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Türkiye’s airports served nearly 135 million passengers between January and July this year, averaging more than 19 million travelers per month—surpassing the population of Istanbul, the country’s largest city—according to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu.
The total number of air passengers, including domestic, international, and direct transit travelers, reached 134.95 million in the first seven months of 2025, representing a 3.6% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
During this timeframe, domestic passenger volume totaled 56.6 million, while international travelers accounted for 78.3 million. Direct transit passengers were included in the overall count.
The number of aircraft movements, including overflights, stood at 1.39 million between January and July, a 6% rise from the previous year, comprising 552,757 domestic and 512,192 international takeoffs and landings, with the remainder being transit flights through Turkish airspace.
In July alone, Turkish airports managed 26.14 million passengers—a 4.9% year-over-year increase—with 10 million traveling domestically and 16.1 million internationally.
The country’s airports also handled a combined 2.83 million tons of cargo during the seven months, including 516,499 tons moved on domestic routes and 2.32 million tons on international ones.
Airports in Türkiye’s major tourism destinations—Izmir, Antalya, Mugla, and Alanya—served a total of 32.77 million passengers in the January–July period. The figure included 10.65 million domestic and 22.11 million international travelers.
The regional breakdown is as follows:
The total number of flights at these tourism-focused airports reached 226,990 during the seven months, with 85,220 domestic and 141,770 international flights.
Istanbul Airport served more than 46.95 million passengers between January and July, remaining the busiest airport in the country. The airport handled 9.95 million domestic and 37 million international travelers during this period. Aircraft traffic at the airport reached 310,874 flights, with 70,571 on domestic routes and 240,303 international flights. In July alone, the airport welcomed 7.92 million passengers and hosted 50,624 flights.
Sabiha Gokcen Airport, Istanbul’s second major aviation hub, recorded 26.5 million passengers between January and July, 11.7 million domestic and 14.8 million international. Total aircraft movements reached 152,694.
In July, the airport served 4.39 million passengers and processed 24,135 flights.
Meanwhile, Istanbul Ataturk Airport, now used primarily for cargo and general aviation, registered 3,141 aircraft movements in July, and 16,740 over the seven-month period.
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