Sabiha Gökçen aims to become global hub as traffic rises

ISTANBUL

 Istanbul’s Sabiha Gökçen Airport is targeting a stronger position as a global connection hub, a senior executive has said, as passenger traffic continues to rise.

“Our goal is to make ISG one of the preferred transfer hubs not only regionally but also globally,” said Kerem Maybek, chief commercial and strategy officer at the company.

Sabiha Gökçen handled a record 48.4 million passengers in 2025. In the first four months of 2026, traffic rose 8 percent year-on-year to 15.3 million passengers. The airport has also boosted its operational capacity with the full commissioning of its second runway.

Maybek said the airport is currently the second-busiest in Türkiye and the ninth-busiest in Europe, adding that it recorded the fastest growth among major European airports in the first quarter of 2026.

“We made a strong start to 2026,” he said.

The airport added 29 new routes in 2025, including 27 international and two domestic services, expanding its network to 154 destinations in 55 countries, according to Maybek.

“Growth will continue, with new routes and airline partnerships supporting expansion. Flights to Dushanbe were launched on May 21 with Pegasus Airlines, while Saudi Arabia-based Nesma Airlines joined the airport’s network on May 22,” he added.

Maybek said the Far East and Asia-Pacific markets remain a strategic focus, adding that new routes not only boost passenger numbers but also strengthen the airport’s position as a transfer hub.