Istanbul tops OAG Megahubs 2026, giving Türkiye travellers 337 destinations to reach

U.S. Ambassador to Türkiye Tom Barrack congratulated Istanbul Airport on 9 November 2026 after global travel data provider Official Airline Guide (OAG) ranked it the most connected airport in the world. The hub placed first in OAG's Megahubs 2026 ranking, ahead of London Heathrow.

Key facts

• Ranking: first place in OAG's Megahubs 2026, ahead of London Heathrow
• Connectivity: 337 destinations and nearly 90,000 possible connections on a single day
• Airlines operating: 116 scheduled carriers, according to IGA data
• Passengers, January–August 2026: 56.6 million on 52,468 flights
• 2025 total: 84.46 million passengers, with a target of 90 million for 2026

What did the ranking find?

OAG announced the result in September, placing Istanbul Airport first globally as the most connected aviation hub. London Heathrow dropped to second place amid ongoing disruptions to Middle East schedules, OAG said.

Writing on X, Barrack described the airport as "the most connected airport on earth" and said it offers 337 destinations and nearly 90,000 possible connections on a single day. He also congratulated airport CEO Selahattin Bilgen and the team at operator Istanbul Grand Airport (IGA), adding that IGA had built the hub to prove Türkiye sits at the crossroads of the world.

How busy is the airport?

IGA Istanbul Airport handled 56.6 million passengers on 52,468 flights in the first eight months of the year, according to the State Airports Authority General Directorate (DHMI). That total included 11.9 million domestic and 44.7 million international travellers.

The airport recorded 39.92 million passengers in the first half of the year, of which 31.69 million were on international routes. August alone brought nearly 8.6 million travellers, roughly 6.7 million of them on overseas flights.

What records and other titles has it won?

On 1 August, Istanbul Airport set an all-time daily record for both Türkiye and Europe by welcoming 289,260 people, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu announced at the time. The figure surpassed the previous high of 282,835, reached on 2 August 2025.

Data from the European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (EUROCONTROL) ranked the hub first in Europe in August, with a daily average of 1,665 flights between 10 and 16 August, ahead of Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam and London Heathrow. Over the same week it placed sixth among 25 airports worldwide, with 843 departures per day.

In July, the airport was named the world's best airport through a survey by travel magazine Travel + Leisure. Istanbul Airport closed 2025 with a record 84.46 million passengers, up 5% from 2024, and has set a target of 90 million for 2026.

What this means for travellers

Travellers using Istanbul Airport as a transfer point have a choice of 337 destinations and 116 scheduled airlines, according to the figures cited. The ranking highlights the range of possible same-day connections available through the hub.