- Istanbul becomes world’s most connected airport
- Features links to 337 destinations
- Turkish Airlines operates 80pc of capacity
- London Heathrow drops to second place
- Amsterdam Schiphol holds third place
Istanbul Airport has become the world’s most internationally connected airport according to the OAG Megahubs Index 2026. Istanbul Airport features scheduled connections to 337 global destinations with national carrier Turkish Airlines operating roughly 80pc of all flights at the hub. London Heathrow dropped to second place after potential connections on its peak travel day fell by 6pc year on year.
Analysts attribute Heathrow’s dip partly to ongoing regional schedule disruptions affecting Middle Eastern routes. European hubs remain competitive with Amsterdam Schiphol holding firm in third place and Frankfurt and Paris maintaining spots within the global top ten. Istanbul sits at a natural crossroads between Europe, Asia and Africa making it a prime stopover point for intercontinental travel.
Continuous infrastructure capacity at Istanbul Airport allows for fast high volume transfer windows compared to constrained two runway Western airports like Heathrow. Aggressive fleet and route expansion by local carriers cemented the airport’s status as a primary international interchange.
