Passenger traffic at airports reaches a total of 135 million from January to July
Istanbul, Turkey is currently witnessing a surge in air travel demand, with Istanbul Airport (IST) leading the charge as Europe's busiest airport. The General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMI) recently released data showing that Istanbul Airport handled 46.95 million passengers over the first seven months of the year, marking a 2 percent year-on-year increase.
This figure represents a total of 134.9 million passengers across all Turkish airports, with Istanbul Airport accounting for nearly one-third of this total. Istanbul Airport's record-breaking performance was highlighted by a single-day milestone in late July 2025, when it served 272,132 passengers, surpassing London Heathrow's previous record of 268,000 passengers.
The growth at Istanbul Airport is supported by infrastructure expansion, such as the addition of a new third runway, which has significantly boosted capacity and daily flight departures. While data on Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the secondary international airport serving Istanbul, is not as extensive, it continues to support significant passenger traffic. However, Istanbul Airport clearly stands out as the primary hub with unprecedented growth and record-breaking passenger numbers.
The increase in air travel demand is not limited to Istanbul Airport. Airports in Turkey's tourism hubs served a total of 32.8 million passengers, with 10.65 million on domestic flights and 22.1 million on international routes. This represents an annual increase of 5.4 percent for international routes, accounting for around 78.3 million passengers.
The total number of aircraft movements at all Turkish airports reached 1.6 million, including over 800,000 domestic and international flights and nearly 300,000 overflights. Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen Airport served a total of 26.5 million passengers, with an increase of 12 percent. Domestic flights carried approximately 56.6 million passengers, with an annual increase of 1.7 percent.
Notably, the number of passengers at Istanbul Sabiha Gökc̈en Airport on domestic flights increased by 12 percent, although specific data on the increase for international routes was not provided. The data released by the DHMI underscores the strong growth in air travel demand across Turkey, with Istanbul Airport leading the way as a major global aviation hub.
The growth in air travel demand is not confined to Istanbul Airport, as airports in Turkey's tourism hubs also witness an increase. The domestic and international passenger traffic, totalling 32.8 million, experienced a 5.4% annual rise, signifying more people are embracing travel.
In addition, finance and investment opportunities in Turkey's transportation sector, particularly the aviation industry, could potentially flourish due to the impressive figures, influencing the broader lifestyle decisions of travel enthusiasts.
