Turkey Overflight Rules | SHGM, LTAA & LTBB Requirements

Do You Need a Turkey Overflight Permit?

Not every foreign civil overflight requires the same SHGM permit process. Turkey's DGCA/SHGM publishes category-specific rules under AIP GEN 1.2. For example, general aviation flights conducted within the ECAC framework do not require a separate SHGM flight permission; a flight plan must be submitted to the air traffic unit at least 3 hours before departure.

For eligible civil aircraft from ICAO states having a bilateral air transport agreement with Turkey, SHGM also publishes circumstances in which overflight may be conducted after a flight plan containing the purpose of flight is submitted at least 3 hours before operation and before entering Turkish airspace, subject to acceptance. Commercial, non-scheduled, diplomatic, military, special-purpose and other operations can have separate permission procedures and notice periods.

Turkey Overflight Permit Requirements

To process a Turkey overflight permit, operators should provide complete operational details at the first request stage.

• Aircraft registration, aircraft type and MTOW
• Operator name and full contact details
• Complete flight schedule with UTC date and time
• Departure airport and destination airport
• ATC route including Turkish FIR entry and exit points
• Purpose of flight, flight category and call sign / flight number
• Crew, passenger, consignee or cargo details when required

Required Documents for Turkey Permit Processing

Document requirements can vary depending on flight type, operator category and purpose of operation. Common documents include:

• Certificate of Registration (COR)
• Certificate of Airworthiness (COA)
• Valid aircraft insurance certificate
• Noise certificate where applicable
• Air Operator Certificate (AOC) for commercial operators
• Dangerous goods declaration if applicable
• Diplomatic, military-support, ambulance or humanitarian supporting documents when applicable

Turkey Overflight Permission Lead Time

SHGM timing depends on the operation. Eligible ECAC general aviation operations use the published 3-hour flight-plan procedure. SHGM states that non-scheduled flight-permit applications are generally submitted 5 days in advance, urgent non-scheduled flights 48 hours in advance, and seasonal applications 30 days in advance. Diplomatic applications for specified state/VIP, military-material, radioactive, arms/ammunition or troop-transport operations are submitted through diplomatic channels 10 business days before the planned flight.

Turkey Authorization and Flight Changes

Authorization conditions depend on the applicable SHGM procedure. Operators should not assume a universal validity window. Changes to schedule, route, aircraft, call sign, FIR entry/exit points, destination, operator or purpose of flight should be checked against the applicable approval and current flight-plan requirements before departure.

Who Needs Turkey Flight Clearance Support?

Turkey flight clearance support is useful for operators crossing Turkish FIRs, operating to Turkish airports or planning Europe, Middle East, Central Asia or Mediterranean routing.

• Private jet and business aviation operators
• Non-scheduled charter operators
• Cargo and air freight operators
• Ambulance, medevac and humanitarian flights
• Ferry, delivery and aircraft positioning flights
• Flights requiring landing, fuel, parking or handling in Turkey

Turkey FIR Information

Turkey airspace is divided into two main Flight Information Regions: Ankara FIR (LTAA) and Istanbul FIR (LTBB). Operators must file flight plans according to approved ATC routes, FIR boundary estimates, NOTAMs, Eurocontrol IFPS validation and local airspace restrictions.

Important operational airports include Istanbul Airport (LTFM/IST), Sabiha Gökçen (LTFJ/SAW), Ankara Esenboğa (LTAC/ESB), Antalya (LTAI/AYT) and Izmir Adnan Menderes (LTBJ/ADB).

Flight plans and operational messages may require correct Turkish ATS addressing, including references such as LTACYWYX, LTBBOVFL, LTBJZAZX or LTBJZPZX, depending on routing and operation type.

Turkey FIR Entry and Exit Points

The route points below are retained as planning reference only and must not be used as the sole source for flight planning. Final routing must be validated against the current AIP, NOTAMs, Eurocontrol IFPS, ATC instructions and approved operator flight-planning data.

Official Turkey SHGM Flight Permission Rules

Turkey's Directorate General of Civil Aviation (SHGM) states that flight permissions are handled according to Turkish aviation legislation and AIP GEN 1.2. Commercial permission applications are processed through the Civil Aviation Information Management System and AFTN, while general aviation, non-scheduled, diplomatic and special flights have category-specific procedures.

• SHGM – Flight Permissions
• SHGM – Non-Scheduled Flight Permission

Overflight Charges and Navigation Fees

Turkey overflight charges and related navigation fees may depend on the flight type, aircraft weight, route, Eurocontrol charging procedures and whether the aircraft is only crossing Turkish airspace or also landing in Turkey.

Where landing is involved, operators should also consider landing fees, parking, ground handling, fuel uplift, supervision, passenger handling, cargo handling, slot coordination and airport-related service charges.

Operational Restrictions and Special Approvals

Certain flights may need additional review, supporting documents or longer processing time. Operators should confirm requirements before departure.

• Military, diplomatic or state flights
• Dangerous goods, arms, ammunition or special cargo operations
• Ambulance, medevac and humanitarian missions
• Survey, inspection, aerial photography or scientific flights
• Flights requiring special DGCA, Eurocontrol, ATC or airport coordination

Turkey Landing Permit, Handling and Fuel Support

If your aircraft will land in Turkey for passenger movement, technical stop, crew rest, cargo handling or fuel uplift, Permit2Fly can coordinate landing support, ground handling, parking, fuel, slots and supervision through approved local partners.

Our operations team can assist with airport coordination, service confirmation, schedule revisions, supplier follow-up and operational communication until flight completion.

Why Choose Permit2Fly for Turkey Overflight Permits?

Permit2Fly supports operators with practical flight operations experience, fast communication and clear permit coordination. Our team reviews the submitted route, aircraft details and schedule before processing to help reduce avoidable delays.

• 24/7 permit coordination and operational follow-up
• Support for route, schedule and aircraft revisions
• Coordination for overflight, landing, fuel, slots and ground handling
• Eurocontrol-aware route and flight planning support
• Regional Europe, Middle East and Mediterranean permit support for multi-country routing

Frequently Asked Questions