It can be very variable depending on how many other planes have landed but it takes approximately 50-60 minutes in Istanbul Airport. A lot of this is spent in the passport queue. The most effective way to quickly pass the passport or security check at Istanbul airport is to use a welcome or farewell service.
Customs Clearance ProcessMake sure to declare all goods exceeding the duty-free limit and any restricted or prohibited items. If necessary, submit to inspection. Customs clearance times can vary, but it typically takes between 30 minutes to an hour.
The general guideline on how early to get to the airport for a domestic flight is 2 hours. However, those traveling at a very busy time of year or out of a large airport might want to allow more time.
If you will miss a connecting flight Turkish Airlines will take care of that — mostly, according to the Turkish Airlines missed flight policy, you will be offered another flight completely for free. If it is a self transfer flight (you booked flights separately) — it is your responsibility.
Overall, passengers usually have to re-clear security for connecting flights, though there may be some exceptions depending on the airport and flight itinerary. To make this process easier, checking with the airline or airport ahead of time is recommended.
If you miss your connection booked with the same airline that your were on for your first flight, and the issue is due to a delayed take off or anything else that's in the hands of your airline, it's the airline's responsibility to rebook you on the next available flight.
The recommended layover time for international flights is generally longer, as you will have to go through customs and immigration before boarding your next flight. In most cases, a 30-minute layover for domestic flights and an hour for international flights is considered a minimum, or short, layover.
Passengers in non-connecting flights should pass through immigration to collect their luggage and check-in for the next flight, in this case, a Transit visa is required. But if you are going to connect to another flight without any plan to leave the airport, you don't have to take the visa.
If you purposely choose to miss a connecting flight, or if you are otherwise responsible for missing it, the airline is under no obligation to pay you compensation or to rebook you. You can ask them to help you book a new flight, but this will have to come out of your own pocket.
Award-winning: Istanbul Airport has won several awards since its opening in 2019, including “Best Airport in Southern Europe” and “World's Best New Airport” at the Skytrax World Airport Awards in 2020.
Of the three, however, Istanbul International Airport is the newest and the largest with almost 37 million passengers passing through in 2021. Long term, the airport is planned to handle as many as 200 million passengers as the airport could be a major transportation hub connecting Europe, Asia, and Africa.
Most airlines recommend arriving at the airport three hours before departure for international flights. It's common for international flights to start boarding earlier than domestic flights (the aircraft are often larger and have higher passenger capacities), which accounts for the earlier recommendation.
When you're traveling outside of the United States, we suggest arriving at least 3 hours prior to your departure. You must be checked in at least 1 hour before your scheduled departure. Additionally, we recommend being at the gate and ready to board 45 minutes before your scheduled departure time.
You are allowed to bring a quart-sized bag of liquids, aerosols, gels, creams and pastes through the checkpoint.These are limited to 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less per item. This is also known as the 3-1-1 liquids rule.