Istanbul International Airport became the first airport in Europe to implement triple runway operations on April 17, 2025, a system which allows three runways to handle simultaneous takeoffs and landings.
As a result, the airport’s hourly air traffic capacity has now increased from 120 to 148 aircraft movements.
The introduction of this new system will play a crucial role in supporting the airport’s vision of accommodating 200 million passengers annually.
In 2024, the airport served nearly 80 million passengers, with 17 million on domestic services and 62.9 million on international flights, marking a 5% increase from the previous year.
“This operational capacity will enhance the efficiency of our flights and serve as a significant milestone on our path toward continued growth,” commented Turkish Airlines chairman of the board and the executive committee, Ahmet Bolat.
This introduction of this new operational structure has been supported by comprehensive safety analysis and airspace redesign conducted in collaboration with DHMI, SHGM, Turkish Airlines, Eurocontrol, and other international authorities.
As part of the process, 500 air traffic controllers completed 4,500 hours of scenario-based training for the new system.
This operational structure is supported by technology such as advanced radar systems, full A-CDM integration, improved slot management, and digitally optimised taxi times.