Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen International Airport

About Sabiha Gokcen International Airport

Sabiha Gokcen International (SAW) is Istanbul’s second commercial airport, located on the Asian side of the city in the Pendik district. It opened in 2001 and now handles around 35 million passengers a year, with the bulk operated by low-cost carriers Pegasus and AnadoluJet. The single terminal is divided into international and domestic wings under one roof, with the usual mix of cafes, duty-free shops and lounges. SAW often offers better fares than IST for European city breaks and a quicker ride home for travellers staying on the Asian side. The airport is named after Sabiha Gokcen, the world’s first female combat pilot and adopted daughter of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Getting from SAW to Istanbul

SAW sits 35 km southeast of Sultanahmet and around 30 km from Taksim. The most direct route to the European side is via the Eurasia Tunnel under the Bosphorus, which avoids bridge traffic and saves 20 to 30 minutes in rush hour. Asian-side destinations such as Kadikoy and Uskudar are 30 to 40 minutes away. Public options include the M4 metro to Kadikoy in roughly 50 minutes and HAVABUS coaches to Taksim or Kadikoy, although journey times stretch with city traffic. The new M10 metro line extension links SAW with the Marmaray rail tunnel, which is a fast way to cross under the Bosphorus to Sirkeci and onward to Sultanahmet.

Terminals and pickup points

SAW operates a single integrated terminal with arrivals on the ground floor. After baggage reclaim, pre-booked passengers walk to the Meeting Point on Arrivals, near gate 14 of the international wing, where the driver waits with a name sign. Vehicles are parked in the short-stay zone immediately adjacent. Domestic arrivals from Antalya, Izmir and Ankara also use the same meeting area, so any internal connection ties in cleanly. Lifts and ramps make the route from arrivals to the car park accessible for passengers with reduced mobility, and a porter service can be requested at booking.

Common transfer routes from SAW

The most-booked rides from SAW run to Kadikoy and Uskudar on the Asian side, then across to Sultanahmet, Taksim, Besiktas and Sisli via the Eurasia Tunnel. Transfers to IST for connecting flights are also common, taking 80 to 100 minutes. Holidaymakers often book through-rides from SAW to Sapanca Lake, Bursa or the Aegean coast, with the Osmangazi bridge cutting the Bursa journey to around 2.5 hours. Day trips along the Princes Islands ferries depart from Bostanci pier, which is around 20 minutes from the airport and a popular drop-off for visitors heading to Buyukada or Heybeliada.

Booking your SAW transfer

Booking a private transfer from Sabiha Gokcen takes about two minutes. Enter the flight number, choose pickup point and party size and select a saloon, minivan or minibus. The fare is fixed with no airport surcharges, the driver tracks your flight with a 60-minute free wait window, and free cancellation applies up to 24 hours before pickup. Cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPal, iDEAL, Wero and Alipay are accepted at checkout. Child seats are available for a small fee, and longer night arrivals after midnight are covered at the same fixed fare with no late surcharge.