Istanbul: As it marks its seventh birthday, IGA Istanbul Airport, Trkiye's gateway to the world, has so far welcomed more than 400 million passengers.

According to Anadolu Agency, the airport, inaugurated on October 29, 2018, spans 76.5 million square meters (823 million square feet) and was opened with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and then-Parliament Speaker Binali Yildirim in attendance, along with over 50 high-level guests from around the globe.

The opening ceremony saw the participation of presidents and premiers from nations including Albania, Serbia, Qatar, the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, Kyrgyzstan, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Moldova, Pakistan, Sudan, Bosnia, and Bulgaria. The airport has transformed Istanbul into a significant hub for the global aviation industry, driven by spacious terminals, independent runways, and an array of dining and social facilities.

IGA Istanbul Airport features a 53,700 m² (578,022 ft²) duty-free area, 181 stores, and 114 restaurants and cafes. Its main terminal covers 1.4 square kilometers (.87 square miles), with an annual capacity of 90 million passengers. At full capacity, it is set to handle transportation for 200 million passengers and more than 350 destinations annually.

In 2025, 115 airlines were operating flights to IGA Istanbul Airport, covering over 330 destinations in 120 countries. As of October 19, the airport had carried 400.7 million passengers across 2.6 million flights. It supports 100 cargo destinations with a capacity of 4 million tons, expected to increase to 5.5 million tons upon completion of its infrastructure investments.

IGA Istanbul Airport was Europe's busiest air hub in 2022, 2023, and 2024, surpassing airports in European capitals like Amsterdam, Paris, and London, according to Eurocontrol. This year, it became the first in Europe and the second worldwide to operate simultaneous triple independent runways. Additionally, it overtook Frankfurt Airport to become the world leader in hub connectivity and maintained its top position in direct connectivity across Europe.

The airport was voted the world's best by Conde Nast Traveler in 2024 and 2025, and by Travel + Leisure magazine in the same years. It also received the highest level in the Airports Council International customer service experience accreditation program as of June.