Turkish Airlines reports carrying 85.3 million passengers in the first 11 months of 2025, an 8.4% increase from the same period last year, as growing international demand and expanded capacity drive the carrier’s performance. The airline also posts gains in cargo and mail volumes while adding aircraft to support network growth.
According to the company’s latest traffic update, Turkish Airlines transported 7.4 million passengers in November alone, with international load factor reaching 84.3% and domestic load factor at 86.8%. Capacity measured in available seat kilometers (ASK) rose 10.3% year-on-year in November and 7.4% across the January–November period.
Passenger Growth and Rising Transfer Traffic
The carrier attributes much of its 2025 momentum to strong demand in both point-to-point and connecting markets. International-to-international transfer passengers totaled 2.9 million in November, up 18.9% from 2.4 million in the same month of 2024. Over the first 11 months of the year, transfer traffic increased 12.8% to 32.5 million compared with 28.8 million in the previous year.
Overall load factor from January to November stands at 83.2%, with international services reaching 82.9% and domestic routes recording 86.3%. ASK capacity reached 22.3 billion in November, compared with 20.2 billion in November 2024. For the 11-month period, ASK increased from 232.8 billion to 249.9 billion, reflecting fleet expansion and schedule optimization.
Turkish Airlines also reports continued growth in cargo and mail volumes. The carrier handled 190,700 tons of cargo and mail in November, a 14.8% rise from the same month in 2024. For the year-to-date period, total cargo and mail reached 2 million tons, up 7.6% from 1.8 million tons in 2024. As of the end of November, the airline’s fleet totals 513 aircraft.
Istanbul Airport Tops Europe in Traffic
Istanbul Airport, the main hub of Turkish Airlines, ranks as Europe’s busiest airport for the week of 24–30 November, according to EUROCONTROL’s latest aviation report. The airport recorded a daily average of 1,459 flights, placing it ahead of London Heathrow at 1,288 flights, Amsterdam at 1,259, Paris Charles de Gaulle at 1,221 and Frankfurt at 1,193.
Istanbul Sabiha Gökçen International Airport also appears in the top 10, ranking ninth with a daily average of 738 flights. The figures reflect Turkey’s continued strength in passenger and transfer traffic, supported in part by Turkish Airlines’ expanding global network and rising demand for connections through Istanbul.
Turkish Airlines’ operational growth aligns with Istanbul Airport’s increasing traffic levels, which reinforce the hub’s role as a major intercontinental transfer point. The combined performance of both airports highlights Turkey’s growing prominence in European and global aviation.
The November results build on a year of consistent performance for the carrier, which continues to expand capacity, strengthen its fleet and prioritize connecting traffic through Istanbul. Turkish Airlines says demand remains strong across most regions and indicates it will maintain its focus on route development, operational efficiency and network optimization.
With 2026 approaching, the airline plans to support additional growth with new aircraft deliveries and further schedule enhancements. Turkish Airlines’ year-to-date results position the carrier for continued expansion as global travel demand stabilizes and long-haul markets show sustained recovery.
