Istanbul Airport crowned Europe’s best in prestigious ACI Awards

Istanbul Airport has been named “Europe’s Best Airport” in the category of airports serving over 40 million passengers.

The recognition comes from the Airports Council International Europe (ACI Europe) at its annual gathering in Istanbul.

ACI Europe Director General Olivier Jankovec presented the award to IGA CEO Selahattin Bilgen. Istanbul Airport shared the title with the previous year’s winner, Rome Fiumicino Airport, after tying for the highest score.

Expressing his satisfaction, Bilgen said, “We are constantly seeking new ways to exceed our guests’ expectations in sustainability, accessibility, innovation, and technological advancements. We remain committed to improving the future of Türkiye’s aviation and tourism sectors.”

The congress concluded with the announcement that the next ACI Europe Annual General Assembly will take place in Athens, Greece, in 2025. Officials from Athens Eleftherios Venizelos International Airport received the symbolic flag from IGA’s Deputy General Manager for Operations, Mehmet Buyukkaytan, during a handover ceremony.

In addition to hosting the ACI Europe Annual General Assembly, Istanbul Airport will also be the venue for the ACI World Customer Experience Summit in 2026. Bilgen and ACI World Director General and CEO Luis Felipe de Oliviera signed the agreement on the final day of the congress.

The event, held from July 1-4, attracted over 500 airport professionals and senior executives from around the world. Opening speeches were delivered by Türkiye’s Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloglu, IGA CEO Bilgen and ACI Europe Director General Jankovec.

They discussed the current state of the aviation sector in Europe, its challenges, future expectations, and economic forecasts and policies for the coming year.