Thanks to Turkish Airlines, Istanbul Airport is one of the largest connecting points in the world.

There is only one huge terminal in operation, divided into international and domestic sections:

• Gates A, B, C, D, E, F - international flights
• Gaty G - domestic flights

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One large central hall with 15 sections of check-in counters is used for passenger check-in. Upon entering the departure hall, the international check-in counters are on the left, while the domestic ones are on the far right.

There are only two large security checkpoints leading from the departure hall to the transit area: one for all international flights and one for all domestic flights within Turkey.

Airport map

A clear interactive map of the terminal highlighting all available services is available on the airport's website: istairport.com/airport-map.

Transfer between flights

Despite the size of the terminal, transferring in Istanbul is very straightforward.

You don't need to take any automated trains from building to building, just follow the very clear signage within the single large terminal.

The downside to connecting in Istanbul is the lack of seating and the departure gate not being displayed until about 75 minutes before departure. This forces passengers to spend time in a large central area with dozens of shops and restaurants.

For official transfer information at Istanbul Airport, visit the airport's website: istairport.com/transfer-passenger-guide.

Any transfer time that the airline will sell you in one booking is sufficient.

The realistic time from getting off the plane to reaching the departure gate of the connecting flight is between 20 and 50 minutes.

If you would like to connect through Istanbul Airport on your own with two separate tickets, allow at least 3.5 hours.

Security and passport control

There is no passport control for international transfers, but in some cases you will go through security.

You will not go through security for international transfers if you are arriving from a destination in certain European countries and if you already have a boarding pass for a connecting flight. In this case, you will head straight from the aircraft through a special transfer corridor to the departure gate area.

When transferring from an international flight to a flight within Turkey or vice versa, you will go through security and passport control.

Baggage on transfer

Transfer baggage is automatically transferred to the next flight and you don't have to worry about it.

If you combine your transfer on your own by purchasing two unrelated tickets, you must collect and re-check your baggage.

Sightseeing in Istanbul on transfer

Turkish Airlines, the largest airline operating at the airport , offers free sightseeing tours of Istanbul for passengers on its connecting flights.

Those interested in this service should contact the "Tour Istanbul" desk at the airport, which is located near the transfer desk still in the transit control, but also in the public area of the arrivals hall. Passengers must fulfil several conditions:

• The applicant must be travelling on international routes with a change in Istanbul, which must be on one ticket, for example Prague - Istanbul - Hong Kong.
• The transfer must be no longer than 24 hours.
• Tour times range from 2.5 to 6 hours
• All information can be found on the website: istanbulinhours.com

Free hotel on transfer

If you are flying with Turkish Airlines and have a long layover at Istanbul Airport, you may be entitled to free accommodation in some cases.

Please visit the Turkish Airlines page for detailed conditions.