Loading Page...

Is Istanbul Airport bigger than Amsterdam?

The ranking of the largest airports in Europe at a glance: Istanbul Airport (IST) London Heathrow (LHR) Paris Charles de Gaulle (CDG) Amsterdam Schiphol (AMS)



Yes, the new Istanbul Airport (IST) is significantly larger than Amsterdam Airport Schiphol (AMS), both in terms of physical land area and planned terminal capacity. Istanbul Airport, which opened in 2018, covers a massive 76.5 square kilometers (roughly 18,900 acres), making it one of the largest airports in the world by land area. In contrast, Schiphol covers approximately 28 square kilometers (about 6,900 acres). While Schiphol is famous for its "single-terminal" design and is one of Europe's busiest hubs, it is geographically constrained by its surrounding urban development. Istanbul's main terminal building alone is the largest under one roof in the world, and the airport is designed to eventually handle up to 200 million passengers per year with six runways. While Schiphol currently competes closely with Istanbul in terms of annual passenger traffic and international connections, the sheer scale of the Turkish hub's infrastructure and its massive potential for expansion dwarf the Dutch airport. For a passenger, this often means much longer walking distances in Istanbul compared to the more compact layout of Schiphol.

People Also Ask

This is a list of airports in the Netherlands, grouped by type and sorted by location. The largest airport by far is Amsterdam Airport Schiphol, which is the third largest in Europe.

MORE DETAILS

The minimum required transfer time at Amsterdam Airport Schiphol is usually around 50 minutes. Please note, though, that if you travel to a non-Schengen country, you'll need to go through additional security checks, which might require more time.

MORE DETAILS

According to new data, the title has recently been reclaimed by London's Heathrow Airport. Having processed over 3.6 million passengers in September, Heathrow is now officially busier than the likes of Paris Charles de Gaulle, Amsterdam Schiphol and Frankfurt am Main International.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS

Istanbul Airport was recognized with the 'Accessible Airport' award by the International Airports Council, due to its commitment to fostering an accessibility culture and the implementation of a barrier-free airport concept from its design stage.

MORE DETAILS

Dublin Airport is the largest airport in Ireland and it serves as a hub for European destinations as well as long-haul flights to North America, the Middle East, and East Asia.

MORE DETAILS

Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport remains the busiest airport in the world with 5.2 million seats in September 2023. The composition of the Global Top 10 Busiest Airports is also the same as last month but there are a few changes to the rankings.

MORE DETAILS

The staff shortages-related chaos at Schiphol Airport last year has clearly left a bad taste in passengers' mouths. The Amsterdam Airport plummeted 14 spots on the World's Top 100 Airports ranking, dropping from 15th in 2022 to 29th this year.

MORE DETAILS

A number of European countries, including the Netherlands, have abolished internal border checks in order make travel between them easier. You do not need to pass through Passport Control if you are flying between Schiphol and another country in the Schengen zone.

MORE DETAILS

When layover flights are booked with the same airline, your baggage will be automatically transferred through to your final destination. However, if the two flights are with different airlines, you may have to claim and re-check your baggage during your layover.

MORE DETAILS

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.

MORE DETAILS