Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen to begin construction of Terminal 3 as passenger numbers close in on 50mppa

Collectively, Istanbul's two airports comprise the busiest two in any one single city in Europe, and almost in the world, testimony to the outrageous development of air transport and tourism there (to, from, and via) in the last two decades.

While most of the attention is on Istanbul Airport, the secondary level one, the wholly privatised Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, has long punched above its weight. It has had a consistent and very solid growth in passenger numbers that was interrupted by only one year; the first COVID-19 pandemic year of 2020.

With almost 17% growth in 2025, passenger numbers in that year were 36% higher than in 2019, which is almost unheard-of, and the highest known rate in the world for a major commercial scheduled airport.

With a second runway in place and talk of 90mppa (50mppa should easily be achieved in 2026), the attention now turns to 'Terminal 3', construction of which should begin this year; '3' actually being a misnomer.

Istanbul is in the process of becoming arguably the most connected two-airport city in the world, and Sabiha Gökçen's role in that will not diminish any time soon.