Istanbul Airport opens fourth main runway to boost capacity
00:17, 18/09/2026, FridayU: Update: 01:08, 18/09/2026, Friday
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File photoTransport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said the new east-west oriented strip will reduce taxi times and fuel consumption while boosting on-time departures at the expanded air hub, noting that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will attend Thursday's inauguration ceremony.
Istanbul Airport is set to commission its fourth main runway on Thursday, expanding the air hub's capacity to six landing strips as Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan prepares to attend the opening ceremony, Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said. The newly constructed concrete runway measures 2,820 meters (1.75 miles) in length and 45 meters (147.6 feet) in width, marking the facility's first east-west oriented landing strip.
Operational improvements
Uraloglu stated that the additional landing strip will enhance operational flexibility during adverse weather conditions while improving on-time departure rates for carriers. "The new runway will reduce taxi and turnaround times, particularly for domestic flights and eastbound routes, allowing the air hub to save on fuel and time, while enhancing its operational flexibility, even during adverse weather, and the on-time departure rate of flights," he said.
General aviation access
The minister noted that the east-west runway's proximity to existing hangar facilities will enable general aviation operations to proceed independently of standard commercial traffic. The infrastructure expansion comes as Istanbul Airport continues to position itself as a global transit hub connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa via Türkiye's flagship aviation gateway.