Türkiye Travel Update as Ankara Airport Relocates International Check-In to the Domestic Terminal

From 8 October 2026, international passengers departing from Ankara Esenboğa Airport will have to start their airport journey from a new point. International check-in and baggage drop-off services for SunExpress and Pegasus flights will take place in the Domestic Terminal, starting from 23:00 and finishing on 16 March 2027 according to both airlines’ announcements. This temporary measure will enable the renovation process. In addition, the procedure of presenting one’s bags prior to boarding the flight will change its location. It is important to note that the counter locations of each airline differ and therefore prior verification is crucial. Passengers should expect additional time to follow the airport procedure. Current travel updates

What changes for Ankara international check-in

The relocation changes the first stage of departure for affected passengers. Travellers need to identify the correct domestic check-in area before completing the remaining international departure procedures.

SunExpress’s official passenger notice, dated 7 October, directs its customers through entrances C and D to island E. After checking in, they should follow signs towards the International Terminal.

Pegasus’s official announcement, last modified on 5 October, identifies C counters as its temporary location. Passengers should follow their own airline’s instructions rather than assuming every international flight uses the same counter group. Current travel updates

Source: official airline passenger notices. Current travel updates

The entrance letter and counter letter are different instructions

For travellers unfamiliar with Esenboğa, the distinction between a terminal entrance and an airline counter matters. A door tells passengers where to enter the building; a counter group tells them where to complete check-in.

SunExpress passengers should therefore avoid interpreting entrance C as their check-in destination. Keeping the airline notice available on a phone can help them explain their destination to a driver or ask airport staff for directions.

Families and groups should share the instructions before leaving their accommodation. One person checking the route in advance can help prevent the group from separating while looking for the correct desk.

Allow time beyond the terminal walk

SunExpress estimates the walk to international passport control at approximately five minutes. That estimate describes movement between the areas, rather than the full time needed to reach a boarding gate. Current travel updates

Travellers should budget separately for checking bags, completing departure formalities and reaching their gate. A short walk does not remove the need to account for queues.

Pegasus warns that congestion may occur periodically during the renewal works. Neither airline’s relocation notice gives a fixed additional arrival allowance, so passengers should avoid treating an unofficial estimate as a guaranteed safe margin. Pegasus Airlines

Existing airport guidance needs careful interpretation

The airport’s official check-in guide generally advises international passengers to arrive two hours before departure. It also tells travellers to use flight information monitors to identify their counters. esenbogaairport.com

However, the newer airline notices specifically recommend arriving earlier during these works. Passengers should consider that advice alongside their carrier’s check-in and boarding deadlines.

Airport arrival, completion of check-in and boarding are separate stages. Reaching the terminal before departure does not mean every required procedure can still be completed in time.

What the notices establish about the works

SunExpress describes renovation works, while Pegasus refers to system renewal. Their announcements provide operational guidance without setting out the project’s budget, detailed construction programme or expected capacity benefits. Current travel updates

The development should therefore be understood as a temporary passenger-processing change. The notices do not establish a new tourism policy, visa reform or change to international entry requirements.

They also provide no figures for resulting tourism revenue, employment or visitor growth. Linking this relocation to economic gains would require separate evidence, rather than an assumption that airport works automatically increase tourism.

How travel businesses can help passengers

Hotels, transfer providers and tour operators can use the published instructions to improve departure briefings. A useful message should identify the airline, terminal area and correct check-in location.

For a hotel arranging an airport transfer, the practical recommendation is to confirm the passenger’s carrier before advising the driver. Generic instructions to use international departures could leave the traveller needing to retrace their route.

Group organisers should also consider luggage and mobility needs when planning departure timings. These are planning recommendations, rather than additional requirements announced by the airlines.

Prepare the departure route before travelling

Passengers can reduce uncertainty by checking a few details before leaving for the airport:

• Save the latest notice from the operating airline.
• Confirm the temporary counter location.
• Tell the transfer provider which terminal area is required.
• Keep passports and booking details accessible.
• Check flight status through the airline’s official channels.

Travellers departing close to the implementation time should seek flight-specific guidance if their check-in period crosses the changeover. Staff directions and current airport displays should guide the route on arrival.

Traveller FAQs

Where should SunExpress and Pegasus passengers check in?

SunExpress identifies island E in the Domestic Terminal, with access through entrances C and D. Pegasus directs its international passengers to C counters in the same terminal. Current travel updates

Does passport control move to the Domestic Terminal?

SunExpress explicitly directs passengers to the International Terminal after check-in for passport control and onward procedures. Its notice estimates the connecting walk at approximately five minutes. Current travel updates

When does the temporary arrangement end?

Both airlines list 16 March 2027. Passengers travelling near that date should check updated instructions before departure rather than assume the counter arrangement will remain unchanged. Current travel updates

A different starting point for international departures

When traveling abroad from Ankara, it is first necessary to locate the right airline counter before proceeding with other processes of departure. There is a need for better planning, especially with regards to passengers who have baggage or travel in a group. Apart from saving the guidelines, make sure that you have briefed your transfer company and allocate enough time for each process at the airport. Although the end date provided by airlines serves as a guideline, travelers must keep updating themselves with airline information regarding the ongoing construction. An airport journey becomes quite a new experience which calls for proper guidance and timing.

Official Sources

• SunExpress — Current travel updates
• Pegasus Airlines — International check-in procedures at Ankara Esenboğa Airport
• Ankara Esenboğa Airport — Check-in guidance