Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen International Airport has claimed the title of Europe’s fastest-growing major airport, posting passenger growth of 14.3% in January 2026 and 15.7% in February 2026.
The figures, drawn from the latest traffic reports by ACI Europe (Airports Council International Europe), place the airport at the top of the continent’s rankings among all hubs handling more than 40 million passengers annually.
The surge builds on an already exceptional 2025, when Sabiha Gökçen closed the year with 48.4 million passengers — the highest total in the airport’s history. That represented a 16.7% year-on-year increase, again the strongest performance in its category across Europe.
Outpacing Munich, Gatwick and Lisbon
The record passenger total for 2025 pushed Sabiha Gökçen past some of the continent’s most established names. The Istanbul airport now ranks above Munich, London Gatwick and Lisbon in terms of annual passenger traffic, marking a significant shift in Europe’s aviation hierarchy.
The airport, known locally by its IATA code SAW, sits on the Asian side of Istanbul and has historically served as the city’s secondary hub to the larger Istanbul Airport on the European side. Its rapid rise to continental prominence reflects a broader transformation in how passengers across the region are choosing to fly.
New routes and strategic partnerships driving growth
Airport management points to an expanding flight network as a central driver of the growth. New strategic partnerships on Far East routes, combined with increased flight frequencies across Europe, have widened Sabiha Gökçen’s appeal beyond its traditional low-cost carrier base.
The airport has been reinforcing what it describes as a “City Airport” identity, positioning itself not merely as a domestic hub but as an international connectivity centre. Infrastructure investment and improvements to operational capacity have accompanied the rise in passenger numbers, with a stated focus on the quality of the traveller experience.
Sabiha Gökçen’s back-to-back record performances arrive at a time when Turkey’s aviation sector is competing aggressively on the world stage. Istanbul already hosts one of Europe’s busiest airports in the form of the main Istanbul Airport, and the continued growth of Sabiha Gökçen gives the city an unusual distinction: two airports simultaneously climbing the continental rankings.
For travellers, the practical implication is growing choice. More routes, higher frequencies and the competitive pricing that typically accompanies rapid network expansion mean that Istanbul’s Asian-side airport is increasingly worth considering as a gateway to Turkey and beyond. Whether that momentum can continue into the remainder of 2026 is the question the European aviation industry is now watching closely.
