Istanbul Airport (IST) or Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)? Which Airport Is Better for Your Trip

Istanbul's two international airports sit on opposite sides of the Bosphorus, and by road they're roughly the same distance from Taksim. So the real question isn't which one looks closer on the map, but whether the ride to your hotel has to cross the water. Here's how IST and SAW compare on location, airlines, public transport, taxi fares and transfer prices.

IST vs SAW at a glance

*With an Istanbulkart (the card itself costs ₺165). On the M11, ₺47.89 is charged at the airport gate and the difference is refunded when you tap out. †Estimate for a yellow taxi on the meter in normal traffic; tolls are extra. Road times assume normal traffic and can be longer at rush hour. The private-transfer prices are fixed per vehicle (Mercedes Vito, up to 6 passengers), with no extra charge for traffic or flight delays.

Sources — fares and timetables checked on 29 September 2026: Istanbul Airport · Sabiha Gökçen Airport · Havaist · Havabüs · Metro Istanbul

Where the two airports are

Istanbul Airport is on the European side, in Arnavutköy near the Black Sea coast. It's the hub of Turkish Airlines and is used by most foreign airlines. Sabiha Gökçen is on the Asian side, near Pendik and Kurtköy, and is the base of Pegasus and AJet, Turkish Airlines' low-cost brand. By road, the distances to the main visitor areas are more similar than you might expect:

• Taksim: about 43 km from IST and about 43 km from SAW.
• Sultanahmet: 45–50 km from IST and about 44 km from SAW.
• Kadıköy: about 52 km from IST and about 36 km from SAW.

What these figures don't show is the water. From SAW, any drive to Taksim, Sultanahmet or Beşiktaş crosses the Bosphorus by bridge or through the Eurasia Tunnel, and it's the crossing, not the kilometres, that decides how long it takes.

Which airport for your hotel?

Choose IST for the European side: Sultanahmet and the old city, Taksim and Beyoğlu, Galata and Karaköy, Beşiktaş, Şişli and Levent. There's no Bosphorus crossing, and the M11 metro and Havaist coaches leave straight from the terminal.

Choose SAW for the Asian side: Kadıköy, Moda, Üsküdar and the neighbourhoods around them. You stay on the same side of the water, and the M4 metro runs from the terminal to Kadıköy.

SAW also works for Sultanahmet if you travel light: take the M4 to Ayrılık Çeşmesi, then the Marmaray under the Bosphorus to Sirkeci, a short tram ride or an uphill walk from Sultanahmet. It costs about ₺105 with an Istanbulkart, and road traffic can't hold it up.

Getting into the city from each airport

From Istanbul Airport (IST)

• Metro: the M11 runs every 15 minutes from beneath the terminal to Gayrettepe (about 30 minutes), where you change to the M2 for Taksim. First train from the airport about 06:10, last about 00:20.
• Coach: Havaist leaves from floor -2: ₺470 to Taksim (about 90 minutes, via 4. Levent, Zincirlikuyu and Beşiktaş) or to Çatladıkapı below Sultanahmet (about 110 minutes), ₺515 to Kadıköy (about 2 hours). No cash: pay by contactless bank card, Istanbulkart or the Havaist app.
• Taxi: ranks outside arrivals exits 9 and 13; ≈₺2,150–2,700 to Taksim and ≈₺2,250–2,900 to Sultanahmet on the meter in normal traffic. See Istanbul Airport taxi prices.

Route guides: Istanbul Airport to Taksim · to Sultanahmet · to Beşiktaş and Şişli

From Sabiha Gökçen (SAW)

• Metro: the M4 runs from the terminal to Kadıköy in about 50 minutes for ₺46.20 with an Istanbulkart, from 06:00 to around midnight. For the European side, continue by Marmaray or by ferry from Kadıköy, with a short last leg by metro, funicular or tram: about ₺105 in total to Taksim or Sultanahmet.
• Coach: Havabüs to Taksim for ₺485, about 90 minutes (up to 2 hours at rush hour), every 30 minutes; to Kadıköy for ₺300, about 60 minutes.
• Taxi: ≈₺1,800–2,200 to Kadıköy, ≈₺2,150–2,800 to Taksim and ≈₺2,200–2,900 to Sultanahmet, plus the bridge or tunnel toll.

Route guides: Sabiha Gökçen to Kadıköy · to Taksim · to Sultanahmet · all options from SAW

The Bosphorus crossing and rush hour

Whichever way you cross, by bridge or through the Eurasia Tunnel, the Bosphorus is where most of the delays build up at rush hour, and in a taxi you pay the toll on top of the meter. As a rough guide by car: IST to Taksim or Sultanahmet takes about 45–75 minutes, SAW to Taksim or Sultanahmet about 60–90 minutes, and SAW to Kadıköy about 30–45 minutes. IST to Kadıköy takes longer, because this time it's the ride from IST that has to cross. The Marmaray runs under the Bosphorus, so rail is the way round the jams. With a private transfer, traffic can change the journey time but not the price.

Late-night arrivals

Many low-cost flights land at Sabiha Gökçen late in the evening or after midnight. The M4 closes around midnight (it runs all night only on Friday and Saturday nights), so after that, check the Havabüs timetable for your date or plan on a taxi or a pre-booked transfer. At Istanbul Airport the M11 stops too, but Havaist's Taksim line has night departures and its Kadıköy line runs round the clock, every 75 minutes. Either way, a pre-booked driver tracks your flight, so a delay doesn't leave you without a ride, and taxis charge the same meter rate day and night.

Connecting between IST and SAW

The two airports are 80–100 km apart by road, 75 minutes to 2 hours by car. The direct Havaist coach costs ₺515 and takes about 2 hours, roughly hourly; a taxi is ≈₺4,000–5,000 plus tolls, and a private transfer €78 per vehicle. On separate tickets, allow at least six hours between landing and your next departure. Our guide to connecting between Istanbul Airport and Sabiha Gökçen covers passport control, luggage and the rail route.

Cruise passengers

Galataport, the cruise port in Karaköy, is on the European side, so IST is usually the more practical airport before or after a cruise: no Bosphorus crossing, a taxi at ≈₺2,200–2,800 and a private transfer at €44 per vehicle. See Istanbul Airport to Galataport, Galataport to Istanbul Airport or our Galataport transfer page.

Frequently asked questions