Turkish airports welcome record 247 million travelers in 2025

ANKARA

Türkiye broke a historic record in air travel last year, with more than 247.2 million passengers flying, including direct transit travelers, according to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu.

Domestic routes served 101.6 million passengers, while international routes carried 145.3 million. With direct transit passengers included, the total reached 247.2 million, representing a 7.1 percent increase compared to the previous year.

The number of aircraft movements also reflected the surge in traffic, with 991,048 flights on domestic routes and 933,036 on international routes throughout 2025.

Istanbul Airport remained the busiest hub, serving 84.4 million passengers — 17.7 million on domestic flights and 66.7 million on international flights — marking a 5 percent rise compared to 2024.

Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport also saw significant growth, handling 48.4 million passengers, with domestic traffic at 21.2 million and international traffic at 27.2 million, a 17 percent increase year-on-year.

Tourism centers across Türkiye contributed substantially to the figures. Airports in these destinations recorded 424,870 aircraft movements, with 152,563 on domestic routes and 272,307 on international routes.

Passenger traffic in tourism hubs reached 62.9 million, including 19.6 million domestic and 43.3 million international travelers.