Istanbul Airport to Open Fourth Main Runway, Expanding Capacity

Istanbul Airport plans to open its fourth main runway on Sept. 18, with President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan slated to participate in the ceremony. The runway, oriented east-west, is 2,820 meters long and 45 meters wide, marking the airport’s first runway in that direction. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced that the airport will then operate six runways—three main and three auxiliary.

The new runway is expected to boost capacity, especially for domestic routes and flights heading east, by reducing taxiing and airborne time, which should lower fuel consumption. It will also provide greater operational flexibility during challenging weather conditions, enhancing safety margins and on-time departures.