Planespotting Istanbul — LTFM
Istanbul Airport replaced Atatürk in 2019 and is now Turkish Airlines' fortress hub: one enormous terminal, five parallel north–south runways (four in regular use) and traffic around the clock. The reason to come is the airline list — Iranian, Libyan, Russian and Central Asian operators that are banned from or never reach EU airports, some still flying A300s, A310s, MD-80s and Sukhoi Superjets, alongside one of the biggest widebody fleets on the planet. The catch is access: the airport sits in forest and farmland north of the city, spotting is little understood in Turkey, and police and private security patrol the perimeter. The wind blows off the Black Sea about four days in five, so the 34/35/36 direction dominates, with arrivals over Arnavutköy to the south; when the flow reverses, landings come in over the village of Yeniköy. Keep the camera out of sight between shots and carry your passport.
- SXS5LN B738 36 000 ft
- PGT46DU A21N 24 050 ft
- TKJ4WK A20N 22 850 ft
- THY43C A332 7 925 ft
- THY50 B77W 6 500 ft
- THY40Y B789 5 525 ft
- THY2UK B738 1 275 ft RWY 34L
Conditions right now
Runways
- 17L/35L RWY 35L 4,106 × 60 m · 13,471 × 197 ft asphalt
- 17R/35R 4,106 × 45 m · 13,471 × 148 ft asphalt
- 16L/34L 3,756 × 45 m · 12,323 × 148 ft asphalt
- 16R/34R 3,756 × 60 m · 12,323 × 197 ft asphalt
Ask the sky
What flew over this morning? Where was that loud one heading? Ask in plain words — the answer comes from real recorded traffic.
Airport profile
Typical traffic by hour
Relative intensity by local hour — a typical day, not live data.Peak: 07:00
Typical traffic mix
- Narrowbody58%
- Widebody27%
- Cargo9%
- Turboprop3%
- Bizjet3%
Spotter score
Our editorial rating (0–100).Best time of year
When the interesting traffic peaks.Where to spot
IGA official Spotter Area
Turkey's first official spotting platform, on a hill west of the airport overlooking the western runway 16R/34L and the control tower, with the central runways further away. Arrivals and departures on the near runway are easy; heat haze affects the distant ones. Water and snacks are provided.
- Getting there
- Only by prior online application on the Istanbul Airport website (passport details and photo required; applications are reviewed weekly). Approved visitors are taken by a free IGA shuttle from the terminal car park. It has run on Saturdays only, with hours that have changed — check the current slot before planning a trip around it.
- Best time
- Whatever the session allows; afternoon sessions put the sun behind you for 16R/34L.
- Lens
- 300–600 mm.
Tayakadın hillside (34L arrivals)
A slope above the village of Tayakadın, south-west of the airport, looking at landings on 34L — the runway many European, American and cargo arrivals are given. An embankment blocks true side-on shots, but the angle on final is good, and walking a little down the slope gives 34L departures too.
- Getting there
- By car to Tayakadın, then up Neslihan Sokak past the cemetery to the end of the road. Without a car: metro M11 to Kargo Terminali and about 30 minutes on foot towards the roundabout and the hill. Stray dogs are common. The SOCAR station south of the threshold has food.
- Best time
- Northerly flow, from early afternoon to sunset, all year.
- Lens
- 300–400 mm; a 777-300ER needs about 340 mm.
Arnavutköy playground (34L/35R approaches)
A low-stress option in the town of Arnavutköy, south of the field: from a small playground with benches you see the long approaches to both 34L and 35R. Distances are large, so it is more about variety and logging than tight portraits — but it avoids the rough forest tracks entirely.
- Getting there
- Metro M11 to Taşoluk and about 15 minutes on foot, or drive and park on the street. Restaurants about 15 minutes' walk into town.
- Best time
- 34L arrivals in the morning; 35R arrivals from afternoon to sunset.
- Lens
- 400–600 mm.
Yeniköy village — Özgürlük Caddesi and Okul Sokak
When the wind turns southerly, the action moves to Yeniköy on the Black Sea side. From the end of Özgürlük Caddesi you shoot 16R arrivals; from the benches on Okul Sokak you get 17L arrivals — mostly Middle East and Asia flights — with the sea as a backdrop. Locals here are used to spotters.
- Getting there
- By car north of the airport to Yeniköy; park at the roadside by the last houses. There is a restaurant and a small supermarket in the village.
- Best time
- Southerly flow only (roughly one day in five). 16R in the morning; 17L from early afternoon to sunset.
- Lens
- 170–300 mm for 16R; 190 mm+ for 17L, much longer for small types.
Terminal piers airside (B, D and F)
For passengers, the ends of the piers have big windows over taxiways and stands, and some smoking terraces between concourses give a view through grilles. Single-glazed sections near the end of concourses B and D are the best for photos. Walking between piers takes up to 25 minutes, so watch your gate.
- Getting there
- Airside only, with a boarding pass.
- Best time
- All day, depending on the angle.
- Lens
- 70–150 mm and a rubber lens hood.
Respect private property, signage and the airport security perimeter. Spotterra predicts the active runway from live weather on the dashboard.
What you'll see
Turkish Airlines dominates with A350s, 777-300ERs, 787s and A330s on long-haul and A321neos and 737 MAXs on the regional network, plus Turkish Cargo's 777Fs and A330Fs. The rarities are what make Istanbul unique: Iran Air, Mahan Air, Qeshm Air, Iran Air Tours and other Iranian carriers with old Airbus and MD-80 equipment; Libyan operators such as Afriqiyah and Libyan Airlines; Aeroflot, Rossiya, S7, Red Wings and Azimuth with Superjets; and cargo airlines like ULS and ACT/MNG. Gulf, African and Central Asian carriers add more. Traffic runs 24 hours a day.
What actually flew over Istanbul in the last 30 days
Measured from our own ADS-B data — not a schedule, but what really passed overhead.
- B738 26.7 %
- A21N 20.7 %
- A321 13.3 %
- A320 11.9 %
- B38M 11.1 %
- A359 5.9 %
- B77W 5.2 %
- A333 5.2 %
FAQ
What's that plane over Istanbul?
Spotterra's free live map shows the traffic over Istanbul in real time — type, registration, callsign and route — straight from ADS-B, so you can identify that A310 or Superjet before it disappears.
Is planespotting legal at Istanbul Airport?
It isn't illegal, but it is poorly understood and the perimeter is patrolled. Use the official Spotter Area or the village spots above, keep a low profile, never photograph security installations, and expect questions from police. Carry your passport.
Can I use the forest tracks south of IST?
Spotters have recently been sent away from the forest tracks south of the airport, especially in summer when the authorities restrict forest access because of wildfire risk. The Arnavutköy playground and Tayakadın are safer choices.
Which runway do arrivals use at LTFM?
In the usual northerly flow, 34L takes many arrivals from Europe, the Americas and cargo, 35R handles arrivals from the Middle East, Asia and Africa, and 35L and 36 are mainly departures. In southerly flow arrivals use 16R and 17L only.
Spotterra watches the sky over Istanbul
A live ADS-B map of your area and smart alerts on military transports, warbirds and rare types — with 10–30 minutes lead on long-haul arrivals. Free forever, no card.
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