Sabiha Gökçen Airport (SAW): A Practical Guide for Arriving and Departing

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW) is the city's second airport and the main base of Pegasus Airlines, so if you booked a low-cost or regional flight there is a good chance you will land here rather than at Istanbul Airport (IST). The questions travellers ask about it are remarkably consistent: how far is it from the centre, where do I meet my driver, can I store my bags, and can I sleep here before an early flight?

This guide answers them with information from the airport's own website and other sources, as of October 2026. For the journey into town in detail, see our Sabiha Gökçen to city centre guide.

Sabiha Gökçen at a glance

The location is the key fact. SAW is on the Asian side, so Kadıköy and Üsküdar are relatively close, but Sultanahmet, Taksim and Galata are across the Bosphorus. Allow about an hour by road to the old city outside rush hour, and more on weekday evenings.

Arriving at SAW: from the plane to the arrivals hall

1. Passport control. Join the queue for foreign passports with your passport and, if you need one, your e-visa printed or on your phone. Check whether you need a visa in our Türkiye e-visa guide, and only ever apply on the official evisa.gov.tr site.
2. Baggage claim. The screens show your belt. Trolleys are available, and paid porters also work at the terminal.
3. Customs. Walk through the green channel if you have nothing to declare.
4. International arrivals hall. You come out landside, where meet-and-greet drivers, car hire desks, exchange offices and the exits to buses, taxis and the metro are.

How long this takes depends mostly on how many flights land together. There is no official figure; many travellers are through in about 30 to 60 minutes, and queues at passport control can push that past an hour when several flights arrive together. Our arrival process guide explains each step in more detail, and it applies at SAW too.

Where your driver waits at Sabiha Gökçen

Drivers holding name signs wait in the international arrivals hall, right where passengers come out of the baggage and customs area. If you have booked with us, your driver will be there with your name on a sign, and because we track your flight and include free waiting time, a delay or a slow baggage belt is not a problem. If you cannot see your driver, stay in the hall rather than going outside, and call or WhatsApp us on +90 507 055 44 36.

Be wary of anyone who approaches you inside the hall offering a taxi or a "cheap transfer". Licensed taxis wait at the official rank outside, and a pre-booked driver will have your name, not just a company board.

Getting into the city from SAW

All public transport and taxis leave from in front of the terminal at arrivals level. In short:

The metro station has three entrances: one by the domestic CIP hall and car park, one by the airport hotel and one in the terminal. It is the quickest way to Kadıköy at rush hour, but changes with suitcases are hard work. Havabus is the airport shuttle to Taksim and Kadıköy; note that Havaist, which runs the buses at IST, only operates intercity and IST-bound services from SAW. Our Havaist and Havabus guide has stops and timetables.

Taxis run 24 hours from the official rank outside arrivals and use the meter; bridge and tunnel tolls are added. Our taxi fares guide explains the tariff, and taxi apps in Istanbul covers Uber and BiTaksi. Going on to Istanbul Airport for another flight? See IST to SAW and back.

Money, SIM cards and Wi-Fi

• Exchange offices are open 24/7, according to the airport, in the international arrivals hall, the international baggage claim area and the departures hall. Airport rates are usually less favourable than in town, so change only what you need for the first day. See our money exchange guide.
• ATMs from most Turkish banks are spread across the arrivals and departures levels, and there is a Yapı Kredi branch in the arrivals hall on weekdays.
• SIM cards: Turkcell, Vodafone and Türk Telekom have shops on the arrivals level. Compare them with an eSIM bought before you fly in our eSIM and SIM card guide.
• Wi-Fi is free. Travellers report that you log in with a code sent by SMS or obtained from a kiosk, so a foreign number that can receive texts helps.

Left luggage at Sabiha Gökçen

There is a baggage storage office on the international arrivals level, landside, which the airport says is open 24/7 and charges a daily fee depending on the size of the bag. The airport does not publish the prices, so ask at the desk. It is useful if you have a long layover and want to see Kadıköy or the old city without your suitcase, or if you check out of your hotel long before an evening flight.

If you plan to leave the airport during a layover, check the timings first in our Istanbul layover guide. From SAW, Kadıköy is the realistic target for a short stopover; the old city needs a long layover, because of the Bosphorus crossing.

Food and drink

Landside, the arrivals level has a Starbucks, McDonald's, Burger King, Simit Sarayı and Karafırın, plus a coffee kiosk in front of the terminal, so you can get a simit and tea while you wait for someone. Before security, the international departures hall has more choice, including Big Chefs, Mado and Turkish fast food such as döner and pide.

Airside, most of the international food court is on the mezzanine level above the gates, with chains and Turkish options side by side, and smaller cafés along the piers. Not every outlet stays open all night, so if you arrive in the small hours, landside coffee and a vending machine may be what you get.

Lounges, sleeping pods and the airport hotel

• Plaza Premium Lounge has lounges in the international and domestic areas, airside. Entry is through programmes such as Priority Pass, airline status or a paid ticket.
• Turkish Airlines CIP lounges serve eligible Turkish Airlines group passengers.
• Kepler sleep cabins are on the mezzanine level after passport control, with single pods (separate sections for men and women), family rooms, showers and lockers, paid by the hour at self-service kiosks. Because they are airside, they suit departing and transit passengers, not arrivals.
• Sabiha Gökçen Airport Hotel (also called the ISG Airport Hotel) is a 128-room hotel next to the terminal, about five minutes' walk from the exit. It is a sensible option for a very early departure or a late arrival when you would rather not cross the city at 2am.

Can you sleep at Sabiha Gökçen?

The terminal is open 24 hours and many travellers do. Reviews on Sleeping in Airports (updated February 2026) say the departure gates are the most comfortable places, with some benches without fixed armrests, but there are no dedicated quiet zones, lights and announcements continue all night, and there are reports of thefts from sleeping passengers. Keep valuables on you, and bring earplugs and an eye mask. If you are arriving late and simply want to get to your hotel, read our late-night arrival guide.

Departing from SAW

Everyone entering the terminal goes through a security check at the door, before check-in. The airport says check-in counters usually open 2–3 hours before departure. Queues at the entrance, check-in and passport control can be long at peak times, so for an international flight we suggest arriving about three hours before departure, and more on holiday weekends.

Paid fast-track lanes for security and passport control are sold by ALLWAYS, the airport's VIP service, and some banks and airlines include them as a perk. Our guide to fast track and meet-and-assist explains what they cover. Getting to SAW from the European side? Leave early: the bridges are slowest on weekday mornings and evenings.

With us, the trip back is the same fixed price as the arrival, with tolls included, and we can set the pickup time from your hotel based on your flight. A Private or VIP Mercedes Vito takes up to 6 passengers and up to 12 suitcases, you pay the driver in cash (EUR, USD or TRY), and cancellation is free up to 24 hours before. Istanbul VIP is operated by Regatta Turizm, TÜRSAB licence 10138. See all our fixed prices, or book online.