The ambition of the world’s largest airport in Europe is taking shape as Turkey slowly but steadily continues construction. Officially inaugurated in 2018, Europe’s busiest airport is making strides to become the world’s largest. Turkey celebrated a significant moment in aviation history with the official inauguration of Istanbul Airport. The grand opening coincided with Turkey’s Republic Day celebrations and was presided over by President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The sheer scale of Istanbul Airport is matched only by its ambitious vision.
Designed as a global transit hub bridging continents, the airport boasts an impressive capacity that outstrips even the busiest aviation centers worldwide. The airport accommodates up to 90 million passengers annually. Plans for expansion to accommodate a staggering 200 million travelers in the future are still on course and ongoing. To put this into context, this capacity nearly doubles that of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport in Georgia, USA, one of the busiest airports in the world as of last year.
The Current State of Affairs on the World’s Largest Airport in Europe
The state of affairs regarding the world’s largest airport in Europe, the Istanbul Airport, shows promise. With its strategic location straddling Europe, Asia, and Africa, the airport aims to redefine air travel by facilitating seamless connectivity across continents. Istanbul Airport’s sheer size and infrastructure are among its most impressive features. With six runways, four more than London’s Heathrow Airport, it is built to accommodate the massive air traffic expected in the future.
Furthermore, the airport’s phased construction includes multiple terminals and boarding bridges. It also includes extensive parking facilities and ancillary infrastructure to support its operations. The shift to Istanbul Airport will be a significant turning point for Turkey’s aviation sector. Plans to transfer all operations from Ataturk Airport to Istanbul Airport in 2018 are ongoing, marking the end of an era for the iconic airport. It has served as Istanbul’s gateway for decades. As Istanbul Airport continues to expand, it represents an extraordinary engineering achievement and ambition and ushers in a new era in Turkey’s aviation history.
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The Significance of the Istanbul Airport Upon Completion
Upon completion, the world’s largest airport in Europe has proven viable since opening in October 2018. The Istanbul Airport has become the Turkish city’s primary air hub, replacing Atatürk Airport. In its first three years, the new facility handled over 100 million passengers. With five runways and a single terminal, the airport has proved fundamental in housing both domestic and international passengers. Through this, the airport has received various accolades, noting its exceptional design and facilities.
Despite taking over as the Turkish city’s main air hub, the new Istanbul Airport is still only partially complete. Indeed, the sprawling facility is being built over four phases, as laid out by parent company IGA. 2023 marked the start of the third phase, which will run until 2025 and add a second terminal building with the capacity for up to 60 million passengers, plus an additional runway. Meanwhile, the fourth phase will add another runway and the option to include additional satellite terminal buildings for 50 million passengers.
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