Istanbul Airport has announced that it is preparing to launch simultaneous take-off and landing operations on three different runways starting from April 2025. This will make it the first aviation hub in Europe to do so.
Aims to further increase passenger capacity
Istanbul Airport was originally opened in October 2018, becoming fully operational in April 2019. Located along the Black Sea coast of Turkey, the airport has since transformed into one of the most important transit hubs in worldwide aviation.
The system will enable three separate planes to land and take off at the same time and will be implemented on April 17. Transportation and Infrastructure Minister, Abdulkadir Uraloglu, said: “We are continuing our works related to increasing passenger capacity. This system, which we will bring to life in our country, will be a first in Europe.”
120 million passenger capacity by the end of 2025
In its first year of operation in 2019, Istanbul Airport served 52 million passengers. By the end of 2023 that had increased to 76 million annual passengers. By the end of 2024, the airport aims to serve 85 million passengers according to IGA, its operator. The new system will see passenger capacity increase to 120 million by the end of 2025.
Four phases of construction and expansion
When built, the airport was planned to have four phases of construction and expansion – it is currently in phase two. By the time that all four phases have been completed in 2028, the airport is expected to have six operational runways. The third runway was officially opened in June 2020.
Uraloglu finished by saying: “Simultaneous independent triple runway operation will minimise delays, maximise fuel savings, and enhance flight efficiency. These improvements will include ongoing construction works on new runways, which, once completed will further optimise taxiing times and operations.”
Bodrum 
3 
2 
X