Istanbul’s new airport opens Oct. 29

The grand opening of Istanbul New Airport will take place tomorrow on 29 October 2018, Turkish National Day, and the 95th anniversary of the founding of the Republic of Turkey.

The inauguration ceremony will take place with the attendance of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and more than 50 foreign leaders, ministers, and high-level officials.

Phase one of Istanbul’s new airport with an annual capacity of 90 million passengers is ready for its official opening on Monday.

For now, the new airport will use the code ISL, taking Istanbul Atatürk Airport’s IST designation when the full switch takes effect. Turkish Airlines will continue to use Istanbul Atatürk Airport until the end of December.

The US$7.2 billion first stage, which was built in nearly three years through a public-private partnership model, is among a set of mega projects planned as part of a series of objectives for Turkey’s 2023 centennial.

Offering upwards of 350 destinations, the new gateway to Istanbul is already competitively positioned as one of the world’s leading air transport hubs. It is also the first to be created in the 21st century, and therefore benefits from the best-available technologies, a hugely efficient passenger experience, and a complete blend of ‘global and local’ shopping and eating choices.

Mr. H. Kadri Samsunlu, the Chief Executive Officer and General Manager of İGA Airport Operation, said, “Everything is contained in a single terminal which itself makes an important architectural contribution to the great city of Istanbul. Besides its modern facilities, comforts, and unrivalled connectivity, İstanbul New Airport has the capacity and security to keep growing, and growing in a sustainable way, far into the future. Myself, all the staff of İGA, and all our partners and stakeholders, all look forward with pride to warmly welcoming the world to İstanbul New Airport, from where everyone truly will have a great flight.”