Atatürk Airport in 2026: Closed to Passengers – Which Istanbul Airport Now?
Short answer: Atatürk Airport no longer has passenger flights. They moved to the new Istanbul Airport on 6 April 2019 and took the IST code with them; Atatürk is now ISL, and in 2026 it handles only business and private jets and state flights. If your ticket says IST, you land at Istanbul Airport on the European side; if it says SAW, at Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side. A private transfer to Taksim costs from €44 per vehicle at IST and from €57 at SAW.
For decades Atatürk Airport was Istanbul's main gateway, only about 20 km from Sultanahmet and Taksim, and its name still turns up in old guidebooks and hotel directions. Since April 2019, though, every scheduled passenger flight has used one of the city's two other airports. Here's what happened to Atatürk, which airport you're really flying into and how to get from there to your hotel.
IST, SAW and Atatürk at a glance
| Criterion | Istanbul Airport (IST) | Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) | Atatürk Airport (ISL) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Status in 2026 | Istanbul's main passenger airport | Passenger airport, Istanbul's second | No passenger or cargo flights; business and private jets and state flights only |
| Code on your ticket | IST (since April 2019) | SAW | ISL (IST until April 2019) |
| Side of the city | European side (Arnavutköy) | Asian side (Pendik/Kurtköy) | European side (Yeşilköy) |
| Main airlines | Turkish Airlines' hub; most foreign airlines | Base of Pegasus and AJet | None, no scheduled flights |
| By road to Taksim / Sultanahmet | About 43 km / 45–50 km | About 43 km / 44 km | About 21 km / 19 km |
| Main public transport | M11 metro, Havaist coach | M4 metro, Havabüs coach | M1A metro to Yenikapı (the station is still open) |
| Private transfer to Taksim | from €44 / vehicle | from €57 / vehicle | — |
Road distances are approximate, measured from each terminal (for Atatürk, from the old terminal and metro station). From SAW, every route to Taksim or Sultanahmet crosses the Bosphorus. Private-transfer prices are per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers); the exact price depends on your date and pickup time and is fixed when you book.
Sources — fares and timetables checked on 2 October 2026: DHMİ: Atatürk Airport · DHMİ statistics · Istanbul Airport · TOKİ · Metro Istanbul
Euro amounts at €1 = ₺55.6.
What happened to Atatürk Airport
The airlines moved to the new Istanbul Airport in one big operation, the "Great Move", on 5–6 April 2019. The last scheduled passenger flight, Turkish Airlines' TK54 to Singapore, left Atatürk on 6 April 2019. The IST code moved with the flights to Arnavutköy, and Atatürk became ISL. Cargo followed in February 2022, when Turkish Cargo moved all its freighters to Istanbul Airport.
The airfield isn't silent, though. From January to August 2026, the airports authority DHMİ counted no passengers and no cargo at Atatürk, but 17,903 aircraft movements: business and private jets, state and military flights. Nothing has been announced about moving this traffic. Since 5 May 2026, Istanbul Airport has also had a large VIP and business-aviation terminal, so if you're flying privately, ask your operator which airport you'll use.
What's on the old airport site today
Part of the former airfield is now the Atatürk Airport Nation's Garden (Atatürk Havalimanı Millet Bahçesi), a public park of about 174 hectares that officially opened on 1 November 2025.
The M1A metro still ends at a station called Atatürk Havalimanı ("Atatürk Airport"), but no flights leave from there, so don't ride out to it to catch a plane. For Istanbul Airport, take the M11 from Gayrettepe or Kağıthane (see Getting to Istanbul Airport); for Sabiha Gökçen, the M4 from Kadıköy.
Which airport do you actually need?
Check the three-letter code on your booking, not just the city name:
- IST, Istanbul Airport: European side, in Arnavutköy. Turkish Airlines' hub, used by most foreign airlines, and the easier choice for Sultanahmet, Taksim and Beşiktaş.
- SAW, Sabiha Gökçen: Asian side, near Pendik. The base of Pegasus and AJet, Turkish Airlines' low-cost brand, and closer to Kadıköy and Üsküdar.
- ISL, Atatürk: only relevant if you're on a private, business or state flight.
In a taxi, give the airport's full name, İstanbul Havalimanı or Sabiha Gökçen, as "havalimanı" just means "airport". Staying near the old airport, around Yeşilköy? Istanbul Airport is about 40 km away by road and Sabiha Gökçen about 59 km. IST and SAW are 80–100 km apart, so check the code before you book a ride; our guide Istanbul Airport vs Sabiha Gökçen compares them in detail.
Getting into the city from IST or SAW
From Istanbul Airport (IST)
- Metro: the M11 to Gayrettepe, then the M2 to Taksim, roughly 60–75 minutes in all.
- Coach: Havaist to Taksim (about 90 minutes) or Çatladıkapı below Sultanahmet (about 110 minutes), ≈€8.50 (₺470) per person.
- Taxi: about 45–60 minutes to Taksim outside rush hour, ≈€39–49 (₺2,150–2,700) on the meter; see Istanbul Airport taxi prices.
- Private transfer: from €44 to Taksim and from €48 to Sultanahmet, per vehicle.
From Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)
- Metro: the M4 to Kadıköy, about 50 minutes, ≈€0.85 (₺46.20) with an Istanbulkart; for the European side, continue by Marmaray or ferry.
- Coach: Havabüs to Taksim, ≈€8.50 (₺485), about 90 minutes and up to 2 hours at rush hour.
- Taxi: about 60–90 minutes; ≈€39–50 (₺2,150–2,800) to Taksim plus the bridge or tunnel toll.
- Private transfer: from €57 to Taksim and from €53 to Kadıköy, per vehicle.
All the options: Sabiha Gökçen Airport to Istanbul.
Related guides: Istanbul Airport to Taksim · Istanbul Airport to Sultanahmet · Istanbul Airport vs Sabiha Gökçen · Getting to Istanbul Airport
Frequently asked questions
Is Atatürk Airport still open in 2026?
Not for passengers. Scheduled passenger flights moved to the new Istanbul Airport on 6 April 2019, and cargo flights followed in February 2022. The airfield is still used by business and private jets and by state and military flights, and part of the site is now a large public park.
Is IST the same as Atatürk Airport?
Not any more. IST was Atatürk's code until April 2019; it moved with the flights to the new Istanbul Airport in Arnavutköy, on the European side. Atatürk's code is now ISL. If your ticket says IST, you're flying into Istanbul Airport.
Which Istanbul airport do Turkish Airlines and Pegasus use?
Istanbul Airport (IST) is Turkish Airlines' hub and is used by most foreign airlines. Pegasus and AJet, Turkish Airlines' low-cost brand, are based at Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) on the Asian side. The three-letter code on your booking tells you which one you need.
Does the metro still go to Atatürk Airport?
Yes. The M1A line from Yenikapı still ends at a station called Atatürk Havalimanı, but no flights leave from there. To reach Istanbul Airport by metro, take the M11 from Gayrettepe or Kağıthane; for Sabiha Gökçen, take the M4 from Kadıköy.
How far is Atatürk Airport from Istanbul Airport?
About 40 km by road, terminal to terminal: roughly 35 minutes in light traffic and often much longer at busy times. Sabiha Gökçen is about 59 km by road from Atatürk, on the other side of the Bosphorus.
What is the Atatürk Airport Nation's Garden?
A public park, Atatürk Havalimanı Millet Bahçesi, built on part of the former airfield. It officially opened on 1 November 2025 and covers about 174 hectares, more than 120 of them green space.
Flying into IST or SAW?
Whichever airport is on your ticket, your driver tracks your flight, meets you just outside the arrivals exit and takes you to your hotel at a fixed price per vehicle, agreed when you book.
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