Istanbul Airport Arrivals

The IST Airport Terminal

Despite being the largest Turkish airport and one of the busiest in Europe, Istanbul Airport has only one terminal building. However, it isn’t just a modern and vast terminal. It is actually the largest terminal building in the world under a single roof. It splits over Arrivals and Departures, with Arrivals located on the Ground and Level 1. Specifically, the arrival gates are on Level 1, while immigration, customs, and the baggage claim area are on the Ground floor. Therefore, both domestic and international passengers arrive at the same level of the terminal building, and need to go down to the Ground floor to complete the arrivals procedures.

Which Airlines are Present at IST Airport

As a major aviation hub, Istanbul Airport hosts numerous airlines. All of them operate within the same terminal, as Istanbul Airport is a single-terminal facility.

Istanbul Airport Arrival Procedures

The arrival procedures are significantly simpler for domestic passengers. If you’re landing at IST Airport from another destination in Turkey, you can proceed directly to the baggage claim area after disembarking. Information screens display the baggage belt assigned to each flight. Once you’ve collected your luggage, you can exit the airside zone and leave the terminal to make your way into Istanbul. On the other hand, if you don’t have any checked luggage to collect, you can leave the terminal directly.

Taxi ranks can be found outside exit doors 9 and 13. You can also use these gates to access the parking lots if your vehicle is parked there. The bus stops can be found on Level -2 of the terminal. Therefore, you’ll need to use the elevators to reach that level. On the other hand, the metro station is located 300m from Exit 11. In fact, moving walkways connect the area outside Gate 11 to the station. Finally, the pick-up location for private vehicles can also be found on Level -2.

Are you arriving from an international destination? Regardless of your citizenship — whether you’re Turkish or a foreign national — you’ll follow a different procedure upon arrival at Istanbul Airport. In detail, once you disembark from the plane, you’ll proceed to passport control by following the blue signs. The Immigration Office is located across from Baggage Claim Belt 15. There are separate lines for Turkish citizens and foreign passengers, as foreigners typically need to present additional documents besides their passports, such as visas or work permits. It’s important to remember that your passport must be valid for at least 60 days beyond the date your visa, residence permit, or entry exemption expires. Otherwise, you may be denied entry.

Have you completed the passport control procedure? Now you can retrieve your luggage from the baggage carousels. However, you’re not ready to leave yet. You must clear customs, the agency responsible for regulating the import of goods into Turkey. If you have nothing to declare, follow the green channel. Conversely, if you have goods to declare or carry quantities exceeding the allowed limits, use the red channel. As soon as you go through customs, you’re good to go! Exit the terminal or go down to Level -2 if you plan to catch a bus or private transfer, and start your journey to your final destination, Istanbul.

The Baggage Claim Zone

The baggage claim zone is located on the Ground floor of the IST terminal. Both international and domestic arriving passengers pass through this area. The domestic baggage claim carousels are on the right side of the terminal. Numbered 1A to 6B, there are ten carousels for domestic travelers. The nearest exit from this area is Gate 8. The international baggage belts are on the left side of Arrivals. There are 18 baggage belts in total (baggage carousels 8–25), located near exit doors 9–14. Information screens are available throughout the area, displaying where passengers can collect luggage for each flight. Alternatively, travelers can also check the belt number using the airport’s app.

Are you traveling with lots of luggage? The airport provides luggage trolleys at 65 points throughout the terminal, including the baggage claim area. The cost is 85₺-90₺ (1.75€-1.85€/2$-2.15$). You can pay with cash (Turkish liras) or via a card. However, payment serves as a deposit. Thus, once you leave the luggage cart at the designated drop-off points, you can scan the receipt to get your money back.

The Pick-Up Area

Do you want to pick up passengers arriving at Istanbul Airport? You can stop curbside in front of the Arrivals level, both in the international and domestic areas. However, this stop is brief. You cannot park or leave your vehicle. Alternatively, you can use one of the multi-level car parks, located 8-20 minutes away from the terminal’s doors. Open parking lots can be found between the parking blocks. They are a more affordable parking option, while offering a 15-minute time period of free parking.

Track Flight Delays and Cancellations

Are you planning to pick up passengers from Istanbul Airport? Keeping track of flight delays and cancellations is essential to avoid long waits at the airport, wasting time, and adding hassle to your itinerary. Furthermore, the lack of a designated waiting area means that parking in the airport lots is your only option, entailing both extra cost and inconvenience.

Our flight status table above can keep you updated on every change to the flight timetable. It is constantly updated to provide real-time information about your flight. You can also phone the airport’s call center at +90 444 1 442 or be informed through the airport’s app. Additionally, if you need more information, you can visit one of the airport’s information counters.

FAQs

How can I check a flight arrival time?

If you want to track the status of a flight to see if it’s arriving on time or is delayed, you can check our flight status schedule, use the IST airport’s app, or contact its call center at +90 444 1 442. If you’re already at the airport, you can address one of the information counters or simply check one of the numerous flight information monitors scattered around Arrivals.

How do I know where to claim baggage at the airport?

There are information screens in the baggage claim area, showing the belts handling luggage for each flight arriving at Istanbul Airport. Alternatively, you can check which luggage belt your baggage will arrive at using the airport app.

How long does it take to clear customs at Istanbul Airport?

Overall, waiting lines at Istanbul airport customs typically move quickly. You can generally expect to clear customs within 15–30 minutes, and even faster if you have nothing to declare. That being said, the procedure can be more time-consuming during peak periods.