Europe’s busiest airport that cost £9bn to build | Travel News | Travel

Europe’s busiest airport for 2024 has been crowned and despite its many terminals, London Heathrow came in third place. 

Turkey’s Istanbul Airport has kept its top position as Europe’s busiest airport for the third year in a row. 

The European Organisation for the Safety of Air Navigation (Eurocontrol) published the European Aviation Overview Report on January 23rd stating that Istanbul has kept its top position for the third year in a row with 1,401 average daily flights. 

Turkey’s Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu said in a statement: “The airport maintained its top position in 2024, surpassing airports in European capitals such as Amsterdam, London, and Paris.”

“Thus, it has completed three consecutive years at the top of Europe.”

Amsterdam was crowned the second busiest airport in Europe with 1,336 daily flights, which is 6% higher than in 2023, according to the report. 

London Heathrow, despite its many terminals, finished in third place with a 4% increase compared to 2023 and 1,302 daily flights. 

Istanbul Airport opened in 2018 and cost about £9.4billion and is now the largest in Istanbul welcoming about 80 million passengers in 2024. 

It is located on the European side of the city. 

The airport offers many international and domestic flights, connecting passengers to over 350 destinations worldwide.

Its strategic location make it a convenient hub for travelers wanting to go to Asia or Europe. 

As a major cultural, historical, and business center, Istanbul attracts millions of tourists and business travelers each year.