site.btaIstanbul Airport’s Fourth Main Runway Is Inaugurated

A fourth main runway has been put into operation at Istanbul International Airport. The runway was officially inaugurated on Friday by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan.

“We hope that the fourth main runway, together with the additional investments we are putting into operation today, will make a significant contribution to the development of Istanbul International Airport, which is a global leader in international connectivity,” Erdogan said in a speech at the opening ceremony for the new facility, which was broadcast live by TRT Haber.

According to the Turkish president, the new investments, including the fourth main runway, will improve the airport’s service standards by reducing taxiing and waiting times, increasing safety during aircraft takeoffs and landings, and saving fuel and time.

The newly opened concrete runway is 2,820 meters long and 45 meters wide, and its construction required an investment of EUR 890 million. With the addition of the new runway, the total number of runways at Istanbul Airport, including secondary runways, has reached six.

Over the past 24 years, the Turkish government has invested a total of TRY 2.12 trillion (USD 43.4 billion) in transport and infrastructure in Istanbul, of which TRY 604.4 billion (USD 12.3 billion) was allocated to aviation. “We have made Turkiye one of the countries with the most extensive flight networks in the world,” Erdogan also said.

He added that activities related to Istanbul Airport currently contribute approximately 2.2% of Turkiye’s gross domestic product, equivalent to USD 24.2 billion.

By 2030, Istanbul Airport is expected to create 472,000 jobs and generate EUR 44 billion in revenue.

“When the wars around us come to an end and peace is restored in our region, the airport’s star will shine even brighter,” the Turkish president said.