Turkish Airports Serve Almost 50 Million Travelers in Early 2026

Turkish Airports Handle Nearly 50 Million Passengers in Q1 2026

Istanbul – Türkiye’s airports welcomed 49.31 million passengers in the first three months of 2026, Transport and Infrastructure Minister Abdulkadir Uraloğlu announced.

Of this total, 23.27 million were domestic travelers and 26 million international, including direct transit passengers. Passenger traffic rose 8.9% year-on-year.

In March alone, airports served 16.43 million passengers — 8.01 million domestic and 8.41 million international — marking an 11.3% year-on-year increase. Aircraft movements in March totaled 166,242, including domestic, international flights, and overflights.

Istanbul Airports

• Istanbul Airport: 6.33 million passengers in March; 19.11 million total for Q1.
• Sabiha Gökçen Airport: 3.66 million passengers in March; 11.58 million total for Q1.

Tourism Hub Airports

Other tourism-focused airports recorded 6.50 million passengers in Q1, including 4.01 million domestic and 2.49 million international travelers, highlighting Türkiye’s growing role as a global travel hub.