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Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced that Istanbul Airport will launch its fourth main runway on Sept. 18, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan set to attend the opening ceremony.
In a written statement, Uraloglu said Istanbul Airport currently provides connections to more than 340 destinations through partnerships with over 110 airlines.
Uraloglu noted that the airport currently operates with a total of five runways, consisting of three main runways and two auxiliary runways running in a north-south direction.
He said the fourth main runway will be launched on Sept. 18 with President Erdogan in attendance, bringing the airport's total number of runways to six. Uraloglu added that the new runway will also be Istanbul Airport's first runway oriented east-west.
The new concrete runway, built along the east-west axis, is 2,820 meters (9,252 feet) long and 45 meters wide.
Drawing attention to the contribution the new runway will make to flight operations, Uraloglu said that, particularly on domestic flights and eastward routes, taxi times and airborne durations will be shortened, allowing for savings on fuel and time.
He added that the new runway will also contribute to more effective operations in different weather. According to Uraloglu, the east-west runway will increase operational diversity even in adverse weather while also maximizing the safety margin for takeoffs and landings, as well as on-time departure rates.
Recalling that Istanbul Airport implemented Europe's first Triple Independent Parallel Runway Operation in April 2025, Uraloglu emphasized that with the fourth main runway coming into service, the airport's operational capacity, efficiency and flexibility will be further strengthened.
Uraloglu pointed out that the new runway's proximity to hangar areas will also allow general aviation operations to be carried out faster and independently. He remarked that the new east-west-oriented runway will contribute to safe operations under crosswind conditions while also strengthening the airport's goal of operating four runways simultaneously.
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