Istanbul Airport began operating its fourth main runway on September 18, 2026. The new runway is 2,820 meters long and 45 meters wide, and it is oriented east-west, a departure from the previous north-south alignment of the airport's other runways. This change is expected to reduce the time aircraft spend taxiing on the ground, improve flight punctuality, and increase the airport's capacity to handle the growing number of flights. The first flight from the new runway was a Turkish Airlines flight to Helsinki, and the airport now has six runways in total—four main and two auxiliary. Previously, Istanbul Airport had three main runways and two auxiliary runways, all aligned north-south. The new runway, which cost 890 million euros to build, is the first to follow an east-west axis. Initially, it will be used only for takeoffs and will focus on domestic flights and routes to Anatolia, Central Asia, and the Arabian Peninsula. Its location near hangar areas is expected to help speed up operations for smaller aircraft, known as general aviation. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan praised the new runway during its inauguration, saying it, along with other planned improvements, would significantly enhance the airport's status as a global leader in connectivity. The east-west orientation allows some aircraft to take off directly east without needing to turn after takeoff, which could reduce taxiing times and flight durations for certain routes. Officials expect this to save time and fuel, as well as lower carbon dioxide emissions, though they have not provided specific figures for the environmental benefits. The runway is also expected to improve safety and operational efficiency during adverse weather, especially when crosswinds are present. It will help maintain safe takeoff and landing conditions and ensure more regular flight departures. Istanbul Airport, managed by IGA (Istanbul Grand Airport), had already achieved a milestone in April 2025 by becoming the first European airport to operate three parallel runways simultaneously. The goal now is to expand this capacity to four runways, which should help the airport manage the rising volume of air traffic. Istanbul Airport was named the best-connected airport in the world in 2026 by the OAG consultancy's Megahubs 2026 index. It surpassed London-Heathrow, which ranked second, and achieved a connectivity index of 265.4. This measure is based on the airport's ability to connect arriving and departing flights within six hours on its busiest day, August 2, 2026. The airport serves 337 international destinations across 140 countries, offering over 89,000 possible flight connections. Turkish Airlines, which operates 80% of the airport's flights, is a major contributor to its global reach. Inaugurated in 2018 and fully operational since April 2019, Istanbul Airport now aims to handle 90 million passengers annually. Its long-term development plan includes expanding to nine runways—six main and three auxiliary. Once all phases are completed, the airport's theoretical annual capacity could reach 200 million passengers. Beyond the new runway, IGA is also developing an "airport city" with projects such as the Jetex IGA Terminal for business aviation, a 485-room Hilton hotel, and the Florentia Village commercial complex, all located near the airport.