İstanbul Atatürk Airport

LTBA / ISL

Bakırköy, Istanbul, TR

Last Updated
Apr 22, 21:50Z

Current Weather

Display Units
Fresh 22 min ago
21:50Z

🌙 Night
VFR
Flight Rules
9°C
Temperature
Dewpoint: 6°C
7 kt
70°
10+ km
Visibility
12,000 ft
Ceiling
Above Ground Level
--
QNH
Altimeter Setting

Raw METAR

METAR LTBA 222150Z 07007KT 9999 SCT030 BKN120 09/06 Q1015

Clouds - Visual Profile

12,000ft
9,000ft
6,000ft
3,000ft
Ground
Field Elev: 163 ft
SCT 3,000 ft AGL
BKN 12,000 ft AGL
SCT
Scattered (3/8-4/8 sky coverage)
3,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
3,163 ft AMSL
☁️
BKN
Broken (5/8-7/8 sky coverage)
12,000 ft
AGL (Above Ground)
12,163 ft AMSL

Weather Briefing

VFR

İstanbul Atatürk Airport is currently reporting visual flight rules (VFR) conditions with broken clouds at 12,000 feet and 10 miles or greater visibility.

Wind Analysis

Winds are from the east-northeast (70°) at 7 knots. Runway 05/23 is favored with a 7-knot headwind and 2-knot crosswind component.

Visibility & Ceiling

Visibility is unrestricted. The ceiling is 12000 feet AGL (broken), well above standard VFR minimums.

Temperature & Moisture

Temperature is 9°C (48°F) with a dewpoint of 6°C. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread suggests high humidity and potential for visibility restrictions, especially during cooling periods.

Forecast Outlook

The TAF forecast covers the next 24 hours. Conditions are expected to remain VFR throughout the forecast period.

Pilot Recommendations

Conditions are favorable for visual flight. The narrow temperature-dewpoint spread creates risk of fog formation, particularly during evening and early morning hours.

This briefing is generated from real-time METAR and TAF data. Always verify with official sources before flight.

Forecast (TAF)

View Full TAF
Raw TAF
TAF LTBA 221640Z 2218/2318 06009KT 9999 FEW018 SCT030 BKN120 BECMG 2303/2306 BKN032 BKN120 BECMG 2307/2310 SCT035 BECMG 2310/2313 CAVOK
Upcoming Changes (Next 12 Hours)
22:11Z BASE
+0h
VFR 60° 9 kt
Visibility: 10+ km
Ceiling: 12,000 ft
03:00Z BECMG
+5h
VFR
Ceiling: 3,200 ft
07:00Z BECMG
+9h
VFR
10:00Z BECMG
+12h
VFR
Visibility: >10km

24-Hour Weather Evolution

Loading weather data...
Data Sources
  • • Current conditions from METAR observations
  • • Historical data from past 24 hours
  • • No forecast or predicted data included
  • • Data updated with each new METAR report
Chart Features
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Note: Future values beyond current TAF validity are estimates based on climatological data and trends. Always verify with current forecasts before flight operations.

Airport Runway Layout

N
TBA
05 ✈️
23
17L
35R
17R
35L

Runway Information

Runway Length Width Surface Heading Wind Component
✈️ 05/23
Active: 05
8,530 ft 197 ft ASP 59°
6.6 kt 2.4 kt
20° angle
17L/35R 9,843 ft 148 ft CON 178°
2.2 kt 6.7 kt
108° angle
17R/35L 9,843 ft 148 ft CON 178°
2.2 kt 6.7 kt
108° angle
🟢 Active Runway: Best headwind component for current conditions
⬆️ Headwind: Favorable wind component
↔️ Crosswind: ≤10kt Safe, 11-15kt Caution, >15kt Challenging

Weather Statistics - LTBA

18,599 observations | Sep 2025 - Apr 2026

Flight Rules Distribution

VFR
72.3%
MVFR
22.2%
IFR
5.2%
LIFR
0.4%

İstanbul Atatürk Airport typically experiences VFR conditions 72.3% of the time, though instrument-rated pilots will find IFR weather present approximately 5.6% of observations. Prevailing winds are from the NE averaging 9.4 knots, with gusts recorded up to 31 knots. Temperature extremes range from -1°C to 30°C, reflecting significant seasonal variation. The best months for VFR flying are September, October, November.

Wind Analysis

Prevailing Direction: NE (45°)
Average Speed: 9.4 kt
Maximum Recorded: 31 kt
Calm Winds: 2.4%
Direction Distribution:
N
25.8%
NE
28.6%
E
8.6%
SE
4%
S
8.4%
SW
12.1%
W
6%
NW
4.2%

Temperature Range

Average: 12.1°C
Range: -1°C to 30°C
-1°C 30°C

Visibility

Average: 10 SM
Below 3 SM: 0%
Fog Frequency: 0.1%

Best Months for VFR

September October November

Runway Wind Analysis

Runway 05/23
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 4.2 kt
Runway 17L/35R
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.8 kt
Runway 17R/35L
Favorable wind: 100%
Avg crosswind: 5.8 kt

Statistics computed from 18,599 METAR observations (Sep 2025 - Apr 2026). Data sourced from official aviation weather services. Updated daily.

İstanbul Atatürk Airport - Airport Information

Airport Details

ICAO Code: LTBA
IATA Code: ISL
Type: medium airport
Status: active
Elevation: 163 ft MSL

Location

City: Bakırköy, Istanbul
Country: TR
Latitude: 40.971913°
Longitude: 28.823714°
Time Zone: Europe/Athens

Runway Information

Runway 05/23
Length: 8,530 ft
Width: 197 ft
Surface: ASP
ILS: No
Runway 17L/35R
Length: 9,843 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No
Runway 17R/35L
Length: 9,843 ft
Width: 148 ft
Surface: CON
ILS: No

About İstanbul Atatürk Airport

Overview

İstanbul Atatürk Airport serves as a critical medium-sized airport located in the Bakırköy district of Istanbul, Turkey. Situated at an elevation of 163 feet MSL, the airport is positioned at coordinates 40.971913, 28.823714, with three substantial runways capable of handling significant commercial and cargo traffic.

Flying Conditions

Weather conditions at İstanbul Atatürk Airport are predominantly favorable for flight operations, with VFR conditions present 80.6% of the time. The prevailing winds are from the northeast at 45 degrees, averaging 9.3 knots with a maximum recorded speed of 31 knots. September, October, and November offer the most consistent VFR flying conditions, with an average temperature of 13.9°C and an annual range from -1°C to 30°C.

Notable Features

The airport features three runways: two concrete runways (17L/35R and 17R/35L) measuring 9,843 feet each, and an asphalt runway (05/23) spanning 8,530 feet. Wind data indicates excellent runway utilization, with all three runways showing 100% favorable wind coverage and modest average crosswind conditions ranging from 4.2 to 5.7 knots.

Approach Considerations

Pilots can expect consistent approach conditions with remarkably stable visibility averaging 10 statute miles and an extremely low incidence of reduced visibility events. The northeast prevailing winds suggest runway 05/23 and the parallel 17 runways will typically offer the most aligned approach paths, with minimal crosswind interference during most operational periods.

Data Sources & Accuracy: Airport information sourced from OurAirports.com, a collaborative database of worldwide airport data. Weather data from official aviation weather services including NOAA Aviation Weather Center and international METAR/TAF providers. Information is updated regularly but pilots should always verify current conditions and NOTAMs through official channels before flight operations.

Official Data Sources

Weather NOAA Aviation Weather Center • International METAR/TAF Network
Airports OurAirports.com • Public domain airport database
NOTAMs FAA NOTAM System • ICAO NOTAM Distribution
Last updated: Jan 1, 1970 12:00 AM UTC

Disclaimer: Data is provided for informational purposes only. Pilots must verify all information through official sources before flight operations. Weather conditions change rapidly; always obtain a current briefing from approved weather services.