Istanbul’s new airport is located farther afield than its previous international airport. Getting from the Istanbul airport to the city center

1.5 hours to go back through security, get to your gate, and board the plane.

30-45 mins to deplane and go through immigration and customs.

To plan how much time you’ll have in the city, assume the following: If you want to tack on the historic Sultanahmet district as well, do so if you have a longer layover (closer to 12 hours). If you have a shorter layover (around 8 hours), that will leave you enough time to explore the central Beyoglu District. It takes at least 45 minutes without traffic to get to and from the airport and city center. To leave the Istanbul airport and explore for part of the day: 8-12 hours If you’ll need to transfer between airports, anything less than four hours will make for a stressful connection. If your connection s within IST, two hours is a safe bet (though the official minimum is one hour). To make an international to international connection: 2 hoursĪgain this will depend on which airports you’re arriving at departing from. Taxi is currently the only transportation option between the two airports. It’ll take about one hour by taxi to travel from IST, which is north of the city to SAW, located south of Istanbul. If you need to connect between IST and SAW allow at least four hours. Note that some domestic flights arrive and depart from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW). If you’re connecting at IST, give yourself a minimum of 90 minutes to go through customs and immigration. To make an international to domestic connection: 1.5 hours Also be prepared for the possibility of additional security checkpoints between gates. Another passenger gripe is the lengthy taxiing time, so give yourself some extra buffer, if you can. Even with the help of moving walkways, getting between gates can often take 20 minutes. Istanbul’s new airport (IST) is massive (15 million square feet), so don’t hedge your bets on making tight layovers. It’s a quick and easy online process, which involves filling out this online application, paying the $50 fee (for US citizens), and printing your confirmed e-visa, and Be sure to apply at least 48 hours before the departure time from your original destination. If you leave the airport, you will need an e-Visa.

MINIMUM TIME TO LEAVE THE AIRPORT: 8 hrs.

MINIMUM CONNECTION TIME, INTERNATIONAL TO INTERNATIONAL: 2 hrs.

MINIMUM CONNECTION TIME, INTERNATIONAL TO DOMESTIC: 90 mins.

VISA REQUIRED: Yes (if you're leaving the airport) apply in advance online for $50.

The layover online