Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport has broken passenger and flight records following the opening of a second runway, underscoring the growing role of the city’s secondary hub in global and regional travel.
The runway, inaugurated on 25 December 2023 by President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, has now completed its second year in service and is credited with significantly boosting capacity.
According to figures released by Turkey’s Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, passenger numbers at the airport rose by 31% year-on-year to 44,217,405 in the first 11 months after the runway opened. Aircraft movements also increased sharply, reflecting how new infrastructure is reshaping travel patterns on Istanbul’s Asian side.
A runway that reshaped Istanbul’s second airport
The 3,540-metre-long second runway was designed to accommodate wide-body aircraft, a key change for an airport long associated with low-cost and short-haul travel. Its opening marked a turning point for Sabiha Gökçen, enabling airlines to operate larger planes and increasing flexibility during peak travel periods.
Alongside the runway, the airport brought new taxiways, high-capacity aircraft and cargo aprons, an upgraded air traffic control tower, and modern terminal superstructure into operation. Together, these improvements expanded overall air traffic capacity and reduced congestion during busy hours.
Abdulkadir Uraloğlu, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure, highlighted the scale of the transformation in a written statement marking the runway’s second anniversary. “This year’s passenger number increased by 31% compared to the same period of 2023, when the second runway had not yet been put into service, reaching 44,217,405,” said Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.
He added that the airport has already surpassed its previous annual record. “Moreover, in just 11 months, we have already surpassed the passenger record of 41,449,044 set in all of 2024,” he said.
Rising demand and shifting travel habits
The growth comes against a backdrop of strong domestic and international demand for travel to and through Istanbul. In the first 11 months of 2023, before the second runway was operational, Sabiha Gökçen served 33,716,162 passengers across domestic and international routes. The jump to more than 44 million travellers in the same period after the upgrade highlights how infrastructure investment can unlock latent demand.
Aircraft traffic has followed a similar trajectory. In the first 11 months of 2023, 208,643 aircraft took off and landed at the airport. In the same period after the runway entered service, that figure climbed by 20% to 250,538 movements. For comparison, total aircraft movements for the whole of 2024 stood at 242,612, meaning the airport exceeded a full-year total in just 11 months.
For travellers, the changes are tangible. More slots and the ability to handle larger aircraft have allowed airlines to add frequencies and explore new routes, particularly during peak holiday seasons. The expanded cargo facilities also strengthen the airport’s role in logistics, supporting Istanbul’s position as a bridge between Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Sabiha Gökçen is Istanbul’s second-largest airport after Istanbul Airport on the European side, and it serves as a major base for low-cost carriers as well as regional full-service airlines. Its location makes it especially popular with travellers staying on the Asian side of the city or connecting onward to Anatolia and nearby international destinations.
The runway investment reflects a broader strategy to distribute air traffic more evenly across Istanbul’s airports, easing pressure on the main hub while supporting future growth. With passenger numbers already outpacing previous records, the figures suggest that Sabiha Gökçen is no longer simply an overflow airport but an increasingly central player in Turkey’s aviation network.
As global travel continues to rebound and airlines look for efficient, well-connected hubs, Istanbul’s expanding airport infrastructure is positioning the city to capture a growing share of international journeys. For passengers, the result is more choice, smoother operations and an airport that is rapidly redefining its role on the world travel map.
