The passenger traffic at Istanbul airports surpassed Turkey's population.

In the January-September period of this year, the airports in Istanbul hosted 91 million 630 thousand 786 passengers, which is more than the population of Turkey. During this period, 91 million 630 thousand 786 passengers used the airports in Istanbul, with 28 million 20 thousand 593 on domestic flights and 63 million 610 thousand 193 on international flights.

The number of passengers hosted at Istanbul and Sabiha Gökçen airports increased in the first nine months of this year compared to last year. This increase continued in September, which is considered the end of the tourism season.

According to data compiled from the website of the General Directorate of State Airports Authority (DHMİ), 60 million 659 thousand 88 passengers used Istanbul Airport during this period. Of these passengers, 13 million 258 thousand 640 flew on domestic flights, while 47 million 400 thousand 448 flew on international flights. In the same period last year, 57 million 725 thousand 145 passengers were hosted at Istanbul Airport. Thus, it was calculated that the number of passengers increased by 2 million 933 thousand 943 compared to the previous year.

INCREASE IN DOMESTIC AND INTERNATIONAL PASSENGERS AT SABIHA GÖKÇEN

With the second runway becoming operational on December 25 last year, the capacity of Sabiha Gökçen Airport increased, and both domestic and international passenger numbers have been steadily rising. In the January-September period of this year, 14 million 761 thousand 953 passengers were hosted on domestic flights and 16 million 209 thousand 745 on international flights, totaling 30 million 971 thousand 698 passengers. In the same period last year, 27 million 456 thousand 315 passengers traveled on flights from this airport. The number of passengers at the airport increased by 3 million 515 thousand 383.

PASSENGERS AT ISTANBUL AIRPORTS EXCEED 91 MILLION

During this period, 91 million 630 thousand 786 passengers used the airports in Istanbul, with 28 million 20 thousand 593 on domestic flights and 63 million 610 thousand 193 on international flights. In the January-September period of last year, 85 million 181 thousand 460 passengers traveled on domestic and international flights operated from the two airports. This year's increase in passengers was calculated to be 6 million 449 thousand 326, approximately 8 percent.

According to the "2023 Results of the Address-Based Population Registration System" released by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), the country's population was announced as 85 million 372 thousand 377. Thus, it was determined that the number of passengers flying from the two airports in the first nine months of the year exceeded the country's population.

FLIGHT NUMBERS ARE ALSO INCREASING

In the January-September period of this year, the number of flights operated at Istanbul's two airports continued to increase. At Istanbul Airport, there were 90 thousand 616 domestic flights and 300 thousand 873 international flights in the nine-month period. The total number of flights at this airport was calculated to be 391 thousand 489. In the same period last year, a total of 382 thousand 422 flights were operated, indicating an increase of 9 thousand 67 flights. In the first nine months of this year, Sabiha Gökçen Airport had 83 thousand 406 domestic flights and 96 thousand 943 international flights, totaling 180 thousand 349 flights. In the same period last year, 170 thousand 804 flights were operated from this airport. Accordingly, the increase in flights was recorded as 9 thousand 545.

21 THOUSAND 82 FLIGHTS FROM ATATÜRK AIRPORT

At Atatürk Airport, there were 12 thousand 228 domestic flights and 8 thousand 854 international flights, totaling 21 thousand 82 flights during this period. In the same period last year, 19 thousand 545 flights were operated at the airport. It was determined that from the three airports in Istanbul, there were 592 thousand 920 flights from January to September of this year, compared to 572 thousand 771 flights in the same period last year. Thus, it was calculated that the number of flights in the first nine months of this year increased by 20 thousand 149, or 5 percent.