At a glance
Terminals + flights
Tap a terminal to filter airlines, lounges and flightsTerminals
Largest single-airport terminal in the world by floor area. 5 concourses (A-F+G), 143 gates. Tulip-shaped roof design.
Separate hall within the same building. Faster security than international side.
Notable flights
59 shownFlights we have seen operating from dated fare data, most frequently seen first. Tap a flight number for its route, usual departure time and flight time.
+ 41 more flights — filter by terminal to narrow down.
Lounges
TK Business + Star Alliance Gold
World's largest airline business lounge — 5,900 sqm, 765 seats, "Sky Lounge" branding.
TK Miles&Smiles Elite Plus + Star Alliance Gold
PriorityPass · Pay-per-use $50
Best PriorityPass option. Multiple sub-locations.
Star Alliance Gold (non-TK)
Pay-per-cabin €40-€100
Sleep cabins by the hour, between A + B concourses.
To / from Istanbul
| Mode | To | Cost | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| M11 Metro | Gayrettepe (Levent/Şişli) | ₺44 | 37 min | Opened 2023. Direct to central business district. Best option. |
| Havaist bus | Taksim / Sultanahmet / Kadıköy | ₺150 | 60-100 min | Hourly direct to all major districts; multiple routes. |
| Taxi | Sultanahmet (old city) | ₺600-₺900 | 45-90 min | Metered + 50% night surcharge. Use only yellow + turquoise official taxis. |
| IGA HiTaxi | Anywhere in Istanbul | App-priced ₺500-₺900 | 45-90 min | Airport-affiliated taxi app — safer than street taxis. |
| Uber | Anywhere | ₺450-₺800 | 45-90 min | Limited fleet in Türkiye — falls back on yellow taxis. |
| Hotel shuttle | Most 4*+ hotels | Free or ₺100-₺200 | 60-90 min |
Find hotels in Istanbul
Hotels, hostels & more · Trip.com
Airlines at Istanbul Airport: route maps
See where each airline flies from Istanbul.
IST — Frequently asked
How do I get from Istanbul Airport to the city centre?+
M11 Metro — ₺44, 37 min direct to Gayrettepe (central business district). Opened 2023, runs every 8-15 min. Best option for almost all travellers. Havaist bus — ₺150 direct to Taksim Square + Sultanahmet (old city) + Kadıköy (Asian side); hourly + reliable. Taxi ₺600-₺900 (use only official yellow/turquoise + IGA HiTaxi app). Don't use unofficial drivers in arrivals — common scam.
Why is Istanbul Airport so big?+
Designed as the world's largest airport when complete (~200M passengers/year by 2030). Replaced the smaller Atatürk Airport in 2019. Turkish Airlines uses IST as a transit hub between Europe + Asia + Africa + Americas — TK flies to more countries than any other airline (130+). The single terminal building covers 1.4M sqm (15 million sqft) of floor area.
How long does it take to walk from security to my gate at IST?+
Significant. From security to the furthest A or G concourse gate is 25-30 minutes of walking. Moving walkways help. IST has internal trams between some sections but mostly you walk. If your gate changes (common with TK's tight scheduling), you may need to sprint. Arrive 90 min before short-haul departures, 2.5h+ before long-haul.
Can I leave Istanbul Airport during a layover?+
Yes — most nationalities (US / UK / EU / Australia / Japan / South Korea + many others) get visa-free or e-visa entry. Turkish Airlines offers FREE stopover hotels in Istanbul for layovers 6h+ on TK long-haul (book at "TourIstanbul" desk after arrival). Otherwise: M11 Metro to Gayrettepe (37 min), then short walk + Metro M2 to Taksim or M2 + tram to Sultanahmet for the major sights. Allow 5-6 hours minimum round trip.
What is Turkish Airlines' free stopover programme?+
TK offers free 1-2 night Istanbul stopover accommodation for passengers with 6h-24h international-international transit times via IST. Books at the "TourIstanbul" desk in International arrivals or in advance at turkishairlines.com/touristanbul. Includes hotel + airport transfer + city tour. Eligible carriers: Turkish Airlines marketed flights only.
How early should I arrive at IST?+
Domestic: 90 min. International: 2.5-3 hours. IST has a massive single security hall — peaks (06:00-09:00, 20:00-midnight) can hit 45-60 min waits. TK offers premium fast-track for Business + Star Gold. The walk from security to far gates (A or G concourse extremes) adds 20-30 min. Don't cut it fine.
Other major airports
Connect through one of these? Each hub has the same interactive terminal map, real flights from the AirConnect registry, airline check-in zones and lounge index.
Airport data hand-curated by AirConnect. Schedules verified against carrier published timetables.