Türkiye Handles 108.8 Million Air Travelers in First Half of 2025
July 10, 2025 – Ankara
Türkiye’s air travel sector saw a major surge in the first half of the year, with a total of 108.8 million passengers passing through the country’s airports between January and June, according to Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu.
In a statement on Thursday, Uraloglu detailed the breakdown:
- Domestic travelers: 46.6 million
- International travelers: 62.2 million
- Total air passengers (including direct transit): 108.8 million
He noted that aircraft traffic also experienced solid growth. During the six-month period:
- Aircraft movements on domestic routes: 454,841
- Aircraft movements on international routes: 410,226
- Total aircraft traffic (including overflights): approx. 1.1 million, a 5.7% increase compared to the same period last year.
“The number of air passengers in the first half of this year exceeded the entire population of several EU countries combined,” Uraloglu said.
He also added that cargo volume handled at airports across the country reached 2.3 million tons.
Istanbul Leads in Air Traffic
Istanbul Airport once again dominated Türkiye’s aviation sector, processing 39.1 million passengers in the first half of 2025:
- 8.1 million on domestic flights
- 30.9 million on international routes
Meanwhile, Sabiha Gökçen Airport, the city’s secondary hub, served 22.1 million passengers:
- 9.6 million domestic
- 12.5 million international
Strong Numbers at Tourist Hubs
Airports in Türkiye’s major tourism destinations — Antalya, İzmir, Muğla, and Alanya — also saw significant activity, with 23.9 million passengers recorded during the January–June period.
- 8.5 million on domestic routes
- 15.4 million on international routes
