What are the geodetic coordinates of Istanbul Airport (IST)?

Istanbul Airport (IST / ICAO: LTFM) is located at geodetic coordinates 41.2622°N, 28.7278°E in Arnavutkoy, TR. It sits at an airfield elevation of 325 ft (99 m) MSL with 5 runways (16R/34L (3,750 m), 17L/35R (4,100 m)).

What direct Great Circle routes originate from IST?

IST connects to major global flight corridors including New York (JFK), Frankfurt-am-Main (FRA), London (LHR). Calculate exact spherical distances, true bearings, and window seat solar recommendations on Orb Vector.

How do Great Circle routes from IST compare to flat map lines?

Flights departing IST follow spherical geodesics (Great Circle arcs), which represent the shortest three-dimensional atmospheric distance over Earth's curved surface rather than constant-compass Rhumb lines. At IST's latitude, Earth's axial rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,259 km/h.

Istanbul Airport (IST) 3D Flight Route Map, Direct Destinations & Geodetic Profile

AIRPORT HUB INTELLIGENCE & GEODETIC PROFILE

Istanbul Airport (IST) Hub Guide & 3D Flight Map

Geodetic Coordinates: 41.262°N, 028.728°E • Country: TR • Standard Timezone: UTCGMT+3 (Local: 06:44) • Solar Angle: -13.0° Elev, 103° Azim (Night)

Istanbul Airport (IST) serves as a vital junction in global commercial aviation. Built on Istanbul's European Black Sea coast, bridging Europe, Asia, and Middle East tracks. Hover over or select radiating Great Circle spokes on the 3D globe to examine direct geodesic flight corridors, true departure bearings, nautical mile distances, and overflight paths radiating across the world.

ICAO / IATA & ELEVATIONLTFM / ISTElevation: 325 ft (99 m) MSL

PRIMARY RUNWAY COMPLEX5 Runways16R/34L (3,750 m) · 17L/35R (4,100 m)

EARTH ROTATIONAL SPEED1,259 km/hMid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Northern Hemisphere) (1.03 Mach tangential)

HUB REACHABILITY (Boeing 747-8 Intercontinental)48 / 49 Global HubsWithin 14,815 km non-stop range

Direct Outbound Flight Corridors from IST — Top Direct Routes

IST → JFK309° True (NW)

New York (US)

8,026 km (4,987 mi)•10h 27m

IST → FRA309° True (NW)

Frankfurt-am-Main (DE)

1,838 km (1,142 mi)•2h 47m

IST → LHR307° True (NW)

London (GB)

2,488 km (1,546 mi)•3h 36m

IST → DXB118° True (ESE)

Dubai (AE)

3,029 km (1,882 mi)•3h 26m

IST → LAX333° True (NNW)

Los Angeles (US)

11,003 km (6,837 mi)•13h 25m

IST → SIN99° True (E)

Singapore (SG)

8,681 km (5,394 mi)•8h 46m

IST → SFO337° True (NNW)

San Francisco (US)

10,766 km (6,690 mi)•13h 0m

IST → CDG302° True (WNW)

Paris (FR)

2,213 km (1,375 mi)•3h 16m

IST → HND50° True (NE)

Tokyo (JP)

8,959 km (5,567 mi)•9h 17m

IST → MAD279° True (W)

Madrid (ES)

2,701 km (1,678 mi)•3h 58m

Popular Route Vectors & Geodesic Azimuth Telemetry from IST

Route Corridor	Initial Bearing	Arrival Bearing	Great Circle Distance	Rhumb Divergence	Est. Flight Time
IST → JFKNew York (North / South Atlantic Track)	309° TRU (NW)	230° TRU	8,026 km (4,334 NM)	+583 km (+7.3%)	10h 27m
IST → FRAFrankfurt-am-Main (Continental Trunk Corridor)	309° TRU (NW)	294° TRU	1,838 km (992 NM)	+5 km (+0.3%)	2h 47m
IST → LHRLondon (Continental Trunk Corridor)	307° TRU (NW)	286° TRU	2,488 km (1,343 NM)	+14 km (+0.6%)	3h 36m
IST → DXBDubai (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	118° TRU (ESE)	133° TRU	3,029 km (1,636 NM)	+9 km (+0.3%)	3h 26m
IST → LAXLos Angeles (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	333° TRU (NNW)	204° TRU	11,003 km (5,941 NM)	+1,965 km (+17.9%)	13h 25m
IST → SINSingapore (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	099° TRU (E)	132° TRU	8,681 km (4,687 NM)	+109 km (+1.3%)	8h 46m
IST → SFOSan Francisco (Transpacific / Trans-Oceanic Arc)	337° TRU (NNW)	201° TRU	10,766 km (5,813 NM)	+2,211 km (+20.5%)	13h 0m
IST → CDGParis (Continental Trunk Corridor)	302° TRU (WNW)	283° TRU	2,213 km (1,195 NM)	+9 km (+0.4%)	3h 16m
IST → HNDTokyo (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	050° TRU (NE)	135° TRU	8,959 km (4,837 NM)	+729 km (+8.1%)	9h 17m
IST → MADMadrid (Intercontinental Geodesic Corridor)	279° TRU (W)	258° TRU	2,701 km (1,458 NM)	+15 km (+0.6%)	3h 58m

Geography, Airfield Operations & Notable Aviation Facts: IST

PRIMARY HUB CARRIERSTurkish Airlines · Pegasus Airlines

EXACT GEODETIC ANTIPODE41.262°S, 151.272°W (South Pacific Ocean)

FURTHEST MAJOR HUBSydney (SYD) — 14,973 km (9,304 mi)

01Connects more sovereign countries nonstop than any other airport globally via Turkish Airlines.
02Opened full commercial operations in 2019 as one of the world's largest single-roof hubs.
03Positioned near 41°N, 29°E at the natural Great Circle crossroads of Afro-Eurasia.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Istanbul Airport (IST) located and what are its coordinates?: Istanbul Airport (IST, ICAO: LTFM) is located in Arnavutkoy, TR at geodetic coordinates 41.262°N, 028.728°E (Latitude: 41.2622°, Longitude: 28.7278°). At this latitude (Mid-Latitude Temperate Zone (Northern Hemisphere)), Earth's rotation imparts a tangential velocity of 1,259 km/h.
What are the runway orientations and airfield elevation at IST?: Istanbul Airport (IST) sits at an airfield elevation of 325 ft (99 m) above mean sea level and operates 5 runways, led by 16R/34L (3,750 m), 17L/35R (4,100 m), 18/36 (3,060 m).
What time zone and solar lighting conditions apply to IST?: Istanbul Airport operates on civil timezone UTCGMT+3 (approximate local clock time: 06:44). Based on real-time solar ephemeris calculations, the sun is at an altitude of -13.0°, placing the airport in night.
How many major outbound flight corridors radiate from IST?: Orb Vector indexes 3 connected flight corridors and 10 popular outbound route vectors radiating from IST. The longest featured corridor from IST is IST → LAX (Los Angeles), spanning 11,003 km (6,837 mi / 5,941 NM) along an initial bearing of 333° TRU (NNW).
What is the exact antipode and furthest global hub from IST?: The exact geodetic antipode (diametrically opposite point on Earth) to IST lies at 41.262°S, 151.272°W (South Pacific Ocean). Among the world's major aviation hubs, the furthest from IST is Sydney Kingsford Smith International Airport (SYD) at a Great Circle distance of 14,973 km (9,304 mi).
What is a Great Circle?: A Great Circle is the intersection of a sphere and a plane that passes through the sphere's center. It represents the largest possible circle that can be drawn on a sphere and defines the shortest path between two points on the surface.
Why do flight paths look curved on 2D maps?: Most 2D maps use the Mercator projection, which distorts size and shape as you move away from the equator. A straight line on a Mercator map (a rhumb line) is actually a longer path than the curved Great Circle route. Pilots fly the Great Circle route to save fuel and time.
How accurate are the distances?: Orb Vector calculates distances using the Haversine formula, which accounts for the Earth's curvature. While the Earth is not a perfect sphere (it's an oblate spheroid), the error margin is negligible for general flight planning and visualization purposes, typically within 0.5%.
Can I measure multi-stop routes?: Yes! You can chain multiple airports together to create a complex itinerary. The tool will calculate the distance for each leg of the journey as well as the total cumulative distance.
How is flight time estimated?: Our flight time estimator uses a standard cruising speed of 900 km/h (approx 485 knots) and adds a 30-minute buffer for takeoff and landing per leg. Crucially, it also accounts for the Jet Stream: eastbound flights are calculated as ~15% faster due to tailwinds, while westbound flights are slower due to headwinds.
What are the "Discover Routes"?: We've curated a selection of extreme and interesting aviation routes, such as the world's longest flight (Singapore to JFK) and the "Island Hopper" across the Pacific. Use the "Discover Routes" menu to instantly visualize these famous trajectories.