The newly-built Istanbul Airport started serving international and domestic flights on Saturday after the so-called 'mega move' from the Ataturk Airport which began on Friday.
Turkey's flag carrier Turkish Airlines dispatched its first flight to capital Ankara at 2 p.m. local time (1100GMT).
Ilker Ayci, chairman of Turkish Airlines, said in a statement: 'Today in our new home, we open the doors of a new adventure and fly to our capital once again for our first flight.'
The first phase of the airport with an annual capacity of 90 million passengers officially opened last October.
At a full annual capacity of 200 million passengers -- with the completion of all four phases with six runways by 2028 -- Istanbul Airport is set to become a global aviation hub with flights to over 350 destinations around the world.
After its completion, the airport will serve 250 aviation companies worldwide with a capacity for 2,000 take-offs and landings per day.
By Gokhan Ergocun
Anadolu Agency
energy@aa.com.tr