operating Airlines

Turkish Airline.

Air Arabia Maroc, Air Manas, AnadoluJet, Atlas Global, Azerbaijan Airlines, Buta Airways, Corendon, Emirates, FlyBaghdad, flydubai, Flynas, German Wings, Iraqi Airways, Jordan Aviation, Nile Air, Pegasus Airlines, Pobeda, Royal Wings, Qatar Airways, SunExpress, Turkish Airlines, Wataniya Airways, Zegros Airlines.

Major Connecting Destinations

Adana, Ankara, Antalya. Baku, İzmir, North Nicosia, Trabzon and many more.

Abu Dhabi, Adana, Almaty, Amasya/Merzifon, Amsterdam, Ankara, Antalya, Athens, Baghdad, Bahrain, Balıkesir/Edremit, Barcelona, Basel/Mulhouse, Batman, Beirut, Belgrade, Bergamo, Berlin-Schönefeld, Bishkek, Bodrum, Bologna, Bucharest, Budapest, Charleroi, Cologne/Bonn, Copenhagen, Dalaman, Denizli, Diyarbakır, Doha, Dubai-International, Düsseldorf, Elazığ, Erbil, Ercan, Erzincan, Erzurum, Frankfurt, Gaziantep, Gazipaşa, Geneva, Grozny, Hamburg, Hannover, Hatay, Hurghada, Izmir, Kahramanmaraş, Kastamonu, Kars, Kayseri, Kharkiv, Konya, Krasnodar, Kuwait, London-Stansted, Lviv, Lyon, Madrid, Malatya, Mardin, Marseille, Milan-Malpensa, Mineralnye Vody, Moscow-Domodedovo, Munich, Münster/Osnabrück, Muş, Muscat, Nevşehir, Nice, Nizhniy Novgorod, Nuremberg, Oslo-Gardermoen, Ordu-Giresun, Paris-Orly, Prague, Pristina, Rome-Fiumicino, Rotterdam, Samara, Samsun, Şanlıurfa, Sarajevo, Sharm el-Sheikh, Sivas, Skopje, Stockholm-Arlanda, Stuttgart, Sulaymaniyah, Tbilisi, Tehran-Imam Khomeini, Tel Aviv-Ben Gurion, Tirana, Trabzon, Van, Volgograd, Vienna, Zaporizhia, Zürich and many more.

Tourist Info Centres Mokantur Turizm and Donat Travel have offices at the airport. Tourist info centres are located in the main terminal building's arrival hall
Official website http://www.istanbulhavalimani.com/en/ https://www.sabihagokcen.aero/anasayfa
See all Airport to Hotel Transfers from Istanbul

ISTANBUL AIRPORTS

Which Istanbul airport is closest to central Istanbul?

Two airports serve Istanbul;Istanbul Airport (ISL) and Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW). Sabiha Gokcenairport is closest to the city centre just 27.9 miles away but has no direct train to the city making journey times longer over 2 hours. Istanbul airport is the furthest at 33.5 miles from central Istanbul but it is served by fast taxi and metro train connection which takes minutes to the city centre.

Compare airport distances and transfer times to the center of Istanbul by public transport below.

Distance to Central Istanbul:

Sabiha Gokcen Airport: 27.9 miles / 45 km
Istanbul Airport: 33.5 miles / 54 km

Sabiha Gokcen Airport to Central Istanbul Journey Times:

By Bus: 128 minutes
By Taxi: 33 minutes
By Uber: 33 minutes

Istanbul Airport to Central Istanbul Journey Times:

By Bus: 45-60 minutes
By Taxi: 40-60 minutes
By Uber: 40-60 minutes

What is the best airport to fly into in Istanbul?

Istanbul airport is the best airport to fly into when flying to Istanbul although it is further from the city centre, it is served by fast public transport services that will get you to the city on time. Istanbul airport is new and very much under construction, it is expected to take over Ataturk Airport. The airport is served by Turkish airline with limited flights to within Turkey and some international flights. The fast bus takes 45-60 minutes to central Istanbul where all the attractions are located. Although it is larger than SAW, it only has a single functional terminal so expect lower flight delays and less queues.

SAW (Sabiha Gokcen airport) is one of 3 international airports serving Istanbul. The airport handles both domestic and international flights under a single terminal building. It handles more crowd than ISL so you will experience more queues and flight delays. Sabiha Gokcen airport is served by major airlines like Air Arabia Maroc, Air Manas, AnadoluJet, Atlas Global, Azerbaijan Airlines, Emirates, German Wings, Qatar Airways, Turkish airlines and many more with short haul and long haul flights to various destinations in the world. The airport is served by slow public transport services with many connections (Bus, line 251 bus, Metro, and ferry) which takes 2 hours 8 minutes. But passengers can use private shuttles and taxis that take only 33 minutes to central Istanbul.

Is Istanbul Airport better than SAW?

Istanbul airport is a better airport because it has fast public transportation compared to SAW. The airport is served by bus, and taxi services, the journey to the city centre by bus takes 45-60 minutes from $3-$6. It is served by a few airlines and limited destinations within and some international flights. The airport has fewer queues and lower flight delays.

Which airport is closest to the top attractions in Istanbul, Turkey?

If you are a passenger and you fly into Istanbul using any of the airports, you can get to the top attractions easily using public transport from Istanbul airport taking just 45-60 minutes by bus and 44 minutes by Uber from $20-$27. If you use a private shuttle from Sabiha Gokcen airport, you will get to the city centre in 33 minutes by shuttle which is more expensive from $23-$150 and Uber $20-$26. Some of the attractions in Istanbul include Hagia Sophia, Sultan Ahmed Mosque, Grand Bazaar, Topkapı Palace, Taksim Square, Galata Tower, Basilica Cistern, Dolmabahçe Palace, Spice Bazaar, Golden Horn, Bosphorus Bridge, Chora Church, Beylerbeyi Palace, Galata Bridge and many more.

How much does it Cost from Istanbul or Sabiha Gokcen to Central Istanbul?

From Istanbul Airport by:

Bus (IETT and İstanbul Otobüs A.Ş):$3-$6-http://www.igairport.com/en/istanbul-new-airport/transportation Bus runs every 5-30 minutes daily.

Taxi: $24 - $30 -Available 24/7 at the airport.

Uber: $22-$28 - https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate//Available 24/7.
But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at

From Sabiha Gokcen Airport by:

Bus (Bus, line 251 bus, Metro, & ferry):$3-$4-http://www.iett.gov.tr/en/main/pages/buses/156#Bus runs every 5-30 minutes daily.

Shuttle:$23-$150 - http://havatas.com/yolcuservisi/taksim-sabihagokcenhavalimani.aspx Available on demand.

Taxi: $19-$24 -http://www.sawkoop.com/#!mesafe/c1qq4 Available 24/7.

Uber:$20-$26 - https://www.uber.com/global/en/price-estimate// Available 24/7.
. But Private taxes are cheaper than Airport taxis, here to Book at

How much are Hotels at Istanbul and Sabiha Gokcen Airports?

Hotel prices can vary greatly depending on how far in advance you book, the demand for rooms, and which hotel you book but the prices below will give you a rough idea and you can do further research and hotel booking at https://www.tripindicator.com/hotel.html

Istanbul Airport Hotels: Not available near the airport.
Sabiha Gokcen Airport Hotels: From $29 per night

How much does car hire cost at Istanbul or Sabiha Gokcen Airports?

All of the airports mentioned offer competitive prices and a range of cars to suit your needs. Prices are based on the type of car, driver age, length of hire, and demand but you can get a rough idea for each airport below.

Istanbul Airport Car Rental:
Budget Cars: (Honda Fit, Ford Figo etc) $31.37 per day
Intermediate Cars: Peugeot 408, Toyota Corolla, etc) $56.67 per day
Luxury Cars: (BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E Class etc) $105.12 per day

Compare prices here - https://www.tripindicator.com/car-rental.html

Sabiha Gokcen Airport Car Rental:
Budget Cars: (Honda Fit, Ford Figo etc) $31.37 per day
Intermediate Cars: (Peugeot 408, Toyota Corolla, etc) $56.67 per day
Luxury Cars: (BMW 5 Series, Mercedes E Class etc) $105.12 per day

Compare prices here - https://www.tripindicator.com/car-rental.html

What Is The Main International Airport In Istanbul?

Sabiha Gokcen Airport is the second airport serving Istanbul after Ataturk airport. It is one of the largest airports in Turkey while Istanbul airport is set to be the primary airport upon completion.

How Many Terminals Does Sabiha Gokcen Airport Have?

Sabiha Gokcen Airport one main passenger terminal which handles both domestic and international flights in and out of the country.

Which Airport Is Closer To The City Centre?

Sabiha Gokecn Airport is closer to the city centre compared to Istanbul airport which is located very far from central Istanbul at 54 km while SAW is 45 km. Both airports have good public transport systems serving travellers from the various airports to the city centre where the main tourist attractions are.

What Best Hotels Are Near The Airports?

At ISL, the airport hotels are still under construction and the closest airport are located in the city centre. So, it is best for travellers to book ahead of their journey and plan for extra transport fare and time from the airport to the city centre/hotel. f At SAW, ISG Airport Hotel - Special Class (4-Star)- $43, Marka Suit - $29, and Hampton by Hilton Istanbul Kurtkoy (4-Star) - $72.

What Things To Do In Istanbul?

As a traveller or tourist here are some of the most awesome things to do in Istanbul such as a vist to Hagia Sophia, Grand Baazar, Galata Tower, Blue Mosque, Istiklal Avenue, or Eating with the Locals, Istanbul Nightlife in Ortakoy, Sipping Turkish Coffee, Cruising the Bosphorus, Playing Backgammon, Smoking a Hookah, having a good relaxing & refreshing bath by visiting the Turkish Bath and many more.

Sabiha Gokcen Airport (SAW) Terminal Maps

For Barcelona Airport Terminal Maps visit https://www.tripindicator.com/saw-sabiha-gokcen-airport-terminal-map.html

 

Top Istanbul Attractions Tickets

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