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| Third Airport (Istanbul) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Istanbul New Airport |
| Nativename | İstanbul Yeni Havalimanı |
| Iata | IST |
| Icao | LTFM |
| Type | Public |
| Owner | DHMI |
| Operator | IGA |
| City-served | Istanbul |
| Location | Arnavutköy |
| Opened | 2018 |
| Elevation-ft | 99 |
Third Airport (Istanbul) Istanbul New Airport is a major international airport complex on the European side of Istanbul, Turkey, developed to replace Atatürk Airport, expand capacity beyond Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, and serve as a global hub connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa. The project involved Turkish state bodies and private consortia, linking to strategic corridors like the Bosphorus, the Black Sea, and the Marmara Sea, and was positioned amid regional transport plans associated with entities such as Turkish Airlines, Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, and the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure.
The airport occupies land in the Arnavutköy district near Tuzla and Saros Bay and was conceived during administrations including the Recep Tayyip Erdoğan government, with construction overseen by consortia involving companies like Cengiz Holding, Makyol, and Limak Group. It was planned to relieve air traffic from Atatürk Airport and to provide capacity comparable to major hubs such as Heathrow Airport, Frankfurt Airport, Charles de Gaulle Airport, Dubai International Airport, and Beijing Capital International Airport. The site features terminals, runways, cargo facilities, and ancillary infrastructure coordinated with bodies like State Airports Administration and the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI).
Initial feasibility and master planning involved international consultants and links with projects led by the Ministry of Transport and Infrastructure, the Istanbul Chamber of Commerce, and municipal planning units in Istanbul Province. Environmental assessments referenced standards from organizations such as the European Union, International Civil Aviation Organization, and International Air Transport Association, while financing drew from instruments connected to investors like Qatari Investment Authority and commercial lenders active in projects with Goldman Sachs-style underwriters. Political and diplomatic contexts included discussions between Turkey and partners in European Union accession dialogues and regional trade frameworks tying into Balkan and Caspian transport networks.
The terminal architecture was influenced by designs seen at Incheon International Airport, Singapore Changi Airport, Hong Kong International Airport, and featured large modular concourses, extensive retail zones reminiscent of spaces in Mall of Istanbul partnerships, and cargo terminals modeled after Liuhe-style logistics hubs. Facilities include multiple runways, an air traffic control tower comparable to those at Heathrow Airport and Charles de Gaulle Airport, maintenance hangars used by carriers such as Turkish Airlines and Pegasus Airlines, and VIP lounges serving delegations from entities like the European Council and the NATO liaison offices. Passenger amenities incorporated systems from companies that have worked with Siemens, Honeywell, and Thales Group.
Construction proceeded in phases contracted to Turkish conglomerates with experience in projects like the Yavuz Sultan Selim Bridge and the Eurasia Tunnel. Phase I opened with limited operations in 2018, expanding runways and terminal capacity in successive stages analogous to expansion sequences seen at Beijing Daxing International Airport and Istanbul Airport (DIA)-style masterplans. Workforce logistics involved coordination with unions and agencies comparable to İşçi Sendikaları Konfederasyonu, and supply chains included materials sourced via ports linked to the Marmara Sea and rail connections to networks like the Trans-European Transport Network.
Airlines operating from the airport include Turkish Airlines, Pegasus Airlines, Lufthansa, British Airways, Air France, Emirates, Qatar Airways, KLM, Korean Air, Aeroflot, American Airlines, and other carriers forming global alliances such as Star Alliance, Oneworld, and SkyTeam. The airport serves scheduled and charter services to hubs like Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, Frankfurt Airport, Dubai International Airport, Doha Hamad International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport, and regional destinations across the Balkans, Middle East, and Central Asia. Air traffic control and ground handling operations coordinate with organizations such as Eurocontrol, national civil aviation authorities, and logistics firms experienced in cargo flows like DHL and UPS.
Ground access connects to arterial highways linked with the North Marmara Motorway, rail plans integrating with Istanbul Metro extensions, and bus services coordinated by İETT. Long-distance rail and high-speed rail links were proposed to interface with corridors such as the Ankara–Istanbul high-speed railway and freight routes tied to the Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway. Sea connections and ferry integrations referenced the Bosphorus crossings and ports such as Ambarlı Port, while airport parking and road logistics align with practices from facilities like JFK Airport and Gatwick Airport.
Environmental impact assessments considered effects on the Haliç wetlands, migratory bird paths across the Black Sea flyway, and coastal ecosystems in the Marmara region, involving consultations with NGOs and institutions similar to World Wide Fund for Nature and national environmental directorates. Social impacts included resettlement and land-use changes affecting local communities in Arnavutköy and nearby districts, labor conditions scrutinized by trade unions and international labor rights observers, and debates in the Grand National Assembly of Turkey over transport policy, regional development, and heritage considerations tied to nearby historical sites such as Tombs of the Ottoman sultans and urban conservation zones.
Category:Airports in Turkey