Turkish Airlines posts strong growth with 85.3 million passengers

Turkey

Between January and November 2025, the flag carrier increased passenger numbers by 8.4 per cent, supported by rising transfer traffic and solid load factors.

Turkish Airlines continued its growth trajectory in 2025, carrying a total of 85.3 million passengers between January and November. This represents an increase of 8.4 per cent compared with the same period last year, underlining sustained demand across both international and domestic markets.

Transfer traffic drives international growth

A key contributor to the airline’s performance was the continued rise in international-to-international transfer passengers. From January to November, this segment grew by 12.8 per cent year on year to 32.5 million passengers, reflecting Istanbul’s role as a major global hub connecting Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.

Overall capacity utilisation remained at a high level. The total passenger load factor for the first eleven months of the year reached 83.2 per cent. International services recorded a load factor of 82.9 per cent, while domestic routes achieved an even higher figure of 86.3 per cent.

Cargo volumes also on the rise

In addition to passenger growth, Turkish Airlines strengthened its position in air freight. Total cargo and mail volume increased by 7.6 per cent year on year, rising from 1.8 million tonnes in 2024 to 2.0 million tonnes by the end of November 2025.

Solid performance in November

November alone confirmed the positive trend. During the month, Turkish Airlines carried 7.4 million passengers. The international load factor stood at 84.3 per cent, while domestic services achieved a load factor of 86.8 per cent. International-to-international transfer passengers recorded particularly strong growth, increasing by 18.9 per cent from 2.4 million in November 2024 to 2.9 million in November 2025.

Cargo performance also accelerated towards the end of the year. In November, cargo and mail volumes rose by 14.8 per cent compared with the same month last year, reaching 190,700 tonnes.

Expanding fleet supports future growth

As of the end of November 2025, Turkish Airlines operated a fleet of 513 aircraft. The continued expansion and modernisation of the fleet provides the foundation for further network growth and capacity increases, supporting the airline’s long-term strategy as a leading global carrier.