Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport Turns 25

It is Türkiye's second largest airport in terms of passenger numbers and Europe's ninth busiest. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen (ISG) International AirportSabiha Gökçen Airport celebrated its 25th anniversary with a ceremony held at the terminal. The ceremony, attended by ISG senior management and employees, as well as Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB), the terminal operator, included speeches followed by the cutting of a celebratory cake.

Opened on January 8, 2001, and serving 47,000 passengers that year, the airport reached 48,4 million passengers in 2025. In total, Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport has served 48.4 million passengers in the past quarter century. 460 millions of passengers were served.

The terminal operator of Sabiha Gökçen Airport. Dato' Mohd Izani Ghani, Managing Director of Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB)“As an institution that has accompanied Sabiha Gökçen Airport on its development journey from the very beginning, we are extremely proud of this extraordinary growth and ascent. Sabiha Gökçen is of strategic importance to MAHB, one of the world's leading airport operators. ISG is the most concrete reflection of the strategic cooperation between Malaysia and Turkey, built on mutual trust, shared goals, and a long-term growth vision. I express my deepest gratitude for the trust and support shown to us in Türkiye. Together, we are jointly writing one of the most dynamic success stories in global aviation in the last quarter century; I wholeheartedly congratulate everyone who has contributed to this journey.”

Kerem Maybek, Deputy General Manager of Commercial Affairs and Strategy at Sabiha Gökçen Airport He emphasized that significant progress has been made in transforming the airport's strong growth into sustainable growth. ISG's Underlining that it provides exemplary services with its "complementary" role as one of the largest "entry" and "connection" points of Istanbul and Türkiye. Kerem Maybek, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, as a "fast, easy, budget-friendly, and digital" secondary airport, offers strategic value to both passengers and the Turkish aviation sector. We are constantly improving by adding something new each year, and we have come a long way in 25 years. We remember with respect and affection our colleagues who contributed to this process and who are no longer with us. We thank everyone who contributed to this success. In the next 25 years, we will continue to work in harmony with our stakeholders to make the greatest contribution to our country and to provide the best travel experience for our passengers.”

Dubbed the "City Airport" due to its proximity to Istanbul and surrounding destinations, Sabiha Gökçen International Airport, with its road, sea, and rail connections, is an ideal transfer point in high demand, connecting Istanbul to a total of 154 destinations, including 39 domestic and 115 international routes in 54 countries.

Source: HORECA TREND and Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport