Istanbul. The right airport, and less of your day spent on the bridges.
Which Istanbul airport you use decides how long the car spends in traffic. It is the single most consequential choice on a Turkish itinerary, and it is usually made by the flight department without anyone asking the ground.
The airport
Istanbul Airport at a glance
- CodesIST / LTFMIstanbul Airport, in the Arnavutkoy district on the European side.
- DistanceAbout 35 km from the centreNorth west of the city, with motorway access and the M11 metro line.
- RunwaysFiveThe longest are 4,100 m. Nothing about the field limits a business jet.
- Private flightsA general aviation terminal on the fieldSeparate from the main concourses. Handling and slots are arranged by your operator.
IST is one of Europe's largest airports by passenger numbers. Scale is the point: it is superb for connectivity and unremarkable for speed on the ground.
Journey times
From Istanbul Airport by road
| To | Quiet roads | Busy periods |
|---|---|---|
| Levent and Maslak business districts | 40 to 60 minutes | 60 to 95 minutes |
| Nisantasi and Tesvikiye | 45 to 65 minutes | 70 to 110 minutes |
| Bosphorus hotels, Besiktas to Ortakoy | 45 to 70 minutes | 75 to 120 minutes |
| Sultanahmet and the old city | 45 to 65 minutes | 70 to 110 minutes |
| Kadikoy and the Asian side | 60 to 90 minutes | 90 to 140 minutes |
| Sabiha Gokcen airport | 75 to 105 minutes | 105 to 150 minutes |
| Istanbul Park circuit, Tuzla | 90 to 120 minutes | 2 to 3 hours on event days |
Realistic ranges. Everything depends on the Bosphorus crossings. A journey that stays on one continent is predictable; one that crosses is not, and rush hours in this city are long.
Choosing the field
IST, Ataturk or Sabiha Gokcen
Istanbul has three airports of entry. IST is the large modern airport on the European side and takes everything, scheduled and private. Ataturk, on the European side much closer to the city, no longer handles scheduled passenger flights and is now the field most business aviation uses, because processing is quicker and the drive is shorter. Sabiha Gokcen sits on the Asian side and is the obvious choice for anything on that shore, including the circuit at Tuzla.
The practical rule is simple. If the passengers are staying on the European side and the flight is private, Ataturk usually wins on total door to door time. If the destination is on the Asian side, Sabiha Gokcen usually wins. IST wins when the aircraft, the crew or the schedule needs it, and it is the right answer more often than its reputation suggests.
We are happy to tell your flight department what the ground looks like from each before the slot is taken. It is a five minute conversation that regularly saves an hour.
Odyssey owns its cars and employs its chauffeurs in London and Manchester. In Istanbul the cars are arranged through operators we know, briefed by us, invoiced through us.
On arrival
How we handle an Istanbul arrival
A big airport rewards preparation and punishes improvisation.
- Flight or tail number tracked, with the chauffeur positioned to the arrivals point actually in use that day.
- Meet inside with a name board, or a discreet kerbside collection. Your choice, stated at booking.
- For private arrivals, collection at the general aviation terminal, and at the aircraft where the airport permits it for your movement.
- Traffic checked before departure from the hotel, not after. Outbound timings here need more margin than clients expect.
- Continental crossings flagged at the quote stage, so nobody is surprised by a ninety minute run to the Asian side.
- Second vehicles for staff, security or luggage arranged alongside, rather than squeezed in.
Events
Formula One returns to Istanbul Park in 2027
Istanbul Park, at Tuzla on the Asian side, hosts the Turkish Grand Prix from 1 to 3 October 2027 under a multi year agreement. For ground transport the geography is everything: the circuit is close to Sabiha Gokcen and a long way from IST, and race weekend traffic on the coastal approaches is heavy in both directions.
We plan those weekends around early departures, held vehicles and realistic returns rather than optimistic ones. See the Turkish Grand Prix for how the weekend is usually built, and event and hospitality transport for multi car days.
Onward
Where Istanbul passengers go next
Request a quote
Tell us the arrival
Which airport, the flight or tail number, passengers, luggage and the destination, with the side of the city if you know it. We come back with a clear price. Nothing is booked or charged online.
Prefer to talk? +44 2030 048300 or WhatsApp, at any hour.
Questions people ask
About Istanbul transfers
Which Istanbul airport should the aircraft use?
For European side destinations, Ataturk is usually quickest door to door for private flights. For the Asian side, Sabiha Gokcen. IST when the schedule or the aircraft requires it. Tell us the destination and we will give you a view before the slot is taken.
How bad is crossing the Bosphorus?
Bad enough to plan around. Allow an extra thirty to sixty minutes in the peaks, and more on a Friday.
Can the car come to the aircraft?
Where the airport permits it for your movement. We confirm with the handling agent rather than promising it.
Can you cover a roadshow across the city?
Yes, with cars held as directed rather than booked point to point. See executive roadshows.
Are these your own cars?
In London and Manchester, yes. In Istanbul they are arranged through operators we know.
