Türkiye rises to third in Europe for airport passenger traffic

Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu stated that Türkiye's annual airport passenger traffic has surged from 55 million to nearly 400 million over the past 24 years, elevating the country to third place in Europe and seventh globally in aviation rankings.

Passenger growth and flight operations

The minister said the country's civil aviation infrastructure has expanded substantially since 2002, with the total number of airports rising from 26 to 58. Terminal areas grew from 541,000 square meters to 4.1 million square meters over the same period, he noted, adding that daily passenger traffic surged from 92,000 to 677,000.

Annual passenger numbers reached 247.1 million by the end of 2025, according to the minister's statement. Flight frequency also increased markedly, with total annual flights rising from 532,000 to over 2.5 million and daily operations exceeding 6,800, Uraloglu said.

Fleet expansion and global reach

Türkiye’s registered aircraft fleet expanded from 626 to 2,218 units over the 24-year span, including a rise in wide-body aircraft from 150 to 800. The total airline seat capacity increased from 25,000 to 157,000, while the number of international destinations served climbed from 60 to 356, the minister stated.

Air transport agreements with other nations rose from 81 to 175, supporting the expanded global connectivity. The country's defined flight routes extended from 41,901 kilometers to 80,000 kilometers, marking a 91% growth in the airspace network, according to the ministry.

Physical infrastructure upgrades

Physical infrastructure saw comparable gains, with aircraft parking positions increasing from 332 to 1,739 and navigation aids rising from 215 to 589. The total runway length across Türkiye's airports extended from 149 kilometers to 241.4 kilometers during the period.