Information and Travel Guide for Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport
Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport (SAW)

The airport name is coined after the first female ever to become a combat pilot and is located at a mere distance of 22 kilometers from the center of Istanbul. Positioned on the Asian part of the city, the airport was built in order to accommodate the rising number of travellers within Istanbul. In the year 2010, the airport reported passenger traffic of 11 million and currently has a capacity to accommodate 25 million travellers.

History

Although the airport was officially opened in the year 2001 it is not until the year 2004 that it started its operations. The airport was initially equipped to accommodate only 3 million travellers on an annual basis and 500,000 domestic travellers. In the year 2008, GMR group from India was awarded the contract to expand the airport capacity and in the year 2009, the airport boosted a capacity of 25 million passengers.

Services and Amenities

The airport offers numerous facilities to its passengers in terms of money exchange and other amenities. 10 phone terminals are placed throughout the airport and a post office is located near the arrivals terminal. Bank facilities are provided by Turkiye Is Bankasi and Akbank branch located within the airport. Moreover a baby care room is also available while handicapped facilities are also present within the airport premises. Wings Cafe and Bar, East Port Cafe and two other cafes are located across the airport. A mini market, an electronic store, shops and duty free shops are also situated within the airport to meet the shopping requirements of the passengers.

Parking & Transportation

A four level car park with an existing capacity of 4700 vehicles accompanies the airport whereby a fee is charged according to the parking hours starting from $3 per hour to $12 for twenty four hours. A subscription service allows travellers to enjoy lower parking rates. Buses and taxis are readily available outside the airport terminal whereas a shuttle service is offered every half hour from 5am to 12 pm.

Security

Strict security measures are implanted by the airport including passenger recognition, control measures to prevent any threats, security within the airplane, luggage check and after boarding security check. The passengers and their luggage are initially passed through security controls to ensure that no passenger is in possession of any item that might pose a threat. Be prepared to remove laptops from bags and remove shoes as well during security checks. There are also restrictions on the amount of liquid you can carry on your flight, so read up on this to avoid inconvenience.

Surrounding Places to Stay

Several hotels are available nearby that provide various facilities to passengers such as Airport Residence, Crowne Plaza Istanbul Asia and Divan Istanbul Asia

Travel Tips

Passengers must ensure that their flight is on time before arriving at the airport. Moreover, they must avoid brining any items that might be possessed by security officials.


Contact Information:

Website: www.sgairport.com 
E-mail: [email protected] 
Phone: +90 216 585 5000
Fax: (0)216 585 5114
Address: Sabiha Gokcen International Airport, 34912 Pendik, Istanbul, Turkey
Number of Terminals: 2
Time Zone: GMT + 2 (GMT + 3 from the last Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October)
Location: The airport is located 12km (7 miles) north of Pendik on the Asian side and 45km (28 miles) east of the European centre of Istanbul
IATA airport code: SAW