Aircraft traffic at airports in Türkiye has exceeded 8 million over the past five years. Istanbul Airport ranked first with 2.2 million aircraft movements.
Aircraft traffic across airports in Türkiye has reached remarkable levels over the last five years. According to data from the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), the total number of aircraft landing and taking off at airports between 2021 and 2025 was recorded at 8 million 80 thousand 142.
During this period, 4 million 290 thousand 959 aircraft movements were recorded on domestic routes, while 3 million 789 thousand 183 aircraft movements took place on international routes. Türkiye appears to have rapidly completed its post-pandemic recovery in air transportation, while increasing passenger demand and airline investments were directly reflected in the figures.
Continuous Increase in Civil Commercial Aircraft Traffic
DHMİ data revealed that civil commercial aircraft traffic in Türkiye increased steadily every year.
Civil Commercial Aircraft Traffic by Year
- 2021: 1 million 204 thousand 618
- 2022: 1 million 488 thousand 626
- 2023: 1 million 685 thousand 877
- 2024: 1 million 772 thousand 610
- 2025: 1 million 928 thousand 411
Civil commercial aircraft traffic in 2025 increased by 8.8 percent compared to the previous year, reaching the highest level of recent years.
Istanbul Airport Maintained Its Leadership
Istanbul Airport, positioned as Türkiye’s global aviation hub, maintained its leadership in aircraft traffic. Between 2021 and 2025, a total of 2 million 277 thousand 840 civil commercial aircraft movements were recorded at the airport.
With its international connectivity strength, transit passenger capacity, and increasing airline operations, Istanbul Airport continued to rank among Europe’s busiest airports.
Growth in Aviation Continues
Experts believe that growth in Türkiye’s aviation sector will continue in the coming years. New route launches, fleet investments, and tourism mobility are expected to further increase aircraft traffic.
