Istanbul leader in global hub air connectivity
It is iGA Istanbul Airport that today leads the world ranking of the most connected hubs, surpassing the historic record of Frankfurt, according to data from the new Airport Industry Connectivity Report 2025 published by ACI EUROPE (Airports Council International).
Thanks to a 59% growth in global connectivity compared to 2019, Istanbul climbs the podium of the main international hubs, ahead of Dallas Fort Worth and Frankfurt, the latter down 21% in the same period. The result confirms the strategic position of the Turkish airport in the world aviation scenario.
"Our expanding network, prime geographic location and commitment to service excellence make Istanbul a hub for global travel," said Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of iGA Istanbul Airport.
It is not only in global connectivity that Istanbul excels: for the second consecutive year (2024 and 2025), iGA is confirmed as the first airport in Europe for the number of direct connections, with an increase of 13% compared to pre-pandemic levels. In 2019 it was in fifth place, today it is at the absolute top.
Success factors
The report (prepared with the methodology of SEO Amsterdam Economics) highlights the strengths that have led to the success:
- Turkish Airlines' strong international network,
- a central geographical location between Europe, Asia and Africa,
- the extended operational capacity of the infrastructure,
- aviation support policies implemented by Turkey.
The mix of strategy, investments and post-pandemic vision has transformed iGA Istanbul Airport into a reference hub for global traffic, not only for the country, but for the entire international air transport system.
With excellent performance in both direct flights and connections, iGA Istanbul establishes itself as a central hub between continents, confirming its ambition: to offer an elite travel experience, supported by cutting-edge infrastructure and a future-oriented vision of aviation.
