Istanbul Airport (IST) Arrivals and Departures

Istanbul Airport FAQs

• How far is Istanbul Airport(IST) from downtown?

  Istanbul Airport(IST) is about 35.49km from downtown.

• How many flights depart from Istanbul Airport (IST) each day?

  On average, Istanbul Airport(IST) has 719 departure flight(s) each day.

• What are some popular domestic flight routes departing from Istanbul Airport(IST)?

  ؜Popular flight routes from Istanbul Airport(IST) include Istanbul⇒Nevsehir, Istanbul⇒Antalya, Istanbul⇒Kayseri, Istanbul⇒Izmir, Istanbul⇒Trabzon, Istanbul⇒Dalaman, Istanbul⇒Ankara, Istanbul⇒Bodrum, Istanbul⇒Denizli and Istanbul⇒Gaziantep. are the most popular domestic flight routes.

• Which popular airlines are operating at Istanbul Airport?

  Airlines operating at Istanbul Airport include: Turkish Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and China Eastern Airlines.

• After arriving at Istanbul Airport, approximately how long will it take to pass through immigration?

  For passengers on international flights, it usually takes about one hour to pass through immigration and collect baggage at Istanbul Airport. For domestic flights within the Chinese mainland, it is not necessary to pass through immigration at Istanbul Airport, which will somewhat shorten the time needed there. If you need to go to Istanbul Airport for an airport pick-up, you should aim to arrive within half an hour after the friend or family member you are picking up is due to arrive.

• How long should a layover be when transferring at Istanbul Airport (IST)?

  You should try to leave at least two and a half hours for a flight transfer, especially if you are transferring to an international flight. When transferring flights, you may need to pass through customs and collect your baggage, then check your baggage again for your next flight. In addition, you may also have to go to a different terminal, or maybe it will take longer than expected to pass through Istanbul Airport. All of these factors must be taken into consideration.

• How early should I arrive at Istanbul Airport (IST) before my flight?

  If you are boarding a domestic flight in the Chinese mainland, check-in procedures and baggage check-in usually close one hour before the scheduled departure time. If you are boarding a long-haul international flight, these procedures usually close one hour and a half before the scheduled departure time. It is therefore recommended that you arrive at Istanbul Airport two to three hours before departure.

• What to do if my flight is cancelled?

  If you haven't yet arrived at Istanbul Airport, you can select the desired itinerary on Trip.com and submit a change request to see if you can board the next flight or request a refund. When submitting a request, if the displayed change/refund/cancellation fee is CNY 0, it means that this booking complies with the airline's change or refund policy. Please carefully confirm whether you want to proceed with this change or refund, because if the fees are clear, then it will not be possible to recover a flight once a change/refund request has been submitted. If you are already at the Istanbul Airport departure hall, please proceed to the airport counter and communicate directly with the staff at the counter.