(MENAFN) Türkiye’s airports welcomed a total of 187.4 million passengers, including direct transit travelers, from January through September 2025, according to Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu. This marks a 7.6% increase compared to the same period last year, based on data from the State Airports Authority General Directorate.

During the first nine months, domestic flights totaled 756,659, while international operations reached 711,652, bringing the combined total—including overflights—to approximately 1.8 million flights, reflecting the same 7.6% annual growth.

In September alone, around 9.5 million domestic passengers and 12.2 million international travelers passed through Türkiye’s airports, resulting in a total of 24.7 million, including direct transit passengers, which is up 10.5% compared to September 2024. Aircraft movements that month included 92,573 domestic takeoffs and landings and 94,799 international operations, totaling 239,335 when overflights are included.

Cargo operations also saw significant activity. In the first nine months, 712,615 tons of cargo were carried on domestic flights and 3.1 million tons on international routes, exceeding 3.8 million tons overall. In September, domestic cargo traffic reached 91,460 tons, with 406,058 tons handled on international flights.

Among the busiest hubs, IGA Istanbul Airport managed 410,571 flights and served 62.8 million passengers, while Istanbul Sabiha Gokcen Airport handled 202,965 flights with 35.6 million passengers. Ataturk Airport, operating primarily as an executive airport, saw 21,835 flights during the same period.

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