Money at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)
Currency, tipping and cash-vs-card for arrivals at Istanbul, Turkey.
Istanbul uses the TRY (₺). Expected airport→city taxi fare is roughly TRY 280–350 bus / TRY 900–1,400 taxi. Cash preferred; 'card broken' is a common excuse — insist.
Airport currency kiosks quote rates 5–15% worse than any bank ATM inside the terminal. If you need cash on landing, use an in-terminal bank ATM — not the "0% commission" kiosks (the margin is in the rate).
Frequently asked
Q.What currency is used at Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport (SAW)?
Turkey uses the TRY (₺). Airport ATMs dispense TRY directly — skip the exchange kiosks.
Q.How much should a taxi from SAW to the city cost?
Expected fare on the SAW → Taksim route is roughly TRY 280–350 bus / TRY 900–1,400 taxi. Around TRY 2,000+ is already high, and TRY 4,000+ taxi tout is a scam quote — confirm the meter or a printed rate before you get in.
Q.Do I tip taxi drivers at SAW?
Round up or ~5–10%. Drivers in Turkey don't rely on tips the way US drivers do; inflated "tips" are sometimes used to justify an overcharge — pay the metered fare first, then decide.
Q.Cash or card for a taxi at SAW?
Cash preferred; 'card broken' is a common excuse — insist. "Card machine broken" is the most common excuse to force a cash overpay — carry a small stack of TRY notes and you keep the leverage.
Q.Should I change money at SAW?
Only if you need $10–20 of TRY to cover a taxi or a SIM card. Airport exchange kiosks quote 5–15% worse than a bank ATM in the same terminal. If your card has no FX fee, just pay by card and skip cash entirely.
Every transport option ranked, fare tiers, first-30-minute checklist and reported scams.