According to ACI EUROPE’s April 2026 data, İGA Istanbul Airport became Europe’s second busiest airport, while Sabiha Gökçen entered the top 10, placing Istanbul in a privileged position in Europe.
ACI EUROPE’s April 2026 data, considered one of the most critical traffic reports in the European aviation industry, has been released. According to the report, Istanbul’s two major airports ranked among Europe’s top 10 busiest airports, once again demonstrating Türkiye’s strategic strength in global aviation.
İGA Istanbul Airport ranked as Europe’s second busiest airport with 6.54 million passengers, while Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport placed ninth with 3.67 million passengers. As a result, Istanbul continued to be one of the few cities in Europe represented by two airports in the top 10.
İGA Istanbul Airport Competing for the Top Spot in Europe
According to ACI EUROPE data, London Heathrow became Europe’s busiest airport in April 2026 with 6.72 million passengers.
Following closely behind, İGA Istanbul Airport reached 6.54 million passengers and maintained its position as Europe’s second busiest airport.
Continuing to grow in line with its goal of becoming a global transit hub, İGA Istanbul Airport is further strengthening its competition with Europe’s major aviation centers.
Paris Charles de Gaulle ranked third on the list with 6.05 million passengers.
Sabiha Gökçen Maintained Its Place in the Top 10
Istanbul Became a Dual Aviation Power in Europe
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport also reached 3.67 million passengers in April 2026, becoming Europe’s ninth busiest airport.
Sabiha Gökçen stood out as the second Istanbul airport to rank among Europe’s top 10 busiest airports.
With this result, Istanbul continued to be one of Europe’s strongest air transportation cities alongside major aviation hubs such as London and Paris.
Experts emphasize that Istanbul’s geographical advantage and increasing transit passenger capacity played a critical role in this success.
Passenger Traffic Fluctuated Across Europe
Periodic fluctuations in passenger traffic at airports across Europe drew attention in April.
According to ACI EUROPE data:
İGA Istanbul Airport recorded a 6.8 percent decline compared to the same period last year.
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport experienced a 3.4 percent decrease.
Despite this, both airports managed to maintain their strong positions among Europe’s busiest hubs.
Europe’s Top 10 Busiest Airports Announced
According to ACI EUROPE’s April 2026 data, Europe’s top 10 busiest airports were ranked as follows:
- London Heathrow – 6.72 million passengers
- İGA Istanbul Airport – 6.54 million passengers
- Paris Charles de Gaulle – 6.05 million passengers
- Amsterdam Schiphol – 5.98 million passengers
- Madrid-Barajas – 5.77 million passengers
- Barcelona – 5.10 million passengers
- Frankfurt – 4.75 million passengers
- Rome Fiumicino – 4.34 million passengers
- Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen – 3.67 million passengers
- London Gatwick – 3.24 million passengers
Istanbul Strengthens Its Position as a Strategic Global Aviation Hub
In recent years, Istanbul has continued to increase its influence in European aviation with its growing transit passenger capacity, new route investments, and expanding airline networks.
In particular, İGA Istanbul Airport’s global hub ambitions and Sabiha Gökçen’s rise as one of the key centers for low-cost carriers are strengthening the city’s dual-airport growth model.
