Turkish Airlines passenger traffic rises 16% to 7.2 million in March
Turkish Airlines reported a 16% year-on-year increase in passenger traffic to 7.2 million in March, with passenger load factor rising 6.1 percentage points to 83.6%. The airline's fleet expanded to 528 aircraft, up 11.9% from a year earlier.
Turkish Airlines said its passenger traffic rose 16% year-on-year to 7.2 million in March, according to traffic results disclosed to Türkiye's Public Disclosure Platform. The carrier said passenger numbers increased from 6.2 million in March 2025 to 7.2 million in the same month of 2026.
Load factor improvement
The passenger load factor rose 6.1 percentage points to 83.6% in March 2026. The international load factor increased 5.9 percentage points to 83.7%, while the domestic load factor rose 8 percentage points to 82.3%. Total available seat kilometers (ASK) increased 8.7% to 22.8 billion, up from 20.9 billion in March 2025.
Cargo and fleet
Cargo and mail volumes rose 8.8% to 198,300 tons from 182,200 tons a year earlier. As of the end of March 2026, the airline's fleet expanded 11.9% year-on-year to 528 aircraft, compared with 472 a year earlier. Turkish Airlines introduced its 500th aircraft earlier this year, which joined the fleet at the end of 2025.
Advertisement
Regional context
The growth comes amid regional disruptions caused by the US-Israeli war with Iran, which had led to flight suspensions and airspace closures across the Middle East. Turkish Airlines maintained operations through alternative routes and continued to expand its network.
Comments you share on our site are a valuable resource for other users. Please be respectful of different opinions and other users. Avoid using rude, aggressive, derogatory, or discriminatory language.