Summary
Istanbul Airport has opened Turkey’s first dedicated plane spotting area.
The giant airport, which opened in 2019 to replaced the older Atatürk Airport, is the main gateway to the country and home base for Turkish Airlines.
To date, few spotting locations have been identified at the new airport. However, with this new dedicated viewing area spotters will at last have an opportunity to watch and photograph airliners.
Where is Istanbul’s Spotter Area?
The new spotting location at Istanbul Airport is not easily accessible, located alongside the control tower and runways.
It has an elevated position which is great for photography without obstructions, and there are areas for shade from the sun.
Because of this, spotters need to be transported to the location by bus. The official announcement states:
Transportation will be provided by İGA with vehicles departing from Istanbul Airport P6 Turkuaz car park and will be free of charge.
How to go spotting at Istanbul Airport
Unfortunately the spotting area is only open on Saturdays from 8am-5.30pm.
At the moment applications must be made to enter the spotting area, with ID requirements to allow you to enter the restricted area where the viewing area is located. Spaces are limited.
Find out more and reserve your space here: https://www.istairport.com/en/passenger/airport-guide/spotter
This may change as Covid restrictions lift.
The airport will continue expanding over the coming years, adding more runways and taxiways as demand increases. As such, new spotting opportunities may arise.
If you’ve found a good spot at Istanbul Airport, leave a comment below!
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