Istanbul Airport is set to expand its operational capacity with the commissioning of a fourth main runway on September 18, as Türkiye moves to strengthen the efficiency and flexibility of one of Europe’s busiest aviation hubs.
Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said the new runway would be inaugurated in the presence of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, bringing the airport’s total number of runways to six, including two auxiliary runways.
The 2,820-metre-long and 45-metre-wide concrete runway is the airport’s first to be aligned along an east-west axis, complementing its existing three main runways, which operate in a north-south direction.
Uraloğlu said the new configuration would particularly benefit domestic services and flights operating eastward by reducing taxiing and airborne times, resulting in savings in both fuel and operating time.
The runway is also expected to improve operational flexibility during adverse weather conditions, particularly crosswinds, while increasing safety margins for take-offs and landings and supporting better on-time departure performance.
Istanbul Airport currently connects more than 340 destinations through partnerships with over 110 airlines. The airport became the first in Europe to implement three independent parallel runway operations in April 2025, allowing multiple runways to be used simultaneously.
With the fourth main runway, authorities expect the airport to move closer to its objective of operating four runways simultaneously, further strengthening capacity and operational resilience.
The new runway’s proximity to the airport’s hangar areas is also expected to facilitate faster and more independent general aviation operations.
The development comes as Istanbul Airport continues to expand its role as a major international connecting hub, with the additional runway designed to improve capacity while making flight operations more efficient and adaptable.
