Türkiye reached an all-time high in air passenger traffic in 2025, with 247.2 million passengers traveling by air, marking the highest figure in the country's history, according to data released by the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ).
In a written statement, Minister of Transport and Infrastructure Abdulkadir Uraloğlu evaluated aircraft, passenger, and cargo statistics for December 2025 and the full year. He stated that total aircraft movements in December, including overflights, reached 189,376, comprising 75,167 domestic and 63,493 international flights. This figure represents an increase of 11.7 percent compared to the same month of the previous year.
Passenger traffic in December totaled 17.53 million, with 7.9 million passengers on domestic routes and 9.62 million on international routes, including direct transit passengers. Compared to December of the previous year, total passenger traffic increased by 12.6 percent. During the same month, the total volume of cargo handled at airports reached 412,007 tons, including 65,151 tons on domestic routes and 346,856 tons on international routes.
On an annual basis, aircraft movements reached 991,048 on domestic routes and 933,036 on international routes. Including overflights, total aircraft traffic amounted to 2.51 million, reflecting a 9.3 percent increase compared to 2024. Passenger numbers reached 101.7 million on domestic routes and 145.4 million on international routes. Including direct transit passengers, a total of 247.16 million travelers used airports across the country, representing a year-on-year increase of 7.1 percent. Minister Uraloğlu noted that this figure marks the highest number of air passengers ever recorded in the history of the Republic of Türkiye.
Cargo and freight volumes also rose significantly over the year, reaching a total of 5.15 million tons. Of this amount, 929,373 tons were transported on domestic routes, while 4.22 million tons were carried on international routes.
At Istanbul Airport, aircraft traffic in December reached 45,542 movements, including 9,209 domestic and 36,333 international flights. Passenger traffic at the airport totaled 6.93 million, with 1.3 million domestic and 5.63 million international passengers. Compared to December 2024, passenger traffic at Istanbul Airport increased by 11 percent.
Airports located in major tourism destinations also recorded strong performance throughout the year. Total aircraft movements at these airports reached 424,870, while passenger traffic amounted to 62.88 million, including 19.58 million domestic and 43.30 million international passengers. Antalya Airport served 39.16 million passengers, İzmir Adnan Menderes Airport handled 12.66 million, Muğla Dalaman Airport welcomed 5.64 million, Milas-Bodrum Airport served 4.41 million, and Gazipaşa-Alanya Airport recorded 1.0 million passengers.
The latest figures underline Türkiye's continued growth in aviation, supported by strong tourism demand, expanding international connectivity, and sustained investments in airport infrastructure.