Istanbul Airport Tops Global Connectivity Rankings

Istanbul Airport (iGA) has risen to the No. 1 spot in OAG’s Megahubs 2026 Index, surpassing London Heathrow. The ranking compares the number of scheduled international connections and destinations served, using a snapshot of the busiest day of the year—August 2. The airport now offers about 350 destinations worldwide, according to its CEO.

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Opened in 2018, the $12 billion facility sits 20 miles outside Istanbul on the European side. Its 1.4-million-square-meter terminal is the world’s largest under one roof, and the entire 76.5-million-square-meter site exceeds the size of Manhattan. Designed by Grimshaw Architects, Nordic Office of Architecture and Haptic Architects, the airport was built with expansion in mind, featuring a fourth runway added last month and plans for nine total (six main, three reserve). The new 2,820-meter east-west runway reduces taxi and airborne time for westbound flights.

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• Passengers: More than 84 million annually, ranking it the eighth busiest airport globally.

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• Capacity Goal: Plans to handle 200 million passengers per year, double Atlanta’s current volume.

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• Runway Capability: Licensed for three simultaneous runway operations, a unique global distinction.

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• Airline Share: Turkish Airlines operates roughly 80 % of flights, holding the Guinness World Record for serving 130 countries as of 2026.

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• Retail Space: 56,000 square meters of shopping area.

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John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, said the airport’s runway capacity and proximity to emerging markets such as Central Asia give it a “significant edge” and that “all things being equal” it should retain its top position through 2027.

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Viktoriia Myroniuk, senior lecturer in air transport management at Cranfield University, highlighted the 24/7 operation enabled by the airport’s peripheral location and praised Turkish Airlines’ stop-over program for enhancing passenger experience.

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• “They’ve finally got the number one position,” — John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, a global travel data provider

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• “They’re going to be unassailable in the coming years,” — John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, a global travel data provider

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• “They’re the only airport in the world that is licensed for three simultaneous runway operations,” — John Grant, chief analyst at OAG, a global travel data provider

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