How Istanbul plans to become the world's busiest airport
Istanbul opened its new airport earlier this year with very ambitious plans.
It is currently the world's largest single airport terminal by size, and the massive project has only completed its first stage. When the full four stages of additional satellite terminals and runways are complete in 2028, the airport expects to have the capacity to handle a whopping 200 million passengers a year — (far) more than any other airport.
Last year the old Istanbul Ataturk Airport (which this new airport replaced) was the world's 17th busiest airport with "only" 61 million passengers. So, the new airport's plan to more than triple passenger numbers in less than 10 years is indeed a lofty goal.
By comparison, the world's busiest airport by passengers last year was once again Atlanta (ATL) with 107 million passengers.
Like its airport rivals in nearby Dubai (DXB), Abu Dhabi (AUH) and Doha (DOH), Istanbul's airport model is primarily to connect passengers. Flag carrier Turkish Airlines operates a fortress hub at Istanbul (IST), flying to more countries than any other airline. That allows the airline — and the airport — to offer one-stop connections between obscure destinations that few others can.
The airport's CEO, Kadri Samsunlu told the World Aviation Festival in London this week that the ambitious growth strategy to become the world's busiest involves some unique challenges beyond simply attracting more airlines and more flights.
Investing in technology
Samsunlu sees a big investment in biometric technology as the future of the airport passenger experience. He says IST designed the airport with the best IT experts he could find in Turkey, regardless of whether they worked in the aviation industry or not.
In theory, the more biometric usage, the less staff required to assist passengers with their journeys. From check-in to immigration and boarding, he believes this investment should eventually pay for itself. Additionally, as automation reduces the time it takes passengers to move through from curb to gate, the more passengers the airport should be handle at any one time — at least theoretically.
Related: Sayonara, Narita: The Rise and Fall of Delta's Tokyo Hub
Reducing wait time, increasing retail time
The airport operator freely admits that no matter how many passengers the airport handles, it needs to do so profitably. So in order to cope with potentially hundreds of million of passengers each year, the airport needs to make a huge amount of money. There's only so much money the airport can make from landing fees, so the real profit is in retail operations, whether that is duty free, food and beverage or other shopping.
To maximize the amount of money passengers are likely to spend in airport retail, Istanbul airport needs to maximize the amount of free time they have in these areas before their flights. The easiest way to do this is by minimizing the time passengers are spending in queues throughout their passenger experience.
For passengers this can be considered a win too. While you may not plan to purchase anything while you're airside, surely you'd rather be relaxing by the gate or in an airport lounge instead of standing in an hour-long security queue.
Airline investment, not government investment
One of the most interesting factors Samsunlu revealed was in regards to government relations. He described Turkey as an "emerging economy" and explained that he undertook an education offensive to convince government officials that a thriving Istanbul Airport would benefit the entire nation. Initially, government officials did not understand why a seamless efficient passenger experience utilizing expensive technology was worth spending so much time, focus and money on.
He talked of his frustration with government investment in the airport project so far — the airport corporation has billions of dollars of loans riding on the success of the project. Instead he is looking to profitable airlines for future investment in airport technology and passenger experience. He singled out Lufthansa, Qatar Airways and Air France along with Turkish Airlines, saying 'those airlines have the money and the interest to invest and are far easier to work with than the government. That, he said, has led him to reply on the airlines to help to establish world best practices rather than waiting for government to "get with the times."
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Enticing passengers to return
Passengers have plenty of choice, particularly in the competitive Middle East region where the like of Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have seemingly endless resources to put their countries on the tourist and aviation maps. Istanbul can offer some connections that no other airport can, thanks to Turkish Airlines' unique route network. Despite that, connecting passengers are spoiled for choices in the region. Excepting for inexperienced and particularly price-sensitive travelers, customers are unikely to choose a connecting airport where they've had a poor experience in previously.
Given that, Istanbul Airport is working hard to make the airport experience as pleasant as possible so passengers choose it for their next itinerary. Samsunlu considers this to be an education task as much as anything. For example, passengers eligible to use passport e-gates can save plenty of time, provided they are aware they can use them.
Though the new airport has been built "future-proofed" for a higher capacity than it currently handles (there were no queues anywhere the numerous times I have used it,) I did notice dozens of "ask me" staff scattered across the airport. They are tasked with answering any questions and ensuring passengers are aware of every benefit, all in the hope of getting flyers to choose IST for their next journey.
Related: Here's Which US Airline Cuts More Routes Than Any Other
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| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.