Istanbul is one of the few cities in the world with two major international airports in active daily use, and knowing which one you land at matters more than almost any other travel detail. Istanbul Airport, known by its code IST, serves as the city’s giant modern gateway on the European side, while Sabiha Gokcen, code SAW, handles a large share of flights on the Asian side. The two are more than an hour apart in travel time, and they serve different routes, different airlines, and different parts of the city. This guide explains the key differences so you can plan your trip and your transfers with confidence.
Two Airports, One City
Istanbul’s geography explains why the city needs two airports. The Bosphorus strait splits the city between Europe and Asia, and the two sides have grown into separate urban worlds connected by bridges, tunnels, and ferries.
Istanbul Airport occupies a site northwest of the city on the European side, near the Black Sea coast. Sabiha Gokcen sits far to the east on the Asian side, beyond the residential districts. Both are busy, modern, and well connected, but they serve quite different travel patterns.
The practical difference for you is simple: everything you do after landing depends on which side of the city your hotel is on. Landing at the wrong airport can add hours of transit to your first day, so it is worth understanding the two facilities before you book.
Istanbul Airport (IST): The Mega Hub
Istanbul Airport is the city’s flagship gateway and one of the largest terminals in the world. It opened in phases starting in 2018 and fully replaced the old Ataturk Airport, which closed to passenger flights in 2019. The main terminal is vast, with long corridors, multiple levels, and plenty of services.
Almost all international long-haul flights use IST, including the extensive network of Turkish Airlines, which makes the airport a major global hub for connecting passengers traveling between Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas.
The airport has a modern rail link, a large array of shops and restaurants, and a dedicated on-site hotel. Because it is a hub, you will also find many passengers connecting between flights here, which makes the terminal busy at most hours of the day.
Sabiha Gokcen (SAW): The Asian-Side Workhorse
Sabiha Gokcen Airport, named after Turkey’s first female combat pilot, opened in 2001 on the Asian side of Istanbul. It is smaller than IST but far from quiet: it handles tens of millions of passengers a year, mostly on domestic routes and international flights from Europe and the Gulf.
The airport is popular with low-cost carriers and charter airlines, which is why you will often see it offered for flights to and from European cities. Its location on the Asian side makes it the natural choice for anyone staying in districts like Kadikoy, Uskudar, or the Princes’ Islands.
SAW is a single-terminal airport that has expanded several times, and it now has its own metro link to the Asian-side network. It is busier relative to its size than IST, so expect crowds during peak travel periods, especially on summer weekends.
Which Airlines Fly Where
The split between the two airports is mostly about airline type. Istanbul Airport is the home base of Turkish Airlines and its subsidiary operations, and most full-service international carriers fly there as well. If you booked a flag-carrier flight to Istanbul, you are almost certainly landing at IST.
Sabiha Gokcen is the base for Turkey’s low-cost airlines, including Pegasus, and it attracts budget carriers and charters from across Europe. If your ticket came from a budget airline, check the airport code carefully, because the same route is often sold from both airports on different airlines.
A useful rule: compare the airport codes when you book, and remember that some airlines operate from both. The code on your ticket, IST or SAW, tells you everything you need to know, so glance at it before you celebrate a cheap fare.
Getting to the City from Each
Both airports now have metro connections, which was not true a few years ago. From IST, the M11 metro reaches the European-side network in about half an hour, while airport buses and taxis cover the rest of the route to Taksim, the old city, and beyond.
From SAW, the M4 metro line connects to the Asian-side system, and from there you can cross to the European side by the Marmaray rail tunnel under the Bosphorus. Airport buses from SAW serve both sides of the city, and taxis queue outside the terminal as they do at IST.
In travel time, both airports sit about the same distance from the center, roughly an hour by public transport to the main tourist districts. The difference is the side of the city you start from, which changes which routes make sense for your hotel.
Facilities and Comfort
Istanbul Airport is the larger and more luxurious of the two. Its terminal is a destination in itself, with lounges, a museum, prayer rooms, a hotel, and a huge range of shops and restaurants. If you are connecting through Istanbul, IST is the more comfortable place to spend a layover.
Sabiha Gokcen is more compact and functional. It has everything you need, including shops, cafes, and lounges, but it lacks the scale and polish of IST. What it offers in exchange is a faster, simpler journey through the building, since the distances are shorter.
For families or travelers with mobility concerns, SAW’s compact layout is actually a small advantage. For anyone with a long layover, IST’s facilities win easily. Neither airport will disappoint, but they set different expectations.
Transferring Between the Two Airports
If your itinerary includes both airports, perhaps flying into SAW and out of IST, plan carefully, because the transfer takes time. The journey between the two terminals is roughly an hour and a half by road in good traffic, and often longer, since it crosses the Bosphorus.
The most reliable public route combines the metro lines with the Marmaray rail tunnel: ride the M4 from SAW to the Asian side, take Marmaray under the strait, then continue on the M11 to IST. The total journey can stretch past two hours with waiting.
Allow a generous buffer between flights booked at different airports. A gap of at least five hours is a common rule of thumb, and many travelers prefer to book a private transfer for the crossing to keep control of the timing.
Which One Should You Book?
The right airport depends on where you are staying. If your hotel is in Sultanahmet, Taksim, or anywhere on the European side, Istanbul Airport is the more convenient choice, saving you a crossing of the strait on arrival.
If you are staying in Kadikoy, Moda, or the Asian-side neighborhoods, Sabiha Gokcen puts you much closer to your destination, and the journey from SAW can be faster than coming across from IST.
When the choice is not yours, because the airline decides, simply plan around the airport you have. Both connect well to the city, and the difference is a matter of convenience rather than a real problem. A cheap fare on a flight into SAW can easily justify a slightly longer transfer.
Practical Planning Tips
A few details make airport logistics easier. First, save the airport code from your booking in your phone notes, because confusion between IST and SAW is one of the most common mistakes visitors make. Second, check the airport on your return leg too, since outbound and inbound can differ.
Third, use the airport code when you search for transport, because the routes are completely separate. Fourth, remember that both airports have ATMs, currency exchange, and SIM card desks in arrivals, so you can handle the essentials on the spot.
Finally, if you book a transfer or hotel pickup, confirm which airport the driver expects. Hotels are used to this confusion and will double-check with you, but confirming saves time and stress on arrival day.
A Quick History of Istanbul’s Airports
Istanbul’s aviation story is one of constant expansion. For decades, Ataturk Airport on the European side carried nearly all international traffic, and Sabiha Gokcen was built in 2001 partly to relieve it and to give the Asian side a real airport of its own.
The picture changed dramatically in 2018, when the first phase of Istanbul Airport opened at a new site far to the northwest. Turkish Airlines moved its hub there, and Ataturk Airport closed to passenger flights a year later. The new airport was designed from the start to grow, with the eventual goal of becoming one of the world’s busiest hubs.
That history explains the current split. IST is the ambitious, modern gateway built to project Turkey’s global connections, while SAW is the pragmatic second airport that quietly handles the budget airlines and the domestic routes. Understanding that the two serve different roles makes the practical differences in this guide feel natural rather than confusing.
Frequently asked questions
Which Istanbul airport is closer to the city center?
Both airports sit roughly the same travel time from the main tourist districts, around an hour by public transport. The real difference is location: Istanbul Airport serves the European side, while Sabiha Gokcen serves the Asian side. Choose based on your hotel’s district, not on distance.
Is it easy to travel between the two Istanbul airports?
It is doable but slow. The journey takes about an hour and a half by road, or more, since it crosses the Bosphorus. Public transport via the metro and Marmaray works well but can take over two hours with connections. Allow a generous buffer if your itinerary uses both airports.
Which airlines fly from which Istanbul airport?
Turkish Airlines and most full-service international carriers fly from Istanbul Airport, which is the city’s main hub. Sabiha Gokcen is the base for low-cost airlines such as Pegasus and many charter carriers. Always check the airport code on your ticket before planning transport.
All Over Information
The All Over Information editorial team researches and writes practical English-language guides to Turkey. Facts are checked against official and local sources before publication, prices are published as dated ranges rather than quotes, and guides are revised when things change. We accept no sponsored posts, paid placements or paid links.
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