Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport reached 48.4 million passengers in 2025. Kerem Maybek announced the 2026 target of 50 million passengers, the T1 investment, and capacity increase plans.
Kerem Maybek evaluated the 2025 performance and 2026 targets. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport entered the top 10 in Europe with 48.4 million passengers and more than 245 thousand flights.
Sabiha Gökçen Moves Up to a New League with 48.4 Million Passengers
Deputy General Manager of Commercial Affairs and Strategy Kerem Maybek evaluated the year 2025 in the Türkiye Economy 2026 Special Catalogue published by Ekonomi Gazetesi. Comprehensive analyses were shared regarding growth momentum in the aviation sector, the economic outlook, and expectations for 2026.
Historic Threshold in 2025: 48.4 Million Passengers
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, named after Türkiye’s first female combat pilot Sabiha Gökçen, achieved a significant milestone in its 25th year.
Reaching 48.4 million passengers in 2025, the airport became Türkiye’s second largest and Europe’s ninth busiest airport. More than 245 thousand flights were operated throughout the year, recording 17 percent growth compared to the previous year.
Maybek stated that compact terminal architecture, strategic location advantage, and a strong stakeholder ecosystem were behind this success.
“We left 2025 behind as a turning point in which we redefined our operational limits. This growth is the concrete result of our holistic transformation vision in which we use technology as a strategic lever.”
€34 Million Terminal Improvement Investment
Stating that they rapidly adapted to changing travel dynamics after the pandemic, Maybek announced that approximately €34 million in terminal improvement investments were carried out during the 2024–2025 period.
Within this scope:
- Process optimisation was implemented at security and passport control points.
- Waiting times were reduced.
- Passenger flow speed was increased.
While commercial efficiency increased with the “street concept” applied in the Duty Free area, the passenger experience was also redesigned. Parking capacity increased by 23 percent over the past two years, reaching a volume of 6,752 vehicles.
New Capacity Threshold with the €70 Million T1 Project
The reactivation of the long-closed Terminal 1 (T1) building will play a critical role in increasing capacity.
The modernised T1, with an investment cost of €70 million, is planned to be completed in 2026. When the project is completed:
- An additional annual capacity of 5.5 million passengers will be provided.
- Total capacity will exceed 50 million passengers.
Maybek said, “T1 is not only a renovation project but also our move to overcome capacity bottlenecks.”
2026 Target: More Than 50 Million Passengers
With the second runway investment and terminal expansion projects, a new growth phase is targeted in 2026. The ambition to be among Europe’s fastest-growing airports continues with financial discipline and operational determination.
