Sabiha Gokcen SAW
Cheap flights from Sabiha Gokcen land you at SAW, one of the two airports serving Istanbul. The other is Istanbul Airport, so check which name appears on your ticket before you plan the trip into town. Routes from here lean towards a mix of Turkish coast, Caucasus and European cities: Chisinau, Antalya, Gazipasa, Batumi, Budapest, Tbilisi, Berlin and Warsaw all show up among the popular destinations.
Sabiha Gokcen at a glance
- Passengers per year
- 48.4 M (2025)
- Hub for
- Pegasus, Turkish Airlines, Sun Express, Tailwind Airlines
- Elevation
- 311 m
- Opened
- 2001
- Official website
- sabihagokcen.aero
- Population of Istanbul
- 15.7 M (2023)
Country facts: Wikidata
Getting to the city
Getting into Istanbul from Sabiha Gokcen comes down to how much time and luggage you have. Buses, taxis and pre-booked transfers are the usual choices, and traffic can change the picture completely, so leave a generous buffer before a flight. If your plans involve the other side of the city, allow extra time and confirm which airport your ticket actually uses — Sabiha Gokcen and Istanbul Airport are not interchangeable. Late at night, arrange your ride before you land.