Heathrow has been surpassed by Istanbul to become the most connected airport in the world. According to a survey that also revealed that five of the top ten global aviation hubs are in Europe, Istanbul Airport has surpassed London Heathrow to become the world’s most internationally connected airport.
According to the Mega Hubs 2026 study by international travel intelligence partner OAG, Istanbul Airport rose from second place in 2025 to take the top rank for the first time on Wednesday.
Turkish Airlines, the country’s flag carrier, operates 80% of the airport’s flights, and Istanbul offers connections to 337 international locations.
According to the research, Heathrow dropped to second position as possible connections on the busiest day decreased by 6% year over year, in part because to the continuous disruption to Middle East itineraries.
In contrast, Istanbul just surpassed Heathrow as the busiest airport in Europe in terms of passengers. Officials and business associations, including the CEO of the London center, had anticipated that this year or the following.
According to the OAG study, Amsterdam Schiphol achieved growth in both its connections and the destinations it serves, rounding out the top three. According to John Grant, chief analyst of OAG, “the 2026 rankings reflect a global aviation landscape that is still recalibrating after significant disruption.”
“Istanbul’s rise to the top reflects the strength of Turkish Airlines’ network and the airport’s geographic position as a connecting hub between east and west,” Grant said.
The rankings are determined by the number of destinations served by the airport and the number of potential connections between inbound and departing flights within a six-hour window on Sunday, August 2, the busiest day of the year.
The accomplishment, according to Selahattin Bilgen, CEO of Istanbul Airport operator IGA, “reflected both their strategic development and the breadth and reach of Turkish Airlines’ network.”Because of Istanbul’s special location and our constantly expanding airline network, IGA Istanbul Airport was built with future growth in mind from the beginning, according to Bilgen.
“As we continue to expand our global connectivity and enhance passenger experience, we remain committed to further strengthening Istanbul’s position as one of the world’s leading aviation hubs.”
Since it went fully operational in April 2019, the shiny glass and steel building near the Black Sea coast has grown to become one of the most significant aviation transit hubs.
In its current form, the hub can accommodate 90 million passengers annually. The amount pales in comparison to its potential to serve 200 million people once all phases are finished.
With a record-breaking 84.4 million passengers serviced in 2025, Istanbul Airport was the ninth busiest airport globally and the second busiest in Europe after Heathrow. This year, it aims to surpass 90 million.
Kuala Lumpur retained fourth place in the OAG ranking and remained Asia’s most connected airport.
Chicago O’Hare rose from seventh in 2025 to fifth globally, becoming the most connected airport in the Americas.
Chicago O’Hare increased its potential connections by 9.8% and expanded its destinations from 297 to 308, achieving the third-widest international reach in the world, behind Istanbul with 337 destinations and Frankfurt with 310 destinations.
Other European hubs in the top 10 include Frankfurt International Airport in seventh and Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport in ninth.
The Asia Pacific region dominated the global top 20, accounting for eight of the 20 positions.
Chinese Airports made notable gains as Shanghai Pudong rose from 19th to 14th, while Baiyun International jumped from 36th to 19th.
Hong Kong returned to the top 20 by moving from 22nd to 20th.
Kuala Lumpur ranked first in the Low-Cost Carrier Mega hubs Index with nearly 15,000 possible low-cost connections.
The Asia Pacific region accounted for 64% of the top 25 low-cost airports.
Low-cost carriers represented 51% of all seats across Southeast Asia compared to a global average of 34%.
Source: Daily Sabah
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