New Airport Terminal in Istanbul Will Be the Largest in the World

As airport terminals change, expand and grow bigger and bigger, the major travel hub of Istanbul is no exception. Istanbul’s central location on the globe makes it a popular intersection between some of the world´s biggest and most diverse cities. Soon, the outskirts of the city will introduce a new terminal with a goal of enhancing the experience for the enormous number of travelers who pass through Turkey on a daily basis on their way to other destinations.

Stretching more than 11 million square feet, Istanbul´s new airport terminal will be located 22 miles outside of the city center, where the current airport (Istanbul Ataturk Airport) lies only 13 miles outside of Istanbul. The completely separate terminal — currently known as Istanbul New Airport — will comprise six runways and will be easily accessible to the city by rail, metro and bus.

The new airport will see more than 90 million travelers each year, 16 million more than London Heathrow´s current annual passenger count. Phase 1A is scheduled to open in 2018, but the terminal will not be completely finished and operating until 2028. Although travelers have been steering clear of Turkey due to recent terrorist attacks, plans have not halted as Istanbul still serves as the gateway and layover spot for many worldwide destinations.

The Guinness Book of World Records should save an entire page for Istanbul´s new airport as it will not only be the biggest terminal under one roof, but it will also have the world´s largest duty-free shop.