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ESB Esenboğa International Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

Esenboğa International Airport (ESB) serves Ankara, about 25 km northeast of Ankara. Below: trains and buses from the terminal, an estimated taxi fare to town and nearby cities, where you can fly from here, and hotels nearby.

IATAESB
ICAOLTAC
ServesAnkara
From centre26 km
Non-stop43
Airlines10
TimezoneEurope/Istanbul
Elevation953 m

See on map ↗

The airport in numbers

Esenboğa International Airport — facts & history

We pulled Esenboğa International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 14M passengers in 2025, against a peak of 17M in 2018.

Opened
1955
71 years ago
Passengers / year
14M
as of 2025
Peak traffic
17M
in 2018
Elevation
953 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
TAV Airports Holding
Passengers per year, 2007–2025

Figures: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia

Airport to city

Getting from Esenboğa International Airport to Ankara

The airport is about 25 km northeast of Ankara, about 37 minutes by road in normal traffic.

Train & bus: Istanbul (IST): M11 metro + HAVAIST buses to the centre. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): M4 metro + Havabüs. Antalya, İzmir have a tram/light rail.

Taxi & apps: Insist the driver runs the meter ('taksimetre'). BiTaksi and Uber (which dispatches a yellow taxi) avoid a price argument. Estimated fare to the centre: ₺514–₺816.

Tipping: Round up.

Way inTime to centreCost
Train / bus~26 mincheapestCHEAPEST
Taxi~37 min₺514–₺816
Private transfer~37 minfixed upfront
Car rental~37 min + חניהfrom the terminal
Choose and book

Which way suits you from Esenboğa International Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people. ~₺514–₺816 to the centre.

Private transfer

Fixed price upfront, driver with a sign. For a late arrival, bags, kids or a group.

Car rental

If you're touring the region. Desks in the terminal, booking ahead beats the counter.

Train or bus is usually the cheapest — details above.

Book your airport transfer in Ankara ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from Esenboğa International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 43 destinations, operated by 10 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: Turkish Airlines · Pegasus Airlines · Qatar Airways · Atlasjet · Lufthansa · Mahan Air · Ariana Afghan Airlines · Zoom Airlines · Iran Air · Azerbaijan Airlines

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at Esenboğa International Airport

Most large airports offer left-luggage inside the terminal, usually by the hour or day and with a size limit. A common, cheaper alternative: in-city storage points near stations and sights — handy for an early arrival before check-in, or after check-out.

Something lost in the terminal is handled by the airport's lost-and-found office (usually near baggage claim); something left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Keep your flight details, seat number and a description of the item.

Sleep nearby

Hotels near Esenboğa International Airport

For an early connection — a hotel by the terminal saves a taxi and a headache.

Rates in Ankara shift daily. See what your night costs now.

Reviews — Esenboğa International Airport

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Same country

Other airports in Turkey

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from Esenboğa International Airport to the centre of Ankara?
Istanbul (IST): M11 metro + HAVAIST buses to the centre. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): M4 metro + Havabüs. Antalya, İzmir have a tram/light rail. The airport is about 25 km northeast of Ankara, about 37 minutes by road.
How much is a taxi from Esenboğa International Airport to Ankara?
Roughly ₺514–₺816 (at the local tariff). Many airports have a regulated flat fare — ask at the taxi desk.
Can I use a ride app from Esenboğa International Airport?
Insist the driver runs the meter ('taksimetre'). BiTaksi and Uber (which dispatches a yellow taxi) avoid a price argument.
What's the cheapest way from Esenboğa International Airport to Ankara?
Train or bus, almost always — usually a fraction of the taxi fare. Istanbul (IST): M11 metro + HAVAIST buses to the centre. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): M4 metro + Havabüs. Antalya, İzmir have a tram/light rail.
Can I get from Esenboğa International Airport into town without a car?
Yes. Istanbul (IST): M11 metro + HAVAIST buses to the centre. Sabiha Gökçen (SAW): M4 metro + Havabüs. Antalya, İzmir have a tram/light rail. For a late arrival or a lot of bags, a pre-booked transfer is easier.
Where can I fly non-stop from Esenboğa International Airport?
About 43 destinations, including Erbil, Izmir, Istanbul, Nicosia. 10 airlines operate here.
Can I leave luggage at the airport?
Most large airports have a left-luggage service, and there are also in-city storage points near stations and sights that are usually cheaper with no size limit.
Where is Esenboğa International Airport's lost and found?
Items found in the terminal (not on the aircraft) are handled by the airport's lost-and-found office — usually near baggage claim or the information desks, sometimes one office per terminal. Anything left on the plane is the airline's responsibility. Current contact details are on Esenboğa International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at Esenboğa International Airport?
The terminal is on your boarding pass and booking confirmation, and updates on the departure boards at the entrance. Rule of thumb: each airline works from a fixed terminal, and airlines in the same alliance are usually grouped together. With a connection, check whether you change terminals and how long that takes.
Ankara city guide← Turkey travel guideAll airports

About this page

Written and checked by the Around the World team. We compare prices across the major providers, cross-check official sources, and update when something changes. We have no stake in any one provider — links are affiliate links, and the price is the same for you.

Sources: Airport data: OpenFlights (ODbL) · Route network: OpenFlights routes · Getting-there notes: Around the World, checked 2026

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