Ankara Airport opened in the Turkish capital on Monday ahead of the NATO leaders’ summit set to be held in the city on July 7-8, with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan saying the new transport links will provide direct access for visiting delegations.
Speaking at the opening ceremony for Ankara Airport, Erdogan said the projects would strengthen Ankara’s aviation and transport infrastructure as the capital prepares to host the summit on July 7-8.
“With the 3-kilometre connection road in the divided-road section, we will provide direct access for delegations attending the NATO Summit,” he said.
This is the second airport in the capital city after Esenboga Airport, which handles both domestic and international flights.
Ankara Airport was previously used for military aviation and has now been restored to accommodate air traffic linked to the NATO summit.
Erdogan said the airport and related investments were completed in a “record” 230 days, adding that a 12.5-kilometre connection road had been built, including 6.5 kilometres of divided road and 6 kilometres of single-lane road.
He said the projects created a strong transport network from Ankara Airport to the city centre over 17 kilometres.
Türkiye becoming centre of international diplomacy
The president said Ankara’s position in diplomatic traffic is strengthening every year as Türkiye’s weight in global politics increases.
“Türkiye, located at the heart of 67 countries with a population of 1.5 billion within just a four-hour flight distance, has now begun to become a place where the heart of international diplomacy beats, with Ankara, Istanbul and Antalya,” he said.
Erdogan also pointed to several major international events Türkiye is hosting in 2026, including the Zero Waste Forum, which took place in Istanbul on June 5-7 and attracted more than 5,000 participants from 183 countries.
He said Türkiye will also host the 77th International Astronautical Congress in October, followed by the 13th Summit of the Organization of Turkic States and the COP31 climate summit in November.
Airport prepared for wide-body aircraft, official flights
“With Ankara Airport, we have not only brought a new project to our capital. We have also revived a work that left deep marks on our aviation history,” Erdogan said.
He said the airport, first built in 1933 on the orders of the republic's founder Gazi Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, and long used as a centre of military aviation, had been restored with a new appearance and upgraded facilities.
The runway was extended from 2,450 metres to 3,000 metres, while its width was increased from 42 metres to 60 metres, and its shoulders were fully renewed, Erdogan said.
Two turning pads totaling 15,000 square metres were built at both runway ends, while a new 160,000-square-metre apron was added, allowing 44 aircraft to park safely at the same time, he said.
Erdogan said lighting systems, approach lights, and guidance signs on the runway and taxiways were modernised in line with international civil aviation standards.
A state guesthouse with 4,800 square metres of indoor space and an open parking area for 310 vehicles was also built at the airport, he added.
Erdogan said Ankara Airport has been prepared for wide-body aircraft and official flights, with an expanded runway, new aprons, modern taxiways, and upgraded infrastructure.
The 140-metre-long Baskent Aviation Bridge was built over a high-speed train line, he said, adding that its 10,000-tonne deck was placed on the bridge using a method not previously used in Türkiye.
Esenboga was Türkiye’s 4th-busiest airport during a holiday
During the recent nine-day holiday period, Türkiye’s airports handled 51,962 aircraft movements and served 7.6 million passengers, Erdogan said.
He added that Esenboga Airport became Türkiye’s fourth-busiest airport during the holiday, with 2,557 aircraft movements and 382,000 passengers.
The president said Esenboga, which served 3 million passengers annually 20 years ago, now handles around 15 million passengers a year, adding that the opening of Ankara Airport would help ease both air and road traffic around Esenboga and the airport route.
Erdogan’s aircraft was welcomed at Ankara Airport with a water salute before the ceremony.
After a prayer, Erdogan formally opened Ankara Airport, the Baskent Aviation Bridge, and the connection roads.
