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SAW Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Reviewed & updated by יהב עטיה · About the team

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) serves Istanbul, about 35 km southeast of Istanbul. 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.

IATASAW
ICAOLTFJ
ServesIstanbul
From centre33 km
Non-stop98
Airlines20
TimezoneEurope/Istanbul
Elevation95 m

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The airport in numbers

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport — facts & history

We pulled Sabiha Gökçen International Airport's numbers from the open aviation datasets — 48M passengers in 2025.

Passengers / year
48M
as of 2025
Elevation
95 מ׳
above sea level
Operator
Malaysia Airports
Passengers per year, 2003–2025

Figures: Wikidata (CC0) · Wikipedia

Official links

Sabiha Gökçen International Airport — official sites

Airport to city

Getting from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Istanbul

Sabiha Gökçen (SAW) is Istanbul's second airport, on the Asian side. The Havabüs coach runs to Taksim (European side) in about 90 minutes in traffic; the Asian-side centre (Kadıköy) is faster. Metro M4 links SAW to the network. A taxi to the European side is expensive and long.

Don't confuse SAW with IST (the main airport, European side) — they're far apart. Check which one your flight uses.

Way inTime to centreCost
Train / bus~32 mincheapestCHEAPEST
Taxi~46 min₺639–₺1015
Private transfer~46 minfixed upfront
Car rental~46 min + חניהfrom the terminal
Distances

From SAW to nearby cities

Estimated drive times in normal traffic, and an approximate taxi fare at the local tariff. A pre-booked transfer is usually cheaper.

DestinationDistanceDriveTaxi (est.)
Bursa81 km85 min₺1540–₺2446
Choose and book

Which way suits you from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Taxi

Cheapest for a short trip, one or two people. ~₺639–₺1015 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 Istanbul ahead, no terminal surprises.

Route network

Where you can fly from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

Non-stop flights to about 98 destinations, operated by 20 airlines. The busiest routes:

Airlines here: Pegasus Airlines · Turkish Airlines · Germanwings · Air Berlin · Nas Air · Transavia Holland · SunExpress · Azerbaijan Airlines · Jazeera Airways · Air Serbia

At the airport

Left luggage & lost and found at Sabiha Gökçen 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 Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

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

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

Reviews — Sabiha Gökçen International Airport

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Airports nearby

Other options near Istanbul

Same country

Other airports in Turkey

Q&A

Answers to your questions

How do I get from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to the centre of Istanbul?
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 35 km southeast of Istanbul, about 46 minutes by road.
How much is a taxi from Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Istanbul?
Roughly ₺639–₺1015 (at the local tariff). Many airports have a regulated flat fare — ask at the taxi desk.
Can I use a ride app from Sabiha Gökçen 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 Sabiha Gökçen International Airport to Istanbul?
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 Sabiha Gökçen 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 Sabiha Gökçen International Airport?
About 98 destinations, including Kuwait, Izmir, Duesseldorf, Antalya. 20 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 Sabiha Gökçen 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 Sabiha Gökçen International Airport's official site.
How do I know which terminal my flight leaves from at Sabiha Gökçen 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.
Istanbul 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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