If you flew into Turkey any time before April 2019, you probably remember the chaos. The endless taxiing. The feeling that you were landing in the middle of a city rather than an airfield. Istanbul Ataturk Airport wasn't just a transport hub; it was the beating heart of Turkish aviation for nearly a century. Today, it’s a weird mix of a public park, a pandemic-era hospital, and a VIP terminal. People often ask me if it’s "closed." Well, yes and no. It’s complicated.
Actually, calling it "closed" is a bit of a stretch. While the massive commercial birds—the Turkish Airlines A350s and the packed 737s—have moved north to the glistening new Istanbul Airport (IST), Ataturk (ISL) hasn't vanished. It just changed its soul. It’s quiet now. Too quiet, maybe, for a place that used to handle 60 million passengers a year.
The Day the World Moved: The Great Move
The transition from Ataturk to the new Istanbul Airport was called "The Great Move" (Büyük Göç). It was a logistical nightmare that somehow worked. In April 2019, hundreds of trucks moved 47,000 tons of equipment across the city in 45 hours. Think about that. They literally moved an entire industry’s worth of tugs, stairs, and computers overnight.
I remember talking to ground crew members who were terrified. They’d spent twenty years at Ataturk. They knew every crack in the tarmac. Suddenly, they were being sent to a "smart" airport miles away in the Arnavutköy district. Ataturk was iconic because of its location in Yeşilköy. You could see the Marmara Sea as you landed. You could be in Bakirkoy or Sultanahmet in thirty minutes.
But the airport was choking.
By 2018, Ataturk was the 15th busiest airport in the world. It was designed for a different era. The slots were full. Planes would circle for forty minutes because there simply wasn't a gate. If you were a business traveler, you loved the proximity to the city center but hated the 2-hour lines at passport control. The infrastructure was screaming.
What’s Actually Happening at Ataturk Right Now?
So, what do you see if you show up there today? You won't find a check-in desk for your flight to London or New York. Instead, the site has been carved into three distinct pieces.
First, there is the Atatürk City Park (Millet Bahçesi). The Turkish government decided to turn a massive chunk of the former runways into one of the largest urban parks in the world. It’s a controversial move. Critics argued that the runways were worth billions and should have been kept for emergencies. Proponents say Istanbul desperately needs green space. They’ve planted thousands of trees where planes used to burn kerosene. It’s a surreal sight to see families picnicking where a Boeing 777 used to rotate.
Second, the Prof. Dr. Murat Dilmener Emergency Hospital was built right on the runway during the COVID-19 pandemic. It was a 45-day construction miracle. They needed beds, and they had a giant, flat, paved area ready to go. This effectively "killed" one of the main runways (17/35). You can't land a commercial jet there anymore even if you wanted to.
General Aviation and State Guests
The third part is the "active" part. The terminal isn't totally dead.
- Private Jets: If you’re a billionaire or a high-flying CEO, you still land at Ataturk. The general aviation terminal is still operational.
- State Arrivals: When foreign heads of state visit President Erdoğan, their planes—often massive government wide-bodies—land here.
- Cargo (Sorta): Most cargo has moved, but some specialized maintenance and logistics still linger in the periphery.
- TEKNOFEST: This is the big one. Every year, Turkey’s massive aerospace and technology festival happens right on the old Ataturk tarmac. It draws millions.
Why We Can’t Just Forget About It
There is a lot of nostalgia. People miss the old "IST" code that Ataturk held for decades. When the new airport opened, it took the "IST" code, and Ataturk was downgraded to "ISL." It felt like a demotion for a legend.
But honestly? Ataturk was a safety concern toward the end. The proximity to residential housing was intense. If you’ve ever stayed in a hotel in Florya, you know the sound. It was the sound of progress, but also the sound of an airport that had outgrown its skin.
There's also a technical side to this. The new Istanbul Airport is located on the Black Sea coast. The wind patterns are totally different. Ataturk was shielded by the city's topography. Pilots often talk about the "challenging" crosswinds at the new airport, making them miss the relatively predictable approaches into Ataturk.
The Controversy: Why Not Keep Both?
This is where things get heated in Turkish politics. Many aviation experts, including some from the Turkish Civil Aviation Association, argued that Istanbul should have followed the London or Paris model. London has Heathrow, Gatwick, and Stansted. Why couldn't Istanbul have the New Airport, Sabiha Gökçen (on the Asian side), and Ataturk?
The official line was that the airspaces would conflict. The new airport is so close that having heavy traffic at both would create a "knots in the sky" scenario. While that’s technically true to an extent, many believe the decision was more about real estate and centralizing all traffic to the massive new $11 billion investment.
By destroying the runways at Ataturk, the government ensured it could never be reopened as a commercial rival. It was a permanent decision.
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Practical Tips for Travelers Today
If you are looking for Istanbul Ataturk Airport Turkey on a map today, don't accidentally book a hotel nearby thinking you’re close to the "main" airport. I see people do this all the time. They book a "luxury airport hotel" in Yeşilköy and then realize they have a 60-minute, $40 taxi ride to the actual airport they're flying out of.
- Check the code: If your ticket says IST, you are going to the new airport in the north. If it says SAW, you are going to Sabiha Gökçen on the Asian side. If it says ISL, you’re probably a diplomat or own a Gulfstream.
- Visit the Park: If you have a long layover in Istanbul, taking the Marmaray train to the Florya/Yeşilköy area is actually quite nice. You can walk through parts of the old airport grounds and visit the Istanbul Aviation Museum (Hava Kuvvetleri Müzesi), which is right next door. It’s one of the best collections of vintage military aircraft in the region.
- The Aquarium: The Istanbul Akvaryum is right there in Florya, very close to the old airport perimeter. It’s a great spot for kids.
The Legacy of Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s Namesake
The airport was named after the founder of the Republic of Turkey. For many, the name change of the new airport to simply "Istanbul Airport" was a point of contention. However, by keeping the name on the old site—even as it becomes a park and a hospital—it remains a landmark.
It’s weird to think that for 86 years, this patch of land was the primary gateway between Europe and Asia. It saw the transition from propeller planes to the jumbo jet era. It survived coups, renovations, and terrorist attacks. It was more than a building; it was a symbol of Turkey’s desire to be the "hub of the world."
Final Actionable Insights for Your Trip
If you're planning a trip to Istanbul soon, here is how you should handle the "airport situation" given the current state of Ataturk:
- Accommodation: Do not stay in the Bakirkoy/Florya area if your primary goal is to be "near the airport." Stay there if you want a nice coastal vibe and easy access to the old city via the Marmaray train.
- Transport: The M1A metro line still runs to the "Atatürk Havalimanı" station. It’s still useful if you’re visiting the park or the nearby World Trade Center (IDTM), but it won't take you to a flight.
- Aviation Geeks: The best view of the remaining "active" tarmac at Ataturk is from the Flyinn Shopping Center's balcony. You can still see the private jets and government planes taking off while you have a coffee.
- The Future: Keep an eye on the Teknofest schedule. If you happen to be in town during this event (usually late summer or autumn), you can actually walk on the runways where millions of passengers once tread. It’s the only time the general public gets that kind of access.
Ataturk Airport isn't gone; it’s just sleeping. It has transitioned from a place of frantic movement to a place of reflection and public utility. Whether that was the right move for Turkish aviation is a debate that will probably last another fifty years. For now, it’s a park with a very expensive driveway.