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Sabiha Gokcen International Airport guide

Updated: 11 Nov 2021

Created: 04 Jun 2013


Istanbul Asian side

The Sabiha Gokcen international airport sits in the Pendik district of Asian Istanbul. The airport first opened in 2001 and now has an increased flight capacity to deal with an average of 35,000,000 passengers a year. It is one of three international airports in Istanbul, of which the other two are the new Istanbul and the old Istanbul Ataturk airport that now deals with cargo. While Sabiha is in Asian Istanbul, the other two sit on the European side.

Sabiha Gokcen airport is also the hub for both the Pegasus and Andalou Jet airlines. Destinations in Turkey that can be reached from Sabiha Gokcen include Adana, Ankara, Antalya, Bodrum, Dalaman, Erzurum, Gaziantep, Hatay, Izmir, Kars, Kayseri, Mardin, Ordu, Samsun, Sivas, Trabzon, Van, Diyarbakir, and Batman. Named after the adopted daughter of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the founding father of the Turkish republic, Sabiha is one of Turkey’s busiest airports. As a result, the air travel hub has received many awards, including the world’s best airport, airport traffic growth, and successful tourism investment awards.


More about Sabiha Gokcen International Airport


1: Transport and Parking

Sabiha Gokcen airport easily connects to the main TEM E80, E5 D100 highways, and the Sile and coastal routes for car drivers. For parking, the four-storey building has 4718 cars and 72 buses. A 400-space capacity is also allocated to valet parking services. Within specific points are the payment options which can be done in cash or credit card. If you park in front of the terminal or outside the market spaces, your car will be towed.

For bus services, catch the E3 and E4 from Levent, E9 from Bostanci, E10 and E11 from Kadikoy, MR60 or 132H from Pendik, and the 130H from Deniz Harp Okulu. A Havabus service also runs to Taksim and Kadikoy. If you want to catch them in the opposite direction, head to Taksim Divan hotel or the pier in Kadikoy. Taxis and car rental companies are available from arrival halls.


2: Fast Track, Meet and Greet and Lounges

Sign up for the Fast-Track service if you want to avoid queuing at the airport entrance, passport, and security controls. Otherwise, there is a CIP lounge in the international terminal, Turkish Airlines in domestic, and the Plaza Exclusive in internationals. These lounges include typical features like Turkish, vegetarian, and international cuisines, complimentary coffee, tea and soft drinks, flight information, TV and Wi-Fi. Nervous or disabled travellers might want to sign up for the meet and greet service, which gets assistance with baggage from curb to check in and an escort and assistance with flight check-ins, immigration, and customs right through to the boarding gate. There is also this service for arrivals.


3: Duty Free at Sabiha Gokcen Aiport

The company responsible for duty-free is Dufry, which operate 4,500 square metres in departures and arrivals. The reserve and collection service allows you to pre-order purchases to save time and money, while the red loyalty service will interest frequent travellers. This gets discounts, access to lounges, and gift purchases. Air travellers can expect the normal range of duty-free products, including perfumes, cosmetics, liquor, tobacco, chocolate, and toys.


4: Other Domestic and International Facilities

For wireless internet at Sabiha Gokcen, connect to the Wispotter Internet signal, press 30 free minutes of internet. You will receive an SMS code to input. (Make sure your roaming is turned on. Enter the code, agree to the terms and conditions. Otherwise, the airport operates usual facilities like lost baggage, foreign exchange, and tourism services. The airport also has apps on Android and Apple with terminal maps, cafes and restaurants and more details.


About Asian Istanbul: Even though the European side of Istanbul receives the most attention, the highlight has been put onto Asian Istanbul as an alternative place for independent travel and house purchases in recent years. So, when you arrive via Sabiha Gokcen international airport, you will find much to see and do.