Istanbul feels brand-new every time you arrive. The ferry horns still echo across the Bosphorus, yet the skyline keeps stretching higher. Sabiha Gökçen Airport mirrors that energy. A second runway opened at the very end of 2023, so more flights touch down every hour and queues move faster.
Low-cost carriers now link SAW with more than one hundred cities, and a modern lounge wing lets you swap the bustle for quiet Turkish coffee before you hit the road. By the time you reach Kadıköy or Taksim, you will already feel the pace of a city that never stops experimenting with the future while honouring its past.
A new runway, longer metro lines, and faster shuttles now link Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW) to every corner of the city. Touching down in 2025? Use this guide to choose the ride that fits your budget and schedule, then unlock extra perks with the Istanbul Tourist Pass®.
Quick facts for 2025
- Location: Pendik district on the Asian side
- Distance to Sultanahmet or Taksim: about 50 km
- Road time: 60-90 min off-peak, up to 2 hr in heavy traffic
- Second runway opened December 2024, boosting capacity
- New lounges, larger duty-free zone, free airport Wi-Fi
How far and how long?
| Route | Average time | Approx. cost (one way) |
|---|---|---|
| Metro M4 Kadıköy ⇆ SAW | ≈ 52 min | 27 TL with Istanbulkart |
| Havabus Taksim ⇆ SAW | 75-90 min | 283.50 TL |
| Taxi SAW → Taksim | 70-120 min | ≈ 1 450 TL plus bridge or tunnel toll |
| Private transfer (Pass partner) | 60-90 min | Fixed rate in the Pass app |
Transport options in detail
Metro M4
Istanbul Metro is great. Trains leave every 6-10 minutes. Journey from SAW to Kadıköy takes just under an hour. Change at Ayrılık Çeşmesi for Marmaray to reach the European side. Fare is 27 TL with Istanbulkart. Luggage-friendly carriages sit at each end of the train.
Havabus shuttles
White coaches run every half hour between SAW and Kadıköy or Taksim. Pay on board by card or cash. Expect a comfortable seat plus a large luggage hold. Allow a few minutes at pick-up for ticket queues.
IETT public buses
The cheapest surface option. Main lines are E-3 (4.Levent), E-10 (Kadıköy), and night bus SG-2 (Taksim). Same 27 TL flat fare with Istanbulkart. Buses make many stops and have limited luggage space.
Taxis and ride-hailing
Meters start at 42 TL then add 28 TL per kilometre. A trip to Taksim usually costs around 1 450 TL plus tolls. Always insist on the meter and follow the route on your phone map.
Private or shared transfers
Pre-book through Istanbul Tourist Pass® partners for a fixed rate. Your driver waits in arrivals, tracks flight delays, and includes tolls. Ideal for late arrivals, families, or bulky luggage.
Where to eat at Sabiha Gökçen in 2025
| Location | Brand / Concept | What to try |
|---|---|---|
| Departures landside | Happy Moon’s | Plateau breakfast for two, strong filter coffee |
| Departures landside | Simit Sarayı | Classic sesame simit, ayran on ice |
| Departures landside | Starbucks | Reserve Bar beans for a last latte fix |
| Airside international | Jax Café | Izgara köfte plate with grilled veggies |
| Airside domestic | Usta Dönerci & Usta Pideci | Chicken dürüm or a piping hot kıymalı pide |
| Airside (near Gate 206) | +1 Efes Bar | Local craft lager and meze before boarding |
Tip: most outlets accept cards and digital wallets, but some smaller cafés still prefer cash for purchases under 100 TL.
Duty-free & retail snapshot
Flagship Duty Free Store (International departures)
- Cosmetics & fragrance: Chanel, Creed, Lancôme
- Spirits: Macallan Rare Cask, Yeni Rakı specials
- Confectionery: Godiva Istanbul edition, Turkish Delight sampler
Boutiques & speciality shops
- Victoria’s Secret – beauty & lingerie essentials
- D&R – Turkish best-sellers plus English paperbacks for the flight
- Blue Diamond – duty-free gold and silver jewellery with Ottoman motifs
- Techno Way – travel adaptors, earbuds and power banks
- Turkish ID – local handicrafts and premium olive-oil gifts
Reserve & Collect
Order up to 30 days ahead on the airport’s online duty-free portal, then collect your bag after security. Perfect for limited-edition perfume launches that sell out on-site.
Istanbul Tourist Pass® perks
- Discounted Istanbul City Card for unlimited metro, tram, bus, and ferry rides; discounted & delivered to your hotel.
- Special transfer rates generally lower than standard airport taxis.
- WhatsApp support line at business hours every weekday for real-time travel help.
- 100+ attractions, services, instant tickets, guided tours, and local experiences free or discounted.
When to leave for the airport
| Flight type | Check-in buffer | Suggested city-centre pick-up |
|---|---|---|
| Domestic | 1 hour | 3 hours before departure |
| International | 2 hours | 3.5 – 4 hours before departure |
Add 30 minutes if you travel during morning (07:00-10:00) or evening (17:00-20:00) rush.
Pro tips for a smooth ride
- Buy or top up your Istanbulkart at SAW before boarding the metro.
- If you do not want free or paid drinks just say “Teşekkürler”.
- Pack light if you plan to ride public transport.
- Keep some cash for taxis and small snacks.
- Download the free Istanbul Tourist Pass® app for maps and chat support.
Sabiha Gökçen is more connected than ever. Pick your route, tap into the savings of the Istanbul Tourist Pass®, and spend the time you save on an extra simit by the Bosphorus. Safe travels and see you in the city.
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From pasture to powerhouse: the story of SAW
1998 – Construction begins as Istanbul’s European-side Atatürk Airport nears full capacity.
8 January 2001 – Sabiha Gökçen International Airport opens with a single 3 000 m runway and modest passenger halls.
31 October 2009 – A new terminal launches with space for twenty-five million travellers a year. Earthquake isolators below the structure make it one of the safest large terminals in the world.
2010 – Voted World’s Best Airport at the World Low Cost Airlines Congress thanks to rapid traffic growth and smart design.
25 December 2023 – Inauguration of a 3 500 m parallel runway doubles hourly movements from forty to eighty.
2024 – Annual traffic tops forty-one million passengers, a twelve percent jump in one year.
The airport now ranks among the busiest in the Middle East and gives Pegasus Airlines and AJet room to expand their networks deeper into Europe, North Africa, and Central Asia.
Who was Sabiha Gökçen?
Sabiha Gökçen was born in Bursa on 22 March 1913. She met Mustafa Kemal Atatürk when she was twelve and soon became one of his adopted daughters. Atatürk encouraged her love of flight and enrolled her in the Turkish Aeronautical Association’s school. She earned her wings in 1936 and logged more than eight thousand flight hours, including thirty-two combat missions, making her the world’s first female combat pilot.
Gökçen toured the Balkans in 1938 to showcase Turkish aviation and later trained new pilots until 1955. She retired from active flying in 1964 and passed away on her eighty-eighth birthday in 2001, the same year the airport that bears her name welcomed its first passenger. Her story still inspires Turkish women to reach for the sky, in aviation and beyond.
Wrapping up
Sabiha Gökçen is no longer just the “other” Istanbul airport. With a second runway, a direct metro, and quicker shuttles, it delivers you to Kadıköy, the Old City, or Taksim almost as smoothly as its European-side rivals. Choose the ride that matches your time and budget, taste a simit or köfte on the way out, and keep an eye on the skyline as Asia slips behind you.
Remember, every journey gets easier with the Istanbul Tourist Pass®. Your discounted Istanbul City Card, fixed-price transfers, and 100 plus attractions in one handy app mean fewer queues and more memories. Grab the pass before you land, glide through the airport like a pro, and spend the minutes you save sipping Turkish coffee by the Bosphorus. Safe travels, and enjoy the city.
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